Shirt, shoes, pants, socks and trousers? Good. Get out that front door and show the world who's boss.
Only, something's missing.
Sure, you can seize the day with just your wardrobe's bare essentials, but you'll find life a lot easier, funnier and down-right better with a couple of stylish details to hand.
Here’s a list of 14 gotta-have accessories all stylish men should have in their lives, because it’s the little things that matter most.
A phone case that means business (and pleasure)
Like a strong mullet, an iPhone can totally tread the thin line between party and work. Just take a look at this wooden treat.
Native Union Clic wooden case, £34.95, johnlewis.com
A timepiece you’re not scared to wear
“Look guys, I’d love to go up that enormous deadly mountain with you. I really would. Thing is, and don’t get cranky, you see this watch? Yeah, this old thing. It cost me quite a lot of money. I’ll hang back and make sure dinner’s ready for you when you get back.” – The words of no great man, ever.
Skagen Ancher Steel Mesh watch, £175, skagen.com
A sweet pair of cans
Sure, you might like listening to the greatest hits of D:Ream all the way up to eleven, but the rest of your train carriage sure doesn’t. These little beasts will keep it stylishly cranked without everyone in a 20-metre radius tutting in your direction.
Marshall Monitor steel edition, £179, marshallheadphones.com
A dress code-saving knitted tie
“But, the invite said smart-casual?” is a line none of us want to ever have to say as we walk into a party filled with smartly dressed chaps. And those words will never pass your lips if you keep this on your person just in case. When added to a plain white Oxford shirt, a clean pair of slim-fit jeans and some box-fresh New Balance, you’ll instantly go up a notch in the smart rankings without sacrificing your style.
Burberry London knitted tie, £125, mrporter.com
A battered copy of your favourite book
It should be scuffed to death. It should have dog-eared pages all the way through. It should have battle scars from that coffee once spilled when you leant it to your mate from five-a-side. It should help you look cultured, smart and interesting when it’s at hand.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, £8.99, waterstones.com
Nail clippers that didn't come from an Xmas cracker
Up there, ranked amongst the best urban myths, rubbing shoulders with the likes of ‘You’re never more than 6ft from a rat in London’ and ‘If you sneeze with your eyes open they’ll fall out of your sockets’ is ‘You eat more germs biting your fingernails than licking a toilet seat’. Now, we’re not totally sure if that’s accurate (our toilet seat tastes pretty clean to us, tbh), but one thing is for sure: biting your fingernails is sooo gross. Look after them – your fingers deserve better than a crappy cracker prize/being ripped to pieces by your gnashers.
Klhip nail clippers, £54.99, thefowndry.com
Sunglasses that’ll never date
We could have kept this short and sweet, and simply directed you to a pair of Ray-Bans. Timeless classics, sure, but everyone’s got a pair. Take a path less travelled and cop yourself these classy Scandi numbers instead.
Han Kjobenhaven Paul Senior sunglasses, £110, thehipstore.co.uk
A rucksack that’ll go anywhere
You only need one. And this is it.
Patagonia Arbor Pack 26L, £55, oipolloi.com
An emergency pair of laces
It happens approximately six times in a man’s life, but when it does, you might as well just go back to bed. Don’t let a snapped lace destroy your day/week/life and keep a couple of these in that kitchen drawer that’s home to all that crap you never use but can’t throw out.
Shoe laces, prices vary, mr-lacy.com
Socks that brighten your day
Which of you is going to walk into work and totally BOSS it today: the one wearing boring black socks with more holes than a broken sieve, or the one wearing totally awesome, colourful and fresh statement socks? Exactly. Exactly.
Form & Thread box of socks, £24, Formandthread.com
A leather belt that never leaves your waist
The jury’s out on how often you should wash your jeans. Some say after a few weeks. Some say keep them on for six months. Some say never. Regardless of how often you switch out your blue denim for a fresh pair, one thing remains a constant: that never-say-die leather belt through the hoops.
Polo Ralph Lauren Leather Plaited belt, £85, asos.com
An iPhone-less camera
Because we’re all old enough now to look after one without breaking it/leaving it on a bus/dropping it in the sea, aren’t we.
Fujifilm X-T10, £449, Fujifilm.eu
A fisherman’s beanie to hide your sins
God-awful bad hair days aren’t a problem that only the fairer sex have to face. When your lid resembles an explosion at a Slinky factory, this’ll cover the horror nicely.
Neighbourhood Blues Beanie, £59, endcothing.com
A level-upping tie bar
As long as you remember to slip it between the third and fourth button on your shirt, and make sure your bar isn’t wider than your tie, you’ll be feeling like Tom Hardy in Legend in no time.
J Crew brushed tie clip, £29.50, jcrew.com
