Men's Wardrobe Essentials: 63 Faultless Menswear Pieces to Own in 2024

The full-zip sweater has been making a comeback in recent years, placing it firmly in the hot seat of fashion. But it's more than just a trend. With a turtleneck silhouette and full-zip control, it can morph into multiple styles, unlike other sweaters.

In cooler temperatures, a reliable flannel shirt is an absolute wardrobe essential. Most versions will be plaid, but the best flannels all feel substantial, being made from wool or thick cotton. In the right context, a flannel shirt is also great as a light jacket.

Hiking boots like the Danner Mountain Light are built for bad weather and even badder terrain, which makes them well-suited as a winter boot whether your place has a yard or a 20th-floor view. They also happen to look great with a pair of relaxed jeans or corduroy pants.

A plain white T-shirt can be worn as an undershirt, standalone with some vintage jeans, or—if you want to get DIY—screen-printed into a work of art. There's also a lot of variety in the most basic of shirts, so if you're looking for something different, check out our guide to the best white tee shirts.

The bare minimum a scarf should do is keep your neck warm, but the best scarves are big enough to double as a shawl, a hood, or something to sit on when the public bench is freezing.

Whether you're commuting to the office or to the resort's tiki bar, you need to carry your stuff. For that, a simple-yet-sturdy canvas tote bag is the move and L.L.Bean's legendary Boat and Tote bags are among the best, if not the best-known. They're made of a super thick cotton canvas that can carry up to 500 pounds, take a beating, and look all the better for it.

Trust in Jacob Elordi, gender-construct destroyer and handbag evangelist. A great handbag takes a going-out outfit to 11, while also sparing your pockets from unsightly phone bulge.

Like many staples of the menswear diet, the bomber jacket originated from the military, which means it'll work in harsh conditions. And practicality aside, it's just a masterpiece of design.

All the cool guys are wearing zip hoodies now. Don't get it twisted, though—zip hoodies never went away.

Who knew that the humble and comfy walking sneaker would become fashion's hot-ticket item? Despite the unrelenting push for futuristic kicks, the retro dad sneaker has stood its ground, going from under-appreciated to ubiquitous (see also: Birkenstock and Uggs). Who says you have to suffer for fashion?

By now you've heard it a thousand times—take care of your skin! Your routine doesn't have to be complicated, but it should involve cleansing, UV protection, and moisturizing at the very least. In a sea of artfully packaged and aesthetically curated grooming brands, we keep coming back to the “it just works” products from pharmacy-shelf standout Cetaphil.

We love the iconic North Face puffer (you know the one). But don't let its objectively perfect design distract you from the avalanche of other great puffer jackets on the market.

A delightfully fuzzy cardigan will keep you looking sharp (and feeling cozy) sans the constraints of a blazer. Opt for a funky print or stick with the staple neutral tones, and watch it become the Most Valuable Layer in your closet.

At it's best, a graphic tee is a wearable painting and an expression of your personal taste. Our advice? Get one (or twenty) you connect with personally and skip the bog-standard fashion logos.

Slim, abbreviated trunks or boxer briefs that keep everything in place are the blue collar workers of your wardrobe. Luckily, the folks at Calvin Klein have perfected them, so all you have to do is start buying these guys in bulk.

Sweatpants should be cozy, but the best sweatpants—like this pair from Noah—can achieve the near-impossible and actually look incredibly stylish out in public.

Plenty of high-energy socks were born to peek out from under a pant cuff (or from the back of some Birkenstock Bostons), but a crisp white pair looks unimpeachable wherever they're doing their noble work.

Speaking of Birkenstock Bostons, just get some already!!!

Hide bad haircuts, keep your ears warm, and look damn cool in the process with a rib knit beanie in a solid neutral color. Uniqlo's always got a few pitch-perfect options in stock, but we've got our guide to the best beanies if you're building a collection.

Welcome '90s-era sweater vests back into your life with open, sleeveless arms. Toss one over a boxy tee on the weekend, or go full professor emeritus by pairing one with your finest sportcoat and chinos.

Sure, thermal shirts make for great base layers. But there's something punk about layering one underneath a short-sleeve T-shirt that feels extremely cool right now.

Slinky and printed, loose and semi-sheer—no matter which way your style skews, you're going to need a shirt that makes you look as good as you feel on a big night out.

Scent is a visceral, highly intimate, and criminally overlooked men's style essential. If you're hunting for a signature scent, scout our guide to the best men's fragrances. Or trust fall with us and buy Aesop's floral-yet-spicy Gloam eau de parfum and prepare for everyone in the elevator to ask what you're wearing.

The navy suit is the Swiss Army Knife of tailoring: it works in almost any situation, from job interviews (with a tie) to weddings (someone else's or your own).

You couldn't go wrong with a pair of trackies from the Three Stripes brand, but the genre has transcended gym wear and blossomed into a thousand sick fashion-driven iterations. If you're nervous about letting your sweats make a public appearance, track pants are the secret to showing up and showing out.

Cowboy boots are the big swing your footwear rotation needs in the new year. Two pieces of advice: First, they're good with jeans, but great with almost anything else. Second, the taller the heel, the closer to god.

Contrary to popular belief, sunglasses are a year-round necessity, whether you're basking in summertime rays or trying to block out the wintertime glare. Kenzo's chunky, light-lensed shades will have everyone asking for your Bandcamp link.

No button-down shirt works harder than a white Oxford. And a truly great one, like Sid Mashburn's spread collar joint, only gets better with each wear as the sturdy cotton begins to soften.

Second only to a hug from mom on the “cozy warmth” meter is zipping on a great fleece jacket.

Raw selvedge jeans in a classic cut are something every man should buy—and promptly make his own. You'll have them for years, so we'd recommend starting with something from the denim obsessives at NYC's 3sixteen.

Belts can often be an afterthought—and thus, a waisted (sorry) opportunity. The western belt (much like the cowboy boot) is riding high right now. Get in the saddle, and don't get hung up on wearing it with blue jeans.

The right loafers can be casual, dressy, even messy. Their versatility can't be understated. Wear 'em with socks or without, and count yourself lucky when they get truly worn in—then keep wearing them.

No, Gucci's horsebit loafer isn't technically a menswear essential. But it sure as hell is an icon.

Wearing a leather jacket is like eating a mushroom in Super Mario Bros: it makes you bigger, tougher, and practically unstoppable. Most leather jackets will give you the same effect, but the leather blouson, a cropped jacket with very few frills, is our silhouette du jour.

A classic wool sweater can easily add some bonus points to an already buttoned-up look (and impress the in-laws in the process). One can also help your groggy coffee-run outfit feel like a highly-considered outfit.

Not ready to take the plunge on a serious diver from Rolex or Omega? You're in luck: Seiko's much-heralded 5 series gives you everything you could want in a dive watch—an automatic movement, a day-date display, water resistance, and a near-indestructible case—at a price that won't require a second mortgage.

You're gonna need a black suit at some point, but don't wait for an occasion to bust it out of its garment bag. With the right shirt and some groovy slacks, the jacket can be divorced from its other half for a raucous night out on the town. We dig the double-breasted shape and subtly stripes of this Our Legacy blazer (matching pants here), but we've got more options in our guide to black suits.

The humble button-up shirt is back in a big way (though we'll be the first to tell you that it never really left). Reach for one with a touch of '90s heartthrob energy and see what the fuss is about for yourself.

Remember that brief but painful era a decade or so ago when we were actively pushing for slim cargo pants? It felt right in the moment. Cargo pants are back again but this time in their rightfully baggy state.

Sometimes (a lot of the times), you just need a pair of sneakers so chill that you can toss them on without a thought, freeing up mental space for more important matters. A pair of suede Gazelles are those sneakers.

Todd Snyder's Champion sweats have the stamina to take you from a coffee run to casual Friday at the office (just put it under one of those chore coats we're always telling you about).

The fast lane to looking like a celeb is a suede jacket. Now all you have to do is wait for the paparazzi to snap some pics.

Like a pair of blue jeans, a classic chambray shirt can work with just about every outfit. On those mornings where you can't figure out what to wear, pull out a chambray shirt and you'll be miles ahead of the rest of the sleepy guys on the block.

Cozier than wool trousers but nicer than jeans, cords are your winter wardrobe secret weapon.

Dress for a future where you're not just older and wiser, but also swaggier. If there's one thing old folks have mastered, other than a 401k, it's shoes. Chief among the list of AARP-approved, fashion-beloved kicks is Paraboot's Michael.

At some point, you expand your skincare routine to move beyond the basic drug-store fare. Think of it as self care, because what's more essential than taking care of yourself?

Speaking of taking care of yourself, exercise is vital. A pair of stylish workout shorts that can really perform whether you're on the treadmill, at the squat rack, or in tree pose are essential.

We dubbed the Philips Norelco 7000 series our favorite beard trimmer because it does the job and then some [looks knowingly down south] thanks to a slew of included trimming accessories.

From McQueen to Gosling, menswear's biggest muses have one thing in common: a well-fitting denim jacket. Like the 501s, Levi's Trucker Jacket is thee denim jacket. Don't overthink it.

As far as chinos go right now, we're running away from slim-fit. While we're all for going wide and pleated, Todd Snyder's relaxed fit pair is a happy medium if you're still escaping the clutches of target-marketed chinos.

Black derbies are the kind of shoe that can pull through when you need something for more formal occasions and also elevate a quick-and-dirty jeans and tee outfit. Dr. Martens is a great entry-level choice, and you'll get a lot more mileage out of the Mono pair, which forgoes the brand's signature yellow stitching on the sole for black thread.

A silk knit tie is the Switzerland of neckwear. It doesn't go with some of the collared shirts in your closet—it goes with all of them. Drake's' take on the classic is especially crowd-pleasing.

Like adding fish sauce to a dish, tossing on a pair of far-out mules or thick-cut clogs will bring some sorely-needed funk to an otherwise bland ensemble.

The default baseball cap is at least a weekend essential. Truckers and bucket hats might be more trendy, but a ball cap won't ever go out of style. Feel free to sub in your own favorite team (though no judgment if you join the Yanks just for the iconic logo).

When your dressy pants are this good—roomy and comfortable, statement-making but versatile—there's no sense in saving them for special occasions. Wear them all the time, with anything, the way you would your jeans.

Skater teens, construction workers, and no-nonsense dads agree: Dickies makes a mean pair of pants. Even if you don't fall into any of these groups, you need a pair, too, if only to give your jeans a break.

Pardon the interruption, but we've got some big news—right now, you can score an annual subscription to GQ for a measly 10 bucks. Sign up today and we’ll also throw in one of our coveted dad caps, the quickest way to telegraph your elite taste. Pretty sweet, right? It also makes a great last-minute gift if you’re down to the wire.

Wouldn't you love to be one of those guys that doesn't need any hair products to achieve a leading-man look? Us, too. But for now, we're using a matte, high-hold product with natural ingredients like this one from Hanz de Fuko.

You don't need to go swimming in swim trunks just to wear 'em. In fact, swim trunks should serve dual functions, since you probably won't find yourself near a body of water all that often. Bather remains a GQ favorite—we've put the Canadian swimsuit brand in everything from the GQ Box to our first-annual GQ Recommends All-Star line-up of the best…everything.

Not saying your waterproof, do-anything-anywhere shorts have to be Patagonia’s hyper-popular Baggies. But it's hard to understand why they wouldn't be.

Take it from the admirals of the A-shirt, Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber—a clean white tank is the easiest way to look hot in hot weather. Pair it with a purposely unbuttoned shirt, and you've got your beach vacation outfit.

Speaking of winter vacation: a breezy pair of woven leather sandals are the move. Go from cabana to playa with this pair of Chris-Pine-approved huaraches.

Practical, necessary, vital—sunscreen is all those things. Remember: health is wealth!