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Suits have long been a menswear staple for two reasons: they are practical and they look great. A head-to-toe outfit is a cohesive statement and a neat way of clearly conveying a point of view. But in these casual and creative days, suits are not always the answer, as proven by the stylish Chicagoans featured in this article. They found all kinds of ways of suiting up without wearing a suit.
Colin Tighe paired a motorcycle jacket they recently thrifted with a pair of motorcycle pants they’ve had for a while, then added a pair of Crocs for comfort. Model and wardrobe stylist Alejandro Mena opted for vintage luxe while working on a styling project with his colleagues at the Pop-Up boutique in Wicker Park (at 1753 N. Damen, the former home of RSVP Gallery). Mena was wearing a vintage Dior tracksuit, a vintage Louis Vuitton bag, and a pair of Nike Cortez shoes made for martial arts.
Physician Gabe Stahl decided to honor his heritage with an embroidered hoodie and basketball shorts from a Market and H Bar C collab. “[These pieces] remind me of the southwest, and my formative years were spent in Arizona. They are also unique and kind of a way of dressing up while also dressing down.” That’s the beauty of a matching set. It always looks put together, no matter how sporty.
One can even attend a gala while wearing party pajamas if the accessories are just right. Coordinated creativity was on display for the partygoers at October’s Golden Jubilee, a celebration of the Costume Council hosted at the Chicago History Museum. The evening also served as an exhibition preview for “Dressed in History: A Costume Collection Retrospective,” which is on view through July 2025 at the museum.
Artist David Jude Greene rocked his striped Marni pajamas at the event. “I’m wearing a vintage hat from my grandfather from the Medinah Temple because since we are at the History Museum and it’s [a] Costume Council [event], I thought I should wear something about our city,” said Greene. “Then [I added] this fun lobster brooch I found 15 years ago in [the Northalsted district]. I wanted pajamas because I wanted to be comfortable. Rather than black tie, I thought I’d go a little different.”
Fashion entrepreneur and stylist Rhan Rodgers, also in attendance at the Golden Jubilee, matched feathered textures in his Comme des Garçons ensemble. He topped off his outfit with an extra-tall statement hat that he brought back to the States from Paris. Rodgers was honored as one of this year’s Men of Style during September’s Chicago Men’s Fashion Awards, another Costume Council event. The Chicago Comme des Garçons enthusiast is not one to follow trends. “I create my own look,” he said. “This is my soul, and this is me. I set myself apart from the rest of the world.”
Also doing his own thing, visual manager Chip Hendon opted for a full polka-dot outfit that went all the way down to his socks. “I just thought I’d wear a random pattern, one thing, and then overdo it. Dots popped into my head and . . . voilà!”
Hendon’s sartorial choices depend on his mood. “You never know what you’re going to get. I wake up, maybe see one thing, and end up building a whole outfit off of that thing,” he said. “Or I’ll be like, ‘Today’s western. Today’s the 1920s. Today’s the 1950s.’ I never know. There’s always something going on. Tomorrow, I’m thinking it might be metallic. It’s very shiny, but silver, not gold,” he said, envisioning yet another coordinated showstopper.
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