How’d your passion for menswear start?

I was a student athlete in high school (basketball player) who enjoyed dressing up for game days. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. So one day I thought, “what if instead of just feeling good when I dress up, why not learn more about it to see where it takes me”? In the blink of an eye I was obsessed and ended up where I am today aesthetically.

DJ Hargrave

What are your goals as an influencer?

I want to inspire people to be themselves no matter where they are. I live in the south, so I’m often picked on by people close to me and by complete strangers for the way I dress. At the end of the day, I’ve built this wall around myself that allows me to feel great every day because I wear what expresses who I am. I want to inspire people to feel the same way. If someone tries to tell you how to dress, they’re telling you to not be yourself.

How would you describe your personal style? 

For this first outfit I wanted to put together something that was comfortable, effortless, and still presentable. That explains the knit tie, jeans, and brogues with no socks that added casual elements to this look. In my opinion, this is the perfect outfit for a series of afternoon meetings with dark hues that’ll take you straight from work to evening festivities.

Describe the outfit.

The days of the plain-white-politician dress shirts are over. On top of that, men are embracing patterned shirts even in the work place, which is why I went with this polka dot shirt from H&M that blends nicely with a black knit tie. The wooden tie bar is a great conversation starter and also adds a personal touch to a look like this.

DJ HargraveRandom Fun Fact:

I ONLY drink my coffee black, no questions asked. For you Northerners this isn’t a big deal, but here in the south you might as well be from another planet for drinking black coffee.

Photography by Joseph Worrell