Summer is in full swing, and that means outdoor dinner parties, daytime events and barbecues are constantly on the calendar, leaving you to grapple with finding the right outfit every single time. Kelley Kirchberg, president and head stylist of Divine Style, a styling company headquartered in DC with most clients in Northern Virginia, says she frequently receives client requests asking for help with summer outfits.
Kirchberg, who has multiple degrees in fashion, started her business seven years ago after realizing her true passion for the industry, as well as the prevalent need for styling men in both DC and Northern Virginia.
According to Kirchberg, the men in this area tend to come to her for assistance when they are too busy to shop, travel for business or aren’t even based here and need the right look for a business meeting in DC.
“We have a lot of male clients, especially in Northern Virginia, who have different life changes going on and really want to refresh their image, so we are there to give them another perspective,” Kirchberg says.
Here, Kirchberg shares her key tips for men who want to enhance their personal style this summer.
For those who don’t know where to start:
Probably about 90% of our clients want to be comfortable in what they’re wearing temperature-wise. So, a lot of it is finding fabrics and prints that make their outfit more interesting, but still keep them comfortable. It’s about balancing two different styles to create a more unexpected look that is stylized and done, more than just an expected T-shirt and shorts or polo and jeans. That’s the average outfit, so it’s about how we can use different pieces together to create unique looks for them. Tailoring is a big thing that men don’t do, too. If you get the proper fit, you can make inexpensive T-shirts or pants look great on you.
Another part of it is as soon as men get complimented on what they’re wearing, or their look, it differentiates that for them and makes them want to look or dress better. Women are looking for other women to compliment them, but men don’t really talk about or compliment each other about their clothes as much as women do. Our job is to figure out for our male clients what their signature or go-to piece is. They always have something they love, like sunglasses, belts or a beaded bracelet. It’s all about incorporating that through their style in different looks.
If dressing in a Fourth of July-themed outfit is your thing:
We try to stay away from dressing in themes like wearing an American flag shirt, but it’s also easy to play around with prints. For example, print shorts are really eye-catching and fun to wear without being too much. You can also pair that with a short-sleeved button down shirt or a camp shirt with twill shorts. Also, a bright-colored chino pant for men, layered with a print shirt or knit tee will give a lot of versatility to an outfit, rather than wearing the expected outfit. We also always recommend accessorizing; that’s key to making a look stand out. Sunglasses or hats are great for men.
If all you want to do is wear that old Hawaiian shirt in the closet:
They’re actually trending this year; they’re back in style. I think it’s all about what you’re pairing it with. Hawaiian shirts give you the opportunity to match with white denim or twill shorts or, depending on the print, you can pair it with colored, light chinos. It’s interspersing, you can always play with different fabrics. We actually just helped a client pair a bold Hawaiian shirt with linen shorts for a Fourth of July barbecue, it gives the modern but not-just-stepping-off-the-plane-from-Hawaii look.
What all men really need in their closet:
The first most important thing is to find a really great, fitted pair of denim. We always make sure our clients have a nice, darker pair to be worn to the office and a variety of other events. Also, in our area especially, I would say finding a really cool statement jacket that works well for them is essential. For some that’s a blazer, for others that’s a bomber jacket, and those are easy to style in different ways. Lastly, finding a great T-shirt that stands out and makes the man look put together no matter what he’s pairing it with. I always say it’s like the little black dress that women have—it’s a must.
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