What should a man nearing 40 be wearing?

[deaconblue]

Dh is having a crisis of clothes confidence. He's 6.2 and broad shouldered. He currently owns just 2 pairs jeans, 1 pair brown cords, a couple of v necked jumpers, 3 long sleeved t shirts and 6 polo shirts. Has some nice shirts for going out and good work clothes. Have no idea what to suggest but I think he needs some major investment in his wardrobe. We can afford a decent spend. So help pls...

I think many men get to the point where they look better wearing a collar. Whether its a polo or a proper shirt, it doesn't matter, but normal crew neck sloganed t-shirts start to look wrong. Of course there are exceptions. That's all I reckon.

Bump

my dh is 6.2 and broad shouldered. He has started wearing casual shirts and jeans (I wouldn't want him to stop wearing jeans .) If he wears t shirts they are always v neck.

i like that post tatty, dp looks better in a collar

i saw a bloked in a superdry jacket the other day who was about my age and it looked mad

My DH was bought a superdry T shirt by DD (14) bless her!

He is a 52yr old teacher. Usually found in chinos and check shirts (more gingham than lumberjack).

He wore it all summer with this kind of expression

I think cashmere always looks good on a man- lands end do good quality for the price.

I'd say that he needs good shoes, a good watch an a good haircut. If those are already OK, then I'd think about adding:

Chinos/more cords/moleskins in stone, navy and possibly one "dashing" colour, a navy blazer and perhaps a winter version (moleskin or tweed, depending on which stereotype you prefer), plaid shirts and a Nordic jumper and a proper Jersey jersey.

"He's 6.2 and broad shouldered" - boasting by stealth, no doubt.

I think a man approaching forty should be wearing either an air of expectation or a satisfied smile.

I'm a man the wrong side of 40 and I wear what I sodding-well-like!

Wear a lot of jeans with check-shirts or t-shirts. Converse occasionally. DW would let me know if she didn't like what I was wearing.

DP similar age and build, wears jeans (G-star or similar pricey well-cut ones) and T-shirts mostly, though it's getting harder to find T-shirts that satisfy his criteria of understated cool image but also fit well. Wears Super-Dry shirts, the stripy ones, and their T-shirts. And expensive trainers, Vans/Etnies.

He can still carry off this look, so it's not simply an age thing. He'd look dire in a navy blazer

I have noticed more of our friends are wearing small-check / small-print shirts rather than T-shirts these days.

Stroppy Dad - that's the trouble he feels like he doesn't know what he likes anymore.

I think Fat Face and White Stuff are good brands for this age, young looking enough but accomodating enough..

I'd just say that he needs to lose the brown cords.

DH wears jeans or combats and shirts with or without collar, plus t-shirts. Next are quite good for blokes of this age, and Joe Browns have some good stuff too.

DH is 45 and wears quite a lot of Ben Sherman stuff here and also Fred Perry, but then he is an old mod, so it suits him

My DP is 39 and still wears what he did in his late twenties - if anything he's better dressed these days. Smart T-shirts, (think t-shirts with a collar, shoulder detail, more dressy in style) with jeans and trainers, or shoes with a shirt - less ben sherman (I find these age men?), more Zara long sleeved type.

He tends to go for better cut, classic styles with trendy-ish jeans rather than mens fashion items. As a result looks young without looking stupid IFYSWIM?

I just told dh that he should be wearing more collars, he is considering it. I think he definitely looks better with anything that has a collar. Definitely a good rule for 40ish men.

ok we'll go for collars. He's ordered a load of Gap jeans in different styles to see if a new style of jeans will suit him. Really no cords? They are chunky cord from Gap (and my favourite item in his wardrobe :( )

Get him to point out men to you when out and about or in magazine pictures or on tv that he thinks sum up the style he would like to have.

You're going to get such a varied mix of opinions as to what is suitable here, you'll end up really confused.

My dp wouldn't be seen dead in a navy blazer, or a Superdry t-shirt, but that's not to say those things wouldn't be great in your lifestyle, social group, etc.

Where do you live - town, rural, suburbs? What are his hobbies? Does he like to dress down when not at work or does he feel uncomfortable if he's not fairly formal? What would he feel most comfortable in? How old are your kids? Does he spend time when at home chopping wood or reading? Etc, etc!

My Dad's too old for a navy blazer

The "uniform" for men of 25+ seems to be skate trainers (NOT navy blue from M&S) or Converse, straight cut jeans, slogan tshirt (DP loves his De La Soul one I got from Primark, and he normally wears designer!) with, possibly, a short sleeved check shirt on top. Smartish military shirts look good on Dad, who is slight of build, but awful on DP who has broad shoulders.

I guide my Dad (youthful looking 64, into bands, most friends are 20 or more years younger) and he wears the above, like his mates. I will not allow him to wear skinny jeans, they make him look like his 30 year marriage to my mother is a sham but he has been known to purchase a slight bootcut then wear them down the garden or fixing cars 46yo DP approves. DP also likes coloured jeans/linen in summer and owns more shoes than me - his cheapest pair cost more than my most expensive pair which tend to be lace up brogues, MBTs in trainer styles...

Avoid: Hoodies, skinny jeans, anything baggy, flat fronted trousers, white socks (trouser hem should meet sole of shoe), tucked in shirts, anything navy (including blazers and vomit-inducing skate-style trainers from M&S), ALL sportswear (unless actually taking part in a sporting activity) and anything too obviously fashionable like trilby hats.

HTH

I got my dh a polo shirt from hof (Firetrap maybe) but it has a kind of half collar so it stands up all the time but not double height aka wankey poser like. Iykwim. It was black with a blue and red stripe round the collar which was nice.
Have a look through h and m catalogue they are usually on trend.
My dh likes Gap jeans (cos they do 36, 36's) or combats. Trendy ish worky boots from river island and a ted baker shirt or polo shirt ( of which he has thousands from playing golf).
Good idea from Red. Get him to look online or mags for what tickles his fancy.

I agree with the collar thing, or nice checked shirt and wool sweater over the top. My hubby as 3 or 4 tops similar to this and they are lovely with a bright white t shirt underneath, decent jeans and nice ankle boots.

I think a couple of pairs of dark rinse quality jeans, a few nice checked shirts, 2 or 3 wool sweaters and a tops like the one above are about all my DH wears casual wise. And recommend decent white ts from Gap for layering underneath shirts and said top