Thanks for the question and I hope we can help you get your groove back. We've gotten a lot of people writing in about this kind of thing and how to dress for the "new normal." And while it sounds like the weekday suit is working for you, taking it down a few notches can actually feel trickier. I'm going to make it super simple and give you a sure thing. A combo you can take pretty much anywhere, and look pulled together but relaxed.
Sport jacket + 5-pockets.
Sport jacket + 5-pockets.
Sport jacket + 5-pockets.
First off, I'm not sure there's a better time in the history of dressing (outside of maybe 1967) to lean into sports jackets. Just the effort of throwing on a jacket these days will immediately make you one of the better-dressed guys in the room, just by default. Blazers are naturally a little more casual than suits, and typically come in a wider range of fabric and pattern options.
All of these will look cool with trousers, but in search of your less formal kit, 5-pockets with a jacket will get you dialed in. It's not just blue jeans... we do a ton of different colors so you really could make it a uniform without wearing the same pair of denim every day. Anything in the natural/stone/wheat/khaki family is going to go with almost any odd jacket, but a bright color can be a fast-track to reclaiming your mojo. You don't have to make it complicated... just like blue jeans go with nearly every jacket, a navy sport coat goes with nearly every color of 5-pockets we've got. Go for it.
I'd start with the jacket and work your way down. Any of the ones we've got would be a good starting point, but I'll throw out a few of the ones I'm digging most this season. If you want something quiet, this linen-y Spruce/Navy hopsack would be great. Two-toned, but barely. I have an older version of this and wear mine a ton. Or maybe you're wanting to level up a little with a pattern like this Navy/Bone Check hopsack. Both of those are No. 1s, which is our least constructed make. As the Italians say, camicia construction – a jacket with the ease of a shirt. So you're going to feel a little less trussed-up than you do in your suit. Plaids can easily add some lift – the Sage/Graphite and Dutch Blue/Chocolate are both fantastic. They're brothers, linen-rich hopsacks from England, and total panteaters. They go with indigo, they go with natural, they go with khaki, they go with white. And you know how I feel about a navy blazer... how about a tone-on-tone navy seersucker? It's the navy blazer you didn't know you wanted, especially if you live in a warm climate. Parties well with basically everything, but I love the idea of some color on the bottom. Grass green or raspberry pink. Sage green canvas would be equally cool if you're not a brights guy. And white jeans are always right on.
So that formula's your starting point, but you can dial up or down the formality with the rest. When you factor in shirt, shoes, belt, and accessories, there are nearly unlimited options. Riffing here, but maybe you pair it with a polo, sneakers, and an African beaded belt. Or with a sport shirt, reversible belt and loafers. Or with a dress shirt, gator belt and double monks... with a navy knit tie thrown in for good measure. All of these have a blazer and 5-pockets as the foundation, but could take you from your kid's soccer game, to the office, to that date night reservation you've been waiting a year for. But it's not too torqued up for continuing to work from home – sounds like you're going into the office, but for a lot of people, remote work is here to stay.
SOME COMBOS TO TRY:
THE SOCCER SIDELINES: 5-pockets, sneakers, belt, polo, jacket
THE OFFICE OUTFIT: 5-pockets, loafers, belt, sport shirt, jacket
THE DINNER OUT: jeans, double monks, belt, tie, dress shirt, jacket
We've carried (and endorsed!) the jeans and-a-sport-coat combo since we opened some 13 years ago, and I probably wear it myself at least 2 times a week. This isn't revolutionary, just a reminder. Don't worry... it's gonna be great.
Go get 'em.
