DDB Winter Essentials 2019

Here at DDB winter's our favourite season to play dress up. Don't get us wrong, summer and spring are nice and all, but there's only so many ways you can style shirts and pants. The layers stashed way back in your closet during summer and spring finally have the chance shine and the range of fits are endless.

To some, the revered art of winter dressing is naturally embedded in their DNA, but sadly a certain portion of the population isn't as blessed. Quickfire questions. Do you want to be winter dressing worthy, but don't know where to start? Do you always have a mental image of a fire fit in your head with the stuff you have, but when it comes to actually wearing it, it's a complete mess? If you answered yes to at least one, then DDB is here to give you that extra boost in the right fashion direction. if you answered no to both, then sorry Mr Perfect...carry on reading though.

Have a read of Own Your Body Type to get a picture of where you fit in with your body structure and the sizes, shapes and patterns which suit it. If you've already read the article, DDB presents to you the top essentials every gent needs to elevate their style-game this winter.

[Disclaimer: DDB style is a fusion of street-wear, normcore and formal without the added formalities. So if you feel that this is where you see your style heading to, make yourself at home and subscribe to the DDB family at the bottom of the blog page.]

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Turtlenecks

As essential as a Frank Ocean album, this timeless piece is one that every man needs in their wardrobe. A turtleneck is an instant champion of the winter. This piece alone will upgrade your style overall exponentially, it's just that good! The versatility of turtlenecks make them wearable in a formal situation without looking under dressed and visa-versa in a casual setting. In South Africa we're fortunate to have a winter with generally warmer conditions compared to a Northern Hemisphere winter, this is a good thing in terms of not having to wear ten thousand layers of clothes every other day, but can be confusing when deciding to wear warmer clothing if the day is warmer than usual. Turtlenecks don't discriminate and can be worn in any condition as long as they're paired with the right clothes. Below are the ways which I would create a turtleneck ensemble. If you're stretched for funds, the best place to buy one is Mr Price. For slightly higher-end quality your best bet is to check out Markham, but if you're hellbent on getting the very best check out Zara

Chelsea Boots

The only thing associated with Chelsea FC (in terms of name) that I'd ever wear. The beauty of the fit of Chelsea boots with a turtleneck is like if you could physically see the beat switch of Frank Ocean's 'Nights' at minute 3:29 (I know, orgasmic!). Chelsea boots fit my fusion style perfectly. They have the edginess of street-wear and normcore intertwined with the sleekness of formal-wear. This versatility therefore, makes Chelsea boots wearable in casual and formal settings and the ways you can pair them can be seen below. Chelsea boots can be categorised into leather and suede types respectively. Both categories have their own rank in quality and benefits. DDB suggests to go for a leather boot, although you'll spend a bit more, it's more weatherproof and easily cleanable. Checkout Superbalist, Markham and Zara if price isn't an issue, but if you're looking to save on costs Mr Price .

The Shacket/ Overshirt

This item was introduced in Own Your Body Type and is one that's essential for the winter. It's a piece that's wearable on its own on a slightly warmer day than usual or can be layered with a turtleneck or regular jumper/jersey on the colder days. This is a prime investment piece, because it’s a piece that can be worn in literally any season without the worry of being uncomfortable. A shacket (shirt-jacket) is a piece that I've found difficult to locate and isn't really a common item at common fashion stores, therefore leaving us with the likes of Superbalist for affordability, Zara for a high-end quality and Small Street in the heart of Jozi for a steal(it's basically cbd so make sure they're not the ones stealing from you). Have a look below for how to style this piece.

Fleece-lined jackets

The 80s is an iconic era for today's fashion market and has seen the reintroduction of many style directions. One of these directions is the use of fleece materials for jackets, hoodies and scarves. Out of these items, the fleece-lined jacket is one that serves any gent wearing it with a 3 course meal of endless style points, along with functionality for winter and autumn (this isn't USA who tf calls it Fall!?) seasons. I recently bought one in an all-black colourway for R160 at a store in Small Street and in terms of quality, stitching and detailing, it's amazing. The normal places to get them from are your typical ZAFUL and Superbalist for anything between R350-R900. Have a look below for how to layer up with the piece.

Puffer Jacket

When a coat is too formal to wear in a casual setting, a puffer jacket is something to consider for a night out with the boys or a regular campus day. This is targeted for slightly colder weather conditions and can be layered in various ways as seen below. You can find puffer jackets at any of your major stores (Mr Price, Cotton:ON, Zara, H&M, Markham, etc).

Sweaters

This item is for a very casual-looking day and over the years has been made to survive the colder seasons. This piece is essentially the winter version of a long-sleeved shirt and is available in a large variety of patterns, colours and prints. Below are some ways to style our favourite sweaters and check out Cotton:On for the best sweater style.

Classic Hoodie

An absolute winter staple. There are available in every colour combination and graphic print possible, but DDB suggests going for simple coloured and plain hoodies to make it easier to layer with other clothing and prepare a better outfit. These are available at any of the common major fashion outlets and below are a few ways the piece be styled.

Coats

Date night with bae? Dinner out with the family? A formal function with the boys? Campus flex? Office-chic? The answer to all the questions is a coat! A coat is a classic style hack to having a sophisticated look to a specific event that needs you to bump up your formality to a higher ranking. This is an essential piece for any special event but is even more-so needed during the winter season. Ninety percent of the time these events will happen in the PMs so the later the time, obviously the colder the conditions and the more a coat is needed. There's a wide variety of textures/fabric types available depending on the situation you see yourself in more often. Below is how you could pair the different types of coats with other winter essential pieces. Check out Superbalist.

Fisherman Beanie

Okay so you've taken DDB's winter essentials tips into action and your fit is sorted, yet you can't help but to feel incomplete, the top of your head seems to be feeling the winter breeze a bit more than the rest of your body and your fade, chiskop, taper or waves can't bear the cold. You don't want to look ridiculous with one of those Eskimo-side-flap-beanie-things so DDB suggests the final piece to your style puzzle be a fisherman beanie. This beanie is a style piece that flatters any head-shape and can be worn in a bright colourway to give your bland-coloured outfit from the neck downwards, a colour-blocking pop. Every common fashion store sells them, so pop into your nearest one and cop the cheapest essential in our list. Confused on how to wear it? Have a look at our guys below for inspiration.

We'd like to end off with an honourable mention. If accessories like chains, rings or watches are not included in your fir, then forget about achieving total style-god status. ACCESSORISE because the attention to detail is immense and you'll reap the rewards!

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DDB