The Real Problem With The “Midtown Uniform”
You guys know what the “Midtown Uniform” is, right?
In case you don’t, it’s a very specific style that is popular among the “bros” who work in the area of Manhattan in NYC called “Midtown”.
You’ve seen it. Navy or khaki chinos (or suit pants), tan dress shoes with matching tan belt, white or gingham check, spread-collar shirt (or polo shirt), and… the pièce de resistance… the fleece vest.
Now, before we get into the point of this article, I want to make it clear that I really have no issue with the “Midtown Uniform” the way many guys in the online menswear space do. Would it be my personal ensemble of choice for the office? No. But I get why these guys dress that way.
There is nothing wrong or inappropriate about it. In fact, it’s quite literally the definition of “appropriate” since the reason many of these guys wear the same thing is because their bosses and their bosses’ bosses dress the same way. There is a social consciousness and cohesion about the Uniform. The bros dress that way because that’s the way someone in their industry is expected to dress.
The Uniform is professional enough for the job these guys do. It also looks pretty comfortable.
So, what’s the “real problem” with it, as stated in the title of this article?
Well, the “real problem” lies with the most recognizable and indispensable part of the Uniform… the fleece vest.
Vests can be very practical, which is why I suspect it became part of the Uniform. Sure, for cutting the wind on an autumn commute or keeping the chill at bay in a strongly air-conditioned conference room, a fleece vest seems like a great choice.
But let’s keep in mind where fleece vests were originally meant to be worn. They’re built for mountain hikes and other outdoor pursuits. They’re meant for layering under your coat while camping or working outside.
They look best over flannel shirts and sweaters.
When worn as part of the “Midtown Uniform”, however, the vest is worn over a simple dress shirt. The vest adds visual (and literal) heft to the wearer’s midsection while making him look like he has little, spaghetti arms. The effect is even worse if he is wearing a polo shirt or any other sort of short sleeve shirt. The effect is even more pronounced if the vest is a darker color than the shirt underneath.
Even if the man is in-shape, his arms will look small and his belly will look large if he is wearing the “Midtown Uniform” simply because he doesn’t have enough fabric covering his arms to make his arms and torso look in-proportion to each other.
Unfortunately, the “Midtown Uniform” is a case of people wearing something that looks objectively bad simply because it’s popular. It’s the same thing that happened when those skin-tight suits became popular many years ago… men were wearing little, skinny jackets and slim, high-water pants that made them look hippy and feminine. But the trend continued despite the obvious, visual evidence that a fuller cut would look objectively better.
When internet menswear weirdos like me trash the “Midtown Uniform” the advice then offered is usually something along the lines of “Just wear a blazer or sport coat!”
The problem with that advice is that a blazer or sport coat is a little too “out there” for these guys. Their office culture rewards uniformity so they don’t want to stand out and be the “best dressed guy in the room”. In their industry, that could actually HURT their professional standing.
So, I am not going to do that.
Instead of a vest, a light, zip-front sweater (with sleeves) would work best. In something like a merino wool or cashmere, it would look handsome and function better than a vest (due to the material regulating body-temperature more effectively than fleece and by having full sleeves).
A quarter-zip sweater is also an option, although I get that they are kind of a trend themselves, in a weird way. Since they are pull-over style, I get why people would opt for something they can more easily take off and put on throughout the day, though (like something that zips all the way down the front).
A regular cardigan sweater is also something to consider. But, I understand why some younger guys think cardigans look “old fashioned” (as silly as that is). Again, these guys don’t want to stand out.
Basically, if a guy wants to side-step away from the fleece vest BUT still wants to blend in with everyone else, I think a merino, zip-up sweater in navy or charcoal grey is the perfect choice. It’s easy to pop on and off, it looks a bit more luxurious than fleece, and it doesn’t have the issue of making your arms look puny.
So, to wrap up, the “Midtown Uniform” isn’t as bad as people on the internet would have you believe, but there are definitely ways to make it a little bit better looking.
