Making the choice to get an eye catching and modern piece like a wooden watch is a bold move if you’re not that into fashion. Learn how to choose the wooden watch to fit your style and your wardrobe.
Going for a wooden watch is a clever choice if you’re not all that into fashion. They won’t overpower an outfit, and complement just about anything with an understated grace. However, choosing an accessory that is as statement‑making as a watch, you’re going to want to be mindful about how it ties into the rest of your wardrobe. Wooden watches can complete and tie together entire outfits, or leaving you looking frayed and out of date. But fashion tastes vary a lot so if you feel bolder, why not go for an unusual watch design like the Blackbird • Zebra Wooden Watch from the top guys themselves over at Wooden Watch Co.
But think about the girl who still wears her bright pink baby-G watch alongside of her corporate wear. She may as well have come to work in yoga pants. Or the guy that accidentally chooses an over ornate and bulky Seiko, which looks about as good as 24” spinners on a ‘96 VW Golf.
Knowing the absolute minimum necessary to choose the best wood watch for your wardrobe is actually a lot easier than you think. Wooden watches are understated, but modern and chic which allows you to effortlessly elevate your entire wardrobe with the swift and easy task of choosing one decent accessory. They also age beautifully, and developed a rich patina as they do, wearing really well into neutral and subtle wardrobes.
Consider Your Regular Accessories
Are you the kind of guy or gal that, more often than not wears a cap? Is your one piece of everyday jewellery a stunning and highly styled wedding ring? Do you wear bracelets? Necklaces? Earrings? Take a look at the accessories that you normally wear and think about them alongside of a wooden watch. Do they complement each other? The size and style of your normal accessories will dictate the colour, size, and style of your wooden watch.
If your accessories tend to be bright or large, going with an understated watch is ideal. If your accessories tend to be more inconspicuous, then go bold and step it up to more ornate one. Consider purchasing a wooden watch with interchangeable bands if you’re unsure which one will look best with your closet.
Consider Your Wardrobe Tone
We all gravitate towards specific wardrobe tones. Some of us feel far more comfortable in bright colours and bold patterns. Some colour block with neutral and rich darker tones while others feel much more comfortable in softer and more unassuming pastels. Take a quick peek at your closet and figure out which tonal palette you fall into most easily. The milder your tonal style, the wilder your accessories can be without coming off as brash or obnoxious. Always consider the balance of your overall style as accessories should complement the outfit, not overtake it.
Do you tend to dress in more neutral tones, you can easily pull off a brighter watch. If you dress in bold and bright colours, then a more neutral and delicate watch will be the better choice.
Overall Style Genre
After you take a quick glance at your closets colour, think about the type of fabrics and fashion style you gravitate towards most. The style of your wooden watch should resemble the genre of your wardrobe pretty closely. If you’re more of a sporty type, go for a silicone strap. If you tend to lean towards more boho or “hipster” looks, natural materials, like a leather or wooden strap will work best. If you tend to channel the iconic look of the more dapper gentlemen then darker, richer colours, with contrasting complications will look best on a wooden watch.
For a preppy style, a watch that is more delicate is ideal. Consider a lighter finish on the wood. Fashion forward with a flair for bright and bold? Then definitely consider an interesting watch face or strap in more neutral colors.
Consider Proportionality
A common mistake that most fashion amateurs make when choosing accessories is that they have a tendency to overload one side of their body or another. Or they’ll over burden certain areas that eventually leads to making entire outfits seem frumpy of disproportionate.
Think what happens to someone’s neck when they stack bulky necklaces, or put a thick scarf on top of a coat with a large collar. Because there’s so much around a person’s neck, it draws the eye directly to that area. This can make it look like you have no neck, or too much neck. Wooden watches can have the same effect if they’re not balanced against the rest of your wardrobe and accessories.
If you have a tendency to wear bracelets or large rings, wear them on the opposite hand of a large watch. If you can’t, consider dialing it back to a smaller model. If you don’t have a tendency to use many accessories at all, you can be a bit bolder with your watch selection. If you plan on going with a super large, or loudly stylish face, make sure that you have something on the other hand or wrist to balance out a more adventurous style.
Lifestyle
The final consideration to make when choosing a watch is to think about your lifestyle alongside of the general care necessary to the long life of it. Wooden watches require the natural oils of the wearers skin to keep it moisturised and prevent cracking. They also perform best with people who wear them often.
You also need to live the kind of life that stays away from overly wet environments. If you live the kind of life that involves frequent swimming, gardening, or flume rides, you may want to consider only wearing your watch for drier occasions. Water can stain and warp the wood, as well as damage the internal mechanisms.
The natural aging process will change the overall appearance of your watch slightly. Just like a leather wallet, the wooden watch will wear uniquely. The patina and appearance of your watch will only get better with age and wear. So once you’re able to narrow down which models work best for you, don’t hesitate to wear them often and well.
