Showcase: I'm on a boat (but not actually)
I've had my pair of Tommy boat shoes for a few Summers now and I like pulling them out of the wardrobe over as an alternative to sneakers. While wearing my boaties the other day it got me thinking about pulling together a bit of a nautical look perfect for the city of sails.
So my photographer and I headed to the one place we know there will be some crazy expensive, out of this world, incredible boats and yachts as the backdrop for the shoot - Auckland's Viaduct Harbour.
Now the thing is, there's no boat required to get into this look. It's just a simple way to give a Summer outfit a bit of class and sophistication. So rather than a pair of shorts and jandals and a tee you got free with a 12 box of beer, we go for boat shoes, a nice pair of shorts and a polo shirt.
I'm showcasing two very simple looks here, one suited for day time and one for evening occasions. But you'll notice I don't need to change much to pull off these two similar looks. Essentially it's switching out shorts for pants, removing the cap and keeping the polo top and boat shoes as the consistent pieces.
SHORTS
For the day time outfit I've gone with some draw string cotton shorts by French Connection from ASOS in a classic beige colour. Beige is a neutral tone that gives you a load of flexibility when it comes to pairing any colour shoes or top. So you're shoes could be white, black, navy etc and the same goes for your choice of top.
POLO
The merino wool polo I grabbed on the opening night of our first H&M store in New Zealand and it's something I'd often wear to work. It's a nice deep navy blue that matches well with the nautical theme and while it's made of wool, it's a very breathable fabric that works for the warmer weather.
PANTS
For the evening look, I've thrown on some New Zealand label I Love Ugly white pants. It's really not that scary wearing white pants as a guy, I know there's been a stigma around it for years but I think we've come along way now and people will respect you for pulling off wearing them. The real scary part is not dropping all your lunch on them, which happens basically every time I think it might. White pants are your best friend over the Summer season as they help you look fresh and crisp and actually you feel Summery too if that makes sense. The white pants and navy polo combo really works a treat and the white pants allows you to throw come colour in the mix with your choice of shoes too.
SHOES
Tommy Hilfiger do some outstanding leather suede boat shoes and if you haven't already got yourself a pair I encourage you to think about getting some to wear all Summer long. They're comfy and light and add some serious style to your look that might otherwise come off a bit street if you were wearing Nikes. These are my favourite boaties by TH at the moment.
ACCESSORIES
I'm a big watch fan, have got a stack that I rotate depending on my mood or what I'm up to. And whenever I'm keen for smart-casual, I'll grab my Daniel Wellington Sheffield rose gold watch. It's the slightly larger 40mm version - so it's got more face to it which I like. It's a simple watch that just tells the time (funny that) but it's classic look with the gold/black detailing. Always a winning combination.
My go-to sunglasses when out for a full day in the sun are my Local Supply polarized Freeway frames. They're from Australia and they're rad. The round retro shape have become quite the cult classic and I can see myself grabbing another pair soon with a different lens. They're polarized too, which is smart as too often sunglasses aren't and you need protection from the harsh sun in NZ. A nice surprise when these arrived was they came with a sunglass neck cord - so ideal for activities like boating when you don't wanna lose your shades to the sea. All their frames are very affordable, with none over the $100NZD mark so definitely have a snoop on their website and you'll come away with a new pair of frames. Nice!
I'm also seen wearing the classic Ray-Ban clubmasters that have served me well for about 3 years. With gold and black detailing these are the perfect match for a casual or more classy occasions. Basically they look good with everything so a bloody good investment.
The black cap which coincidentally has my initial J on it, is from new startup Kiwi label called Jack Dusty Clothing, who set out to pay homage to the nautical history of New Zealand by making some classic pieces that any guy can wear.
So that's the run down on how you can pull together a really simple day or night nautical outfit, whether you're going on a boat, looking at boats, nowhere near a boat but just want to rock it in style this Summer.
Don't forget to wear sunscreen.
jb
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