An upcoming holiday tends to send me straight to the shops. Rather than being a last-minute panic disaster, it’s often when I make my best purchases. The holiday highlights what is missing from my wardrobe and I can look for what I need with a specific circumstance in mind.
Marcs outfit ideas
A case in point was my recent trip to Melbourne to visit family, hang out in a cool hotel and catch some footy at the MCG (AFL). I was also going to be lunching at a fancy restaurant with some super stylish girls and I felt I had nothing to wear. Plenty of summer frocks, but no cosy Melbourne-weather-appropriate autumn frockery.
My time is limited (whose isn’t?), so I did some reconnaissance online. As this was done a touch late in the peace, I didn’t have time to wait for shipping, so I found some possibilities from shops located close together at my local Westfield, then was in and out within 1.5 hours with two pairs of jeans, a dress, two scarves and a necklace. Speed shopping!
Hubster is not a fan of shopping. Not unusual for the male of the species and I more than make up for it. But like myself, it’s often when there’s a trip on the horizon that he realises that the situation is fairly dire. Unfortunately it generally means spending hours traipsing around the shops with the kids, buying a year’s worth of clothes.
With winter quickly advancing and the June long weekend, school holidays and ski trips in many people’s plans, I thought I would change my tack. Perhaps I could convert hubster to online shopping? Or at least some online browsing and planning to minimise time at the shops.
So here is my cunning plan for updating his wardrobe with a minimum of fuss.
Contents
Step 1 – Check out the trends
I had to go into town today for some dental work, so I took the opportunity to have a quick look around Country Road and Marcs. To be honest I felt about as comfortable wandering around on my own as a man must feel in the lingerie department, so don’t worry about this step. I did it for you.
Country Road at the Queen Victoria Building – Checks and stripes all over the place! Also some slightly Nordic designs which I’m really not sure about. Thoughts?
- I don’t think trends change all that much for guys from year to year. In these shops you will find plenty of checked shirts, especially brushed cotton medium weight ones, slightly reminiscent of the traditional flanny shirt.
- There’s also piles of striped knits. They’re classic, won’t date and won’t scare off any fashion-phobic men.
- Chinos and jeans never really go away, but this is a great time to get a new jacket. There’s a few different styles around. I’m quite partial to the khaki anorak style, but then I have one of those. I don’t think matching is really a good look do you?
Marcs at the Queen Victoria Building – Checks and stripes, broken up with some dark denim. Dull? No! I prefer to assume that they are just letting us ladies stand out in our rainbow of colours.
Step 2 – Online reconnaissance
Checked Shirts
Too bright, too bold, too conservative – finding the right checked shirt is a challenge. These are the ones that stood out to me. I’d be perfectly happy with hubster wearing one of these, but what will he think? He’s got to like at least one! Doesn’t he?
1 French Connection Indigo check regular shirt
2 Industrie The Mountford long sleeve shirt
3 Trenery Vintage foulard print shirt
4 Witchery Robin plaid shirt
5 Tommy Hilfiger Chambray shirt
6 Country Road Flannel check shirt
7 Industrie The Hillfield long sleeve shirt
8 Marcs Bobby slim shirt
9 Industrie The W15 Enmore long sleeve shirt
10 Marcs Staten slim shirt
Knits
A striped knit. It’s a wardrobe staple. Suitable for pretty much any occasion in hubster’s non-work life, from swing-pushing or bike-chasing, to a social meal. Granted these are not all striped, but one does need variety. I spied several stylish gentlemen in the city today sporting jeans, a checked shirt with a plain jumper over the top. Classic Casual Friday uniform.
1 Cotton On Arthur cable crew
2 Marcs Bolton crew knit
3 French Connection Criss Cross crew neck knit
4 Marcs Jensen crew neck
5 Cotton On Longline knit
6 French Connection Waffle crew neck knit
7 French Connection Indigo stripe crew neck knit
8 Marcs Dax crew knit
9 Industrie The Pike stripe linen knit
10 Witchery Breton sweat
Jackets
A jacket is essential for those freezing Saturday morning sideline sessions. Bomber jackets seem to be in, but I’m just not feeling them, so I’m checking out parkas, vests and hoodies.
1 French Connection Khaki utility pocket jacket
2 Cotton On Brunswick hooded long sleeve
3 Marcs Baltimore jacket
4 Marcs Manhattan mac
5 French Connection Varsity puffer vest
6 Country Road Utility jacket
7 Country Road Technical parka
8 Cotton On Brunswick parka
9 Witchery Clark jacket
10 Witchery Cavendish jacket
Step 3 – Buy buy buy!
Whether it’s all online so he can try them on at home, or a well-planned attack on a shopping centre, get in, get it done and move on.
How does his side of the wardrobe get re-stocked at your place?
