5 steps to true style with menswear maverick Matthew Spade

The road to style is one that’s been well and truly travelled by menswear blogger and content creator Matthew Spade. Matthew has been running his blog Buckets & Spades since 2008, where he shares all things design, interiors, travel, ideas and – of course – fashion. Mat’s unique style and effortless ability to pull together inspirational outfits caught our eye early on, and we’re thrilled to have him impart his wisdom with us here. Here, he shares his tips and tricks on making everyday dressing a little easier.

‘My confidence with style came over time. It’s about working out what colours, fabrics and fits actually suit you, and for what occasion,’ explains Mat. ‘I’m mostly about comfort and practicality, so my outfits will revolve around the situation. I’ve had lots of wrong turns but nothing I regret.’

‘Experimentation and having things slightly off-kilter is important,’ continues Mat. ‘It’s just like work: until you get it wrong, you don’t really know how to improve. Colour combinations, slightly different fits and dressing smartly in my own way are all things I try to do regularly.’

‘For me, I never go a week without wearing a regular-fit white T-shirt, a long-sleeved boxy fit sweatshirt, a plain baseball cap, tote bag and classic Converse 70s,’ Mat explains of his consistent staples.

‘Always be curious, keep your finger on the pulse outside of your immediate interests and broaden your research methods,’ advises Mat. ‘Connectivity is ace, but there’s even more to learn about yourselves and others on a human level – you can’t get that from a phone screen.’

‘A lot of the time, a person’s individuality is what is remembered. That may be your mannerisms, the words you use, the style of clothes you wear or where you choose to eat. Follow your own tune and own your decisions – that’s what individual style means to me.’

Follow Matthew at @mat_buckets or read his blog here