For today's In The Spotlight, we have Rainier John, AKA The Dressed Chest, who spoke to us about fashion and hit us with his best Dad joke. You can find him on Instagram at @thedressedchest
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
By day I'm a data engineer at a start-up in Silicon Valley, and a husband and father of three. When I'm not being a dad or a programmer I'm playing dress-up, mixing and matching shirts and ties, textures and patterns, prints and colors.
You have a very carefully curated Instagram feed, do you ever have outfits that don't make the cut?
Lots! There are many photos that don't quite pass the chest. Sometimes it's because the outfit looks off for some reason (say, for example, if a shirt doesn't mix as well with a jacket as I thought it would), and other times it's because the quality of the photo was bad and I didn't have time for a re-take.
Why did you start The Dressed Chest?
I started my Instagram in part because I wanted to keep track of what I wear on a daily basis, but also because a lot of my combinations used to go unnoticed at work. I've been working in the tech industry for about seven years now, and I can safely say that, for better or worse, in most tech companies a person's appearance doesn't matter all that much. I figured I could post my outfits on my personal IG, but at the urging of my sister, I split all these chest photos into their own page.
If you could pick 5 must-have wardrobe items what would they be?
- Navy blue knit tie
- A solid white, perfect-fitting oxford cloth button-down shirt
- A good pair of solid dark blue selvedge jeans
- A simple, slim, medium-gray 2-button suit
- Chocolate brown double monkstrap shoes
The above pieces make a solid foundation for any guy's wardrobe.
Your Instagram bio tells me you are a Dad. Hit us with your best Dad joke.
I was up all night wondering where the sun had gone. Then it dawned on me.
What or who would be your biggest influences style-wise?
I think the one blog that really took my style where it is now is Scott Schuman's TheSartorialist.com. I love the street style he captures in his photos, and have blatantly stolen many outfits from some of the guys that he photographs.
Which is your favourite Uncle Jack?
Easily the black and white. It's simple, clean, and elegant, and its minimalism makes it a very versatile, easy-to-wear timepiece.