Nick Wooster
Menswear Free Agent
What Stylish Men
Say You Need for Spring
Insiders on key pieces they’re excited about for the season
It’s the start of a new season. As we transition out of the heavy wool knits and calf-grazing coats we've been swaddled in for the past few months, it's time to prepare for longer days and warmer weather. Which means it's now the perfect time to do a little spring cleaning and start thinking about ways to freshen up your wardrobe.
Of course, you'll always have the basics. But what about the new garms that take your essentials and elevate them—making your run-of-the-mill jeans and T-shirts feel modern and a whole lot more interesting? Sometimes it's a splurge. Maybe it's a design-forward jacket or a shirt cut from a unique fabric that drapes perfectly across the body. Other times, it's the perfect take on a classic sweatshirt or a reimagining of a vintage pair of pants.
We asked a few menswear guys for the items that they're buying themselves. We wanted a list that could work like your most stylish friend showing you what they just bought and where they got it. Because they don't mind if you pick up something similar. Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing more seasonal staples—the key pieces that you will want to add to your wardrobes for the new season—but to get things started, we're letting these stylish gentlemen help steer you in new sartorial directions.
One of the most interesting new brands is last year's LVMH prize winner, SETCHU, a Japanese designer who lives in Milan. He embodies the spirit of both countries and his double-breasted origami jacket is my most favorite spring purchase last week in Tokyo. Unfortunately, I don't think it's available to buy online. But because I think a double-breasted jacket is the newest and most interesting style right now, this blazer from Kapital is one of the coolest ones I've seen.
Cut-out jacket,
$1,086 by Kapital
Leather platform derby, $920 by Sacai
Also, I'm obsessed with these derbies from Sacai. Not only do they make me three inches taller (thanks to these monster Vibram soles), they work really well with shorts and with oversized pants. And we all know that the key to wearing fuller, bigger pants, is the right shoe.
Classic short
in taupe grey stripe,
$190 by Mfpen
Jake Woolf
Style Writer and TikTok Creator
I feel like most of the shorts available on the market these days are made from some kind of stiff and/or crinkly cotton fabric. Which, to me, just never looks quite right. Particularly if the shorts are slimmer fit. But it's not like you can wear mesh shorts all of the time either. That's why I like these from Mfpen—they're basically nice and flowy, with a relaxed fit. Like pleated proper trousers in short form, they'll lend themselves well to being slightly more dressed up. But they'll also elevate something as simple as a T-shirt and sneakers.
Classic short
in midnight stripe,
$190 by Mfpen
365 cotton/linen chino,
$118 by Flint and Tinder
Special Promotion
What the
Retail Insider
Suggests ...
Huckberry is eager to outfit you for any and everything you're planning to tackle now that the weather is warming up—from rooftop drinks with coworkers to a weekend adventure with your buddies. “This season at Huckberry is all about capturing elevated daily wear through textured polos, vintage wash chore coats, and relaxed bottoms,” says Tony Le, VP of merchandising. “We're playing around with prints, patterns, and texture up top while staying grounded with natural bottoms for the perfect spring uniform.”
Crochet-knit polo,
$118 by Wellen
Garment-dyed chore coat,
$198 by Wellen
Huckberry exclusive
JFK Saratoga sunglasses,
$240 by American Optical
U.S.-made leather belt,
$85 by Flint and Tinder
Patnoflex loafer,
$198 by Astorflex
I'm currently on the hunt for a good, relaxed pale pink shirt, and this Tekla one has been on my mind ever since I missed it on sale last season. It's back and I'm now ready to pick it up
Tencel shirt,
$365 by Canoe Club
Poplin shirt,
$240 by Tekla
I've got nondescript shirting on the brain this spring I guess, because Our Legacy has a host of great options and I want basically all of them. But this blue-striped joint from my friends over at Canoe Club is the first one I'm picking up.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, after a few years of searching, I'm still looking for the perfect grey/oatmeal sweatshirt. Something I can throw on, knowing it will look good with the rest of my outfit, but have a fit that actually suits my body type and ticks a good amount of my niche requirement boxes. Snug neckline, slightly wide body but not baggy, not too long but not too short. Maybe I'm asking for too much, but here's a couple that jump out.
Best crewneck sweatshirt,
$157 / $92 by Brut
Another sweatshirt 1.0, $175 by Another Aspect
FYI
The old joke is about waiting for fall to “really start dressing,” but springtime is all about rebirth as the natural world wakes up and revives after going dormant for months. Follow the Earth and let this be a time to try something new.
Sign up for The Obtainer newsletter. Three times a week you'll get insider intel on what to buy, trusted recommendations and reviews, along with the best deals worth your time and money.