Scottsdale style: The T-shirt and sportcoat combo

The T-shirt and sportcoat pairing is one of those sartorial risks that few take and even fewer can pull off. And that’s too bad because it can really be a cool look.

From my personal experience, it’s clear that a lot of men feel that the T-shirt combo is a “young man’s game.” While most of these “young men” think that it’s too fashion forward for them. Indeed, I’d agree that it’s a relatively high-style look, but only when done properly. And doing it properly is very important.

So, with this blog post, I want to take a close look at Brett’s outfit in the above picture and explain his styling.

But first, let’s explain the background. Brett was on a recent business trip to Scottsdale. If you’ve been following us on social media you’ll know that we are in the midst of expanding our business into the Scottsdale area. Although the temperature is starting to cool down in Denver, it’s still very warm in Scottsdale. This was the driving factor behind Brett reaching for a T-shirt that day.

Now, wearing short sleeves under a jacket is a great way to stay cool when the temperature rises. There’s no need to frown upon it as a style no-no, so long as it really is a warm day. Long sleeves will have a tendency to trap heat around your arms, even when you unbutton the cuffs. This is why when it gets really warm, you may want to consider ditching the sleeves altogether. If we were to go a step farther, we could apply this thinking to the neckline because a typical cotton shirt collar will also have a tendency to trap heat. However, I admit that this may have a rather trivial impact for most men. Nevertheless, removing that extra fabric from your shirt by wearing a T-shirt instead is one more thing you can do to help stay cool.

Let’s talk about the T-shirt.

Brett is wearing a black striped white shirt. The white background is appropriate for a daytime appointment and the monochromatic nature of the shirt is classically stylish.

And the jacket?

Believe it or not, Brett’s really proving the versatility of his wardrobe here. This jacket is one of BE’s finest fabrics and has carried Brett through some elegant events. It’s a wool fabric, which you may be thinking would be too warm for Scottsdale, but as one of our better fabrics, it’s actually very breathable. The herringbone pattern is both textural and dressy. The blue lapel button hole is a nod to his pants.

The pants are dark in color and provide lengthening to the overall look. Anchored by the neutral hue of his sportcoat, our attention is directed to his shirt. Like all suit jackets, the V-shape of the lapels direct our eye up to the face.

Finally, the casual cotton pocket square is a floral pattern that nicely refers to his shirt and the warm weather.

And of course, all of his clothes fit they way that they should.

Wrap up

The T-shirt and sportcoat look may be tough to pull off, but don’t let that stop you from trying. Keep your T-shirt simple. Nothing too distracting. Nothing with logos or anything that’s too bright.

As for the jacket, keep the tones lighter during the day and darker at night.

And remember, just because no one else is doing it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t or couldn’t. If anything, it’s an opportunity for this Scottsdale style to set you apart from the pack. So, grab yourself a great looking sportcoat and a nice T-shirt!