Beginning the Spring Transition – Wear Now and Later

The weather is just starting to warm up this time of year though winter isn’t quite over yet.  Most guys are itching at this point to indulge in some warm-weather purchases, but they want to wear them immediately.  Here are a few recommendations for pieces you can buy and wear now but not have to store away when the chill breaks.

Lots of guys are afraid of white jeans.  Don’t be.  I promise they’re ok.  Obviously you don’t want to go for something too tight, lest you look like you somehow got lost on your way to the Eastern European disco.  But that rule should apply to all jeans really.  Go with something like Levi’s 501 and you can be sure you’re in the clear.  Rock the winter-white now and keep the heat at bay later.

Sports watches on nylon straps are another great item that looks good year-round but has that casual warm-weather vibe.  Ok, a Daytona on a Bond-striped NATO strap is completely season-neutral, but if you opt for a watch with a little color and a strap with a little more color, you’re getting there.

J Crew’s military watches are all relatively inexpensive and the Andros dive watch looks great with it’s navy face and bezel.  When the mercury rises, just swap the navy NATO for red, light-blue, or whatever color you feel like.  The straps are cheap and you can even change them daily if you feel like it.  Just don’t color-coordinate them too closely with anything else you’re wearing.  It’s not cool, I assure you.

The last thing I have in mind is a raw silk tie.  If you don’t already have one (or, you know, a handful), you’re really missing out.  Traditionally their linen-like slubby texture has been considered a warm-weather style, but I think they look just as good with winter’s soft-textured cloths.  A dark tweed and a bright raw silk is one of my standby combinations.

Panta Clothing makes some really beautiful solid examples in New York (though they look sold out at the time I’m writing this) and Drakes has the repp stripes covered in addition to solids.