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Advice for a Young Guy - Page 2

post #16 of 29
2/11/13 at 3:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by unclesam099 View Post

Buy less, buy better - Buy a GOOD navy blazer that really fits you well at/near full price. You won't regret it because it looks great and goes with everything and will last forever.

Don't read GQ for fashion advice.

Go to stores and try things on.

Get one white dress shirt, one white OCBD; but get many blues in different fabrics (oxford, twill, end-on-end, etc)

Solids are easier to match than patterns - wearing all solids is OK. Wearing 1 pattern is OK. Wearing 4 patterns is no good.

Buy "boring" clothing - it's easier to put together in many different ways rather than wearing an "outfit"

Avoid patterned pants.

Never wear pinstripes as separates (ie jacket by itself or pants by themselves).

Do not buy a black suit unless it is a Tuxedo.

+1 pm almost all of these with a couple caveats. I'd add

(1) Try to get the blazer you want on sale, but you're better off paying more for the one you want than less for one because it's on sale. Items bought because they're on sale sit in the back of your closet.

(2) Blue is more useful than white outside the few circumstances where you need a white shirt, but don't be afraid to try lilac and pink once you have 3-4 blue shirts and the white shirts recommended.

(3) You can wear more than 1 pattern (e.g. striped shirt or suit and pindot die), 3 gets a bit trickier and 4 is for experts only (and even the experts screw it up sometimes).
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post #17 of 29
2/11/13 at 3:24pm
Didn't we just have this same exact thread last week?
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post #18 of 29
2/11/13 at 5:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by aravenel View Post

Didn't we just have this same exact thread last week?

 

This is at least a once a week occurrence.

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post #19 of 29
2/11/13 at 5:49pm
Some advice on suit fitting... If it's not nerve-wrecking for you to go inside a Neiman Marcus or some high end department store, go inside and try on some suits. The range of suits at those stores will be infinitely better than anything you try on at a Macy's or Nordstrom or whatever. You'll actually have a good idea of what a good fitting suit is. You'll realize that nothing you try on under a certain price point will fit that well, but at least you'll understand how a suit should fit.
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post #20 of 29
2/12/13 at 8:34am

Advice for an 18 year old... Don't come to SF asking a bunch of 45 year olds fashion advice for an 18 year old.

 

This is the time of your life you can wear whatever the f you want and not have someone say you're trying hard to be young.

 

I'm not saying guy buy some affliction garbage... unless you want to wear that trash. If so, then do it. Buy what you like. 

 

Your body type is going to change anyways, so people telling you to buy something that will last 20 years are off base. 18 is not even old enough to have your man body yet.

 

You may still pack on 20lbs of muscle in 1 year--- and guess what, that 20 year investment is now a 6 month investment. For instance, I'm 25. I thought I was settled into my body at around 20 years old, but low and behold I gained 20lbs of muscle that i've kept as my now current body for past few years--- it will probably change again.

 

Now is the time to experiment with what you see some celebrity wear that YOU or the GIRL you're trying to impress thinks looks particularly good (IE justin timberlake). What he wears is trendy, not this 'classic style' that permeates on this board. And it is ok for you to try and emulate him now because you are young. Don't try to emulate him when you're 40.

 

It is trendy now to wear extremely bright chinos, patterns, socks etc. Do this if you think it looks good to you.

 

If you think it looks good to dress like an older businessman, with more muted colors, patterns, and cuts. Do this too. Dress however you like. 

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post #21 of 29
2/12/13 at 10:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lemmywinks View Post

Some advice on suit fitting... If it's not nerve-wrecking for you to go inside a Neiman Marcus or some high end department store, go inside and try on some suits. The range of suits at those stores will be infinitely better than anything you try on at a Macy's or Nordstrom or whatever. You'll actually have a good idea of what a good fitting suit is. You'll realize that nothing you try on under a certain price point will fit that well, but at least you'll understand how a suit should fit.

Caveat to this - don't let the sales associate try to put you into a suit. It will likely be too large for you. Learn how your shoulders should fit into a jacket and pay attention to that. Don't be afraid to measure your best fitting jacket and take a tape measure with you - 40L at one store may be the same as 42L at another. Also pay attention to the length of your jacket. Shoulders and jacket length cannot be altered. To some extent, pay the same attention to button stance as it cannot be altered either.
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post #22 of 29
2/12/13 at 11:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bboysdontcryy View Post

Start with Flussner's Dressing the Man, Roetzel's The Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style, Crompton's Le Snob's Guide to Tailoring or Manton's A Machiavellian Guide to Men's Style.

I'd recommend the first two because they're more pictorial, and more ideal for somebody at your stage.

I've no idea what inexpensive means for you, but check out classic stuff like Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren Rugby (with a modern twist), Ralph Lauren, LL Bean, J Crew (maybe), Gant, J Press. The first four are reasonably priced during sales.

One word of advice -- less is more. So make wise choices and invest in a few good staples instead of buying a whole lot of cheap trendy stuff.

And since I'm in a particularly generous mood -- people on here will tell you a blue shirt (and not a white one) is most versatile. My second tip is debatable -- but get a good pair of dark brown shoes. Why? So you can wear them to interviews, and also on weekends.
All good advice.
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post #23 of 29
2/12/13 at 11:44am

I like gq. Sure i dont go out and purchase everything in the magazine. It has a really hipster/left wing agenda that can get annoying, but there is a lot of good in it. Id say its a good style guide for someone whos 18 as long as you are sure to take some of it with a grain of salt. If you wear a suit everyday to school you're gonna get your ass kicked.

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post #24 of 29
2/12/13 at 12:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by archibaldleach View Post

Corduroy as dress trouser? Don't get me wrong, I love corduroy and think it definitely has a place in an 18 year old's wardrobe, but I think a medium grey wool trouser is more appropriate as a dress trouser. I'd also consider a navy blazer before acquiring the second suit.

I meaning slim cord, the 'trashy' one that sells in Gant, the thick cord is even better. I can understand the customs in different parts of world, but in UK if you are require to wear a jacket and trouser, it is probably good enough to wear a full suit.
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post #25 of 29
2/12/13 at 1:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Martini View Post

I like gq. Sure i dont go out and purchase everything in the magazine. It has a really hipster/left wing agenda that can get annoying, but there is a lot of good in it. Id say its a good style guide for someone whos 18 as long as you are sure to take some of it with a grain of salt. If you wear a suit everyday to school you're gonna get your ass kicked.

At an undergrad business school, you can get away with wearing a suit a decent amount. I don't recommend it but it's not the end of the world. As for GQ, I think it gives way too much credence to short term trends and the items it advertises are way too expensive (maybe if OP likes an idea and finds a cheaper version, that'd work). Agree on the grain of salt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by unclesam099 View Post

Caveat to this - don't let the sales associate try to put you into a suit. It will likely be too large for you. Learn how your shoulders should fit into a jacket and pay attention to that. Don't be afraid to measure your best fitting jacket and take a tape measure with you - 40L at one store may be the same as 42L at another. Also pay attention to the length of your jacket. Shoulders and jacket length cannot be altered. To some extent, pay the same attention to button stance as it cannot be altered either.

One can do minor alterations to jacket length. Maybe an inch or so depending on the length of the jacket. Anymore is probably a bad idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandog712 View Post

Advice for an 18 year old... Don't come to SF asking a bunch of 45 year olds fashion advice for an 18 year old.

This is the time of your life you can wear whatever the f you want and not have someone say you're trying hard to be young.

I'm not saying guy buy some affliction garbage... unless you want to wear that trash. If so, then do it. Buy what you like. 

Your body type is going to change anyways, so people telling you to buy something that will last 20 years are off base. 18 is not even old enough to have your man body yet.

You may still pack on 20lbs of muscle in 1 year--- and guess what, that 20 year investment is now a 6 month investment. For instance, I'm 25. I thought I was settled into my body at around 20 years old, but low and behold I gained 20lbs of muscle that i've kept as my now current body for past few years--- it will probably change again.

Now is the time to experiment with what you see some celebrity wear that YOU or the GIRL you're trying to impress thinks looks particularly good (IE justin timberlake). What he wears is trendy, not this 'classic style' that permeates on this board. And it is ok for you to try and emulate him now because you are young. Don't try to emulate him when you're 40.

It is trendy now to wear extremely bright chinos, patterns, socks etc. Do this if you think it looks good to you.

If you think it looks good to dress like an older businessman, with more muted colors, patterns, and cuts. Do this too. Dress however you like. 

Plenty of us are under 40 and getting advice from people who have been doing this for awhile isn't the worst thing in the world (and infinitely better than someone telling him to just wear lots of Abercrombie or whatever the kids wear these days). His body may change a bit, so getting bespoke may be a bad idea, but he's at the age where he can start to invest in quality items and can get things altered a bit if need be.

Telling someone to experiment and dress like a celebrity is not good advice; well, not the experimenting part so much as experimenting with emulating celebrities. Celebrities can wear whatever the hell they want and get away with it because they are rich and attractive. Unless OP is a male model with a trust fund, he doesn't have this going for him. Also, trying to imitate someone else instead of finding what you like almost always ends badly. OP is not going to look like Justin Timberlake. Perhaps you missed the part where OP said that funds were an issue; what's "trendy" changes way more often than classic style pieces costs more to invest in. Buying something that is going to be trendy for a year or so is just dumb unless you're a slave to trends or have money to burn.

Nothing wrong with bright socks and some brighter chinos, but they are not versatile.
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post #26 of 29
2/12/13 at 8:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by archibaldleach View Post


At an undergrad business school, you can get away with wearing a suit a decent amount. I don't recommend it but it's not the end of the world. As for GQ, I think it gives way too much credence to short term trends and the items it advertises are way too expensive (maybe if OP likes an idea and finds a cheaper version, that'd work). Agree on the grain of salt.
 

I guess i thought the op would still be in highschool. Sure in most colleges you could get away with a suit, probably not a community college though. GQ does get a little trendy for me, (they were fans of kanyes leather skirt). But i enjoy going through the pictures and seeing what color combos i like.  Plus i cant say i hate looking at kate upton in every issue.

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post #27 of 29
2/18/13 at 8:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by archibaldleach View Post




Telling someone to experiment and dress like a celebrity is not good advice; well, not the experimenting part so much as experimenting with emulating celebrities. Celebrities can wear whatever the hell they want and get away with it because they are rich and attractive. Unless OP is a male model with a trust fund, he doesn't have this going for him. Also, trying to imitate someone else instead of finding what you like almost always ends badly. OP is not going to look like Justin Timberlake. Perhaps you missed the part where OP said that funds were an issue; what's "trendy" changes way more often than classic style pieces costs more to invest in. Buying something that is going to be trendy for a year or so is just dumb unless you're a slave to trends or have money to burn.

Nothing wrong with bright socks and some brighter chinos, but they are not versatile.

I respect your stance on this, even though I do not agree with some of the points. I meant no disrespect with my 40 year age comment, just that most posters on this board aren't going to give appropriate advice to an 18 year old on what 18 year olds like.

 

I am a believer that 18 is the time to experiment with style. 18 year olds are heavily influenced my celebrities and peers, where the peers are most likely trying to emulate celebrities. Yes, celebrities can wear whatever the hell they want and get away with it--- and so can 18 year olds.Graphic t shirts of super heroes are completely acceptable on an 18 year old, as is man shorty shorts. Do I recommend he wear them? I don't recommend he wear or not wear them, I recommend he wear what he thinks looks good or what the girls/people he is after looks good.

 

The OP will not look like justin timberlake, but if he chooses to wear a fitted shirt, a jacket with slim lapels and a slim tie, he will look infinitely better than a kid wearing an oversized black shirt, with black tie, and black dress pants that can fit their 3 closest friends inside with room to spare. The cost is the same. Whether he chooses to dress trendy or classic, he can spend very little or very much money, it is based on how he chooses to shop. Thrift store vs online, vs neiman and credit card debt. 

 

I also completely disagree that he can get a shirt that fits him properly at the age of 18, and realistically expect it to fit him with a few alterations.  For me to fit in any of the shirts I had last year, I'd have had to been wearing balloons. I do not know the OP's body type, if he is overweight, then buying things to last may work with alterations, if he is skinny--- I would strongly advise against it. 

 

Buying trendy on the cheap cost less than buying quality classic clothes to last. The actual dollar amount is more to buy cheap trendy and then replace with quality classic, but at a time in your life where buying $10 chinos from express when they are on sale (normally $80, but on sale OFTEN) doesn't require any lifestyle changes, but buying quality slacks from RLPL, or brooks brothers will require you to eat ramen for a month--- then you should wait until you get a real job and just have fun buying whatever you find fun at the time as long as you can seriously afford it.

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post #28 of 29
2/21/13 at 9:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandog712 View Post

I respect your stance on this, even though I do not agree with some of the points. I meant no disrespect with my 40 year age comment, just that most posters on this board aren't going to give appropriate advice to an 18 year old on what 18 year olds like.

I am a believer that 18 is the time to experiment with style. 18 year olds are heavily influenced my celebrities and peers, where the peers are most likely trying to emulate celebrities. Yes, celebrities can wear whatever the hell they want and get away with it--- and so can 18 year olds.Graphic t shirts of super heroes are completely acceptable on an 18 year old, as is man shorty shorts. Do I recommend he wear them? I don't recommend he wear or not wear them, I recommend he wear what he thinks looks good or what the girls/people he is after looks good.

The OP will not look like justin timberlake, but if he chooses to wear a fitted shirt, a jacket with slim lapels and a slim tie, he will look infinitely better than a kid wearing an oversized black shirt, with black tie, and black dress pants that can fit their 3 closest friends inside with room to spare. The cost is the same. Whether he chooses to dress trendy or classic, he can spend very little or very much money, it is based on how he chooses to shop. Thrift store vs online, vs neiman and credit card debt. 

I also completely disagree that he can get a shirt that fits him properly at the age of 18, and realistically expect it to fit him with a few alterations.  For me to fit in any of the shirts I had last year, I'd have had to been wearing balloons. I do not know the OP's body type, if he is overweight, then buying things to last may work with alterations, if he is skinny--- I would strongly advise against it. 

Buying trendy on the cheap cost less than buying quality classic clothes to last. The actual dollar amount is more to buy cheap trendy and then replace with quality classic, but at a time in your life where buying $10 chinos from express when they are on sale (normally $80, but on sale OFTEN) doesn't require any lifestyle changes, but buying quality slacks from RLPL, or brooks brothers will require you to eat ramen for a month--- then you should wait until you get a real job and just have fun buying whatever you find fun at the time as long as you can seriously afford it.

Thanks for clarifying. I got the sense he wanted a slightly more adult look and was trying to dress with a bit more classic style, and figured that's why he made his post. Nothing wrong with experimenting and being 18 lets you get away with a lot but best to nip the celebrity influence in the bud as early as possible. I think that for what OP wants, he can get some decent sources and ideas here and start learning about these things on the sooner end. If he doesn't like the suggestions or thinks they look too "old," he's free to disregard for the time being. Many on SF would in fact suggest a fitted shirt and have no issue with slim lapels outside of conservative areas (e.g. job interview). That said, slightly wider lapels aren't going to kill the guy. Skinny ties are a personal thing. I'm not a fan but some here seem to like them. Most here would argue that fit is paramount, and you seem to agree.

For shirts, if you want a perfect fit, you need alterations or MTM in many cases. That said, you can find decent fits OTR regardless of age. Most shirts are not so slim that OP would need to replace them or get them altered. I could gain or lose an inch in my waist and be fine with the fit of my shirts. Slim does not mean skin-tight.

And yes, if you buy cheap stuff on extreme sales, you will save some money in the short-run. It won't last and will have to be replaced (in addition to looking cheaper) in short order on a relative basis, which makes it less of a deal. My comment on trendy being expensive was more a response to following celebrity fashion. If you buy stuff that goes "out of fashion" and you cannot wear it in 6 months, that becomes an expensive habit.

RLPL is pricey, even on sale, but I scored 3 pairs of BB Milano linen / cotton pants for under $30 each during their last semi-annual sale. Decent quality pants can also be bought on Sierra Trading Post for under $50 with higher quality than Express. Not exactly break the bank and eat Ramen for a month.
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post #29 of 29
2/21/13 at 9:42am

Look online for the nearest Nordstrom Rack and Neiman Marcus Last Call. 

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