Justin Chambers’ Style Tips

By Sandra Nygaard
Photo by Andrew Macpherson

Playing smart-ass surgical intern Alex Karev on Grey's Anatomy doesn't require much training for Justin Chambers. "It's fun playing a character who says whatever he thinks but everyone else is afraid to say," he says, acknowledging his character's scalpel-sharp tongue.

When he's not decked out in his hospital scrubs, the father of five cleans up nicely in a suit—though that's not so surprising, since he used to be a professional model for Calvin Klein and Armani before starring in the Channel 7 hit series. "I love wearing suits," he says, noting an affinity for the two-button variety and a '60s slim cut. The sharp lines of Dolce & Gabbana are a particular favorite. "The Italians always do a great job," says Chambers, whose credit list includes Liberty Heights, The Wedding Planner, Hysterical Blindness, and 2005's The Zodiac.

National allegiances aside, Chambers also believes in the value of simplicity. "Less is more, that's for sure," he says. "And if you like something, just keep it. Don't worry about what's trendy, because it's really about what you like."

His favourite timeless essential? A vintage navy blue wool peacoat that he's owned for 15 years. "It looks like it did the day I got it," he boasts.

Still, Chambers admits he spends more time focusing on acting and his off-duty roles as a father and husband than on what he wears. "I don't put that much thought into it. You become numb to it, too, after being in the [fashion] business for so long."

After all, it's not brain surgery, right?