Les Vessenots en Auvers, Vincent van Gogh, 1890

Young Japanese at local pop concert, Tokyo, 1971.

Every time around this year, style bloggers and fashion designers pull the same tropes. Once spring has sprung, menswear takes an immediate turn towards nautical and desert themes. Think: Breton stripes, safari shirts, and desert boots. And instead of the dark, earthy colors that define fall, spring is all about clay browns, sky blues, and a generous amount of white. All good things, but maybe a bit tired if you’ve been paying attention to men’s style for a while. 

Let me offer something a little fresher. If you’re looking for style inspiration this season, turn to how studio artists dressed before the 1980s. Whether they were painters, sculptors, or portrait photographers, the look is almost always the same – loose-legged trousers worn with stretched out sweaters, baggy button-ups, and battered slip-ons. The clothes are never pressed; the shoes never polished. 

The nice thing about this look is that it relies on work clothes, but not in the rugged, outdoorsy way. The fabrics are lightweight and breathable, while the clothes are cut for easy, comfortable movement around a studio. Plus, there’s often a bit of honest wear-and-tear – whether it be paint smears the side of a shirt or mismatched patches on faded chinos. In today’s menswear world, where guys can over preen, it’s nice to see something that feels more spontaneous.