Men’s Style Icons: Chace Crawford

Editor Feature Introduction

Today we have the next edition in our style icons series. The theory behind these articles is that you are going to find a famous male who appeals to your sense of style. As we progress you will notice there are no distinct patterns in the people we choose, in fact Matthew and I have discussed trying to pick those males who are slightly under the radar when it comes to fashion and style, instead of the obvious choices like Mr. Beckham and Mr. Ford. This way we can hopefully show you a wide variety of different outfits and looks in order to give you some inspiration when it comes to you dressing yourself for any occasion.

Editor Opinion

So this week Matthew has chosen Chace Crawford. Just a few weeks after our Ed Westwick feature, we now have another one of the Gossip Girl cast flying onto our style radar, and for good reason. This is another young male who definitely knows how to put a sharp look together, and he is a shining example of the direction menswear has progressed this year.

His casual looks generally consist of clean lines, fitted garments, and simple timeless colours. I have not seen him experimenting with colours in too many photos, and his palette of choice is generally navy, black, white, grey, brown and beige. These are all colours that transcend seasons, which means they can be worn year after year and still look great and on trend. It also helps that they all mix beautifully well together and you can coordinate them all within your outfits so easily.

When it comes to styling his outfits are really so stripped down and simple. He mixes dark, slim denim, with simple shirts and polo shirts in order to really give off that relaxed formal look that has been so popular throughout this whole year with the influx of chinos and a more tailored approach to casual dressing. He is also a big fan of the tailored jacket in order to give his casual looks a bit of an edge and push the relaxed formal to a new level. Whether it is an unstructured blazer over a plain tee, or a great double breasted pea coat over an open collared shirt, his casual style is timeless and refined. Something that really appeals to my own personal way of dressing.

His formal style is also one which a lot of young males can learn from. For black tie events, he always looks pristine in his custom tailored suit – tailor adjustments are ALWAYS necessary guys, even for off the peg suits – mixed with the essential white shirt and tie/bow tie combination. If you do have a dress code, the key is to wear well fitting items in order to show you know about fashion, and then add subtle little touches like a pocket square or great watch in order to give you that differential.

When there is no dress code, you can do what Chace does and pair beautiful suits with simple plain monochrome t-shirts, open collar shirts (lose the tie and the top couple of buttons), or even a casual check shirt like he has done in the images below. This is a perfect look for the younger readers who are not quite ready for the whole “power dressing” ethos. Losing the shirt and tie combination will keep your formal style youthful and modern, whilst not losing any of the important style factor.

So Chace is by no means an innovator within men’s fashion, as he sticks to simple pieces in timeless colours for the majority of the outfits he creates. But that is his personal style and what he is comfortable in. We always try to preach about finding what works for YOU and wearing outfits that make you feel at your most confident. You don’t have to go out everyday in crazy colours or with bells and whistles on you in order to be classed as stylish or fashionable. Simple timeless style can serve you well whether you are young or old… and I think Chace proves this.

Matthew Introduction

My style icon for this week is one of my personal favourites of the celebrities I have lined up for you Fashionbeaners. I featured his co-star a couple of weeks ago, and this man is equally as stylish. This week, my style icon is American actor, Chace Crawford.

Like his co-star Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford is known for his role of Nate Archibald in the hit American drama Gossip Girl. Style wise, he is equally as well dressed off screen as he is on. On-screen, as he is always attending formal occasions with the lavish lifestyle he lives, he dresses up for the occasion using elegant clothing and timeless pieces such as tailored tuxedos and slim fitting suits. Quite often his formalwear consists of a black tailored suit with a fitted shirt underneath which has a couple of buttons undone. You might argue that his on-screen character looks the way he does because he is able to afford designer clothing – and yes it’s true he can – but you are able to look just as good by wearing high-street clothing that is a lot more affordable. There is nothing stopping you having high street suits adjusted and customised professionally at tailors, and they will end up looking twice as expensive when you have them on if they fit you like a glove.

Off screen, it seems he has taken dressing tips from the stylists, as his outfits are relatively similar to those on-screen. His casual-wear is often quite simple, yet smart, and he also knows how to dress up to the occasion. On a day to day basis, he often wears a polo shirt, tee, or an open collar plain shirt with dark slim jeans or chinos. In a recent interview, he said that he paying a lot more attention to the way he dresses, and developed a sense of style because of the role he plays in the hit American series. “I like Ralph Lauren Rugby, John Varvatos – he’s really bad-a*s – Diesel jeans, and I wear a slim-fitting, one-buttoned suit from Dolce and Gabbana. And I’m really getting into watches.”

I think the most important thing here is that Chace has found a style of dressing that works for him, his personalty and tastes. In the end it means he comes across confident and well dressed on any occasion. The beauty of it is that he does it in the most simplest of ways by picking timeless items and colours to pair together. It’s really easy to get this look, and it means that your wardrobe will always be on trend and ready for any occasion you throw at it. In my opinion, he appeals to the everyday male, and that’s what makes him a style icon.

Chace Crawford Lookbook

Get the look.

There are several key items that make up the Chace Crawford look. These are:

• Plain white or black t-shirt.
• Plain polo shirt.
• Dark wash jeans.
• Check shirt.
• A variety of casual footwear and black lace ups for formal shoes.
• Lightweight jacket.
• Tailored jackets.
• Slim fitting two-piece suit.
• Slim fitting shirt.

Chace wears plain tees in timeless colours like black and white. He uses these within his casual outfits underneath lightweight jackets, blazers and knitwear, whilst also using them for formal occasions simply underneath his suit jackets. They are essential items that you should all have in your wardrobe in order to create multiple outfits. You can pick long or short sleeved and crew/v-neck/grandad style depending on personal preference:

Chace has a penchant for a simple lightweight polo shirt whether he is on the way to the gym, pairing it with jeans for a casual day or throwing it on underneath a blazer or tailored jacket for more formal events. They are easy to find and your wardrobe will not be complete without a couple:

Chace’s choice of jeans are Diesel. He tends to favour darker washes as they really give off a smarter appearance. Look for dark indigo, blacks, greys and raw selvedge in order to get the look:

On top of the plain v-neck tee, Chace has been seen quite often wearing a check shirt. This is a simple and easy look to achieve. You can choose from the various check shirts on the market, there are lots of them! I’m sure you all have a good collection of check shirts by now, so any of them will look good over a plain v-neck tee.

Footwear wise, Chace opts to wear smart leather shoes on formal occasions, but in his casual looks he can be spotted in anything from Chukka boots, heard wearing leather boots or trainers. It is always good to have a selection of footwear which you can use on any occasion, and brown leathers and suede will always look good against any colour of jeans or chinos you may own. Chace seems to favour brown for casual outfits, whilst keeping black for his super sharp formal looks. Trainers can be used as and when you feel like it.

Here is a small selection of what is on the market right now. Footwear is very personal when it comes to preference. Black lace up shoes should be in every males wardrobe as an essential, whilst look to mix your footwear in your casual outfits as many new styles have been revamped this year:

Now when it gets a little cooler like in the coming Autumn season, then a light jacket over a t-shirt/shirt is a great option. Chace has been spotted wearing zip-up black jackets, and I love how they look. Here’s my choice:

One of the key items in this whole feature is the tailored jacket. Chace is often seen sporting them in casual outfits, but they are always the focal point and just gives you that edge compared to 90% of the male population. He seems to have a great collection in his wardrobe, whether it be a beautiful blue peacoat, unstructured beige blazer, or simple navy blazer for evening meals out with his girlfriend. Jackets are a great way to smarten any look in an instant, whilst keeping you warm during these coming seasons:

Now for formalwear. Chace himself has mentioned that he is a big fan of the slim fit two-piece suit. Preferably in black or navy, the suit looks perfect with a white shirt underneath. Slim fit so it gives you shape, the two-buttoned suit looks best with just the top button fastened. Have a look to my fellow writer Matt Allinson for his amazing suit guide. Here’s my choice of suit:

Fitted shirts in a range of colours are perfect to create the look of Mr Crawford. Leaving the top couple of buttons unbuttoned helps to emphasise the neckline, and creates a more masculine shape to the outfit. Here’s my choice of shirt:

I hope you enjoy this week’s style icon. Chace Crawford is certainly a style icon in my eyes, and we can all draw inspiration from him on how to have classic style with very minimal effort.

Matthew