(Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Matthew Strabala, 28, Iowa City
General Manager @ Studio 13 and Iowa City Piano Lounge

What he’s wearing:
A two-tone blue button down shirt from Express. What you can’t see in the picture is the subtle angular details in the stripes. There is diagonal stitching going one way on the dark stripes and the other on the lighter stripes giving the shirt texture. The watch is Citizen and the earrings are black diamonds.

Where do you get your style inspiration from?

Nowhere in particular. I tend to wear things that are timeless and not too trendy. The problem with clothes that are too trendy, are they are unwearable after one season. Clothes are an investment to me. I like to get things that will be versatile enough to mix and match with lots of other things in my closet for more than one season.

Who are your style icons?/Why?

I honestly don’t really have any. I guess more often than not, I consistently like Calvin Klein, Banana Republic, J Crew, Express, and Taylor Bird. I like them for their simple, but solid sense of style.

What is your favorite local place to find amazing pieces?

Express, Von Maur, Banana Republic, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch.

What is your staple go-to?

A pair of jeans, graphic t, or polo, and sneakers or tennis shoes. Pumas or Tigers usually.

What is the one fashion item you can’t live without?

JEANS!!!!! They are so versatile! You can have a really distressed pair and pair it with a vintage t, or a really nice, fitted pair and wear it with a button down and blazer. You really have no limit as to what you can do with them… so long as they are the right pair of jeans!

What do you want to splurge on?

Underwear. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I love underwear that has had some thought as to how it is going to look when being worn! Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, ETC, are utilitarian. They serve a purpose. I love wearing underwear that is as fashionable as it is functional. I love Andrew Christian, Ginch Gonch, Clever, Calvin Klein, Aussiebum, Diesel, Go Softwear, etc… I could go on and on…

What are you willing to skimp on?

Jeans. I look at jeans like a bottle of wine. Yes, a $200 bottle of wine is going to be an amazing bottle of wine, but you don’t need to spend that much to get quality. You have to know where to look and how to shop, but you cant get a really great pair of jeans for no more than $40 or $50. I have a hard time justifying spending $120 for a pair of jeans at A & F that looks like they have been worn by my older brothers for years and I am getting their hand me downs. It just doesn’t seem right to me. I have many pairs of jeans for a very reasonable price and had people compliment me on their fit and appearance.

What fashion genre would you put yourself in? American Classic.