From free to reasonably priced finds, these methods, instruments, and picks will make higher model extra easy.
Particular because of Slick Collar for supporting Primer’s mission and sponsoring this text.
Dressing higher is not nearly shopping for totally different garments or studying esoteric style guidelines—it is about reworking the way you method getting dressed.
The purpose is to create a system that makes the act of dressing easy, gratifying, and sustainable, even on the hardest days.
A very good model system reduces friction in your day-to-day routine, creating a greater relationship with what you already personal and making it straightforward to place collectively outfits that work. Beneath are a lot of straightforward methods, instruments, and picks which have made my very own system infinitely simpler.
A Nice Solution to Consumption and Set up Inspiration
Free – $10
Any good designer, filmmaker, photographer, architect, or inside designer is aware of the significance of cataloging inspiration. No nice artist works from reminiscence or begins from scratch with each challenge.
Placing outfits collectively and honing your model is simply as a lot of a visible and inventive endeavor as any of these artistic fields. In case you’re nonetheless determining your private model, why pressure your self to face in entrance of a closet, staring blankly and attempting to determine what to put on?
You want a option to save clothes, model, and outfit concepts as you come throughout them. Whether or not it’s on Primer, whereas looking a retailer’s web site, strolling by the mall, or scrolling on social media, having a system to seize and set up inspiration is invaluable.
The way you do that comes down to non-public desire:
- Create a Pinterest board.
- Take screenshots in your cellphone and save them into an album.
- Use instruments like Notion or Evernote for a extra elaborate system.
There’s no flawed option to do it, but it surely’s important to do one thing. You’ll be stunned how usually you neglect about an outfit thought. Months later, you’ll scroll by your saved inspiration and rediscover a glance you may recreate.
It saves time, reduces stress, and makes getting dressed for occasions or each day life considerably simpler. I can’t emphasize it sufficient.
A Movable Shoe Rack to Be Close to Your Clothes
$25+
Having my sneakers clearly seen whereas I select my garments is extremely essential. Constructing an outfit is not a linear course of; it is about experimenting, holding gadgets subsequent to one another, and seeing how they align for the event and look on you.
An outfit is a cohesive look; having all gadgets seen helps create that cohesion, reasonably than simply seeing them as separate items. All of it works collectively to grow to be one thing extra. As an example, suede loafers change the texture of a shirt and denims otherwise than white sneakers do.
After I can see my sneakers alongside my clothes, I usually decide sneakers I would not have chosen if I had already selected the highest and bottoms first. With the ability to audition totally different pairs whereas placing collectively an outfit makes an enormous distinction.
Slick Collar
Equipment with 3 collar sizes + shirt stays, $23 save further 15% with SLICKPRIMER
A structured collar could make all of the distinction between trying sharp and looking out sloppy. That is true whether or not you are shopping for shirts on the reasonably priced finish of the spectrum or investing in costlier items.
With button-up shirts that lack construction, the collar usually flops over, making your look really feel unkempt. That is particularly a difficulty for sensible informal appears the place even informal items ought to be as refined as doable.
Enter the Slick Collar: a easy invention that instantly proves its price. Inexpensive, efficient, and completely designed for its objective, the Slick Collar is basically the collar+placket equal of collar stays. It gives construction not solely to the collar suggestions but additionally to the entrance button placket, holding them in place and stopping them from collapsing or folding underneath the material’s weight.
This retains the collar upright, guaranteeing it does not slide open as a result of cloth’s weight. Created by a small enterprise out of Canada, the Slick Collar is adjustable for various neck and shirt sizes, with every order together with three collar lengths. This versatility means it really works for all the pieces—from knit polos and golf shirts to extra formal costume shirts.
Better of all, you may simply transfer them between shirts, which means no alterations are wanted.
At round $20 for 3 with the code, the Slick Collar is a small funding that delivers massive returns throughout almost your whole collared shirts. It’s a stable, dependable device, and after getting it, you are set. Straightforward purchase.
Primer readers can save 15% with code SLICKPRIMER.
An Apple Watch Strap That Helps Stability the Tech-y and Athletic Nature
$10+
In social media style bubbles, there is a little bit of a pretentious, nearly Luddite view on smartwatches—that they will’t be trendy. Positive, they lack the heritage of a dive watch or the class of a gold costume watch, however that mindset ignores the fact of dwelling in 2024.
For a lot of, smartwatches are important—whether or not for life-style, work, or duties. Personally, my Apple Watch helps me keep targeted with out the distraction of my cellphone. I nonetheless get texts and calls however keep away from time-killer apps, which makes it vital for me.
I put on it usually at residence with the default strap but it surely’s powerful to put on in a extra sensible informal, night look. Fortunately, Apple Watch bands are straightforward to swap because of their sliding mechanism. A leather-based or steel band, which yow will discover affordably in off manufacturers, and may be swapped in throughout the instances the common strap does not work, makes all of the distinction.
Designate an Outfit Workstation
Some of the stress-reducing adjustments I’ve made is establishing a devoted “workstation” close to the place I grasp my outfits. Having all instruments in a single place makes it a lot simpler to get all the pieces prepared effectively, particularly when operating late. It’s a small shelf the place I hold my steamer (with plug entry), a clothes brush, and every other instruments I’d want.
It’s a type of “workbench” on your garments, the place you progress gadgets from closet storage into the staging space, and have all of the instruments you have to get them trying their greatest.
A Place to Dangle Outfits
This may appear easy, however it can change the way you method your clothes and magnificence.
Selecting out your outfit the evening earlier than drastically reduces morning stress—particularly should you’re not a morning individual and really feel half asleep or foggy. It is a complete sport changer to simply get up and know precisely what you are carrying.
For me, I hung a hook in my closet to stage my outfit for the following day. It retains all the pieces neat and separate, appearing as a staging space whereas assembling totally different combos. As a substitute of attempting to image a mixed look in my head, I pull out key items and grasp them, attempting totally different combos till I discover the proper match.
A Clothes Brush As a substitute of a Lint Curler
$15+
Earlier than the sticky paper-based lint rollers you are accustomed to, folks used particular clothes brushes to wipe away mud and hair. Originating within the nineteenth century, clothes brushes have been important clothes care instruments for males who wore fits repeatedly. Since fits cannot be washed simply, it was essential to have a brushing routine.
I’ve lived with canine that shed for 15 years and the sticky lint curler has all the time felt annoying and wasteful to make use of simply as a result of sheer quantity of peeling and rolling I might need to do every time. Lately, I lastly picked up some clothes brushes. They arrive in several coarseness and stiffness ranges, with softer brushes designed for extra delicate clothes made from cashmere, for instance, and stiffer ones to deal with denim extra immediately.
Whereas they don’t seem to be good, and generally require a number of passes to lastly get that one piece of hair, it’s much less annoying to make use of. Clothes brushes may be discovered beginning round $15 and you may improve to the gentleman customary, English-made model Kent which begin round $40. The double-sided Kent CC20 which is commonly mentioned as a go-to attributable to versatility eeks handed the article price range and is round $60.
A Clothes Steamer
$15+
I do not know the way that is doable, however for me, ironing appears so as to add wrinkles reasonably than take away them. Plus, my traditional schedule for preparing is all the time tighter than I’d like, so I’m usually speeding when it’s time to dress. The very last thing I need is to plan on carrying one thing, solely to search out it is too wrinkled and really feel like I don’t have the time to cope with it.
That is the place a steamer saves the day.
I have two steamers: a budget-friendly mannequin round $20 I’ve had for years and a bigger Conair mannequin. Each work properly—simply run the steam over the material, and most wrinkles disappear simply.
Actually, I’d be in a tricky spot with no clothes steamer. It’s a kind of instruments that makes preparing a lot easier, and I am unable to suggest it sufficient.
The Plain Ball Cap
James Clear, the creator of Atomic Habits, has famously stated, “You don’t rise to the extent of your objectives. You fail on the stage of your programs.” If you’re an individual attempting to decorate deliberately in your life—particularly if this can be a newer endeavor for you or doesn’t come naturally—you may’t count on your pure habits and routines to brute pressure extra conscientious model 100% of the time.
It’s simply not going to occur. There are going to be days the place you don’t wash your hair. There are going to be days the place you’ve acquired to toss something on and nonetheless need to look good however don’t have time to do the entire thing.
For these days, a plain black baseball cap has been superb. There’s nothing flawed with carrying a cool hat with the correct sports activities crew brand or some type of classic design. Nevertheless it does require some visible balancing with the opposite gadgets. The plain black cap takes it from being a very utilitarian factor (like a free hat from a company giveaway) to an intentional a part of your outfit.
A Hoodie or Quarter-zip Various That You will Wish to Put on
$20+
Hoodies are common for 2 causes: they’re comfy and straightforward to put on. There’s nothing flawed with hoodies; I like them too.
Nonetheless, there is a distinction between carrying hoodies as a part of your model, and counting on them since you panic about what else to put on. For these barely much less informal settings—like a date, household occasion, or after-hours work perform—having one thing that feels as comfy as a hoodie however appears extra applicable will make your life simpler.
There are lots of choices:
These are straightforward swaps on days the place you do not have the brainpower to assume past a hoodie that elevate your model whereas sustaining consolation.
Wood Hangers
$4.99+
In case your closet feels chaotic, switching to wood hangers can present the wanted construction and group. Rainbow-hued plastic hangers add visible litter when your thoughts is attempting to determine what to put on, they usually don’t give your garments the help they want. In a packed closet, shirts and pants get compressed, inflicting wrinkles, creased shoulders, and crushed collars.
Wood hangers clear up these issues. They supply construction to maintain your garments able to put on and provides your closet a cleaner, extra organized look.
The perfect half? Wood hangers don’t need to be costly, and also you don’t want to switch them suddenly. I transitioned my closet over a few years, and the distinction is evening and day. IKEA and Amazon have reasonably priced choices, and when you make the swap, you’re set for good.
Closet House Savers like Tiered Hangers
$15+
Tiered hangers are nice for grouping comparable gadgets collectively, decreasing visible litter. When you’ve got six equivalent white T-shirts, grasp one visibly and hold the remaining on a tiered hanger. The identical goes for exercise garments you put on in no specific order. This setup saves house and minimizes visible litter, making it simpler to deal with key gadgets when placing outfits collectively.
Levi’s 501
$35+
In case you’re a Primer common, you’ve got heard me speak about 501s as types have shifted towards straighter/looser matches over the previous few years. The 501s, with their basic straight match, have been the primary place I turned. Initially I believed, “These are method too huge; I am going to by no means put on them.” However they shortly grew to become my go-to, no-thought-required pair. I put on them dressed up, dressed down, and all over the place in between.
This is the factor about straight match denims: If you have not worn them because the ’90s, it is simple to evaluate them too shortly. After they’re new, they appear crisp, pressed flat, cuasing the facet seams to flare out awkwardly. However after washing, drying, and breaking them in, the drape adjustments fully. Now, they observe my physique’s contours with out feeling too huge, unfastened, or blocky.
They’re straightforward to put on with chunky boots or suede loafers for that pale preppy look you see at locations like J.Crew, Buck Mason, and Taylor Sew. They’re comfy, gentle, have a little bit of stretch, they usually’re reasonably priced. You may snag a pair for underneath $50, particularly throughout upcoming gross sales.
A Nice Plain T-Shirt
Having a gentle, handsome t-shirt that you simply love the way in which it matches—I can’t overemphasize how useful that’s. You’ll put on it on a regular basis. You’ll layer it beneath leather-based jackets, sweaters, and button-ups. You’ll put on it by itself with denims. You’ll put on it tucked into chinos for a contemporary look.
A t-shirt that drapes properly with a gentle visible texture can exude sophistication simply in addition to a button-up shirt. Between a man carrying an inexpensive, unkempt button-up and a man carrying a extremely stable, gentle, well-fitting t-shirt with some particulars within the collar, hem, texture, or wash—I select the t-shirt each time.
Staples and fundamentals are known as that as a result of they’re common and might look superb on anybody when the small print are dialed in. There’s a bent to dismiss them as much less essential or boring, however that couldn’t be farther from the reality.
Cease Sporting (and Get Rid of) Issues You Hate Sporting
This can be a massive one for me. I deceive myself about issues which are a smidge too small or don’t match fairly proper. I’ll attempt them on, then find yourself selecting one thing else, however I don’t say to myself, “I ought to simply eliminate this.”
Maintaining these gadgets makes getting dressed tougher as a result of they create visible litter in your closet. It’s additionally wasted time should you attempt them on solely to reject them once more.
One other shocking facet impact that I found is, I might by no means think about shopping for issues “I already had” however by no means wore just because they did not match proper or weren’t comfy, even when the correct model of the merchandise would have gotten worn on a regular basis.
Outdoors of maximum utilitarian instances—like a blazer or go well with you don’t take pleasure in carrying however often want—there’s no level in preserving gadgets you dislike. Use the trick the place you grasp these gadgets with the hook dealing with outward and after six or so months, if the hanger hasn’t been rotated (indicating you’ve worn the merchandise), donate or promote it. This technique clears up house and helps you acknowledge what you really want.
Darkish Grey Denims
$25+
If you would like a single reply to what’s one factor you should buy to make outfit-building simpler, it’s a pair of darkish grey slim or straight denims with 1 / 4 or half break.
You’ll be capable of costume them up, put on them tremendous casually, model them rugged, or pair them with preppy or streetwear appears. They’ll work with brown boots, black sneakers, and nearly anything. The flexibility is infinite.
If a buddy who was simply beginning out requested me for one suggestion, it could be this. You’ll find loads of choices underneath $50 from locations like Levi’s or Amazon Necessities, particularly throughout gross sales which are developing.
