Advertisement

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

List of Five

Swizz Beatz Has a Closet Full of Black Calvin Klein T-shirts

The producer and musician also has a thing for Saint Laurent jeans, Zara suits and anything vintage.

Swizz Beatz in Manhattan.Credit...Molly Matalon for The New York Times

Swizz Beatz, who recently released his second studio album, “Poison,” grew up in the Bronx and lives in Manhattan, but he considers his style to be global. Whether he’s in London, Tokyo or Cape Town, he is always shopping for clothes. That may explain why his closet is in need of pruning. Just ask his wife, Alicia Keys, who keeps her side of the closet tidy.

My favorite go-to shirt is the black Calvin Klein regular T-shirt. The best part about the shirt is that it can clean up real quick. You can wear it with a sweatsuit or with a blazer. When you’re on the road and sometimes you have to make a quick decision, it’ll go with whatever jeans I’m wearing and whatever jacket. I order them in bulk. In order for the shirt to work, it has to look fresh.

When I do find jeans that I love, I get multiple pairs. The Saint Laurent jean is the one that fits me the best right now. For my height — I’m 6-foot-1, although I think I’m getting shorter — they are perfect. Sometimes you get a jean and they’re too tight on the calves, or too short, or just too tight period. The Saint Laurent jean is very true to size. If not those, I also like Faith Connexion jeans.

Image
A Zara suit. Credit...Molly Matalon for The New York Times

I actually love shopping. I’ve been really into fashion for a long time. I’m very detail oriented. I know exactly what I want, and the small details matter to me. But I don’t need name-brand things to feel fresh. Some people need name brands to save their life. I get suits from Zara, and I get them tailored. The Zara suit is phenomenal. When I’m running around or just hanging out or going on a plane, the Zara suit works.

I love shoes. I made myself a promise to give away 30 percent of my closet before the end of the year, and my cousins and nephews are going to be very happy with all the sneakers. But one of my most comfortable shoes is by Bally. I’m an ambassador for them, but the quality is there. The one that saved my life is the suede slip-on. I have them in brown, black and purple.

Image
Bally loafers.Credit...Molly Matalon for The New York Times

When it comes to accessories, people only think about the chain or the obvious watch. But there are different bracelets you can wear, tie clips and belt holders. I especially like vintage pieces that feel timeless. I’ve found a lot of these accessories when shopping in London. It’s my favorite city to shop. I’ll shop at Harrods, but there are also so many great stores with different options. They have little bespoke stores on corners that have been there for 400 years.

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section D, Page 6 of the New York edition with the headline: The Height of Style. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

Advertisement

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT