These guys recently made huge changes—and we helped them dress for their new lives.
THE GOOD FIT
A year into the pandemic, 45-year-old financial planner Barjes Angulo had stopped exercising and was overeating. As his weight ticked up to 231 pounds, he traded his custom suits for hoodies. “Nothing else could fit,” Angulo says.
In January 2021, he started working out, twice a week at first, and cut way back on his calorie intake. A year later, he was down 40 pounds—and the custom suits were back.
The Style Upgrade:
As people returned to work, office dress codes were relaxed. Uniqlo’s cashmere sweater wears like a comfortable hoodie yet looks sleek. Layer it under a topcoat that hits just above the knee for the best fit.
Uniqlo Wool Cashmere Chesterfield Coat
Uniqlo Cashmere Crew Neck Long-Sleeve Sweater
THE MAN IN MOTION
In August 2018, Donovan Brinson, 25, started working a retail job, but the company’s uniform didn’t fit. “I was super depressed,” he says. He was up to 414 pounds. “I couldn’t run a block without falling to the ground.” He began working out by jumping rope and doing pullups and pushups after work, then progressed to lifting weights five days a week and doing cardio after each session. All that activity, plus cutting out junk food, helped him drop to 218 in two years. “It’s a huge mental change,” says Brinson, who now works in finance sales.
Get Donovan’s look:
The Style Upgrade:
Polo Ralph Lauren’s herringbone jacket is sturdy but travels well from place to place. Pair it with this wool-cashmere sweater for extra on-the-go comfort.
Polo Ralph Lauren Soft Herringbone Sport Coat
Ralph Lauren Suede-Patch Wool-Cashmere Sweater
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Polo Ralph Lauren Soft Cotton Crewneck T-Shirt
Polo Ralph Lauren RL Letterman Pant
Ralph Lauren Polo Vintage 67 Watch
THE MEAL PLANNER
Insurance agent Hector Camilo, 40, whipped himself back into shape after seeing a photo of himself from 2012. He took up marathon training and dropped 40 pounds, but his unhealthy eating habits didn’t change. “My diet was to work out to eat whatever I wanted,” he says. So in 2021, Camilo’s wife set him up with a meal-prep program. Since then, he’s lost 14 percent of his body fat. “I need to keep pushing to be healthy for my wife and kids,” he says.
The Style Upgrade:
These Banana Republic traveler pants have enough stretch for long commutes. Add this monochromatic vest and sweater, which are easy to layer for unpredictable temps.
Banana Republic Anzio Merino-Cashmere Half-Zip Sweater
Banana Republic Luxury Touch Performance T-Shirt
Banana Republic Slim Traveler Pant
New Balance XC-72 Sneaker
HOW TO UPGRADE YOUR STYLE
Transform your look with these seven wardrobe all-stars.
Citizen’s high-tech timepiece has health-tracking features that rival those of the best smartwatches out there, and it looks much sharper.
A suite of pockets stores just about anything—gym gear, over- night clothes, work stuff—in this go-everywhere Lululemon duffel.
J.Crew’s stretchy, cooling pants are tailored enough for the office yet functional enough for the golf course. A tapered hem offers extra breathing room for bigger calves.
This take on the college hoodie is made with French terry, which is plusher than whatever you wore as an undergrad.
Deputy Editor, Commerce
As Men’s Health’s Deputy Editor, Commerce, Christian Gollayan oversees all shopping content on menshealth.com. He relocated back to New York by way of Portland, where he was the Associate Managing Editor at TheManual.com. Christian’s work has also been featured in InStyle, Food & Wine, the New York Post, and Tatler Asia.
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