10 Go-To Outfits You Can Build With Men’s Wardrobe Staples

You don’t need money to be stylish, they say. But we wonder if they ever had to make the call between shelling out for a premium suit and not defaulting on next month’s rent.

Without the luxuries of infinite time and a bottomless bank account, ensuring you look on-point at all times can be a challenge. Which is where wardrobe basics come in, those versatile menswear staples that invariably have your back (arms, legs and everywhere else) covered for any occasion.

To avoid falling into the rut of reverting to the same look, try these easily put-together combinations to make yours work even harder.

1. Long-Sleeved Shirt + Shorts

Hotter than Satan’s Jock-strap but still need to sharpen up? This warm-weather duo is sure to stand you in good stead. Not as casual as a T-shirt and shorts, it’s a pairing that allows your legs to breathe, but keeps you looking the business up top.

Choose a lightweight cotton, linen or cotton-linen blend for the shirt and opt for chino or tailored shorts depending on how dressed-up or -down you want to take it.

As for the finer styling points (especially during high summer), try rolling the sleeves up for extra ventilation and to give your look a sense of stylish nonchalance.

2. Polo Shirt + Chinos

Popularised on the Riviera, this effortless mix of sharp, low-key pieces typifies the style of refined holidaymakers.

As ever, the fit is paramount. Look for a polo with sleeves that end mid-bicep, and that lightly hug but don’t squeeze them. You’ll also want the shirt’s hem to finish no lower than your trouser fly.

Speaking of trousers, the chinos should be slim- or straight-cut and rolled up slightly to reveal a flash of mankle and give a pair of loafers their time in the sun.

3. Blazer + Tee + Jeans

Ever been stumped as to what ‘smart-casual’ actually means? Well this, essentially, is it. Comfortable but put-together, marrying three classic workhorses is a guaranteed style win for everything from a relaxed client dinner to date night.

To realise the look’s full potential, opt for an unstructured single-breasted blazer, a fitted crew neck T-shirt (not gut-suffocatingly tight, but not sloppily loose either) and a slim-fitting pair of dark jeans.

Polish the look off with a leather belt (hold the wrestling-worthy supersize buckles, though) and a pair of suede monkstraps, Derbies or Chelsea boots.

4. Blazer + Oxford Shirt + Chinos

As well as being a preppy-inspired pairing that will have you looking nothing short of smart, this is a perfectly permissible way to side step head-to-toe tailoring.

Nailing something as simple as this look is all in the detail. You’ll want to make sure each piece is coordinated: a navy blazer works well with beige chinos (and vice versa), while a black blazer teams expertly with dark grey legwear.

As crucial as it is to find a shirt and blazer that fit well, don’t neglect the chinos: they should be cut slim with a minimal break in order to maintain a sense of sophistication.

5. Leather Jacket + Tee + Jeans

When it comes to edge, this iconic rock-inflected combination has more of it than you can shake a Fender at.

To stay faithful to the original line-up you’ll need a black leather biker jacket, tonal skinny or slim jeans and a T-shirt that’s equally monochrome (bonus points if it’s from your favourite band’s tour merch). Then play out the night in a pair of high-top sneakers or Chelsea boots.

As a slightly more mainstream (and lightweight) alternative to the rock variation, try switching the biker for a sleek bomber jacket instead.

6. Leather Jacket + Shirt + Trousers

Of course, wearing a leather jacket doesn’t have to mean pretending you’ve always really been into the Ramones. Simply switch out the T-shirt and drainpipe jeans for a chambray or cotton shirt and some well-cut trousers for an entirely new take.

This high-low mix offers a more contemporary slant on the traditional blazer, Oxford shirt and trousers formula, adding some much-welcome personality to occasions that call for somewhat smarter attire.

7. Crew Neck Jumper + Collared Shirt

One to fall back on when the winds turn fresh, this pairing is a foolproof solution to looking sharp throughout the wardrobe-bothering transitional seasons.

The key to making this one work is finding a well-fitting shirt (fixed into place with a military tuck if necessary) and a knit that’s just the right gauge.

Merino wool is the benchmark here: not light enough to cling unflatteringly and expose the shape of buttons, but not so heavy as to stop you from layering a jacket on top either.

Wear this with jeans and sneakers to stay looking sharp on your downtime or dress it up with a pair of tailored trousers and some brogues, Derbies or loafers.

8. Pea Coat + Chunky Jumper + Heavyweight Legwear

Practical and classically masculine, nautical-inspired outfits are a solid go-to long beyond the summer months.

Once the wintry weather hits, stick to a pea coat in navy to nail the maritime theme, and then style with a heavy gauge knit – everything from cable to waffle styles – in a complementary colour like off-white, grey, burgundy, or a flecked style that adds another helping of rugged charm.

Round out the look with a pair of hiking or work boots and don’t forget a pair of thick knitted socks for optimal comfort.

9. Shawl Collar Cardigan + Shirt

A soft handle shawl collar cardigan worn over a shirt is an ideal choice for days when you’d rather wear your duvet out than actually get dressed. Much less restrictive than a shirt and blazer, it looks just as buttoned-up and also lends your look an Old Hollywood charm (Steve McQueen was a fan).

We suggest a handsomely sized, thicker gauge cardigan worn open. But, the choice is yours – it’s hard to go far wrong with this one provided the colours of the shirt and cardigan contrast to the degree that they don’t blend into one mass.

10. Overshirt + Jeans + T-Shirt

When a jacket is too much, but a T-shirt is too little, it pays to have a handy hybrid to see you through the sartorial headache.

In recent seasons, the rugged workwear-inspired overshirt has been remixed by designer and high street names alike and has become such a go-to that it’s hard to imagine a time without the boxy-cut inbetweener.

Perfect for pesky transitional days, and cut with military or lumberjack vibes, flank with a pair of dark jeans and a T-shirt or Henley, and don’t be afraid to experiment with patterns up top.

Of course, the same layering technique can be achieved using a thinner cotton shirt during the warmer months and dressed up or down depending on your choice of footwear.

The Best Dressed Footballers In The World

Like the gladiators and medieval knights before them, footballers are larger than life characters and therefore should dress appropriately. While chainmail chic isn’t likely to make a comeback this season (linen is so much more breathable you know) footballers should understand that with great adulation and that £200,000 a week pay cheque comes the need to dress a bit differently from Paul eating a pie in row Z.

“Don’t confuse player style with what the fans are wearing in the stands,” says Simon Doonan, creative ambassador-at-large of New York City-based clothing store Barneys and author of Saturday Night Fever Pitch: The Magic and Madness of Football Style. “Players should always be over the top and outrageous, wearing head to foot designer looks. They wear them on the runway so why can’t a player wear them. It’s important to have those stand-outs for the culture of football.”

Doonan argues that footballers’ style can be whittled down into five tribes. You have the ‘label kings’ like Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi, famed for his outrageous and ostentatious Dolce & Gabbana suits whenever another Ballon D’Or awards ceremony rears its head. There are the ‘good taste ambassadors’ such as former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, who eschew the gaudy tailoring for a more muted look.

Then there are the ‘psychedelic ninjas’ such as Neymar, whose cartoonish style can sometimes border on the ludicrous, ‘hired assassins’ like Alex Oxlade Chamberlain who favour a gritty leather jacket and some rugged denim jeans and finally the ‘bohemian fauxhemian’ pack, led by gritty Everton left back Leighton Baines, whose mod-led style is more flouting bassist for Oasis than gritty Lancastrian raised on a diet of two-footed tackles and boggy Sunday league pitches.

“Just like the fashion pantheon, you need your Ralph Lauren so you can have your Comme Des Garcons. They’re juxtapositions that make the firmament.”

With that in mind, here are the 15 best-dressed footballers to have walked the hallowed turf.

George Best

The pillar on which all footballers’ style stands, George Best was the mercurial talent who started the tradition of Manchester United number 7’s becoming style icons back in the 1960s (a line that includes Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo).

“George Best took all the elements of rockstar style at the time and refined them,” says Doonan. “It was all turtlenecks and medallions and cuban heeled boots, but more in the way a hip Californian advertising executive might wear them, with a safari jacket over the top. It was the start of footballers navigating their anti-flamboyant working class roots with a desire to dress up and have fun in velvet jackets and massive collars.”

Best’s interest in fashion led him to launch a number of clothes boutiques in Manchester and was an early champion of Sir Paul Smith’s designs.

David Beckham

Taking the torch from Best was David Beckham who swept to fashion super stardom in the 1990s just as the footballer as an otherworldly source of worship and celebrity hit overdrive.

“Beckham was right there when fashion and celebrity culture was gaining steam, just as it kicked on when George Best was around in the 1960s,” Doonan points out. “Suddenly you had the Premier League and all the money that came with it, and right there in the middle you had this very good looking, accomplished player.”

Beckham’s style has matured with age. The cornrows, his and hers all-black leather Versace outfits with wife Victoria, and that sarong from the 1990s have been replaced by impeccable tailoring with subtle touches of flair and understated smart-casual looks invariably with a pair of distressed denim jeans.

“Beckham’s fashion trajectory is perfect,” says Doonan. “You’re meant to be playful when you’re younger and not worry about what people think. Then when you’re older, you want to be taken seriously. You’re opening a big football stadium in Miami, so you need to wear something that suits the occasion.”

David Ginola

Along with Beckham, French midfielder David Ginola dominated screens in British football’s new era of near constantly televised football matches. Galavanting around the pitch with his flowing long hair, deep tan and piercing blue eyes he looked like a Pre-Raphaelite playboy who would murder you in a duel and become step-daddy to your family of 15 children.

“Ginola was the first player to grab a L’Oreal ad,” says Doonan. “According to folklore, they took the contract away from Jennifer Aniston to give it to Ginola. He knows he is good looking. If you’re going spend every week charging around a field in front of 60,000 people you’re going to need that confidence. He’s not an avant-garde dresser but he knows his audience. A little bit of Bruno Cuccinelli, a little Zegna. Tailored suits with the dinky pocket square. He looks like he could be in McMafia.

Paul Pogba

Manchester United playmaker Paul Pogba’s style traverses three tribes – the psychedelic ninjas, the hired assassins and the label kings. Pogba has now released two collections with sportswear giants Adidas, and sportswear meets streetwear reigns supreme in his look. That said, he favours more earthy neutral tones in his wardrobe than the colour riots of ninjas Dani Alves and Neymar, usually in a pair of slim fitting joggers as opposed to jeans with a snazzy bomber jacket up top.

And while the hair is constantly changing between various colours and emojis (what next? the aubergine?) Pogba knows how to match it with his outfit – take the gold flecks in his 2015 Ballon d’Or tuxedo matched by his bleach blonde dyed hair as a prime example.

“Pogba believes that personal style is about creative expression,” adds Doonan. “He was the first player I saw rocking the Givenchy Rotweiler T-shirt. He has fun with his style but he is still an elegant guy.”

Paul Pogba

Manchester United playmaker Paul Pogba’s style traverses three tribes – the psychedelic ninjas, the hired assassins and the label kings. Pogba has now released two collections with sportswear giants Adidas, and sportswear meets streetwear reigns supreme in his look. That said, he favours more earthy neutral tones in his wardrobe than the colour riots of ninjas Dani Alves and Neymar, usually in a pair of slim fitting joggers as opposed to jeans with a snazzy bomber jacket up top.

And while the hair is constantly changing between various colours and emojis (what next? the aubergine?) Pogba knows how to match it with his outfit – take the gold flecks in his 2015 Ballon d’Or tuxedo matched by his bleach blonde dyed hair as a prime example.

“Pogba believes that personal style is about creative expression,” adds Doonan. “He was the first player I saw rocking the Givenchy Rotweiler T-shirt. He has fun with his style but he is still an elegant guy.”

Cristiano Ronaldo

When every part of your body right down to your knees has an 8-pack you’re going to want to wear clothes that show off your rippling figure to the full. Therefore the chances of catching mega ripped current world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo in a baggy tee is about as rare as papping him munching down on a Big Mac.

The skinny jeans are almost permanently spray-on, but the natural punk stylings of the denim contrasts itself well to Ronaldo’s usually safer upper half. Up here he dresses in a series of lightweight jumpers, cool jackets cropped to just above the waist and plain tees hemmed around the mid bicep so we can all get on those gun show tickets.

Lionel Messi

Arguably the greatest player of his generation, maybe of all time, Leo Messi’s style evolution is the most substantial on this list. When he arrived on the scene at Barcelona he was a gawky, long-haired lover from Rosario, Argentina, but over time the hair has been shorn and styled, with a befitting rugged beard to match. We don’t often get to see his clothing choices unless he is picking up yet another Ballon d’Or, but his tailoring flits between outlandish and expressive to demure but effortlessly classy.

“There was a period where he really dressed up for the Ballon d’Or,” notes Doonan. “He had the burgundy suit and the bright red one, which were both Dolce & Gabbana and worn with a bow tie. Unfortunately the two times he wore the most outrageous suit at the ceremony were the two times he lost to Ronaldo, so I was worried that he wouldn’t wear a fun suit after that. The spotted tuxedo was the one exception, he won that year. I loved that suit and went and priced it at Dolce & Gabbana. It was $10,000.”

Neymar

Yes, the stratospheric pay packet on offer must have been tempting but you can’t help but think there was a reason beyond the football and money for Brazilian trickster Neymar to make the move to the fashion capital of the world last summer. Neymar is a rampant hypebeast, devouring Parisian brands like he does defenders on the pitch. “Neymar has his own look,” says Doonan. “It’s very unusual, almost like a Manga character.”

Two of his favourite brands are Louis Vuitton and Balmain, with the striker seen sporting a jacket from the latter brand at the Ligue 1 football awards. Black with a glitzy gold dragon trim emblazoned all over it, the look – a cross between a samurai’s dinner jacket and something Michael Jackson might dress up in – was peak Neymar. Gold is certainly his colour but for more dressed down affairs Neymar is more inclined to wear all-over denim, but with a loud bandana wrapped across his forehead because workwear is a little too workmanlike for this ethereal superstar.

Let’s be honest, it’s not for everyone, but there’s no-one quite like him, on the pitch or off it.