Lifestyle Apparel- A Guide to "Outside the Ropes" Style

What to wear?  Your weekend tee time has come and gone.  It’s time to shower and head to dinner and some evening entertainment.  Picture in your mind what you will wear.  Please tell me you are not heading to your closet to grab a fresh adidas golf polo and tossing on a black pair of Nike Dri Fit pants for the night.  Your round of golf is over, my friend.  You must leave your golf apparel for the golf course, and have a selection of causal lifestyle pieces for these occasions.  That is correct.  Golf clothing is technical, performance apparel and is not meant to be a multi-purpose solution for every day.  What you wear matters.  It is important to make the effort to ensure your clothing looks good, no matter where you are headed off to.  Ahem…dinner and evening activities are the number one opportunity you have to impress your wife, girlfriend or future girlfriend.  If you can’t take this seriously, that is a whole other conversation.

Depending on the dress code for the event, or establishment you will be visiting for the night, you can likely get away with wearing denim.  (A dark rinse is usually considered less casual.)  However, a nice pair of chinos, twills or even corduroys will sharpen your style.  Toss on a sports jacket for a nice dinner, and if the weather is chilly layer a dress coat over it.  The “two coat layer” is a hot trend right now in menswear.  Pair outer layers with a henley shirt or classic button down (the denim dress shirt is currently a popular choice), and possibly add a tie.  For an alternate look, exchange the sports coat for a cardigan sweater.  See where I am going with this?  No Travis Matthew T- Shirt, and no plaid shorts.   

To give you some ideas of where to start on your lifestyle apparel shopping spree, below are a few great designers to check out.  Most of these labels carry an excellent line of golf apparel, too.  A couple even have a presence on the PGA Tour, and one is the creation of a former tour pro from Texas.   So, rest assured, we are keeping this all in the golf family. 

Mizzen + Main: Dress Shirts

There is little not to love about Mizzen + Main.  The breathable, moisture wicking, wrinkle free material used in Mizzen + Main dress shirts is sheer joy to the touch.  Check out the “Falmouth Plum Gingham Dress Shirt.”  Also, Mizzen + Main donates a percentage of all shirt sales to wounded veterans and their families.  

Check Out Mizzen + Main

Criquet: Polos, Layering Pieces

Criquet is a product of the "hip-by-nature" city of Austin, Texas.  Made from 100% organic cotton, these polos are both soft and classically stylish.  A must-purchase is the “Long Sleeve Players Shirt” that can be layered over a shirt and tie and paired with a pair of great jeans.  Plus, you might as well snag a “Vintage Stripe Players Shirt” too for a simple, laid-back look.

Check Out Criquet

Alial Fital: Dress Polos

You will not go wrong with any polo from Alial Fital.  Designed by former NFL quarterback Gibran Hamdan, and worn by Bo Van Pelt on the PGA Tour, these shirts are truly a unique look combined with a perfect fit.  Alial Fital is quite possibly my favorite polo on the market.  They cannot design their ladies polos fast enough for me.  Snag you a “Push Polo!" It is a long sleeve shirt that allows you to push up the sleeves while still revealing the fabulously created cuff. Smart. 

Check Out Alial Fital

Bonobos: Pants, Jeans, Blazers, Cardigans, Ties

I have been told by a fellow apparel guru, that Bonobos jeans are some of the best he has ever owned.  They also offer a wide variety of nice corduroys and twill pants.  The Nottingham or Chino blazer would be a great add to your closet.  Bonobos has a few nice cardigans and ties, as well. 

Check Out Bonobos

IZOD: All Items

I have literally sent so many snap shots of IZOD items to guys for suggested purchases, I could pass for one of their sales associates.  IZOD is not only affordable and great looking, but they offer items to fit every apparel need.  IZOD is worn by Webb Simpson and Scott Piercy on the PGA Tour. 

Check Out Izod

Uniqlo: All Items

If you are on a budget, knock out some basic purchases from Uniqulo.  Never heard of it? This Japanese company is an international apparel provider that believes their clothes are simple yet universal.  Ever head of Adam Scott?  This Masters champion wears Uniqulo on the golf course.  If it is good enough for him, it should be good enough for you.

Check Out Uniqlo

Cole Haan- Shoes

Failure to complete a look with a pair of sleek shoes is a mistake that must be avoided.  Cole Haan offers a wide variety of high quality shoes that will get you stepping in the right direction.  Consider a pair of loafers, boots or Lunar Grand Wingtips.   

Check Out Cole Haan

Francis Edward Leather: Belts & Accessories

Francis Edward is brought to you by former PGA Tour professional, Dallas resident and all around great guy, Paul Stankowski.  The leather business is a new venture for Stankowski, but I assure you, he has an excellent product that should entice you and will definitely earn you some style points.

Check Out Francis Edward

Piedmont Leather Co: Belts & Accessories

You want to really knock the fancy argyle socks off your fashion conscious buddies?  You must have a gander (a long one) at Piedmont Leather Co.  Specializing in exotics, Piedmont never ceases to amaze with their one-of-a-kind designs.  Tour pro Bo Van Pelt also wears Piedmont Leather belts and accessories with his Alial Fital polos.  Piedmont Belts start at $139, but the impression you make with these belts will be priceless. 

 Check Out Piedmont Leather

3 Q’s of Golf Fashion: Q #3: The Pros Are Doing it Why Can’t We?

Well, the answer here is actually simple.  You can.  
To answer the question of” why shouldn’t you” will take a bit more conversation.  Keep in mind, most tour pros have sponsorships with apparel companies that determine what they wear on the course.  As with some "superstar" golfers, like Tiger Woods and Rickie Fowler, a company’s apparel line is greatly influenced by the face of the collection.  In other instances, the golfer has virtually no influence in the design and is simply sent a box full of items to wear on the job.  Either way, there are many trendsetters and looks seen across all professional golf tours that could give you some great ideas on what to wear for your tee time.  However, you might want to consider a few things before you jet off to duplicate all you have seen on a Sunday broadcast:

·         Does your personality and age range match the golfer wearing the look?

·         Are you actually going to play golf in it?

·         Are you obligated to wear plain polos and khakis out of a sponsorship obligation, or can you use your freedom to add a splash of fun?

·         Are you trying to make a marketing statement and gain valuable buzz by wearing something totally unique?

·         Are you going to play any more like Tiger Woods if you wear an awful white belt? 

If you answered yes to the first four questions, then by all means, go ahead and take the look you are eyeing for a whirl in that golf cart! If you answered no, then you should probably think of how you can adjust your approach.  As Mr. Style (Marty Hackel) himself once said “color doesn’t have to be loud to make a statement.” You can find ways to add color and fun style to your golf wardrobe without looking inappropriate and silly.  If you said yes to the fifth question listed, you are a hopeless Tiger fan, but you seem to be in good company.  Take note of a few examples of why you might not need to attempt to wear exactly what tour pros are strolling the fairway in.

1.       Over the Top Bold- Rickie Fowler, John Daly

o   First of all, are you even in the same generation as Rickie Fowler?  If not, that is fine, just ditch the flat bill and hot pink pants.

o   Make sure you really have the personality to wear super bold-all-over looks and try to only attempt every once in a while.

o   If you are a spectator at a golf event, it is not ok to dress in head-to-toe Puma or Loudmouth Golf, ever.

2.       Knickers & Ties- Payne Stewart, Ryan Moore, Joel Sjoholm

o   There are those who will strongly disagree with my criticism of this look for the weekend golfer (I am fine with Tour pros sticking with a standout look if it fits their disposition), but I am still not on board.  

o   Heritage style can be touched upon with a nice cardigan or touches of argyle, instead.

o   You may end up looking less like a sharp gentleman and more like a goober if you are not careful wearing these stand-out pieces during a round.

3.       Just Plain Boring- David Toms, Lee Westwood, Countless Others

o   Good for these pros for securing a golf sponsorship, however you are not locked into wearing boring solid polos all the time, use your freedom!

4.       The Statement Piece- Billy Horschel, Ian Poulter

o   There is a good reason Ian Poulter has worn Union Jack tartans why RLX put Billy Horschel in a pair of octopus print pants for a major, and it is genius.  These looks created a buzz that drew attention to the golfer and their apparel brand.  Marketing efforts well spent.

o   However, you are likely not in need of creating brand awareness, so take caution in adding these type of pieces into your closet, unless you are just dying to wear them a time or two to turn some heads.

Again, there are several stylish golfers you can get ideas from on how to liven up, and add some style to your weekend golf wardrobe.  Just give some thought into how to best glean from the looks you see on tour in order to make them work for you.  When in doubt, remember a little goes a long way, but adding fun colors and patterns can really add to the spirit of your apparel and could add a measure of confidence to your game.