necessary accessories:

necessary accessories:

first off, not all accessories are acceptable. i'm probably never going to be a fan of gold chains, diamond earrings, silver necklaces, or high school class rings. on the same note, too many good accessories can be just as bad. but the right accessories can make a huge difference. i wanted to outline a few accessories every guy should have on hand.

a watch. i know you check the time with your phone, but have a watch. they're probably at the top of the list for the longest standing men's-wear accessories. the price you pay depends on you, but note that a watch can be an investment, and a good watch is timeless in its style - i still wear a watch that my dad bought decades ago. generally, avoid the bulky oversized watches that devour your wrist, they look gimmicky. some old dive watches are bigger, and that's not a bad detail, but try to keep proportions with your wrist. as always, keep things simple and functional.

just above is an example of what i consider to be a perfect watch: j. crew found some old sketches of french watch makers, mougin & piquard. the sketches were combined with elements from j. crew's vintage watch collection and the end result is this time piece above. the watch is perfectly sized and modeled after 1920's pilot watches to combine both function and style.

a messenger bag is perfect for carrying around your stuff. canvas, leather, or synthetic all work, just no huge logos. the messenger bag is a good choice for a guy that's feeling like he's out grown his old backpack or needs something a little more dressed up.

i'm not very good at keeping track of things, so a wallet helps. but no man should be sporting the massive, overloaded wallets that throw out your spine's alignment every time you sit down. now that you're sporting your slimmer jeans, get something sleek like this picker's wallet from whipping post to avoid the massive bulge on one of your cheeks. a few cards, i.d., cash, and a pick - everything else is unnecessary.

do wear a belt. don't wear a thick or worn out out belt. also, i'm happy that braided belts are back in.

sun glasses. i think that every guy should have at least one pair of nice sun glasses. oakleys are for road bikers or sportier activities, and the thick white plastic frames are thankfully on the decline. on the rise, however, are classic ray bans. even jfk rocked some tortoise shell wayfarers while sailing, and for wireframes, i think the square caravan's are a nice choice.

finally, a tie. if you don't own a single tie, go get a few, and make sure they're between 2.5" to 3" thick (about 7cm) in several colors and textiles. if you've already got a tie, wear it. not only with a suit, but also with jeans and a dress shirt, or a cardigan and chinos like below.

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