FT Picks: The Best Dressed Men of 2016

2016 has been – without a doubt – a terrible year for most things, from the election of an oompa loompa bull frog to the most powerful person in the World to the deaths of so many beloved actors, musicians and celebrities. However, it has been a fairly strong year for men’s fashion. And so, without further ado, here are our choices for the five best dressed men of 2016.

The Best Dressed Men of 2016

#5: Eddie Redmayne

Eddie has been on quite the hot streak over the past few years – an Oscar, a Golden Globe and, this year, the GQ Title of Best Dressed Man in Britain this year. And, while we disagree that he beats the other four people on this list, it’s undeniable that Eddie knows how to dress. GQ compared his style to Fred Astaire, and that’s quite the compliment – he can pull of everything from a pair of jeans and a jacket to black tie. (He even fronted a Burberry campaign, so he must be doing something right.)

But, for us at FT, it’s his boy-ish features that don’t quite match his sartorial choices – that slight discordance – that has bumped him down to the fifth spot.

#4: Jamie Dornan

If you’ve only heard Mr Dornan’s name muttered by your partner to her friends, there’s good reason for that. The fact that he plays Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey has meant that men have been a little reluctant to warm to him, but that seems a little unfair, especially when you consider he dresses very well indeed.

Mr Dornan is a great example of how to dress up and look great without going over the top – his outfits are always understated and classic. He doesn’t push the boundaries of fashion too far at all, but he always looks great. In fact, if you’re a keen pogonophile, Jamie is a good example of how to dress sharp without cutting off your facial fuzz – take note.

#3: Idris Elba

Ready, quick: name somebody cooler than Idris Elba. You can’t. You just can’t. He’s the epitome of cool, and that’s obvious in everything from the way he conducts himself to the way he dresses. One minute he can be repping an Apple watch with a black tie suit, the next he’s turning up to a black tie event in tailored shorts and a t-shirt.

He can go from James Bond to DJ to your mate down the pub in the blink of an eye, but he nails every look. If you’re looking for a fashion icon, you can’t go far wrong with Idris.

#2: Zayn Malik

Right, we had to think long and hard about this. There’s no doubt about it, Zayn Malik dresses well. Really well. But he was in One Direction, and that’s pretty much against everything we stand for as a men’s fashion blog. But, as he’s left the band now, is dating a supermodel and living like a Rockstar, we’ve turned a blind eye to his boyband past.

If you’re still dubious about him, check out the way that he pushes boundaries while looking good at the same time. He can pull of leather jackets, jeans and a t-shirt, black tie, suits, bomber jackets… The list goes on. If you’re a guy in his early 20s, Zayn’s the person you want to take some tips from.

The Winner: David Beckham

If there was a trophy for the Best Dressed Man of All Time, David Beckham would probably win it. But, to be honest, we considered not putting at the top of this list – he wins almost every best dressed list of every year. (Well, recently. We’ll ignore the Manchester United, late-90s era.)

But when you’ve got a man who dresses as well as Becks, you can’t ignore it. His style is effortlessly cool and incredibly versatile – he’s the perfect example of how to dress for almost any occasion, from heading to the gym to heading out to dinner and everything in between. We could go on for hours about how he dresses, but we don’t need to. You know how he dresses, you know how well he throws an outfit together.

Let’s be honest, what man doesn’t want to be David Beckham? Right, that’s what we thought.