Tired of looking in the mirror and being unhappy with the look of your clothing?
Are you wanting to rebuild your image for a new and better job opportunity?
Maybe you just got your law degree or MBA and you want to look like a professional.
In any case, wouldn't it be great to be able to rebuild your wardrobe by buying less and keeping your expenses in check?
Well you're in luck gents as that's what we're covering below.
How To Build A 15-Piece Professional Wardrobe (From Scratch):
- Start With Your Wardrobe Budget
- A Man's Suit – Your Armor To Take On The World
- Supporting Cast – Sports Jacket & Trousers
- A Man's Dress Shirts – Wardrobe Foundations
- Casual Shirts – The Style Glue That Keeps Everything Together
- Strictly for Business – A Man's Dress Shoes & Belt
- Casual Shoes & Belt – Business on Holiday
- Casual Men's Trousers – Denim, Chinos, & Slacks
- Essential Men's Accessories – Watch, Tie, Pocket Square & Sunglasses
Start With Your Wardrobe Budget
I understand that every guy is a in a different position financially and that won’t stop you from using this guide.
The Starter Budget is made for the man who has just graduated college and is still on the hunt for a career and wants to make sure he looks like the kind of business he wants to be in.
If you are a man who has been in the work-force for a few months and has some paychecks saved and is looking to go further in the professional industry, the Mid-Range Budget is perfect for you.
Finally, if you’re a man who has already arrived and is very well established in his career, I recommend the Luxury Budget.
Here is the average price of each of these budgets:
- Starter Budget = $750.00
- Mid-Range Budget = $2,625.00
- Luxury Budget = $11,050
A Man's Suit – Your Armor To Take On The World
It is my firm believe that every man needs to own at least one suit.
Even if you don’t wear a suit often, it is still a good idea to have one. You never know when you’re going to be invited to a wedding or dinner with your boss that you have to dress up for.
I would recommend a charcoal suit or a navy suit to be the first suit you own. It is extremely important to get the fit right. Most of the time, you will need a tailor for this.
In the Starter Suits, you will find suits that have been machine-made and sometimes may have quality issues such as loose threads. The fabrics found are often not as comfortable against the skin and not as durable as the Mid-Range and Luxury Suits.
Mid-Range Suits will often be machine made as well however they will have more quality to them in every way. There will not be any issues with loose threads and the fabric will be more durable and comfortable.
Luxury Suits are the king of the hill and rightfully so. They will often be made from scratch just for you. You typically will go and get measured and be able to pick the fabric your suit is made from and be able to customize all of the details of the suit. The construction of a luxury suit is also not glued together like the lower-end ones are and will fit and last you 20 years or more.
- Starter Suit Budget – $200.00
- Options: Amazon, Banana Republic, J. Crew Factory, Target
- Mid-Range Suit Budget – $600.00
- Options: Indochino, Suit Supply, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom Rack
- Luxury Suit Budget – $1,500.00
Supporting Cast – Sports Jacket & Trousers
I think having one sports jacket and odd trouser is another must for a professional men's wardrobe.
This is an amazing combination for a dinner date with your wife, girlfriend or that special lady you’ve been getting the courage to ask out.
For the sport jacket, a tweed pattern of some sort is the best way to go. It adds another layer of depth to your outfit and will help you stand out more in a crowd.
For the trouser, make sure it is a color that compliments your sports jacket.
The difference between budgets is very similar to differences in suits. Construction, durability, and fit will all get better the more money you spend.
- Starter Average Budget Sports Jacket/Trousers: $200.00
- Options: LL Bean, Macy’s, Walmart
- Mid-Range Average Budget Sports Jacket/Trousers: $600.00
- Options: Indochino, Suit Supply, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom Rack
- High-Tier Average Sports Jacket/Trousers: $1,500.00
- Options: Tom Ford, Brioni, HUGO BOSS, Brooks Brothers
A Man's Dress Shirts – Wardrobe Foundations
I recommend getting 5 dress shirts. That way you have one for each day of the week (Monday-Friday).
You can go for wrinkle-free options if you are extremely busy but I would recommend against this.
Wrinkle-free shirts are often made with synthetic materials that keep it from getting wrinkled. This will lead to the shirt not lasting as long and can possibly be unconformable against your skin.
Style-wise, you can’t go wrong with a classic poplin dress shirt. In the color department, it is best to get the colors that match your skin tone and hair tone the best.
As you go up in price with dress shirts, the fit and feel of them will get better. The construction will also be better. High-End dress shirts will often feature darts and non-synthetic fabrics.
- Starter Average Dress Shirts: $125.00
- Options: Amazon, Gap
- Mid-Range Average Dress Shirts: $500.00
- Options: Indochino, Men’s Wearhouse, Nordstrom Rack
- Luxury Average Dress Shirts: $1,000.00
- Options: Tom Ford, HUGO BOSS, Brooks Brothers Saks Fifth Avenue
Casual Shirts – The Style Glue That Keeps Everything Together
I think every man needs at least 3 casual shirts. This will allow you to have enough to wear over the weekend and one for a Friday night out and about.
These casual shirts can vary from Polo Shirts to Henleys just make sure to pick the most comfortable option for you and your body type.
You can’t go wrong with a navy polo. It is timeless look on any man.
You want to make sure that the casual shirts you pick flatter your body type. If you are a bit more heavier set, a t-shirt would not be a wise idea.
When choosing the amount you choose to spend on your casual shirts, it is important to know what you are sacrificing when you spend less.
Just like suits and sports jackets, the lower the price the lower the quality of the item. A lot of times these casual shirts will have strange boxy fits as well as they are trying to fit more men as opposed to being more specialized in the higher-end price points.
- Starter Average Casual Shirts: $45.00
- Options: Amazon, Old Navy, Gap
- Mid-Range Average Casual Shirts: $225.00
- Options: Men’s Wearhouse, Indochino
- Luxury Average Casual Shirts: $450.00
- Options: Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom Rack
Strictly for Business – A Man's Dress Shoe & Belt
For this section, I put together a pair of dress shoes and a belt because you’re going to want to make sure to match the leathers here.
I would recommend a black cap-toe oxford as a starting dress shoe. This is one of the most used men’s dress shoes and for good reason.
It can fit with any dress outfit including black tie if you needed it to. As I stated before make sure to match your leather shoes to your leather belt.
This is an area where you should consider spending more on higher end shoes. What you save in price, you loose in longevity.
Cheaper shoes are glued together instead of being stitched together. Quality shoes will get better over time as cheap ones will not.
- Starter Average Dress Shoes & Belt: $100.00
- Options: Amazon, Aldo Shoes
- Mid-Range Average Dress Shoes & Belt: $300.00
- Options: Thursday Boot Company, Anson Belts
- Luxury Average Dress Shoes & Belt: $800.00
- Options: Crockett & Jones, Saks Fifth Avenue
Casual Shoes & Belt – Business on Holiday
You can’t wear dress shoes for every occasion and this is why we have casual shoes on the list as well. This is an another area that you can mold to your personality.
My recommendation is to either go with a classic pair of white sneakers or a pair of casual boots like a Chukka or Chelsea.
If you opt for a leather boot, you’ll want to make sure that your belt matches that leather. If you went for the classic white sneakers, you can use some of your creativity and pick whatever color you like the most.
- Starter Average Casual Shoes & Belt: $75.00
- Options: Amazon, ALDO, Old Navy
- Mid-Range Average Casual Shoes & Belt: $150.00
- Options: Anson, Thursday Boot Company
- Luxury Average Casual Shoes & Belt: $300.00
- Options: Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom Rack
Casual Men's Trousers – Denim, Chinos, & Slacks
I recommend two pairs of casual trousers: a pair of khakis or chinos and a pair of dark-washed jeans.
Make sure when you choose a pair of jeans to make sure there isn’t much distressing and that it is a darker wash as I stated before.
Ideally, these casual trousers will also be able to work with your sport jacket. This will just give the item more versatility in your wardrobe.
This is an area where you can save a bit of money. The difference in casual pants is not massive between each price option. Realistic, you can get some very good deals on quality casual pants that don't break the bank.
- Starter Average Casual Trousers: $50.00
- Options: Gap, Levi’s, Amazon, Walmart
- Mid-Range Average Casual Trousers: $300.00
- Options: Indochino, Nordstrom Rack
- Luxury Average Casual Trousers: $700.00
- Options: Saks Fifth Avenue, Rag & Bone, Tom Ford
Essential Men's Accessories – Watch, Tie, Pocket Square & Sunglasses
This category is a catch-all for everything else of importance. Ties, watches, sunglasses, and pocket squares all fall into this category.
This is also the category where the price can get very high, very quickly.
Watches can range from Timex to Rolex. The choice is yours.
Sunglasses can also be very expensive depending on the brand you select. From your cheap gas station pair (which I would not recommend) to the high quality Persol pair, you can really run the gamut with prices of sunglasses.
For ties and pocket squares, it is important to keep things understated. Utilize solid colors and fine patterns to allow your ties and pocket squares to match with more suits and shirt colors.
The difference in price point os really going to effect how long each of these items will last you. Watches in the Luxury range can last two generations. The higher the price of sunglasses will also effect their ability to protect your eyes.
I think using the “less is more” idea with accessories is the way to go. Invest in one higher quality watch and pair of sunglasses and you will be set for your life.
- Starter Average Accessories: $50.00
- Options: Amazon, Timex
- Mid-Range Average Accessories: $1,000.00
- Options: Ray-Ban, Nordstrom Rack, Mvmt Watches
- Luxury Average Accessories: $5,000.00
- Options: Persol, Saks Fifth Avenue, Rolex
Click below to watch the video – 15 Piece STARTER Wardrobe (How To Budget Professional Clothing Piece By Piece)
