The effortless soft swagger Schuyler Whiting brings to a room is enviable. Born in San Francisco and relocated as a tot to cozy Kentfield in Marin County, Whiting is a quintessentially NorCal guy: tall, lanky, and intelligent, with a penchant for classic rock music, sports, and the great outdoors. The first thing you notice are his eyes—blue with flecks of sparkly green and tawny brown. Those eyes light up when he talks about one of his passions—rugby. “I love it, because it’s a thinker’s game. Every time you touch the ball, you have to make a decision about your own moves and your teammates’—unlike football. Plus, we don’t have all those pads to protect us when we make rough contact,” says the 19-year-old. The on-the-field skills he learned while attending St. Ignatius Prep in the Outer Sunset helped him earn a spot on the rugby team at UC Berkeley, where he’ll be attending this fall. “Marin can feel claustrophobic sometimes,” he says in a husky voice.

In SF, he prefers cruising North Beach, Baker Beach, and the Marina with a group of good friends. In Marin, however, it’s only a 10-minute walk to the base of Mt. Tam, where he goes to seek solace, either hiking or biking on and off trails. If he’s indoors, you’ll find him with a book (he rereads To Kill A Mockingbird often and is currently working through a tome of Christopher Hitchen’s essays), or playing guitar—Whiting was a member of the local band Crunchy Frogs (a Monty Python reference) for nearly a decade (yes, he started that young, in fifth grade) regularly playing drums at gigs at the California Academy of Sciences amongst other venues. But it was a former girlfriend, a model herself, who steered him towards his own modeling breakthrough—a racy and homoerotic shoot by Karl Templer, creative director at Interview magazine. “The crew on that shoot was fearless, and they were game for anything. So I had to be too. My one fear is self-doubt, and they taught me to just throw myself into the work.” — David Lytle 

1. The Scribe

Elegantly tailored pieces—flat front pants, a shawl-collared jacket for a softer silhouette, and an unadorned shirt—project a savvy and comfortable style. The scarf adds a hint of rakishness.

The Look: Prada jacket ($3,660), silk shirt ($880), silk scarf ($285), and pants ($1,000), prada.com; Tiffany & Co. sterling silver Atlas watch ($2,350), tiffany.com.

The Look for Less: Rake Colorblock Double-Breasted Coat ($999), J. Crew Slim Broken-in Tee ($24.50), Levi's 511™ Slim Fit Line 8 Pants ($43), Dr. Martens Beck Creeper ($99)

2. The Outsider

Flaunt your rebellious side with this classic American look: jeans, basic tee, and an amazing leather jacket. Top it all off with a strong dose 
of attitude.

The Look: Hermès reversible baby lamb jacket ($13,600), hermes.com; Save Khaki T-shirt ($47), unionmadegoods.com; Levi’s 501 jeans ($47), levis.com.

The Look for Less:H&M Baseball Jacket ($70), American Apparel Organic Fine Jersey Short Sleeve T-shirt ($18), Forever 21 Slim Fit- Light Wash ($18)

3. The Apprentice

You can never go wrong with sensual knits in neutral tones. Look for discreet surprises like an asymmetric collar, and add one daring piece: luxe sweats.

The Look: Bottega Veneta split neck sweater ($1,250), jersey wool nylon pants ($970), and buckle boots ($1,200), bottegaveneta.com.

The Look for Less: All Saints Zodiac Sweatpants ($145), Unionmade Our Legacy Wool Linen Bug Rib Raglan Sweater in Silver Grey ($228), Alexander McQueen Triple-Monk-Strap Leather Boot, Black ($995) 

7. The Midnight Cowboy 

Boldly go where previous gents have gone before, updating a style that pays homage to a favorite decade. If pulled off right, no era is out of date.

The Look: Prada jacket ($2,020), silk shirt ($880), and silk scarf ($285), prada.com; Basil Racuk vintage lightening bolt necklace worn as a pin ($225), basilracuk.com

The Look for Less: Decades Vintage 1950's black and white western styled Ricky jacket with white piping and square pearl snaps ($295), Topman White Contrast Collar Smart Long Sleeve Shirt ($45), Wool scarf ($50)

8. The Dandy 

For night, a luxe tuxedo—updated with modern details like a slim fit and double-breasted jacket—is essential for any man’s closet. Don’t forget, the pieces can be worn separately to expand your wardrobe exponentially.

The Look: Louis Vuitton ombre silk evening jacket ($4,030) and pants ($1,350), louisvuitton.com; Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane leather creeper shoes ($895), ysl.com.

The Look for Less: Luisa Via Roma The Suits Techno Blend Herringbone Tuxedo Suit ($839), T.U.K. Black Leather Lace Up Pointed Creeper ($80)

9. The Leading Man 

Add edge to the classics. A motorcycle jacket, for example, sends a thrilling note of danger.

The Look: Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane leather motorcycle jacket ($6,350), shirt ($590), sweater vest ($725) and pants ($475), ysl.com

The Look for Less: Brooks Brothers Argyle Vest ($64), McQ by Alexander McQueen Bicolor Motorcycle Jacket ($1500) or Mackage Leather Sleeve Wool Biker Jacket ($890), Michael Kors Solid Dress Shirt- Classic Fit ($62)

Photography by Andrew Paynter, 

This article was published in 7x7's September 2014 issue. Click here to subscribe.