If your wardrobe is too large, you end up looking worse.

I think I have another picture. But I generally don't much about with the color of my shoes. They are what they are. I'm clearly not much of a shoe person. I already have a few shoes that are closer to the brown in the stock photo. And I have a pair of burgundy captoe oxfords. So I'm happy with these tweeners ^_^

Ya, there they look very good. All burgundy and no tan. Even some black tones. They look pretty much exactly what I was recommending for that light blue tie, light navy jacket (color wise). What last are they on?

I think shoes are what I think about the most. In part because they're the least trendy and the most durable. Also perhaps because people say they say so much about a person. I wonder if you think relatively little about them because you posted pics w/o shoes during your early, "formative' years.

They're Belgraves.

I think little about them because, well, they seem so damned practical. They are there, first and foremost, to serve a function. It might also be a defensive mechanism. If I were to obsess over shoes like I obsess over ties and jackets (which are generally more expensive than shoes, so perhaps this argument isn't a good one), I'd be in trouble. I'm at heart a collector. And I don't want my shoe rotation to go beyond 10 or so. I open up that part of my brain to shoes, no good's gonna come of it.

Interesting. I would think practically would be a reason to give them more consideration.

The defense mechanism sounds more reasonable though. I'm not really a collector, but kind of. I just like small collections I guess. You could stay at 10 pairs of thoughtfully-chosen shoes. Fewer things but better things, imo. There's so many things I like, that I could never collect anything. House, furniture, art, electronics, sporting goods, charitable donations... And wait till you have kids too. Perhaps the thing that bought this year that's given me the most joy is an oil painting based on a pic I took of our newborn daughter.

Practicality, after trying on a variety of brands, Allen Edmonds are the most comfortable for me. Guess I got weird feet.

But as that other silly thread makes clear, nice shoes aren't about practicality.

However, I was referring to how I perceive shoes, how my brain categorizes them. They are something I need, something designed for a purpose. Shoes don't grab me for the same reason cars don't grab me (and I'm hearing more and more that millennials care less about cars than any previous generation). If I ever thought of them as a status symbol or as an art (as I do furniture), I'd feel differently.

Outside of being comfortable and durable, priority #1 for my shoes is that they are passable enough not to detract from what I love (the rest of the outfit).

Though you are right; perhaps if I had been taking pictures of my shoes early on, I'd feel differently. I doubt the difference would be too great though. I came to SF due to an irrational love of ties. My interest in everything else stemmed from how they worked with ties. Shoe and tie coherence is rarely discussed

I have those Belgraves in snuff suede and love them.

I realise the sport coat thing I wrote was confusing.

What I had were two navy cashmere jackets and two in wool (I'm addicted to them) and then grey sport coats in a smallish houndstooth check, a similar one with a stronger navy windowpane overcheck, which looks great with grey flannels and a navy cashmere turtleneck - and a slightly darker herringbone grey coat.

What I added were cashmere jackets in light grey and Air Force blue (trying to stick within the colour range) with a herringbone pattern so tiny it's invisible from a metre away.

What I found was that they were just too bland.

Navy speaks for itself while the greys I had before all had something which made them stand out as proper sport coats.

All of these with two or three patch pockets.

Even with patches on the newer cashmere coats they looked blah...

I hope that makes sense.

Clags, your tie thing fascinates me.

I love wearing ties, even though I am retired and don't need to. I just feel really comfortable with them. I don't feel more relaxed without a tie in fact.

I think most people who avoid them do so on the basis of their shirt collar being the wrong size ... or they don't want to look like rebels in today's horrible world of black pinstripe suits, open neck white polyester shirts and black duckbill shoes, matched with a black backpack.


Do you wear ties much these days ?

Thanks guys. Interesting about the ties, C. Makes sense about the jackets, S.



spectre said:

Do you wear ties much these days ?

Click to expand...

You must not follow WAYWRN much these days, huh? During fall, winter, and early spring, I wear them 4-5 times a day. As it warms up, I rarely wear them. This is probably the last week I wear them more than once a week though

Do any of you find yourselves wanting to wear ties even if you're simply out and about (not working)?

It seems these days that I'm not satisfied with my attire until I at least put on a pocket square before I go out. Always feel odd in a jacket without one or the other.

I occasionally wear ties when I don't have to work. But I don't have to wear a tie to work anyway. So not much of a difference. I suppose I might feel a little odd going grocery shopping on a Saturday in a tie.



Claghorn said:

You must not follow WAYWRN much these days, huh? During fall, winter, and early spring, I wear them 4-5 times a day. As it warms up, I rarely wear them. This is probably the last week I wear them more than once a week though

Click to expand...

Pretty much my routine, but in retirement I have to be inventive so I've taken up lunching with wife and/or friends as my main hobby. In Melbourne in summer it can get to 40 celsius plus but over 30 I can't wear a tie and have to make do with a pocket square - which is why I pine for autumn and winter. Luckily there's only a couple of months of too hot weather to endure.

DapperDan15 said:

Do any of you find yourselves wanting to wear ties even if you're simply out and about (not working)?

It seems these days that I'm not satisfied with my attire until I at least put on a pocket square before I go out. Always feel odd in a jacket without one or the other.

Click to expand...

Absolutely correct. I do this quite a bit.

I also admire the European tradition of dressing to demonstrate both self esteem and respect for the people you will meet.

My attitude is don't criticise me for being too dressed up and I won't criticise you for looking like a bum.

Things are definitely improving here slowly. There's always a backlash but the one against dress down clothing is taking too long. Nevertheless I very often pass guys with pocket squares and more often than not ties, a huge contrast to say three or four years ago.

Regarding WAYWN C, I don't look at it much but there are certainly posters I like there.

In general though the plethora of colours and pattern mixes is not my style - but then it would be pretty ridiculous if we all dressed exactly the same.

Italian industrialists I enjoy, even though they all look much the same.