Unless he's headed to a black-tie wedding, a man always has options.

	Daytime Barbecue	Summer Cocktail Party	Drinking in a Bar	Holiday Party
Good	Khaki chinos, polo shirt, brown loafers	Cotton chinos, crisp oxford button-down, blue wool blazer	Light-blue jeans, button-down shirt	Corduroy pants, crewneck sweater
Better	Red or blue chinos, short-sleeved rugby shirt, white canvas sneakers	Linen trousers, rumpled oxford button-down, seersucker blazer	Dark-blue jeans, long-sleeved rugby shirt	Flannel trousers, turtleneck, cardigan sweater
Never	Cargo shorts, tank top, flip-flops, lifeguard whistle	Jeans or shorts, bright madras blazer	Sweatpants, sports jersey	Anything depicting Rudolph, Santa, or the Baby Jesus

Michael Bastian. Tim Hamilton. Adam Kimmel. Learn these names, for they are the future of American men’s wear.

Denim is the center of the casual universe. And some things look better with it than others. A quick primer:

All the Time:	Cotton button-down or T-shirt, brown loafers, navy-blue blazer, cashmere sweater.
Most of the Time:	Crewneck sweatshirt, black loafers, tweed jacket, cotton turtleneck, white sneakers.

Finally. Nine months since setting out for the perfect $5,000 wardrobe, we've come to the one item, the final item, that gives shape and meaning to all the rest: a two-piece suit, preferably an all-purpose option in dark blue or gray. Keep in mind that if you own only a few suits, it's always better to purchase one $1,200 suit than two $500 suits. It'll fit better and feel better, and you'll see exactly where that extra money went.

Two-button wool suit ($995) by Z Zegna.

Dressing up is usually pretty easy: Throw on a suit, lace up your black leather oxford shoes, and away you go. Dressing down, however, is where things get tricky, which is all the more reason you need a pair of plain brown loafers. They look as good with blue jeans as they do with corduroy or flannel trousers, and once you break them in, they'll feel almost as comfortable as your favorite pair of sneakers.

Leather loafers ($365) by Cole Haan.

You never, ever want to skimp on an overcoat. This is something that most of us learn the hard way, like when we're in Chicago in December and we're w-w-wishing we'd spent more on a coat that, you know, worked. The most versatile option is a cashmere or wool single-breasted design that hovers just about the knee. Wear it anywhere, and if chosen carefully, you can wear it for years.

Cashmere Ellington coat ($899) by Club Monaco.

It's easy to dismiss pocket squares as trendy and just a little bit twee, but the fact is that a certain kind of man -- the well-dressed kind -- has always had one at the ready to complement or even sub in for a necktie. White goes with everything, of course, but for one that stands out and ages extraordinarily well, start with a silk square in a dark shade.

Silk pocket squares ($35 each) by Brooks Brothers.

The best sweaters in the world are usually made from cashmere, and there's a reason for that. It's soft, obviously, and if cared for properly, the fabric is strong enough to last for years. But cashmere's greatest asset is its versatility: A good cashmere sweater is warm enough for winter but lightweight enough for spring, fall, and the cool summer nights in between. Start with gray or black and build a stack from there. Cashmere sweaters ($79 each) by Uniqlo.

In an ideal world, everyone would have at least two pairs of dress shoes -- one black and one brown -- but if life backs you into a corner and forces you to choose, go with black. Make that inky black, and to maximize your mileage, make it a pair of lace-up calfskin oxfords with a round cap toe. They're the most versatile shoes around, and if kept polished and dry, they can be worn anytime and anywhere.

Leather shoes ($350) by Johnston & Murphy.

There's no such thing as a tie that's right for every occasion. Sorry, there just isn't. The good news, however, is that a man can survive on three ties alone. A dark stripe, a bright solid, and a subtle pattern like the ones shown here are versatile and classic, and between them you're ready for whatever life throws your way.

From left: Ties by Brooks Brothers ($60); Hickey Freeman ($98); DKNY ($60).

No man can afford to be without a great pair of dark-blue jeans, and a pair of Diesel's Kajo Jeans work nicely. Well-designed denim should be loose but not baggy and fitted without being tight, and you should avoid distressing, fraying, or other "character building" embellishments. If washed sparingly, jeans will last for years and develop a character all their own. Jeans ($140) by Diesel.

A wardrobe requires only two blazers. The navy two-button blazer is the most functional -- it can be dressed up with a tie or down with jeans. The lightweight tweed works for the weekend or any event at which there's a chance of having a conversation about the cinematography of Wim Wenders. Keep in mind that each of these sport coats, like any suit jacket, should be impeccably tailored. Gray two-button wool jacket ($795) by Luigi Bianchi Mantova; blue two-button wool jacket ($550) by DKNY.

This Sea Island cotton shirt by Charles Tyrwhitt marks the first installment of a ten-month series on the perfect $5,000 wardrobe. Maybe not a full wardrobe (you probably have more than $20,000 worth of clothes in your closet right now) but an essential foundation. Look at it as a checklist for a year's worth of shopping or a set of guidelines for spending your money generally. The shirt? It's made of superlight and comfortable sea island cotton. And it's versatile. It's not too slim-fitting, but it's not cut like a box. Your other two purchases this month should be the same thing in white and blue-and-white stripe. You could go a year wearing only these three shirts and no one would notice. As long as you wash them every now and then. Sea island cotton shirt ($155) by Charles Tyrwhitt.