Fashion

Men, dress down in style

man

Men above 40 can make their clothes work for multiple occasions, both casual and formal. PHOTO | FILE

For the first three decades of their lives, men do not seem to have trouble picking out what to wear.

And as they get older, they tend to have stacks of suits because that is what most who work in corporate wear all week through.

But what happens in the evening or during the weekend and it is time to dress down?

The young and in shape can get away with a lot in terms of style, but not the older men, many of who at this stage have began to have some hang-ups about their bodies.

For most men above 40, clothing items that once worked in their 20s and 30s stop being ideal.

While a dapper casual style may be hard to keep up at a certain age, it is still no reason to restrict oneself to suits.

Of course you may not be able to pull off a pair of drop-crotch joggers unless you are Irvin Randle.

But still, men above 40 can make their clothes work for multiple occasions, both casual and formal.

Right fit

According to three men’s fashion whisperers whose well simmered experience BD Life sought, the key to dressing for older men is to make sure clothes fit right. They all warn very baggy or too tight only makes one look sloppy.

“There are very well-dressed men in Kenya. They look very sophisticated, elegant and well defined even with the simplest dressing,” says Aziz Fazal, one of the directors at Little Red, a store that dresses the who’s who in Kenya.

“But then there are also men who seem to be struggling.”

READ: DR NJENGA: Occasion and age will likely influence dressing

ALSO READ: Global fashion retailer LC Waikiki to open two more city stores

READ: Global fashion brands make a beeline for Nairobi middle class shoppers

Young designers get the perfect cut and fit

Overlook fashion

Zedekiah Lukoye also known in the fashion circles as Zeddie Loky is a Kenyan fashion designer based in New York, USA who thinks the older they get, the more men find it hard to keep their style game strong.

Fashion and image consultant Robert Burale observes that while there are men who overlook elegance due to the demands that hem them in as they get older, there are also men who overdress to seek attention.

Robert thinks this is because as they age, men do not just have to prioritise their own needs but those of family.

“Their demands go beyond what to wear to school fees and other competing expenses,” he says.

But a man should not turn into sobs or let their style slide just because they are older.

“Don’t overlook the things looking elegant does for you. The reality is that dressing well helps us in our personal, family and business lives—making us more attractive to employers, strangers and potential lovers. It reflects self-confidence and comfort in one’s skin,” says Zeddie who founded Narok NYC made-to-measure craftsmanship wear for men, and holder of the 2016 title for the most stylish African male in the diaspora.

He thinks Kenya lacks classy clothes especially for the cash-strapped segment of the population, but is quick to point that the market is still growing.

“Fabric, good fit and craftsmanship, what I like to call the trinity of good clothing is not there,” he says.

man2

People should be very cautious about the cut of clothe they choose to buy and wear. PHOTO | FILE

Men need to understand a good fit. If you are a hard fit and are the type that finds clothes that fit you on some parts of the body and not others, then reconsider buying your clothes off the shelf and have them tailored for you, says Zeddie who specialises in designing men’s suits, shirts and denim, and teaching men how to dress.

And the designer should know what he is talking about because, during his six-year stint with top clothing brands Alexander Nash as head of shirting and then at 3x1denim store bespoke director in New York, he has worked with the cream of society like American basketball and football players and actors.

In Kenya, he has dressed the likes of Michael Okwiri and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Men of class

Aziz whose family business has dressed men of class for years says people should be very cautious about the cut of clothes they choose to buy and wear.

If you thought it is only suits that are made-to-measure, you are wrong. The casual category is becoming more and more popular, according to Aziz.

“In May, when Italian luxury fashion designer Ermenegildo Zegna came in to town for Little Red’s biannual made-to-measure event, a majority of the items measured were casual wear items like leather jackets and jeans trousers.”

So huge is the interest in the casual wear that Little Red will be introducing footwear designer Giuseppe Zanotti in their stores in September. 

READ: Timeless and classic Hugo Boss package

Slim cut

When dressing down, go for the well fitted khaki trouser, well fitted cotton pant, chinos or stretch jeans. The way it fits on the waist and the width at the bottom matters.

Currently, the modern slim cut of trouser is trending for the older man. Unlike the traditional ‘dad trouser’ whose width at the bottom is 19-20 inches, the modern slim has a width not exceeding 16 inches at the bottom.

“The new slim trouser—and by this I don’t mean a-teenager-slim type of trouser—has a lower waistline because the stomach does not have to be seen. So older men should be looking for trousers with lower waistline and shorter crotch areas that are not hanging,’’ advises Aziz.

Middle- aged men shouldn’t be wearing overly fitted or baggy sagging trousers.

Properly fitted clothing will shave years off you and most of the modern slim trousers are generally stretch fabrics so they have comfort.

“I am talking about trousers like those by Ermenegildo Zegna or Brioni, both Italian menswear couture houses or Hugo Boss and Stephano Ricci matched with fitted jackets or geometric kind of jacket with an elegant T-shirt an item that has become an integral part of dressing down,” says Aziz.

You could choose from an array of different fabrics from silk to linen to viscous and cotton t-shirts. Look at the way the t-shirt drapes on the body.

What is stylish now is well defined, well-articulated and clean cut.

“When you have your trouser proportionally correct, the jackets beautifully silhouetted, you can now complement this with well-cut shoes,” he says as he goes on to propose lace-ups, loafers and slip-ons.

Shoes have evolved; today’s very elegantly cut sneakers give you that million-dollar look. The type of threading that you have on the side of the jean and type of pockets add to the luxury factor to your dressing.

Colours to choose

Do you want to look younger? Zeddie suggests wearing navy or blue instead of charcoal or grey. Blue is appropriate for any age, but it is a younger colour than grey.

While you would expect the general rule to be the darker the better, Aziz and Zeddie speak against men being stuck in a rut with the perceived mature colours. 

Aziz says that men are getting out of their conservative cocoons and going for colours that they would not previously wear.

During the cold season, Aziz advises you go for rust, green, greys, blues, blacks, browns, and plums types of colours. For the balmy seasons, pick pinks, light greens, whites for the balmy seasons.

Pairing formal for a casual look

For the not-too-smart and not-too-casual events, but where the informal style would still be suitable, Zeddie suggests pairing a jeans with a shirt, then throwing on a blazer.

“A simple pair of blue jeans, a white button down shirt or t-shirt and a nice sport coat and then a nice pair of tennis shoes would work,” says Aziz, adding that men should invest in smart multitasking separates.

Because most men above 40 would ideally wear the shirt untucked due to the belly, Aziz advises that when a shirt is untucked it should not be very long. It should be just a few inches below the waist.

In the evening, you can throw on a trench coat. But Nairobi men need to understand what dinner jackets are meant for because sometimes you see them in dinner jackets during the day, says Zeddie.

But the bottom line according to Robert is older men ought to accept and respect their body shapes. ‘‘Men should not be seen wearing muscle t-shirts and skinny jeans when they clearly do not have any muscles,” he says.

However, there is nothing wrong with being sporty but there are shoes that you should not be seen in like the loose-laced Timberland shoes.

‘‘There is no way of wearing those and not looking totally ridiculous,” Robert says, adding that you should avoid clothes that make you look like you are seeking attention.

Even though made-to measure, body shape and size are tips to dressing well, Zeddie says, men should put as much effort in taking care of their bodies as they get older.

Aziz is 52 and he goes to the gym every day.

[email protected]