Getting Started - From Casual to Sartorial

~5 min read

This is our brief guide for how to get started on your gentleman's style journey. Our mission is to take you from casual to sartorial, from innocuous to intentional. Maybe you want to start wearing a tie to the office for the first time. Maybe you'd like your wardrobe to reflect something different about you. Maybe you're just sick of graphic tees and cargo pants. There's no wrong reason for wanting to actualize your journey from casually clad to intentionally dressed. 

Wherever You Are, You've Made It

At Sullivan Manor, we believe that wherever you are, you've made it. We believe that no matter where you are on your unique sartorial journey, the desire to dress with attention to detail, to incorporate high standards of deportment, and to live with intentionality means you've already made it. You've already adopted the gentleman's spirit of our sartorial ethos.

Matching ties, pocket squares, watches, shoes, the right accessories - these are all secondary, and you'll find the right combinations for you as you continue this journey. But to start? We start with intention. You've already made the choice to dare to be different, to reject the casual in favour of the sartorial.

1. From Graphic Tees to Collared Shirts

The clothes we wear and the emblems and symbols we display reflect something about us. We can't help it - we're hardwired to notice these things about people and come to a culturally understood conclusion about what this says about a person. What you wear on your body reflects something about you. Is it reflecting the right thing for you? When you dress with intention, ask yourself, "What does this say to the world about who I am?"

If you're not ready to go full Bond, James Bond, just start with a collared shirt. Start with a crisp white shirt with a stiff collar. Maybe you find a 3 for 1 deal, and you also snag yourself an iceberg blue and a dark grey. This is a perfectly measured and moderate start. A transitional wardrobe state. 

2. Add a Jacket and Tie

The switch from the professional lines of a collared shirt to the timeless addition of a well-cut jacket and tie is a defining line. It's a statement move, firmly cementing your sartorial shift. People may comment. They may ask you if you're heading to an interview. They may wonder why the shift. This is where your gentleman's spirit will shine. We maintain poise and dignity. We maintain curiosity without judgement. But we maintain our presence. 

For this stage, our number one rule is: don't break the bank. A cheaper well-tailored suit jacket looks orders of magnitude better than an expensive jacket without tailoring. Find yourself a blue blazer - any blue blazer, and get yourself to a tailor. Whatever wardrobe funds you have allocated, put aside $20-90 for alterations. 

For a stately contrast here, add a burnt orange tie with your new tailored blue blazer. You can simply never go wrong with burnt orange and navy blue. 

3. Accessorize and Experiment

You've already crossed the sartorial line into jackets and ties. Our sartorial spirit of intentional dress includes high standards of attention to detail. This means the little things, the subtly contrasting pocket square, the pop of colour of a vibrant silk tie, the textured layer of a herringbone waistcoat. This is where experimentation is key.

If you'd like to really stand out in this stage, opt for a stylish headdress. Our go-to hat is the flat cap. It's timeless without being stuffy (unlike the top hat, say), it's classic without being obvious. It's a sophisticated differentiator. 

4. Be Unique - Find Your Style

You've perused the glossy Instagram posts, you've sought inspiration from famous actors and their red carpet appearances. But now it's time to look within for your style inspiration. What do you want the styles and textures of your wardrobe to say about you? Here are some of the plethora of style combinations.

Countryside Chic

• Rough and textured fabrics like tweed and coarse wool suits jackets
• Knit ties and earthen accessories like linen pocket squares add a countryside chic, akin to something you might find worn on Downton Abbey or Peaky Blinders. 

City Sleek

• Smooth and buttery soft fabrics like linen or silk blend suit jackets
• 100% woven silk ties and pocket squares add a sleek finish to any outfit, perfect for downtown city professionals. Think of Harvey Specter from Suits.

Scholarly Classic

• Harris tweed blazers and suede elbow patches
• Bow ties and safari shirts with textured waistcoats add a scholarly flair to your wardrobe. And if it sounds like we're describing Indiana Jones, the most stylish archaeologist - we are. 

Experiment with what brings out your inner gentleman's narrative. What textures, fabrics, and accessories best exemplify the kind of gentleman you are? Aim to explore and experiment on your journey, don't just emulate. And remember, dare to be different, at least a little.