Author: Ben Tuthill
Dressing well for Fall/Winter is kind of like rocket science: every step you take seems simple and obvious, but each one of them is crucial in terms of the final product. Everyone is impressed by rockets because so many little steps go into making them work. Similarly, everyone is impressed by a good winter outfit because it incorporates so many elements and layers. I don’t know if that’s an accurate metaphor because I don’t know anything about rocket science but just run with it.
On any winter day the typical well-dressed man will be wearing shoes, socks, pants, an undershirt, a collared shirt, a sweater, a jacket, an overcoat, neckwear, gloves, a hat, a bag, some sort of animal if he’s into that kind of thing and any number of accessories. Each piece can be mixed and matched in thousands of different ways. It all goes into creating a complex look, and when it all comes together, it’s usually awe-inspiring.
Dressing for Spring/Summer is much simpler. Warm weather means less clothing, which means fewer layers and less complexity. Instead of ten-plus elements, you only get three or four. To continue the already strained mechanics metaphor, dressing well for S/S is like plumbing: just as difficult as rocket science but much less impressive.
Easter has passed and baseball has started, which according to me makes it officially spring. The sun is getting sunnier and the weather is getting warmer, and everyone who thought they were passing for well-dressed under winter layers is starting to realize that their life is a sham. From now until Labor Day, weather and general etiquette permits only one or two light garments at a time, making everything more exposed and therefore much more difficult to wear. If you’re only wearing one shirt, that shirt has to fit perfectly. If you can’t distract from your shoes with your socks, your shoes better look great.
For a long time, men responded to this challenge with flashy summer trends that never made it past their respective Septembers (remember 2011’s Kanye bracelets and 2012’s print explosion?). But this September up-and-coming New York designer Todd Snyder may have chanced upon a sustainable and actually respectable alternative: Spring layering.
Todd Snyder’s S/S 2013 collection is a brilliant showcase of how to wear a pile of lightweight garments without overheating. Obviously he’d like people to buy his clothes, but if they are paying attention to what he’s actually doing in his show, they’ll realize that they don’t really need to. Here’s how to put together a Todd Snyder-approved Spring outfit:
1. Start with a lightweight v-neck t-shirt. Most of Snyder’s looks have a thin, almost translucent jersey-knit v-neck as their base. There’s a reason for that: one of the first areas that gets uncomfortable in warm weather is the collarbone/neck zone. If you want to keep cool in the summer, you’d do well to keep your neck clear. Put on a clean v-neck t-shirt and you’re off to a good start.
2. Add a thin cotton cardigan or light collared shirt. Make sure it works with your undershirt (Snyder likes simple plaids and dull colors) and make sure it’s thin (no wool or flannel; stick to linen or madras). Wear it open or partially buttoned and be sure to leave the neck wide open.
3. Throw on a light Spring jacket. Snyder tries everything: canvas raincoats, trenches, Harringtons, blazers. A nylon windbreaker or baseball jacket will do you good too. Make sure it pairs with your shirt (Snyder likes chambray blue and yellow) and leave it unzipped. Don’t wear anything designed for warmth or functionality: you want a jacket that protects against a light breeze and nothing more.
4. Roll up your sleeves. I know what you’re thinking: no way! This is insane! Who would ever think to do this? But really, it does wonders. First, it exposes your forearms, cooling you off and making your already low-functioning jacket even more useless. Second, it looks good: you’ve got a complicated, dual-patterned, wrinkled mess around your elbows. You look like Mitt Romney in casual campaign mode, except not super lame.
5. Tie another shirt around your waist. This is Snyder’s greatest innovation, and it’s a big one. The around-the-waist shirt-tie had it’s day in the mid-‘90s and has had a recent revival among hipsters who like having something around their waists but aren’t comfortable with fanny packs. Synder’s collection loses the irony by using madras shirts that don’t create bulk. It flow evenly with the rest of the outfit as a result: kind of a shirt, kind of a belt, kind of a skirt, and kind of awesome. If you want to look like you’re in A$AP Mob but aren’t down with wearing a dress, this is the look for you.
6. Toss on a lightweight pair of shorts or pants and some shoes and you’re good to go. Synder likes hiking boots, but a pair of canvas shoes or loafers without socks will probably do you best. Keep most of your elements light and coordinated, but let one of them be a contrast piece (Synder recommends the waist-tied shirt). Be reasonable with your accessories, and if you get too hot, take off your jacket and throw it over your shoulder: all of the visuals of layering with none of the consequences.
There you have it: Spring style without vulnerability. You probably already have everything you need in your wardrobe. You’ll look as good as you did all winter and you’ll be almost as cool as you were in a cotton t-shirt and basketball shorts. Now wear it to your summer internship interview at the JPL and achieve rocket science success.
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