Having a versatile wardrobe is one of the most time-saving and comfortable things a man can have. By versatile wardrobe, we don’t refer necessarily to being able to go like Superman from sweatpants to tuxedo in a second, but it means to be able to be prepared clotheswise for what life throws at you. In the dynamic of the world we live in, it’s hard to have the time and resources to change from the clothes you wear at work in clothes you wear when meeting people in a pub, going to a see a show or having dinner in a surprise place. The world is full of surprises, you don’t know when you receive, let’s say an invitation to go somewhere after work, but you are wearing short pants and a t-shirt which won’t do you justice in the place you go. That’s the thing about having a versatile wardrobe. Versatile means that it can adapt to the context and go more ways.

In this article, we will tell you how to do this.

 

 

The pieces

In order to make sure you have all the pieces you need, you can go through a list which describes the items we believe should be present in your closet.

To learn what a basic wardrobe is, you can look at our article on this topic.

What’s really important when you are building a versatile wardrobe is to have clothes that are both elegant and formal, yet casual and relaxed.

For example, Gagliardi is an European brand that builds it’s creations by following the philosophy of mixing the classic and the modern. They state it very well: They use “on-trend cuts, seasonal shades and varied textures, with a no-nonsense, old-fashioned approach when it comes to quality and craftsmanship and the use of luxurious fabrics.”  And that’s what we basically want you to understand. A versatile wardrobe is a wardrobe where the classic meets to modern half way, that is qualitative and not quantitative and matches your personality perfectly.

 

 

How can you achieve this?

This seems to be easy to understand, but how does it work in practice? It’s easy! For example a classic suit in a bright color is the perfect combination of modern and classic and is a staple of a versatile wardrobe. Such a suit can be dressed up with adding a tie to your attire or dressed down if worn with a checkered shirt.

A few months ago, we were discussing on Attire Club if it’s better to be overdressed or underdressed, but there was no right answer. In order to avoid being either overdressed nor underdressed, it’s best to keep your clothes in the “versatile” area.

Here are a few aspects you need to keep in mind when you create an outfit (and basically when you put your wardrobe together):

1. Make sure you have a main color and supporting colors. It’s important to own both clothes in bright colors and neutral colors so that you can mix them together. Neutral colors are colors that go with any other colors. Neutral colors include: beige, white, khaki, gray, navy blue.

2. The same thing goes for clothes: have a main piece and then supporting pieces.

3. It’s important to layer your clothes for a versatile look. Wearing layers and accessories can help you dress it up or dress it down!

 

To see the “rules” put into practice we can have a glimpse of some photos. Let’s give you a visual example:

For example this dapper guy dressed up in Gagliardi looks great. He’s ready to go to a semi-forma gathering which is what most of us experience in our everyday lives. If you would take the bow tie the pocket square and maybe even the jacket off (but that’s not obligatory), it would be a perfect outfit for another day at the office.

 

Let’s go to the next example:

 

 

This man is also the proud wearer of a great look (still Gagliardi). Try to pick any item and change it with something else and you will see that the outcome is surprising! You can notice that the pants draw the most attention when it comes to this outfit, while the gray and the brown tie balance it out. Also, the pocket square is a nice touch.

Another very important thing to keep in mind is that the clothes you are wearing should follow a line. Try not to mix styles and ages, as it will look amateurish. Try to keep things in a clear line. Clothes that are in the “middle”, as we stated before are the best option, since they can be matched to almost any style and preference.

 

 

Advantages

Having a versatile wardrobe has the following advantages:

• You spend less money on clothes. Even though quality pieces are more expensive, when you add things up, buying less but more qualitative clothes is cheaper than buying more and perhaps more often less qualitative clothes.
• Your wardrobe can breathe. Having an easily interchangeable wardrobe will make your closet less bulkier. Physical order gives you mental order. Also, knowing that all your pieces go together
• It saves you time. Knowing the outfits you have will result in a lot less time spent searching for the “right clothes”. Often, when a man searches for the right clothes, he does not have the right clothes.

 

In the end, we need to remind you that a versatile wardrobe is perfect for everyday living. This however, does not mean that you shouldn’t have a 100% formal suit or sports wear for when you go exercising (and only then).

 

In the end, we are going to leave you with a gallery of pictures that you can use as inspiration for when you are upgrading your closet.