Styleforum - What should a young man buy that will last him a lifetime? - Page 3

A good tie clip.

I own several of my grandfathers clips that were given to me by my father last year. Two of the clips are over 70 years old.  They look great.

unbelragazzo , the umbrella I was thinking of was a hand-me-down of my fathers from the 1960's.The umbrella completely disintegrated in a bad storm. I am certainly happy that others fair better with their umbrellas. Thank you for the link.

Quadcammer, ever see an old TV series called Columbo? Older trench or raincoats that are well worn can attain a charming rumpled look to them.

SimonC, I am sure your old SAB was using a different guage of thread than my old umbrella. By the way, have you checked your stitching all around? I would love to see a photo. I love vintage.

I have a pea coat that I found in the trash when I was 15. it has been my casual winter coat for 30 years

I have a loden overcoat I bought about 25 years ago and is in great shape

I have a tux I had made 15 years ago

I have a tiffany belt buckle my wife got me 15 years ago

I have a fountain pen from 15 years ago, a gift from my mother in law

I have a pair of 70 year old silver cufflinks

I used ot have my father army shoe brush, but that got lost

nothing else I have has lasted longer

Watch.
Rolex, Panerai, used Patek Phillippe

A house. If you have enough to where you're asking the Internet what other clothing accessories you should buy, you don't need anything.

Save, invest in a home.

Unless you already have one, in which case, a nice briefcase.

And a Fleshlight.  Can't forget the Fleshlight.

Will that allow you to see thru clothing or thru flesh like an xray?

I think I am getting one of those in my stocking this year. After all, I have been very good this year.

Great watch, something that you've spent at at least a few months studying and researching. It's got to be something that you envision handing down to your son.
A good pen. Not just a piece of jewelry, but something you like to write with, In addition a decent fountain pen (vintage?) to use for sighing letters and documents.
A good pocket knife you can use to open letters,cut string or whatever.

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People say that you if you invest in classic clothing items you can wear them forever. This is not true. An item can only be worn so many times before showing use. You will also gain/lose weight. Styles will change. You may need to convey a different message with your clothing at 40 than at 22. I'd say look at clothing as having a 3 year life span. Now sometimes, your going to find a leather jacket or a trench coat that you can wear for 20 years, but consider that as a lucky exception rather than the rule.
Just my 2$

one of my biggest regret was passing on a SAB bag similar to this back in 2001; asking price was $400-450 and I have no clue

I didn't read all of the responses, but if you like watches, a high-quality watch is a great investment and can last a lifetime.  Omega, Breitling, Rolex, Paneiri, IWC, Cartier, Patek Phillipe, and many other brands are awesome and hold their quality and value over the years. 

 

I can second that. :)

 

Last week I went through my late grandfather's wardrobe, and I found his grey pinstripe overcoat... It's a beautiful piece, weighs a TON, and I absolutely love it. It was a definitely emotional moment, for me he was pretty much the definition of how a man should bear himself in all things life and style.

First thing after Christmas, I'll take it to a tailor to have it fixed up and adjusted for my measurements. Thankfully I have a similar build as my grandfather in his youth, so it won't need a lot of work.

Everyone's already on it, but let me also reiterate the same. First off, most clothing, whether you like it or not, will become somewhat obsolete over time. Fits, trends, and styles change over the course of many years, and you'll find yourself buying new garments to replace your old ones. However, accessories don't change as frequently. Thus, a watch is the first thing that comes to my mind in terms of lifetime ownership.

If you have the $, I would suggest getting yourself a nice watch from a premier watchmaker, not just a fashion designer.

A prada watch may cost a lot, but at the end of the day, a Rolex will be the one you wear and cherish for the rest of your life, while the Prada sits idly on your dresser.

Second, high quality leather or canvas products, like a briefcase, wallet, etc. could be lifetime keepers as well. I feel like I'll be keeping my Filson bag for quite some time, as it also has a lifetime warranty.

Lastly, a pair of classic sunglasses (like an aviator or wayfarer) and an umbrella should all be possible lifetime keepers, as long as you don't lose them.

Fortunately somewhere along the way early in my life I took the path of buying with permanence in mind. Some of the things I enjoy the most are high quality leather and really well made outerwear. Both seem to stand up to any changes in trends and become better with age. I think it is great that you are thinking this way, there is no substitute for having something timeless that has been with you all the way.

If you are into the mechanics of it and whatnot and want to pay that much for it, then by all means. I just don't think an expensive watch is one of those "every gentleman should have one or four" kind of items.

Personally, I don't even wear a watch. I used to some, but I pretty much stopped. I take some secret pleasure in adhering to the quaint, now very much outdated if ever truly enforced, rule of not wearing a watch in the evening. And I don't feel like wearing one to work and then discarding it at some point.

Also, it's pretty much necessary to engage in some sort of brand showmanship with your watch. Even if you're not wearing one of those huge monstrosities that look like they're meant to carry an emergency supply of tuna on the inside, you're always advertising that you have a very expensive watch, and the brand name is always on the face of the watch. Of course you could levy the same charge against bespoke suits that people in the know can identify as something extremely expensive, but the difference in subtlety is enough to make it a difference in kind IMHO. To me, the nicely cut suit is classy, wearing $10k on your wrist is gaudy.

Anyway, just some personal thoughts on watches. I wish a happy holiday season to all watch lovers and hope you enjoy your time tellers in good health.