Hey, my name is Kyle (23) from Minneapolis. I'm new here, coming from the world of cars. I'm a moderator of the local European car club so I'm sorry if I posted this in the wrong spot. Feel free to move it where ever it needs to go. I'm registering for classes this week to start my degree in Law Enforcement, in the hopes of becoming a LEO in the future. It's something I've always wanted to be, but I never had believed that I could actually do it. Then one day I said to myself, why not? Whay can't I do that? And I decided that not only CAN I do it, I WILL do it. So that's the plan. I may be putting my eggs in one basket by getting a very specific degree, but I'm confident it will pan out.
I currently own two BMW 3 Series, one is in storage awaiting a motor swap and more go fast goodies this winter and the other is my winter daily driver. I also detail cars professionally, so I get my hands dirty 7 days a week. However, I like to clean up and look presentable when going out.
Now, I don't need to look like I just stepped out of Esquire. I don't hang out in hip bars and I don't work downtown in an office. So my style isn't dictated by nessecity or environment. It's just that I've always felt subtlety is the name of the game. And because the devil is in the details, I always find that the little things really make something stand out. I'm not going to call attention to myself, but I hope that when you notice me, you really notice me.
This is the case with how I've chosen to build my black car pictured below. It's got nothing that screams "LOOK AT ME!" (apart from the wheels...however they're influenced by BMW motorsport of the time to be period correct). But as a package it really does stand out once you notice the details. That said, you do need to be familliar with this model to know what to look for...whatever. You probably get the idea. Little things = big difference. Yeah?
What does my car have to do with how I dress? Well, I feel that building a car and making it yours is very much the same as building a wardrobe and finding your own style. My car fits me like a freaking glove, and my style may not be to the liking of others but it fits my personality. Relaxed, reserved, and traditional. Both tell the world who I am (hopefully they're not telling the world I'm a douche lol). I don't care for the hipster fedora, the ironic blazer or tie, or crazy stupid colored clothes. Give me a well fitting jacket and a polo with blue jeans (no holes!), throw on a pair of Johnston & Murphy casual shoes and I'm set. I refuse to follow the trends with what people tell me is popular right now. I've found a sensible and very traditional look that works for me.
Besides, it means I don't have to keep buying new stuff all the time haha. Fashion and style is such a subjective thing. For instance, I've read and been told each of the following:
-Never wear black shoes with a navy suit.
-Never wear brown shoes with a navy suit.
-It's okay to wear brown shoes with a navy suit as long as it's about as dark as the suit, like Cordovan.
-Always wear mid-light brown shoes with a navy suit, but never get and darker than medium brown, like Cordovan.
-Black with brown is bad.
-Black with brown is fine, as long as it isn't over done.
I mean, really? The only way to make these people happy is to wear nothing, and that will only be because I'm not breaking any of their fashion rules. And then I'd make the police and kids parents angry for parading myself around that way. Come on. So I just decided "screw it, my Ecco wingtips are medium brown. I'm wearing you with my navy suit". Same with my burgandy Allen-Edmonds. And I'll wear those with my black suit. Just because I can. I like shoes and own something like 17 pairs of shoes, from Puma running shoes to Cole Haan casual oxfords, to those Allen-Edmonds dress shoes. And that number doesn't count the 2 pairs of boots, 3 pairs of slippers, 3 pairs of sandles, and works shoes. So I'm kind of a shoe whore.
This pic is absolutely tiny, but it's the best I have from a time I was dressed up. My old roommate got married and this was in the photo booth. He half jokingly/half seriously said "You're dressed nicer than the groomsmen or I, you asshole!". I didn't mean to try to outshine anyone...it was a wedding so I wanted to dress nicely. Sorry?
(I'm on the right)
Blue French cuff shirt, black suit with a mild pinstripe and a silver tie. I wore a white pocket square, tie bar and these cufflinks (I love these things...get it? Car guy?). I believe I was wearing my black Bostonian Dennison captoe oxfords at the time.
So, thanks for skimming over my long winded intro. I hope to learn more about how to dress well from the members here. From what I've seen I have a lot of learning to do yet. If there are other people located around the Minneapolis area that have any sort of get togethers, I'd love to meet some of you and get advice in person. In my dealings with mostly car people, that's not something I get a whole lot of.
Cheers,
-Kyle
