Men in their 40s: what should / shouldn't they wear?

[TomPinch]

Well, life has slipped by and I have become that man.

And I guess I would be very grateful for any help in checking that my fashion ideas aren't ridiculous, out of date, too young, too old or whatever.

The reason why I am here specifically is because the Internet in general isn't much help. Articles on men's fashions are either about chiselled businessmen in black suits, white shirts and enormous status watches, or cool 20somethings from New York with massive sunglasses, ie, not ordinary people. Which is why I hope you won't mind me asking here.

My view of generally OK is:

Classic jeans
Suits with ties for formal occasions or in office, but otherwise not.
Classic haircut
No tie ever, except with a suit.
Plain T-shirts
Plain jumpers
Leather jacket
Shirts with patterns
Brogues (but not with jeans)
Lyrca if cycling, otherwise no
Any of the above that is a bit worn out.

My idea of generally risky / bad is
(maybe) baseball caps
Skinny jeans
Any trousers where the crotch is halfway to the knee
Ponytail
Football top
Corduroys
Cargo pants
Blazers
Polyester slacks
Short-sleeved shirts
Aviator sunglasses
Onesies (except in private)
Any of the above is OK for an individual if it works for him.

I'd be most grateful for any comments

My dps 44 and lives in jeans and Metallica tshirts......i think he looks sexy as hell. 💁

Generally I think anything goes these days so long as we aren't trying far too hard to cling onto our youth.

And for the love of God don't wear lycra, even fellow bikers laugh at the lycra brigade...... If you really ust put a pair of sports shorts on over the shorts at least. There's just no. Need! 😳

I must add that I own no lycra. I will be cycling later on, in a knackered old pair of jeans with a patch on the arse.

My DH is older than you. He wouldn't be seen dead in a jumper, but the rest of your generally OK list is fine.

Lycra is perfectly fine as long as you are a serious cyclist, as my DH is.

Does he regard jumpers as old fashioned? I do see them less and less

My DH is 46, and still dresses pretty much the same as he's done since I met him at 21.

He's tall and can struggle to find clothes that suit his shape, so he sticks with what he knows, so that means classic jeans (definitely never skinny), a polo shirt (he wears Abercrombie as the fit works on him), and then either a V neck cashmere jumper (J Crew) or a chunky jumper (Superdry). He does wear a lot of Lycra as he does a lot of sport, so I think that's fine (I'm wincing at the thought of wearing jeans on one of his regular 50+km rides).

I really dislike the clothes that young men and boys are wearing at the moment, I think they look awful, skinny jeans, horrible trainers (and I LOVE a pair of trainers), jogging bottoms. DS is 13, and it's a struggle to get him out of jogging bottoms. Hope the phase ends soon...

It's all subjective of course,wear what you like and your capsule wardrobe sounds good to me. The only thing I would suggest is to avoid those cargo pants, as shorts or 3/4 trousers, they never seem to look good (in my opinion) Stick to natural fabrics and a small number of colours that suit. It makes your outfits flexible.

List looks good. I’d just give cords a second look and perhaps add in chinos. They are more comfortable than jeans and automatically make an outfit smart casual. Jeans are of course perfectly fine. But you seem to have only choice of jeans or suit trousers.. the two extremes. So take a second look at cords and chinos.

I'd suggest looking at Reiss and Gant.

I would much much much rather a man with bad taste that was his own bad taste that worse things because they were age appropriate. Ps I love a grey ponytail and a baseball cap

Plain white trainers can be good. Not sports ones — the kind you’d wear with chinos or jeans. No logos or extraneous detail. Maison Margiela have a good range, and they last too.

No superdry!

@BigSandyBalls2015

No superdry!

Ha ha ha..... DH (57) only wears SuperDry polo's - he buys their plain vintage ones, actually really nice. He also only buys Hollister Jeans. You have to buy what fits surely?

Big no, no, for me is any kind of trainer with ordinary clothes. They look really off on older men. My brothers wear them, (70's) and it makes me cringe. Just buy casual shoes, but expensive, otherwise they look naff too. Shoes are probably the most important piece of clothing as you get older. They say a lot about the person.

I don't think any man should wear short sleeved shirts, no matter how old they are.

I don't like shirts with patterns on either. Cords are ok if you want to look like Giles from Gogglebox

I'm think that men look best in jeans (slightly baggy) and shoes/boots. Plain shirts or t shirts, not polo shirts. Cashmere jumpers. Not hoodies. Jackets (blazers, but not the army colonel type iykwim) are nice I think - if you wear a black one with jeans. Acne rather than Hackett.

I think trainers are ok - but they will make you look like a bit of a dad as all young men where nike. I think new balance or converse are ok!

And if you're in your 40s its almost obligatory these days to have a beard. (I like beards).

Arket and Cos are nice for menswear I think. Jigsaw used to do nice menswear but has now stopped. John Lewis has nice cashmere and also labels like Edwin and Nudie jeans, Samsoe & Samsoe.

@BigWoollyJumpers polos with a discreet logo are fine .... it’s the hoodies with massive logos which are

[quote BigSandyBalls2015]@BigWoollyJumpers polos with a discreet logo are fine .... it’s the hoodies with massive logos which are [/quote]
Oh god, yes, quite agree. Logo's big no, no. In fact, for anyone! I notice this year they have ditched their obsession with logo's. DD got some really nice vintage 80's style t's too, with no logo's, hooray!

Your list looks ok to me. Can’t think why anyone would say 40s is too old for trainers though, that’s just bizarre. Although I would stick to the classic/retro type rather than whatever the fuck gen z-ers wear. And I don’t see a problem with short sleeved casual shirts, it’s only the formal style worn for work that are a bit serial killer.
Generally I think as long as you avoid skinny jeans, 3/4 length anything and football shirts you’ll be fine.

Wear whatever you like. It's bad enough that women tie themselves to ridiculous rules about what they should or shouldn't wear based on age and physique without men doing it too.

I think baseball caps are ok. Leather jackets not so much.

Nothing wrong with a good jumper! I honestly don't really understand why people are so obsessed with cashmere though. I mean... cashmere is very nice, but merino, lambswool etc are also very nice.

I also think baseball caps are fine. So long as they're dark coloured ideally eg not white or red. Aviators can also look good eg on Joe Biden. All of your list looks fine.

To be avoided imo is those long shorts you sometimes see 40s age men in, 3/4 type shorts. And short sleeved shirts. T shirts with stupid logos or names on like Superdry or GAP. Leather bracelets or those coral necklaces. Wraparound sunglasses and reflective/mirror sunglasses. Spiky gelled up hair. Pork pie hats. But it doesn't sound like you would be wearing these things OP

Your basic wardrobe sounds fine. Dh is 52 (so older than you).
He wears suit and tie for work.
Levi 501s and a plain T shirt at weekend
Plain jumper or fleece over T shirt if cold.

Hot weather
Cargo shorts (crew clothing)
Polo shirts or plain T shirt (also Crew)
Flip Flops - not those horrendous slider things!

Your lists are on the right track. Be careful with leather jackets, you don’t want to veer towards Jeremy Clarkson. And I would re-think cords, they can be nice. Think carefully about footwear. Chunky boots are nice with jeans/cords. Or classic trainers when it’s warmer. Polo shirts are fine, as are rugby tops and hoodies IMO.

I think you’re list is generally spot on, with the exception of the leather jacket. It’s hugely personal of course, but unless you’re Indiana Jones they just give me the ick!

Definitely no to: flip flops (just awful on anyone over 18) / hoodies / tracksuits / branded stuff / baseball cap / saggy jeans especially with a huge turn up / baggy t shirts / loafers especially without socks / white trainers without socks / polo shirt with collar turned up / ponytail / moustache / lycra in any circumstances /

Yes to: looking generally well turned out whether in Levi's or a suit. My DP wears a lot of Gant and I fancy him like hell 😋 Oh and a very old Rolex