Throughout my tenure as a menswear expert, I have had but one humble mission: to get men wearing more than just plaid and navy. And yes, that’s harder than it sounds.
When I first got into menswear, the concept of putting a man in straight-leg trousers was almost revolutionary. A huge part of my career has been following the work of the likes of Harry Lambert and Warren Alfie Baker, where their clients have revolutionised the menswear game via pearl jewellery, florals, sequins, et al.
While I’m not suggesting you need to be donning a Swarovski-encrusted jumpsuit, à la Harry Styles at the 2023 Grammys, I am suggesting that it’s not all that hard to buck up our menswear ideals... and it needn’t be bank-breaking either.
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Without further ado, let’s get into the meat of it. I’ve put together a list, breakdown and hero piece suggestion for the best high street menswear stores to level up your everyday style game, without leaving your comfort zone too abruptly. Scroll on, and see what takes you.
Wax London
With stores in Soho, Spitalfields and Covent Garden, Wax London is among the newest of my go-to menswear brands, and one of my fast favourites for dressing my own partner in. Designing “clothes with character”, Wax London has a number of celebrity fans (Bradley Cooper is one, FYI) despite its affordable, mid-weight price tag. My hero piece here? The Didcot breezy polo (£57, Waxlondon.com).
Plus, aesthetics aside, there’s a lot to like about the London-based brand. With family values at its core, the brand reflects London’s own melting pot culture by drawing on British heritage, Mediterranean sensibility and Indian craftsmanship to present a rounded, London-centric lens. As if that weren’t enough, Wax has partnered with sustainable mills and suppliers from around the world to create pieces designed to be worn and re-worn.
Bound
Bound snuck up on me this year, I’ll be honest. But my partner is an obsessive about their knits and shorts, and now I’m a convert too. Designed for individuals who “have a taste for boldness and originality”, each Bound piece is fully custom-cut and sewn to make every wear feel original, not sticking to one style or direction, embracing edge, comfort, and difference. My hero piece at Bound? The Freddie canvas trousers (£95, Wearebound.co.uk), in all their structural-but-comfortable glory.
Percival
There’s more to Percival than just that crisp green linen suit you’ve seen at every summer wedding over the last few years. In fact, I feel like the Soho-based brand has really found its feet and reinvented itself over the past few seasons, filling its collections with panache, delicate edge and acute wearability.
With everything from graphic-printed T-shirts and hearty knits to dapper suits and crisp shirts covered off, Percival has enormous range and a hearty spirit. My current hero piece here? The Hinsley boxy shirt (£140, Percival.com).
Uniqlo
Okay, this one will surprise no one. Endlessly wearable, Uniqlo is the ultimate destination for capsule wardrobes, everyday pieces and affordable pieces that encourage timelessness and constant re-wear. An added bonus to this Japanese-born brand? Nearly every item has a genderless, unisex feel, meaning almost no style is off limits.
I’ll hold my hands up; I am a huge Uniqlo fan. In particular, the collaborations with creative director and design legend Clare Waight Keller (Uniqlo:C), and JW Anderson’s Jonathan Anderson (Uniqlo x JWA) are among my most anticipated launches in the fashion calendar. As for my current hero piece of menswear on Uniqlo right now? The Uniqlo:C denim trucker jacket (£49.99, Uniqlo.com).
Abercrombie
Right, this one might actually surprise a few – but it shouldn’t. Why? Well, a lot of us remember the Abercrombie of the 2010s, when the brand's Cali-cool had an awkwardly British introduction to the UK, with ripped male models shivering outside the store entrance – which was jet-black, for some reason – in shopping centres up and down the country. The good news is, Abercrombie has had a rebrand. And it’s major.
Swapping the somewhat migraine-inducing shopping experience of yesteryear for a sleek, logoless line-up, Abercrombie’s new era is simple, clean-cut and well-produced. My hero of the current collection? Abercrombie makes the ultimate cropped, boxy hoodie thanks to its ‘soft AF’ patented cotton construction (£34.99, Abercrombie.com).
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