FT picks: September’s 5 best dressed men

The Emmys, film festivals and a whole host of premieres have meant that September has been full of opportunities for celebrity men to ditch the streetwear and throw on something a little more formal. And so, while we normally try to bring you a range of great outfits – from suits to tracksuits – this month we thought we’d focus on one thing: suiting up.

However, because it’s pretty common for these kind of lists to be made up of traditional black suits and dinner jackets, we thought we’d break the mould a little bit. Here are 5 of September’s best dressed men that have been a little bit more adventurous. (But these outfits still wouldn’t look out of place at your next wedding or – as it’s only a few months away – your Christmas party.)

September’s Best Dressed Men #1: Chris Pratt’s checks and stripes

Obviously, Chris Pratt has never heard the old adage that you shouldn’t mix checks and stripes. And that’s a good thing. If you needed any more evidence that this rule is no longer relevant, check out his check and stripes combination from the Toronto International Film Festival.

At the festival to promote The Magnificent Seven , Chris Pratt demonstrated that – if you’ve mastered the dark art of pattern mixing – checks and stripes can look great together. Plus, it’s worth noting that this look is a great, smart casual combination that looks equally good in the office, at the pub, at a wedding or on the red carpet. (Also, kudos for Chris Pratt for going with the pin-stripe suit. It’s good to see them making a comeback somewhere other than on The Apprentice contestants.)

September’s Best Dressed Men #2: Caleb McLaughlin

OK, we’ll put our hands up here, Caleb isn’t a man at all. (He’s not even a teenager yet, actually.) But he still manages to out-dress almost every man out there. In a sea of tuxedos and black suits, Caleb, most famous for his role on Netflix’s Stranger Things (which, if you haven’t seen, you should definitely check out) broke the rules and threw on a bold, patterned, embroidered jacket. With the navy jacket, he kept the colour traditional and paired the white floral pattern with a crisp white shirt and a white bow tie - a great example of how, if you keep everything else minimal, you can rock an incredibly bold fashion statement without looking over the top.

September’s Best Dressed Men #3: Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake is no stranger to taking a bit of a sartorial risk. However, the days of triple denim and crystal tips are a distant memory now. In fact, JT’s latest outfit – another from the Toronto Film Festival – is bold and understated at the same time. At a glance, his suit seems pretty classy, refined and ordinary. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll see that Justin has paired a 60s-inspired floral print tie with a matching pocket square. On top of that, he’s paired these two with a suit boasting a subtle check. Just like Chris Pratt, Justin Timberlake is showing that mixing your patterns and textures is a sure fire way to bring sexy back. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)

September’s Best Dressed Men #4: Zayn Malik

OK, bear with us. We know that you’re probably reading this post expecting to see the likes of David Beckham and Denzel Washington. And we’re imagining your horror when you stumble across a paragraph that strongly suggests you should dress like a member of everybody’s favourite love-to-hate band One Direction. But, since his boyband days, Zayn Malik has demonstrated that he knows how to dress for everyoccasion. From everyday get ups to leather jackets and all-black ensembles, we’re reluctantly acknowledging there is far more to him than just the annoying pop songs.

And this outfit is no different. It’s a classic example of putting your own stamp on a dress code without needing to use garish designs or big colour statements. Not only does Zayn pull of a Tom Ford double breasted suit jacket – a nice departure from the standard two button – but he pairs it with the ever-so- slightly-controversial turtle neck jumper to form a classy, rule-breaking combo. Next time you want to make an understated statement without standing out or drawing too much attention to yourself, think of Zayn. (Just don’t tell your mates!)

September’s Best Dressed Men #5: Boyd Holbrook

Another Netflix star now, this time in the form of Narco’s Boyd Holbrook. (Again, if you haven’t seen Narcos, check it out. On top of excellent acting, action and intrigue, there’s pretty stylish jumper inspiration courtesy of Pablo Escobar.) Obviously taking inspiration from the muted tones of his Narcos wardrobe, Holbrook breaks free from the black/navy/grey suit trend by throwing on a khaki two-piece. On top of that, he also throws in a floral patterned tie for good measure. It shouldn’t work. It should look weird. But, somehow, it works. (If you’re a fan of this outfit, definitely check out this guide to all the fashion in Narcos, including the aforementioned jumpers.

Image Credits: Zimbio, Matt Barnes