How I Dress: Agency Executive Tim Barry

I like the way Tim Barry dresses. There’s a self-deprecating sense of humour about it. I saw him not so long ago in an outfit I thought was pretty good, but then I got ridiculed by some of his friends for saying so, and Tim, instead of backing me up, said, “Look mate, I hate it too. But Annie loves it, so what do I do?”

Annie’s his wife, and of course Tim really did love the look, and his friends probably knew that, and knew he had nailed it too. Studied nonchalance is surprisingly difficult to do well. It might make you a target for friendly banter, but chances are those friends will envy you too.

Tim worked in the corporate world until 2002, when he stepped out to set up his own agency. He doesn’t have to wear a uniform and so he mixes formality and informality, and you can see it’s done with mindfulness but it never looks overthought.

The key to Tim’s style is that, although he could probably wear anything to work, you sense there are boundaries. He looks professional, and stylish, and he achieves both without compromising his sense of self. We asked him to put together a favourite ensemble.

The tuxedo. Midnight-blue and grosgrain-trimmed. “I wore this on my wedding day earlier this year. Annie and I collaborated on what I should wear and I bought a tailor-made suit from Working Style. I loved the idea of wearing a blue tuxedo. I also ended up wearing a tailored, studded-front, dinner shirt and broke the rules by wearing no bowtie, because having anything tied tight around my neck feels all too constricting for me. I just couldn’t do that on my wedding day.”

The cowboy boots. “I bought these in Denver, Colorado, during my last overseas trip with my late father, Kevin, in 2012. These boots, while I love the way they look, are far more important than that. Their patina carries some memories of a very special time with my dad.”

The Lucky jeans. “I don’t mind mixing a bit of high and low. These jeans are not particularly expensive but they fit me well and have gone the distance — as a good pair of favourite jeans should.”

The Canadian suit. “I’m comfortable in double denim. Annie worries about the Canadian-suit look as it’s full of clichés. I think the denim and shirt or double denim appeals to my grass-roots association with being a bloke. I think most Kiwi men like to feel a bit like a Marlborough Man from time to time.”

Readers please note: Tim does not wear his cowboy boots with the full Canadian suit… yet.

Tim Barry is the owner of advertising and design agency Buffalo & Co. Photo by Jane Ussher.