Making an Urban Fashion Statement

Fashion – men’s and women’s – is a centralized culture. It’s typically concentrated in and around particular urban centers, and then radiates outward from there. That’s why guys in major cities (fashion capitals in particular) have a distinct way of dressing, one that seems dapper yet devil-may-care in the same breath. Here’s how to duplicate that vibe.

Scarves, Not Neckties
Urban men stereotypically work hard and party even harder. Casual attire is dressy and masculine, yet actively shuns such symbols of employment like the necktie. The idea is that if you’re going to leave the office behind, you have to ditch office attire as well.

Neckties have a unique position in men’s fashion that’s hard to fill. For casual events, though, leave your tie at home, open up the first couple of buttons on your shirt and throw on a scarf. That last step accomplishes several things. The scarf adds depth and color to your outfit, roughly the same function as the necktie, only with more texture. At the same time, it means extra protection against cool weather, should the need arise.

Like with neckties, this strategy works best when you use a distinctively bold scarf, ideally with a bright color or a very strong print. Even if you’re wearing a suit and the crispest shirt you own, this is always a quick way to slightly dress down the outfit.

Prints, Not Solids
One of men’s fashions rules of thumb is that a plainer item is always a more formal one. Whether you’re looking at a new suit or a new pair of socks, the rule still applies. That’s why you should consider getting bolder patterned pieces if you want to achieve that urban I’m-off-the-clock look.

Shadow plaid suits make use of a subtle pattern to make a very audacious statement. The pattern isn’t something you’d see in the solid gray-heavy environment of the office, which reinforces the weekend vibe of the urban man. It’s also a look that requires some moxie to pull off, making it an even more desirable aesthetic for the always-game, always-ready urban guy.

Check and plaid shirts, meanwhile, are excellent investments, especially if you’re going to spend a lot of time indoors and without your jacket. When done with bright or primary colors, they unfailingly catch a viewer’s attention. This kind of outfit tells them that your sense of style involves patterns and a very distinct personality.

Sneakers, Not Leather
The lines between dressy and dressed down so often get blurred in men’s fashion depending on what’s trendy. Guys’ sneakers spend a lot of time in that gray area, especially those that closely resemble leather shoes.

Donning a clean pair of Adidas Sambas or some other pair of similarly clean and sleek sneakers is a clear style statement of non-conformity, like sticking it to the dress code. As long as you keep the colors simple, the shoe clean and the silhouette minimal, your sneaker switcheroo shouldn’t be too blatant. Consider wearing them without socks, like how the Europeans wear most of their non-formal shoes – with ankles visible.

The urban man’s fashion statement has much to do with individualism, with combining an unlikely pair and creating a look that’s entirely your own. While trends might rely on a few key pieces, this statement needs more of a mindset than a shopping list of clothes.