Style advice from top men’s fashion designers

"I don't believe in playing around much with suit cuts. I like a fairly classic shape that gives a man strong shoulders, a fitted waist, and long legs. Classic simplicity always works."

"On a young guy, two days of not shaving looks very cool. But as you get older, it looks like you're trying too hard, especially when you're going gray. A proper beard is fine."

"Working out is modern couture. No outfit is going to make you look or feel as good as having a fit body. Buy less clothing and go to the gym instead."

"Have a light touch when it comes to color. Maybe start with just a tie or a shirt. You don't want a colorful shirt, jacket, and pants. You always have to have a balance color, like black, navy, khaki, or white, to temper the brighter tones."

"When it comes to shoes, you don't really need more than a few pairs of wing tips or oxfords. They're classics. And I wear only black shoes in the city. Brown ones are for the country."

"Every man should have the seven easy pieces: great pair of black pants, great jacket, white shirt, tie, great cashmere sweater, great pair of jeans, and a piece in leather—things that are amorphous. They can be simple and modern and yet comfortable and elegant."

"The worst sartorial faux pas you can make is looking like you're trying too hard. To develop your own individual style, really consider what suits you."

"Women are much easier to recognize as style icons—everybody can name a few. For us, male style icons are closer to home: a very well-groomed grandfather or uncle, for instance. The beauty of male fashion is that it is very much quality-based and all about the details: a perfect pair of cuff links or tie bar, a carefully chosen scarf and gloves, a good umbrella."

"When it comes to dress, there are more rules in America than in Europe. Dress is more of a social indicator—except in L.A., where you don't know if the guy in the T-shirt and combat trousers in the hotel lobby is the busboy or a studio executive. That's pretty refreshing."

"Listen to what other people are saying about the way you dress, because in the end, fashion is a way of communicating. When you get your message wrong, it's good that the people around you let you know."