Annual best-dressed lists often make little sense. That's because a whole lot of backroom politicking and planning go into them. So Esquire is once again asking you, dear reader, to decide upon our Best-Dressed Man of the Year. Last week, Tom Hiddleston scored a place in the semi-finals over Jake Gyllenhaal. And so it's onto the next: Idris Elba vs. Sebastian Stan.
Note: voting is now closed
You can be a stylish man without shouting about it. In fact, style – real, proper style – is about knowing what works for you, then playing with the formula ever so slightly. Enter two men who live that rule to the letter, this week's Style Trials contenders: Idris Elba and Sebastian Stan.
For the former, it's a tried-and-tested uniform that always works: the occasional red beanie, simple T-shirts that are kind to his guns, and a go-to pair of fail-safe Wayfarers. So far, so staple. When Elba does need to soup things up though, he goes à la carte. See this year's Met Gala 'fit, a rococo-meets-rave fluoro-tinged dinner jacket.
Which is an approach echoed by Sebastian Stan. However, the Marvel star loves to play around with volume. We've seen some really, really wide trousers, in a safe shade of navy. We've seen splashes of mustard on a monochrome base. And we've seen suits in rust and forest green, which were well-paired with quieter pieces below.
So, who gets your vote? The man that pops on the odd occasion, or the man who's always taking a quiet risk?
