2012 Clothing Insights & 2013 Clothing Plans

Well, I'm new here. In a couple of months I'll be starting my first job that requires a tie and jacket, and occasionally a suit. I've been lurking for awhile, learning what to pay attention to and what not to.

 

My 2012 insights:

 

1: Don Draper has poise, but Sam Seabourne in The West Wing is the best-dressed man in the history of television. Followed immediately by Sterling Archer.

2: Black slacks are a no-go.

3: Socks matter.

4: Fit and tailoring trumps everything.

5: Apparently for an office worker I am freakishly muscular, but then so is Victor so I might be okay.

6: Oxblood brogues are badass.

7: Business fashion is like Haiku, funk music, or Iambic Pentameter. I.e., the art lies in creativity within the bounds of a few rigid, unquestionable rules. Step outside those preset rules, you're no longer doing it right; you're doing something else.

 

My immediate goal for 2013 is to build as conservative and flexible of a wardrobe as possible. Foundations will be gray flannel trousers, a couple of sportcoats, and point-collar shirts. 

 

My secondary goal for 2013 is to start hitting the thrift shops and figure out how and where I can start to deviate a bit and add some flair. 

Edited by Pierce R - 1/1/13 at 10:23am

Copying in from my tumblr:


Looking back on my post from one year ago:
2012 Plans:

- Commission a velvet blazer for evenings out (currently thinking a deep blue, peak lapels)
- Nail a trouser fit and start rebuilding trouser collection from there
- Evening footwear (currently I mostly wear some zipup boots when black shoes are called for in the evening…I’m thinking of going to either G&G Kent or splurging for stingray wholecuts)
- Mid-grey flannel suit
- Continue reading books, blogs, and fora to learn more. Particularly about fabrics.
- Continue posting to my Tumblr
- Sell old items that I’ve realized don’t work for me
- Find more occasions to wear suits and ties
- (more minor projects: add one or two sweaters and/or sweatervests, continue growing sock collection, continue adding shirts with rougher weaves and tattersalls to complement my mostly fairly tweedy, textured SC collection)
Overall I did pretty well. The velvet blazer was a success. I’d say I’m still working on the trousers part, but there has been significant progress. The evening footwear situation has improved. I have two Belgians - one velvet, one patent, both in black with grosgrain bows. And there’s a delivery upcoming in February-ish, which might be awesome. Wearing my mid-grey flannel suit as I write this. Writing and reading has continued, and has lead to me going to Pitti next month with StyleForum, which should be really fun. I’ve been wearing suits and ties to work a lot more over the past few months. And I’ve got enough beautiful socks to strangle a hippopotamus now, so there’s that. I sold off some of my old stuff using LuxeSwap, but there’s a fair amount of newer stuff now that hasn’t quite worked out that I’ll be selling soon.
So progress on last year’s goals. What of 2013?
I have some projects in the works right now, but other than what I’ve already started, which I think will make me completely satisfied with my summer wardrobe, although I’m sure I’ll pick up a knit tie or two when I’m in Naples next month. Also since the velvet evening coat wears quite hot, a mohair version for summer may be in order. I’ll continue working on my fall/winter clothes, probably with a dark brown herringbone SC, and maybe another flannel suit in a PoW check. Some donegal trousers too. Perhaps a tweed ulster coat - even though I have three overcoats that I like a lot, they’re all fairly formal. 
But mostly, I don’t feel like I need very much. Mostly this year I’m looking forward to enjoying all the things I have. I have a lot of new reading material now that I’d like to read too - including Esquire’s Encyclopedia.
I think I need to institute a one-in-one-out policy on ties. I have well enough of them as it is. If I can exert some discipline on smaller purchases, then I may venture into bespoke footwear at some point in 2013, likely either G&G or Cleverly. It’s really hard to resist after seeing some pictures of G&G hatchgrain. 
Finally, just as last year I planned to find more occasion for coat and tie, once I get my dinner suit I want to wear black tie more often. I’m finding there are enough fun occasions around DC to make wearing black tie 8-10 times a year plenty feasible. And that starts tonight, with my current best impression of black tie. 
Cheers, everyone.

1. RTW is good enough for certain items, if you can nail the fit.

2. Fit, as always, trumps nearly all else.


3. No amount of bespokeness can compensate for an out of shape body.


4. In general, clothing enthusiasts, the so called iGents, talks much more than what they do or look like in real life.


5. Style is developed overtime, like a fine wine; it cannot be rushed (or outright imitated)


6. Frequent clothing sites less.

I spent a long time on this forum last year, and as a result I believe the way I dress has improved vastly. While I'm still quite a beginner, I have learnt a lot about everything; fit, colour and pattern combinations, seasonality, formality levels... so thanks everyone. Still a lot to learn 

 

The most important thing I've learnt is that good tailoring is not about how close you can get your clothes to your skin, but rather, it's about how to play with proportions to flatter your figure, and have enough cloth in the right places to allow for freedom of movement while still having clean lines. I wish I had realized this before, as my wardrobe is filled with tight jackets.
 

One of my main goals in 2013 is to start building a decent wardrobe, by completely avoiding any more RTW jackets and commisioning some MTM from decent cloths instead, if budget allows. Perhaps, from now on, two or three jackets from H&S or Loro Piana per year, and I might even try bespoke, which my tailor does for a decent price. Trousers will still have to be RTW.

 

Most of my current wardrobe is rather ill-fitting and poor quality, because I had to get a decent rotation of jackets and trousers within a very limited budget. Now that I have something to wear everyday, I can start to throw in better stuff from time to time. I hope I can control compulsive shopping!

 

In this year I also want to experiment with more double-breasted jackets. I love them and find them quite flattering if cut correctly.

 

Another goal is to lose 20-30 pounds, which is why trousers will still have to be RTW  Jackets will probably be alterable, as most of my remaining extra weight is located at the waist.

Edited by RDiaz - 1/2/13 at 10:41am

Words of wisdom. above.

Add a couple:

Cheap is almost always more expensive in the long run.

Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten