The Art of a Gentleman – The Importance of Simplicity

In a world and time where graphics, bright colors, and other attention-grabbing items are in our line of view daily, our eyes and mind are over-stimulated, making the saturated muted and the simple stand out. Simple style is not only a breath of fresh air in the sea of prints and bold statements, but it is also classic, and classic transcends time and trends.  You may think that the aftermarket blinged out Omega you want will help to elevate your status and stand out in a room, but the vintage classic Omega is the special one, not the iced out watch that just degraded in value because the diamonds and alterations defaced an already perfect timepiece. As Jeff Bezos once said, “A company shouldn’t get addicted to being shiny, because shiny doesn’t last.”

Stumped on what to wear today or to an event or dinner? Think simple. Crisp white sneakers, a nice pair of shorts or pants and a simple button down, and maybe a dinner jacket depending on the occasion. This should be your new ‘uniform’ in your evolution of becoming an elevated gentleman in 2021. Our women’s stripe set that was available in blue and pink both sold out within days, because it was simple, timeless, easy to transform from day to evening, and will not go out of style.

 This is not to say that adding your own signature touch of flavor to your fit is frowned upon, in fact I want to encourage you to, but in moderation. Let your tie or pocket square take center stage. If you have a wild shirt, pair it with nice classic pants, or vice versa. For the ladies, if you are rocking the red lip, let the rest of your makeup be simple and let your lips standout. Be the antithesis of ‘try hard’, and dress with simplicity in mind and watch how it un-complicates your life, and alleviates any closet trauma you have experienced in the morning. (That awful feeling of, 'I have absolutely nothing to wear and I hate everything I own'.) You never want to be the person that everyone in the room knows is trying too hard, that shows a lack of confidence. Be confident enough to be simple, now that speaks volumes.

The rule of simplicity should also be applied to other aspects of your life. Have attainable goals, create a simple road map of how to get from A to B, and don’t make it complicated. When you are preparing for a presentation or a big meeting, keep it simple. Make sure you hit the main points and don’t complicate things too much. When we make things too complicated, it creates chaos and that is not a good environment to achieve greatness. Keep a clean desk and home, a simple routine, and a classic wardrobe.  

Below is a list of my closet necessities. As I have developed as a man and as a gentleman, I’ve realized the importance of being quality over quantity. The $300 classic pants or $500 timeless shoes will be in your closet forever because they are made from quality materials and won’t go out of style. The $50 shoes you must buy every three months because they fall apart or have fallen out of style is a waste of money and I want you to think about fashion as an investment in yourself, your future, and your confidence.  Once you have these items as a part of your wardrobe, getting dressed and feeling elevated and classic will not only become second nature but will also help to put your mind in a great place to attack the rest of your day.

Closet checklist

-       Navy blazer

-       Cotton button downs (can be short sleeved during the warmer months)

-       Extra white tee-shirts

-       Slacks (You can have some fun here, think plaid, etc.)

-       Khaki pants and shorts that fit correctly in several different colors (Navy, Army Green, Tan)

-       Levi jeans (I personally like the 501 fit)

-       White sneakers

-       Loafers or dress shoes

-       Calvin Klein underwear

-       Dark colored socks, or ones with a classic fun pattern… Don’t be the man in the room with white socks during a boardroom meeting.

-       Extra white socks for out of office with sneakers