The Capsule Wardrobe Men Have Been Asking For (By Bluffworks)

 

The concept of a capsule wardrobe has been around since the 1970s, but over the past few years, it’s become increasingly popular — from fashion blogs to travelers to minimalists, and even to regular people like me. 

The idea is to create a limited and remixable wardrobe made up of items that won’t go out of style (and that you personally really like to wear). The approach is that the right selection of relatively few items can yield a wide range of outfit options. 

Although I didn’t use that phrase when we got started, my goal with Bluffworks has always been to produce men’s wardrobe essentials that will never go out of style, are durable enough to stand up to years of heavy use, and empower us to look great in just about any situation.

Ultimately, it’s that same idea of versatility and owning only what you need that drives both Bluffworks and the capsule wardrobe concept. 

And now that our product line includes essentials from chinos to t-shirts to travel blazers, we can really start to put together a men’s capsule wardrobe beginning with Bluffworks products. 

So we worked with photographer and stylist Matt Hartman to bring to life a mini wardrobe made up of really versatile pieces that you’ll love to wear. Check out our suggestions on how to style some of our key pieces, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

 

1. Business Formal
2. Business Casual
3. Casual

1. Business Formal

Our products are paired with an OTAA Australia navy knit tie; Alara Shirt white linen pocket square; Navy striped socks from Vybe Socks; and Martin Dingman Double Monk shoes.

 

With our Gramercy Collection, we offer casual suits for men that can go almost anywhere — from destination weddings to the board room. They’re even comfortable enough to wear on the plane in between (and if you need to pack it, no garment bag required).

What’s great about everything we make is that they’re incognito travel clothes — they look (and feel) like a standard wool suit, but they’re breathable, lightweight, and easy to care for. 

Because this is a machine washable suit. No more dry cleaners. No more wrinkles or ironing. It’s amazing — and thousands of guys agree it’s the best blazer in their closet.

The Gramercy Collection is what’s known as matched separates, meaning that unlike a traditional suit, you buy the pants and blazer separately to get the size and fit you want in each.

These pieces more than pull their weight in your wardrobe — match them together for a more formal, traditional suit look, or wear them separately to double your wardrobe options.

Says Matt:

“A navy suit is a staple in a man’s wardrobe.  It can be worn in any occasion and look sharp. This combo was inspired by the traveling businessman who’s headed to a same day client meeting.  When it comes to pairing with a navy suit you cannot go wrong with either a pair of black or brown shoes.  My particular style spin on this combo is the knit tie.  It’s not overly common and adds a touch of texture."

 

The Bluffworks Business Formal Capsule Wardrobe

2. Business Casual

Our products are paired with a Martin Dingman Italian leather belt; Daniel Wellington Durham 38mm watch; The Tie Bar socks; and Grant Stone Longwing Dune Chromexcel shoes.

 

When you want to look good, but don’t need the formal styling of a full suit, our blazers are designed to pair well with all of our pants — from our chinos to our jeans. And our dress shirts provide a crisp look without the hassle of ironing, with or without a tie.

Our Ascender Chinos have 10 strategic pockets for easy everyday carry, plus a soft, stretch fabric (and a comfort waistband). So you can wear them comfortably all day, every day. When I’m traveling, I use the Gramercy Blazer as my extra layer, and it’s great for wearing on a plane (or using as my travel pillow). 

Because the idea behind a men’s capsule wardrobe is for each of the pieces to do double or even triple duty, mixing and matching to create many options from a few core items. So if your capsule wardrobe for work contains a pair each of our Ascender Chinos, Departure Jeans, and Gramercy Pants, a few Meridian or Zenith dress shirts, and a Gramercy Blazer, you’ve got at least dozen different outfits.

Says Matt:

“This combo was styled to be worn by the everyday business man like me. My signature on this particular business casual outfit are the Longwings shoes since I believe when it comes to business casual you should not underestimate your investment in your shoes. The rest of the combo came together playing off the earth tone spectrum."

 

The Bluffworks Business Casual Capsule Wardrobe

3. Casual

Our products are paired with socks from Vybe Socks; and PLRB Official Lorenzo leather sneakers.

 

Most days of the week (when I’m not wear-testing a new sample product), I am wearing a pair of our chinos and one of our shirts. I’m constantly running around the city, from our apartment to the office, chasing down my son on scooters or hustling to a meeting on my bike. So I’ve got to have clothes that can move with me, but still look decent when I have to jump on a video call for business. 

This is also one of my favorite travel clothes combos to pack because they’re lightweight and all-purpose. A nice pair of chinos and a button down shirt (add a t-shirt underneath for versatility) will get you in almost anywhere you want to go, from a museum to a decent restaurant, around the world. 

Chinos are great casual pants, with a classic look and versatile style. (We also offer jeans with a traditional aesthetic, improved by a technical fabric and security pockets.) Our super soft Meridian shirts go with just about anything, and can be easily dressed up or down, with no wrinkles in sight.

Says Matt:

“This look was inspired by two types of guys... the technology startup engineer and an executive relaxing on the weekend. A classic pair of chinos with a nice pair of leather sneakers always looks great with a nice Oxford shirt to deliver a comfortable but stylish look."

 

The Bluffworks Casual Capsule Wardrobe

 

I hope to share more styling suggestions for you in the future, and we’re working on launching more products that will contribute to a complete Bluffworks capsule wardrobe. What else would you like to see added to the lineup? Let us know in the comments below.

Bluff on,