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Looking to revamp my wardrobe and new to actually caring about style. Have some questions.

post #1 of 2
10/30/11 at 8:23pm
Thread Starter 

I'll keep this neat and to the point.

 

Generally I just simply wear some form of Khakis or dress pants and a dress shirt, untucked and half buttoned or opened.  I would like to start dressing like the gentleman I see in the WAYWN threads and plan to go out and buy a completely new wardrobe.

 

Being new to this style and reading many threads on here, the amount of information seems overwhelming so I will post a few questions if you have some time perhaps you can answer some or all of them:

 

Questions:

 

  1. Is there a good website for up to date styles? I noticed many posts in the WAYWN threads from 2007 and onwards and wondered if these outfits go out of style or generally most things remain the same.
  2. For casual events, such as going out on a Saturday to the park etc, do you still wear a suit or nice outfit or do you just wear a pair of jeans and a tshirt.  In other words, how often do you dress up in a blazer with dressy shoes etc instead of runners, tshirts etc...  I was previously the manager of a financial firm however I have gone back to University to complete my CA in Accounting so I am in school most days although I don't mind overdressing.
  3. For getting started, what are some nice budget stores I could shop at.  H&M / Mexx etc...
  4. What exactly should I be looking for... Currently I have the following purchases planned:

 

 

  • 2-3 neck scarves
  • 4-5 pocket squares
  • 2 suits (already have a formal one so looking for colour recommendation)
  • 2-3 new pairs of shoes in different colours
  • Some dress shirts
  • Ties
  • Blazer
  • Winter coat (Peacoat perhaps)

 

I notice some patterns people wear that I would class as not in style but it seems quite common here.  I was always into the more straightforward black or pinstriped suits which is what I currently own.

 

 

Overall I'm just looking at where to get my start.  I want to go out and pick up some items this week.

 

Are there any good resources for current styles or how to match things up properly?

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Affordable / Semi-Affordable clothing (Student budget now but still have a few thousand to go out and spend on my new wardrobe... so I would like to want to maximize items for minimum cost.

 

I know its a semi-vague question thread but there is so much information out there that it is hard to piece it all together.

 

Any and all help / tips / pointing me in the proper direction for additional resources is most appreciated.

 

Kind Regards

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post #2 of 2
10/30/11 at 8:53pm
1. While there are broad trends, this forum tends to focus on classic stuff that doesn't go out of style for decades, if ever. The stuff you see in WAYWRN won't usually go out of style. Classic men's tailoring and good color pairings certainly don't.

2. Most here have nice looking casual clothing, too. Many of us live in an intermediate scale of formality, and it's not just a dress formally/dress casually dichotomy. Mixing formality levels in garments is something you learn, and you pick out an outfit appropriate for each day. I'm in jeans and khakis the vast majority of the time, but that's not an excuse to look slobby. I have jeans and khakis that fit well and integrate into outfits nicely.

Basically, you're asking the wrong question on this one. You should be asking, "How do I dress well across levels of formality?"

3. You can shop at any or all of them, you just have to know what to buy and what not to buy. I have some linen pants I love from Old Navy, but despite being constantly tempted by $20 oxfords, I never buy, because their shirts are cut horribly. I wouldn't buy the fake leather shoes from an H&M, but I was very tempted by a pair of canvas bucks. Know where paying more gets you more, and where it's not as important. Target socks are a forum favorite, for example.

I will throw out Lands End and LL Bean. Not really Old Navy/ H&M budget category, but they both make good stuff at good prices. Just be careful on fit.

4. This one is best left without a direct answer. Paw through old threads on similar topics, just look around for a while. Whatever you do decide to buy, go slow. As you go through the process, you'll find that you really like some things and don't like others. You don't want to lock yourself into too many big budget mistakes.

That said, medium gray suit. You'll take some shit on the black one, the general groupthink here hates them, but there's no good reason behind it. Ignore those comments, and if the suit fits well, keep it and continue wearing it. Medium gray is conservative enough for any business, but it's also a less harsh and intimidating color than the charcoal/black/navy of serious suits. You can wear it with a lot of fun shirt/tie combinations, it works great with black or brown shoes, so on and so forth.
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