Suit Yourself: Foxley

“You never forget your first suit,” David Coggins muses after a couple of beers late one weeknight—which night, exactly, I don’t recall off-hand. But he’s right. You graduated in that suit, landed the job in that suit, got the girl in that suit…you became a man in that suit.

Rugby gets that. This spring marks the introduction to Rugby’s tropical wool, linen/silk/wool blend and cotton gabardine suiting. Though rendered in classic trad hues and patterns, Ralph Lauren fabricated an Italian silhouette. Lauren’s own Italian tailor hand cut the patterns, creating a suppressed waist, natural shoulder, fully canvassed jacket that hugs incredibly well off the rack.

This week, presented by Rugby* and styled by me, features five creatives making it in New York City. They paid a visit to the University Rugby shop and then I tagged along on their commutes, inside their homes and into their favorite greasy spoons to not only show how to look put together in a suit, but how to break it apart. You never forget your first suit—better make it tops.

Nobody knows Graydon Carter’s schedule better than David Foxley. As the assistant to the editor of Vanity Fair, the guy is no stranger to a suit. From his West Village garden apartment, Foxley is tying up the afternoon’s loose ends in his cotton gabardine suit. It is an ideal choice for your first spring suit given it’s khaki hue and versatility in the separates.

Trousers should be worn slightly short of the all-important shoe—and penny loafers never looked better than with a khaki cotton gab suit. A lightweight cardigan can provide additional warmth while simultaneously yielding a pop of color. The go-to-hell shade works during the week when downplayed behind the khaki jacket.

I stuffed a bow tie into my chest pocket once when I was in a pinch and have been doing it ever since—it’s a personal style preference. Just stuff it in there and don’t think about it too much. This cotton madras plaid bow tie introduces depth while contrasting the texture and fabric of the silk knit tie.

Foxley often ducks into La BonBonniere in the West Village for a short-stack and coffee.

The cotton gab jacket pairs naturally with a dark rinse slim straight-leg jean. Saddle shoes keep the overall look sporty enough to stay one step ahead of his young English Bulldog, Jack.

Plain front trousers, always. Introduce pleats and you’re not doing most guys any favors. Wear this cotton chino pant sans jacket like you would khakis. All of Rugby’s trousers provide the option for braces…use them occasionally.

*In its sponsorship of this feature, Rugby provided financial compensation, in addition to the product in question, for my photography services and opinions. The entire wardrobe is provided by Rugby save a few instances in which the subjects wore their own pieces.

NatalieHa on Flickr

Some of the final images used for my final major project. I got told to do a menswear lookbook to compliment the girls one so I did :)