The clocks have gone back, the seasons are changing and it’s the time of year men’s fashion loves the most.
Are you a middle aged man in your 40s or 50s? Well, we have created a winter collection for you: The Hot Dad Winter Uniform. A style for winter that we believe is smart casual or even business casual, although we find that term fairly odious here at Neem, instead we call it casually elegant.
Start with our video on how to dress well in your 40s and 50s. Then, we’ll take a closer look at each tip and how to put it into practice…
First Things First. Leave the Hood Behind.
Once you get past 45, we think it's time to leave the giant technical hood at home. A good jacket and a proper umbrella will always look better. British rain has already made its comeback so it’s best to stay prepared (and stylish). Whilst we specialise in mid and base layers here at Neem, we also make rain jackets using Sorona, a performance fibre that’s partially plant-based, with around 37% of the polymer derived from industrial corn. The fabric is also water-repellent, meaning water beads off the surface. It’s about as close as we get to a waterproof jacket here at Neem.
For that smart casual men’s rainwear look is to invest in a rain jacket (ditch the hood) and a nice umbrella, our friends on Lambs Conduit Street London Undercover might be able to help you out. A sharper more elegantly casual choice that is befitting to your age.
We have 3 styles for the season, remember we only make very small batches. The Navy Chancery is the smartest choice, a little longer on the body and acts as a water resistant blazer. The Black Barnes Bomber (below, to the right) is a more modern cropped jacket. Whilst new-in for winter, the chocolate blouson, is a mix of a modern style blended with the colours of the land.
In short, ditch the hood and own your age.
The Smart Casual Suit That Doesn't Behave Like a Suit
One smart casual piece which is selling fast, so fast we are almost out of stock already, is the Deep Neem Suit. We launched casual suits late last year and it was such a success we brought the navy out, which sold out on pre order (though back in stock soon).
So, why is a smart casual suit the piece to try this season?
It’s a brave look but we’ve seen some super styling in store recently, as good at the pub (try with a crew neck) as a more casual wedding (style with a tie)...we noticed this was quite the trend this Summer. We make ours in recycled and organic cotton which makes them machine washable and more importantly easy to divide and conquer, wear as a jacket and break up or as a trouser.
The Lyme is our take on the smart casual trouser, with a pleated carrot shape that we've become rather well known for. We think it's a particularly good fit for dads, grandads and men in their 40s and 50s. We're rather against the five-pocket blue jean as an everyday uniform. Saggy bottoms, tight crotches and baggy knees. Hardly the makings of a refined business casual look. Our advice? By your 50s, it's time to give the sharper cotton trouser a go.
The Secret Is Layering. Not More Layers.
Our final tip for the season is lightweight layering, not silly over compensated layering but 3 layers perhaps 4 at most that breathe, are soft to wear and migrate from outside to inside with ease. This is where men’s overshirts come in but “what is an overshirt?” we hear you scream…
1. Chancery shirt jacket - the 3 pocket blazer look.
2. The Spitalfields overshirt - more modern shorter on the body and the first overshirt we ever launched.
3. The 4 pocket - simply called the overshirt, can look utilitarian or kept smart with a shirt.
To us, an overshirt is a midweight layer, often made from recycled cotton in a flannel weight.
Wear it under a jacket in winter or on its own come autumn and spring. It's washable, naturally versatile and comes with plenty of pockets. Button it up for a cleaner look or leave one or two undone and wear it loose. This season, we're rather partial to an overshirt under a jacket.
Our jackets this season have been the big hit, we bring you a new shape in the Cadogan - a wool cotton blend that can act as a coat and a jacket.
We're only making a small batch, and the green and navy dogtooth has already proved a hit on pre-order. Developed with Sondrio in Italy, it works particularly well over an overshirt, taking you from desk to dinner, client meetings to pub drinks…
Neem’s 3 final tips:
1 Wear the same styles over each other - a chancery jacket over a chancery overshirt.
2 Use a ZQ Merino base layer as the foundation, soft on the skin and breathable.
3 Finish with a pop sock for a bit of fun, anyone who is welcome enough to spend well in the store always walks away with a free pair of socks….as long as they are bright.
Shop the new Hot Dad Winter Uniform.