My Style: Tobias van Schneider
Portraits: Courtesy of Tobias van Schneider
What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?
Not listening to your gut. As we always say, it’s how you wear it and not what you wear. It’s about wearing clothes, not having them hanging on our body.
Please describe your style in three words.
Simple, moody, comfortable.
Do you believe in role models?
No. I do believe in inspiration, as there will always be someone who will inspire you during one of your periods in life. Looking up too much to someone pushes you down at the same time—I try to look forward.
What are your favourite fabrics?
Linen and chambray are definitely my favourite right now. It’s summer in New York City.
Would you say that you are conservative or bold?
I would say neither, really.
What are the rules in the way you dress?
Aesthetics: Make it perfect, then break it. Don’t forget to break it. Practicable: Dress for the moment—it needs to be comfortable. Mood: Dress either according to your mood or in order to change your mood. This is very important! Simplicity: As much as I like fashion, I don’t like to spend too much time thinking about it.
Celebrities and style...
I do not follow celebrities. Following their stylists would make more sense.
Which city has the best-dressed men?
No city in particular. But, I would say New York due to the broad diversity of everything; Tokyo for the inspiring, shocking, and eye-opening; Stockholm for the overall consistency of well-dressed men (but gets boring easily); while Milan certainly has the best business wear—just not comparable with the other cities. Did I forget to mention London and Paris?
Name one garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?
Obviously, you can never have enough underwear.
A man should always look like…
He’s about to go somewhere.
Who taught you what you know about style?
I don’t believe I know anything about style. But, I do hopefully know myself.
How do you select your clothing every morning?
I decide either based on what mood I’m in, what mood I want to achieve, or simply according to the weather conditions (which underlines the comfort).
What is your biggest regret?
I regret every minute I ever spent regretting.
The three essential things a man should know about style are…
Style is who you are; embrace it. Style is what you define it is, not others. There are no essentials to style.
Do you have any shopping rituals?
I really dislike shopping, at least as it is right now. It seems to be more of a necessity at the moment; there is nothing in particular that I enjoy at all. Let's hope this will change in the future.
Are there any style combinations that you object to?
No. And every time I think so, someone will teach me the opposite.
We will never see you wearing…
Sandals, Crocs, or leather pants.
The most stylish person you have ever seen…
Nick Wooster and Aiden Shaw.
What is the first thing you notice on a man?
His teeth.
Which new designers do you follow and why?
This designer is not new at all, but I am always impressed with what Gabriele Pasini does.
The only article of clothing that a man needs to pay close attention to is...
If only it was that easy...
Is comfort an enemy of style?
Never. It goes very much hand in hand—style can’t exist without comfort.
Which designer never fails to impress you?
As mentioned earlier, Gabriele Pasini at Lardini.
Who would you like to recommend for My Style?
Sophia Amoruso from Nasty Gal.
The best words of advice you have ever heard?
“Action expresses priorities.”—Ghandi.
