The 'Trying' Aesthetic: Camden Cool Meets London Smart-Casual for Men

Quick Take: The ‘trying’ aesthetic is the sweet spot between Camden’s deliberate, expressive street style and the considered restraint of London smart-casual dressing. It is the look of a man who has clearly thought about what he is wearing — but whose choices feel personal rather than corporate. Statement blazers, bold patterns, and unexpected colour combinations worn with the confidence of someone who knows exactly what he is doing. This guide explains how to build it.

What Is the ‘Trying’ Aesthetic — and Why Does It Work in London?

The ‘trying’ aesthetic is a response to two dominant but limiting approaches to men’s dressing in London. The first is the safe, corporate smart-casual uniform — navy blazer, white shirt, grey trousers — that reads as professional but anonymous. The second is the aggressively casual streetwear look that reads as deliberate but disconnected from the professional and social contexts that most London men navigate daily.

The ‘trying’ aesthetic occupies the space between these two poles. It takes the structural foundation of smart-casual dressing — a blazer, tailored trousers, a considered shirt — and introduces the expressive, individual energy of Camden’s street style culture through pattern, colour, and unexpected combinations. The result is an outfit that reads as considered and intentional in a professional context while signalling a level of personal style investment that the standard smart-casual uniform does not.

London is one of the few cities in the world where this aesthetic works across multiple contexts simultaneously. The city’s tolerance for individual expression within a broadly professional register — particularly in creative, media, and tech environments — creates space for the ‘trying’ aesthetic to function in offices, networking events, and social occasions where a more conservative approach would be expected in other cities.

What Are the Core Elements of the ‘Trying’ Aesthetic?

The ‘trying’ aesthetic is built on four elements: a statement outer layer, a considered base, a deliberate colour or pattern choice, and footwear that bridges the smart-casual divide.

• A statement outer layer — The blazer is the foundation of the ‘trying’ aesthetic. But it is not the standard navy sport blazer of the smart-casual uniform — it is a blazer that makes a choice: a bold stripe, a double-breasted cut in an unexpected colour, a glen plaid with a contrasting waistcoat. The statement blazer is the element that signals ‘trying’ — it communicates that the wearer has made a deliberate decision rather than reaching for the default.
• A considered base — The shirt and trouser combination beneath the statement blazer should be clean and neutral. The base exists to support the blazer, not to compete with it. A white or plain shirt, slim fit trousers in navy, stone, or grey — the base is where the ‘trying’ aesthetic exercises restraint, which is what prevents it from tipping into chaos.
• A deliberate colour or pattern choice — The ‘trying’ aesthetic makes one strong colour or pattern choice per outfit and commits to it. A forest green double-breasted blazer is the colour choice. A bold vertical stripe blazer is the pattern choice. A glen plaid blazer with a contrasting waistcoat is the texture and pattern choice. One strong choice, executed with confidence, is the aesthetic’s defining move.
• Footwear that bridges the divide — The ‘trying’ aesthetic requires footwear that is smart enough for the blazer but relaxed enough for the Camden energy. Clean leather trainers, Chelsea boots, or suede loafers — not formal Oxford shoes, not chunky streetwear trainers. The footwear is the detail that confirms the aesthetic is intentional rather than accidental.

How Do You Build a ‘Trying’ Aesthetic Outfit Around a Statement Blazer?

The statement blazer is the starting point for every ‘trying’ aesthetic outfit. The construction logic works outward from the blazer: choose the blazer first, then build the base and footwear around it.

• Forest green double-breasted blazer — Pair with a white or cream shirt, slim fit navy or stone trousers, and tan Chelsea boots or suede loafers. The forest green is the statement; everything else is neutral. The double-breasted cut adds formality and structure that prevents the green from reading as casual.
• Bold vertical stripe navy blazer — Pair with a plain white shirt, slim fit grey or charcoal trousers, and clean white or navy leather trainers. The bold stripe is the pattern statement; the plain shirt and neutral trousers allow it to read clearly. The trainers bridge the Camden street energy with the blazer’s smart-casual register.
• Glen plaid blazer with contrasting waistcoat — Pair with a white shirt, slim fit trousers in a colour that picks up one of the plaid’s tones, and suede Derby shoes or Chelsea boots. The three-piece configuration — blazer, waistcoat, trousers — is the ‘trying’ aesthetic at its most considered: it signals investment and intention without tipping into costume.

What Is the Difference Between ‘Trying’ and ‘Trying Too Hard’?

The ‘trying’ aesthetic has a specific failure mode: ‘trying too hard’. The difference between the two is restraint. The ‘trying’ aesthetic makes one strong choice and executes it with a clean, neutral base. ‘Trying too hard’ makes multiple strong choices simultaneously — a statement blazer, a patterned shirt, bold trousers, and statement footwear — and the result reads as chaotic rather than considered.

The rule is simple: one statement per outfit. If the blazer is the statement, the shirt and trousers are neutral. If the shirt is the statement, the blazer and trousers are neutral. The ‘trying’ aesthetic is built on the confidence to make one strong choice and the discipline to leave everything else alone.

Where in London Does the ‘Trying’ Aesthetic Work Best?

The ‘trying’ aesthetic is most at home in the environments where Camden’s expressive energy and London’s professional culture overlap. Creative agencies, media companies, tech offices, and the networking events that serve these industries are the natural habitat of the ‘trying’ aesthetic. It also works at the more relaxed end of the City’s networking circuit — rooftop drinks, informal client dinners, and industry events where the dress code is smart casual but the audience rewards individual expression.

It is less appropriate in the most formal City environments — traditional financial services, law firms, and formal client meetings where the dress code is business formal. In these contexts, the ‘trying’ aesthetic reads as a misjudgement rather than a style choice. Know your environment and calibrate accordingly.

The Wessi Blazers That Define the ‘Trying’ Aesthetic

Men’s Forest Green Striped Slim Fit Double Breasted Peak Lapel Blazer

The ‘trying’ aesthetic’s defining piece. Forest green double-breasted with a bold stripe — a combination that makes one strong, confident colour and pattern choice simultaneously. Pair with a white shirt, navy slim fit trousers, and tan Chelsea boots. The double-breasted peak lapel adds structure and formality that prevents the green from reading as casual. This is the blazer that signals you know exactly what you are doing.

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Men’s Navy Blue Bold Vertical Striped Slim Fit Notch Lapel Sport Blazer

The Camden street energy in a smart-casual blazer. A bold vertical stripe in navy — the pattern choice that reads as confident and intentional without departing from the professional register. Pair with a plain white shirt, slim fit grey trousers, and clean white leather trainers for the ‘trying’ aesthetic at its most accessible. The notch lapel keeps the formality calibrated for creative and smart casual environments.

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Men’s Light Grey Glen Plaid & Windowpane Slim Fit Blazer & Waistcoat Set

The ‘trying’ aesthetic at its most considered. A glen plaid and windowpane blazer with a contrasting waistcoat — the three-piece configuration signals investment and intention in a way that a two-piece cannot. Camden cool meets Savile Row in a combination that reads as deliberate, confident, and entirely appropriate for the London environments where individual expression is rewarded. Pair with a white shirt, slim fit navy trousers, and suede Chelsea boots.

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What Are the Most Common ‘Trying Too Hard’ Mistakes to Avoid?

• Multiple statement pieces in one outfit — A statement blazer, a patterned shirt, and bold trousers simultaneously is ‘trying too hard’. One statement per outfit — everything else is neutral.
• Ignoring fit — The ‘trying’ aesthetic requires well-fitted clothing. A statement blazer that does not fit correctly reads as a costume rather than a style choice. The fit is what separates ‘trying’ from ‘trying too hard’.
• Wearing the wrong footwear — Formal Oxford shoes with a bold stripe blazer reads as incongruous. Chunky streetwear trainers with a glen plaid waistcoat set reads as a mismatch. The footwear must bridge the smart-casual divide — Chelsea boots, suede loafers, or clean leather trainers.
• Wearing the aesthetic in the wrong environment — The ‘trying’ aesthetic is not appropriate for the most formal City environments. Know where it works and where it does not — and calibrate accordingly.
• Lacking confidence — The ‘trying’ aesthetic requires commitment. A bold stripe blazer worn with visible uncertainty reads as a mistake. The same blazer worn with confidence reads as a style choice. The aesthetic is as much about how you carry it as what you are wearing.

The ‘trying’ aesthetic is London menswear at its most interesting — the point where the city’s professional dress culture and its creative, expressive street style tradition meet and produce something that is neither corporate nor casual but distinctly, confidently both. Start with a statement blazer, build a clean neutral base around it, and wear it with the confidence that the aesthetic demands. That’s the whole formula.