Sebastian Strobl

Category: capsule wardrobe

  • What type of suit should you get

    What type of suit should you get

    What different types are there

    There are three different main categories when it comes to suits. The most affordable ones, ready-to-wear or off the rack. This is your typical Hugo Boss, Joop! or MassimoDutti suit. Suitsupply also has ready to wear suits with much nicer fabric than the first two in the list.

    Next price range are the made to measure suits, where most part of the suit is pre-produced and will then be modified to fit your real measurements. Once again an example would be suitsupply.

    The there are bespoke suit, completely custom/ handmade to your stature. Those will be the most expensive ones, made by real experts.

    So let’s give you a in-depth breakdown of the main categories below.

    Ready-to-Wear (RTW)
    Description:
    • Ready-to-wear suits are pre-manufactured in standard sizes and are available for purchase off the rack in retail stores.
    Characteristics:
    • Available in a wide range of styles, fabrics, and sizes.
    • Immediate purchase and wear, with minimal wait time.
    Benefits:
    • Convenience: Easily accessible and can be tried on and purchased the same day.•
    • Trendy: Often follow current fashion trends and are updated regularly.
    • Cost-Effective: Generally more affordable than made-to-measure and bespoke suits.
    Drawbacks:
    • Fit: May not fit as perfectly as tailored options, requiring alterations.
    • Limited Customization: Limited options for fabric, design, and details.
    Made-to-Measure (MTM)
    Description:
    • Made-to-measure suits are created from an existing pattern that is adjusted to the customer’s measurements.
    Characteristics:
    • Semi-custom: Uses pre-existing templates adjusted to fit the individual.
    • Requires a fitting session where measurements are taken, and preferences are discussed
    Benefits:
    • Better Fit: More personalized fit than RTW, as adjustments are made to suit the individual’s body shape.
    • Customization: Offers choices in fabric, color, and some design elements (e.g., lapels, pockets, buttons).
    Drawbacks:
    • Time: Typically takes a few weeks to produce, as adjustments and customizations are made.
    • Cost: More expensive than RTW but usually less costly than bespoke.
    Bespoke
    Description:
    • Bespoke suits are entirely custom-made from scratch, based on the customer’s exact measurements and specifications.
    Characteristics:
    • Fully custom: No pre-existing patterns are used; everything is designed from the ground up for the individual.
    • Multiple fittings are usually required to ensure the perfect fit.
    Benefits:
    • Perfect Fit: The highest level of fit precision and comfort, tailored specifically to the individual.
    • Unlimited Customization: Full control over every aspect of the suit, from fabric and linings to buttons and stitch details.
    • Unique: Each suit is unique and can be designed to reflect personal style and preferences
    Drawbacks:
    • Cost: The most expensive option due to the extensive labor and high-quality materials involved.
    • Time: Takes the longest to produce, often several weeks to a few months, depending on complexity and tailor availability.
    Comparison Summary

    • Ready-to-Wear: Best for those who need a suit quickly, prefer cost-effective options, and are okay with standard fits.

    • Made-to-Measure: Ideal for individuals looking for a better fit and some level of customization without the higher cost of bespoke.

    • Bespoke: Perfect for those who desire the utmost in fit, personalization, and quality, and are willing to invest time and money.

    By understanding these differences, you can make an informed decision on the type of suit that best fits your needs, preferences, and budget.

  • 6 ways my life got easier through building a capsule wardrobe

    6 ways my life got easier through building a capsule wardrobe

    Are you tired of standing in front of your bursting closet before a big occasion, important presentation at work, or just your usual Friday date night with nothing to wear? Read below how building an interchangeable minimalist wardrobe influence my life for the better and who knows, some points may even apply to your life.

    Create your own personal brand

    So this is twofold, for once you will be able to have some kind of designated uniform for your work activities. This is going to make it easier for yourself, to separate work from your leisure, personal life. You change into your uniform in the morning, focus on performing in your workplace and when you come home, you slip out of it and cut the chords to work stuff. This is becoming more and more important, the more both parts of your day are blending together. Are you self-employed and using one mobile device for business & private matters? Do you have a job, where working from home is permitted and therefore a company notebook and a company phone are always accessible? It can get out of hand quickly with constant beeps and vibrations, since work is more and more globalized and you are co-creating across different time zones.

    The other big benefit is, you will be recognizable, people will be starting to get a good feeling of what they can expect from you. It will calm their minds, and give you more opportunities to take over additional, greater responsibilities or just being recognized for your work and successes. Even if next to no one would ever say it out loud in a workplace setting, your appearance is the first thing that gets recognized and you will be judged base on that. Maybe just unconsciously, but we all do it. You see someone walking around in dirty joggers with a little fluff around the waist, is your first impression that he or she is a top performing lawyer or doctor?

    Save time dressing & shopping

    Once you own several staple items, that go well together in any potential combination and for every setting you can think of. Be it a summer wedding, a day in the office or running errands around town. It will be quite easy picking a outfit, that generally is the same look you will always wear. Pick any one item for tops and one for bottoms, depending on time of the year and temperature slap an item for layering over it, grab any shoes heading out and you are good to go.

    As for shopping, once you know hat sizes and colors match your type and preference, it will be far easier to add to your wardrobe. If you are already in the position where you are completely happy with the items you own, it’s just a matter of replacing pieces that are beyond repair with similar things.

    Spend less money on clothes

    In general, once you developed a clear feeling for your own style, what you like to wear, what makes you feel great and doesn’t limit you in your daily activities, the need to go with the trend or buy the thing some influencer advertised will subside. Therefore you will spend less on clothes in general and the potential for buying sprees in online or physical shops will be minimized. Try to develop a healthy relationship with the stuff you buy. If every piece in your closet is an item you absolutely love and love to wear, why would you want to buy additional stuff?

    Mitigate decision fatigue

    As mentioned two paragraphs before, the more interchangeable the core of the wardrobe you build is, the easier it will become to pick outfits tailored to any occasion. Feel like wearing a suit, wear the suit, either with a dress shirt, an oxford or a t-shirt/ polo. It will look well composed if the patterns/ materials and colors match each other. There will be no thinking involved, just picking items based on gut feeling. Don’t want to wear a full suit, just use the jacked and go with jeans, or the other way round, pick the slacks from your suit, throw a plain white T over it and you are dress for nearly everything, even the modern office job. And you will stand out between all the functional clothes, jeans and running shoes outfits of your peers.

    Boost your self confidence

    Once you look good and feel good in the outfits you wear you will have a confidence boost. Even without any recognition from other persons. Not to say, that every compliment you receive, and you will receive a lot, once you are always slightly overdressed, will build additional confidence. Coming back on the (unconscious) judging of people based on first impression and appearance, if you get this right, people will start to talk to you differently. They might not be aware of it, but they will treat you more to your benefit compared to the peer showing up like pulled from his own ass and therefore looking not as well prepared as you will be looking.

    Make traveling and business trips easier

    The bigger the overlap between your professional outfits, your leisure outfits and the pieces you feel and move great in, the less items you will need to pack for a business or even holiday trip. This will save you time and mental energy while packing, while out and about and when you are coming back and need to wash, iron and put everything back away. Travel lightly and it will make traveling itself easier, less space occupied for luggage, maybe you can make do only with carry-on baggage, which will make processing through the airport easier and faster.

  • Clean & easy casual outfits for summer

    Clean & easy casual outfits for summer

    Finally the summer hit central Europe (kind of at least) so ditch the wool sweaters, the heavy wool or tweed suits and dress a bit more breathable.

    All you need for sheer endless different outfits, that all have quite the same base and look to them is 3 pairs of trousers, 3 pairs of shoes and 3 different dress shirts. Pick colors that work well together like grey, blue and white, or tan, brown and white, tan, blue, white, or even tan, khaki and brown will also work quite nicely. If you make it really complex, pick different shades, dark, medium and light. If you mix those it will always look great. So let’s quickly expand on that. For example you can go with white sneakers (light) put over tan cotton chinos (medium/ mostly) and go for a navy shirt (dark). Or swap it around, dark blue chinos, brown loafers and a white or light blue shirt. You get the idea.

    Having a lot of nearly identical pieces that fit great will make picking a look for the day far easier. Just reach into the wardrobe and pull on thing for top and one for bottoms, if you designed your overall wardrobe interchangeable, it will be a match. On the way out slap some shoes on, if you only have 3-4 pairs you love and that go with every outfit, you won’t accumulate decision fatigue starting your day and you will look great, for what ever plans you might have.

    Have a look at the gallery below for some inspiration. Pictured are only a few outfits that can be put together with the above mentioned pieces. Every Shoe goes with every shirt & of course with every pair of trousers, so will have enough outfits for most weeks of summer, without wearing a combination twice.

    If you feel extra dapper, or your workplace doesn’t permit going without a jacket, even in summer, you can always swap a light linen/ cotton blazer over it. Can be a classic navy blazer, or a brown/tan hound’s-tooth sport jacket. Can be a pretty leisure seersucker blazer or even full suit or a tan linen blazer, a navy double breasted blazer does always look great. If you are the type you can also go with green or khaki or light blue. What ever you like and keep in mind, to mix light/medium/dark colors with each other or have at least on catch piece. Think dark shirt under a light suit or light shirt in a dark suit. Even in monochrome looks there should be some kind of variation in tone.

  • The light blue dress shirt

    The light blue dress shirt

    No matter if you are getting ready for a date, running some errands, picking up the kids from school, are headed for the office or working from home, a light blue shirt is always a great option. It‘s just as versatile as a white shirt, but those often times tend to be heavily see through, so you have to either layer up or wear a wifebeater beneath it. Both options are not too great in the summer months, if you tend to sweat easily like I do.

    How it looks like vs how it feels

    Therefore I find myself oftentimes grabbing on of the light blue shirts I own, since it pairs naturally with tan chinos, a grey or navy suit but you can also wear it to jeans or shorts or any other way you can imagine.

    If you want to wear your shirt untucked, I would advise you to get a button down that is designed to be worn over the pants or at least find something with an length that doesn‘t look like you‘re wearing your wife’s summer dress. A side from that every style option is available to you.

    Blue generally goes with nearly all different colors, so you can pair it with all the common chino colors like navy, grey, charcoal or black and tan/sand and it will also look great with khaki, pastel green or rosè or even a slightly different shaded pastel blue. You can wear it either with light washed or dark jeans as well and all the suit options from brown, to navy to grey for business related stuff are viable choices.

    As are the summer suits, no matter if tan, green or light blue, it will most definitely work the same way a white shirt would and you don‘t have to show off your nipples when losing the jacket.

    I personally like the fully monochrome option of pairing a navy suit and a blue shirt with a navy tie and throw in either a white highlight (sneakers & pocket square) or combine it with black slippers.

    As for quality/ brand, I had various shirts over the last 15 years and I tend to always go back to Olymp, a brand that my dad already like decades ago. Their level 5 bodysuit suits me quite good, since I‘m relatively rugged and their fabric is always easy to iron or even completely iron free. You can put all their stuff into the dryer and the shirts won‘t lose size , fit or color plus they don’t get wrinkled easily, when you are packing for a trip.

    So maybe next time, you are heading in to give a important presentation to management or the customer, pick a blue shirt over the with one, lose the jacket after work & find yourself a neat cafe or bar and enjoy a spritz.

  • Working from home in the summer

    Working from home in the summer

    Or working from the coffee shop, a cool bar, the beach, the mountains, with good mobile connectivity the opportunities are nearly limit less.

    Nearly as limitless as your options for spots to work from are your choices for attire.

    If you have a lot of meetings you need to have the camera on, I would suggest wearing some kind of shirt (button down or dressier), if you are only producing information/ content remotely and mainly interacting via mail or chat there is nothing wrong with a good fitting, clean t-shirt.

    If you feel like it, you can always throw a blazer on top or switch the chino/ jeans for slacks (light traveler wool or some linen blend).

    In general I tend to get less sweaty/hot in cotton chinos/ wool slacks compared to wearing jeans.

    Enjoy your day! Have a good one.