Pairing it down for spring/summer 2024

Lately, I have been thinking about my wardrobe. Some of you will be familiar with my fluid living arrangements that have me floating between the languid cadence of a beach village in the Eastern Cape and the dazzling incogruence of the city of gold. There is a lot to navigate in this transience, not least what to pack in my monthly rotation, as I leave the sartorial ease of the east coast and head into the city of drip.

While winter remains the bearer of misery as the temperatures plummet over its three-month annual stint, it is my favourite dress up season — from clever layering and crew neck sweaters to an assortment of boots, coats and leather gloves. Some would argue that this excess is par for the course given our increasingly unpredictable weather, but I can’t help but wonder how, like I tend to do when the days get balmy, I can scale this right back and add my name to those “underconsumption’ ninjas on TikTok. The changing seasons present an opportunity.      

As we see the promise of warmer days, as we race into September and its proliferation of art, music, theatre and other forms of culture that require us to leave the cocoons to enjoy our favourite creative talents, often outdoors, and my anticipation for T-shirt season ramps up, I am reminded of television’s current favourite chef.

Notwithstanding its indulgence of the tortured, unreconstructed white male as chef meme, the TV award magnet that is “The Bear” has, for three seasons, been as important to the world of fine dining as it has been to the cult of vintage selvedge and the white tee. Whether, like Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy, you genuflect at the Loopwheel altar of Merz b. Schwanen or are happy with a crisp two-pack from the mall, a minimal summer wardrobe has no foundation without an arsenal of plain white or black T-shirts. For those in “corporate”, this is also true of white shirts.

My annual shirt and tee audit has relegated some loyal soldiers past their prime to the hospice pile and created room for some fresh additions. As I see it, this spring/summer and the next, I can get away with three new black tees, three white tees and two white shirts. As for jackets, I am gearing up for waves of visits to my tailor, to nip, tuck and/or revive selected sports jackets and blazers. The jeans and trousers collection remains intact — and miraculously, everything still fits — and on the shoe front, though I may, at a stretch, need to pick up a pair of versatile black or dark brown loafers, my recent audit also unearthed a good pair of espadrilles, with a solid sole, in need of some creative stitching around the areas that betray how conspicuous my big toes are; two pairs of Oxfords (black and brown) in need of new heels and a pair of boat shoes screaming for a professional buff. As for lounging by the pool, my unworn swimming shorts from SS23 will complement my new sliders recently sent by Birkenstock. 

So, at best then, I am acquiring under 10 items to carry me through two summers, and that’s not bad at all. I just hope that I don’t fall into any excessive winter tendencies in the intervening period.   

Wanted News

If you have been hibernating all winter, you may have missed the launch of the Wanted Podcast, an audio dive into the world of Wanted. So far, we have covered fashion, beauty, food and art, and over the next few months, will be exploring all of our pillars with our team of staffers, contributors and fascinating subjects. You can listen on Spotify, Iono and Apple Podcasts (add links) — for everything Wanted in your ear, from art and design, to fashion and beauty.

We have been teasing the Most Wanted Club for several months and we will soon unveil the club’s dedicated website, our impressive list of partners and how you can unlock your access to unmatched concierge services and exclusive global events.