Instinctive Style: Jordan O’Brien
In the vast expanse of menswear style influencers, San Francisco-based Jordan O’Brien is the real deal. His expertly curated IG feed has over 50K dedicated followers, and his style is a seamless mix of traditional menswear classics interspersed with modern urban pieces. He has a particular penchant for precise tailoring and is especially in awe of the impeccable sartorial traits of gentlemen from the 1920’s-50’s. Jordan’s also well-versed in the art of hair grooming, and he counts Hollywood icons like James Dean and Marlon Brando as major inspirations.
We asked him if he had any hair grooming tricks up his sleeve to share with us, and he kindly obliged. “A quick trick I use is not completely washing out the product at night, and leaving a bit in there so when you wake up, you have what I call ‘second day hair.’ The remaining product acts as a base styler so you can achieve an effortless look without too much work.”
For the coming summer season, Jordan’s everyday look is based on two fundamentals; comfort and more comfort. “I’m all about light-colored clothing, jewelry that isn’t too flashy and a great pair of loafers or lightly constructed shoes. Some of my must-haves are loafers or huaraches (perfect for a casual or dressed-up look), bracelets with brown & tan tones, and of course, an amazing fedora made from either straw or a light fabric to keep the sun out of my face.”
In the years ahead, he envisions evolving his growing online presence into a global lifestyle and men’s style destination. He also has plans of eventually rolling out his own line of products, ranging from hair-care accessories to shoes and clothing.
As a parting gift, Jordan gave us 6 of his top tips for looking your absolute best for the summer ahead. See them below:
– As it gets warmer, it’s always important to dress accordingly. Light fabrics such as linen will be a lifesaver in the upcoming hot months.
– Don’t worry about your hair. Hot days mean sweat and sun will most definitely ruin your sleek and classy hairstyle. Go for a hairstyle that’s more rugged and messy to make it seem like you put some time into looking nice. It’s also much more practical.
– Sweating can be a nightmare; make sure you have a deodorant that smells great and also keeps the sweating to a minimum.
– Investing in a quality pair of loafers/huaraches will come in handy during spring and summer. You can wear either of them with shorts or even dress them up with a linen suit. They’re the all-around perfect summer shoe.
– An amazing hat serves many purposes during spring and summer. First, it’s another piece of your wardrobe to but a stamp on your own style. Secondly, it keeps you cool, literally.
– One of the most important things to keep in mind is being confident in what you wear. If you’re happy and confident in yourself, you’ll always be looking your best.
To keep up with Jordan, follow him on IG: @thejobrien
All clothing shown is from the ONS SS16 Collection currently available at our 71 Greene flagship.
If you liked this story, check out more in our Urban Transplants issue.
