Trying to build a wardrobe, how does this look

rfkannen · Dec 30, 2015

Hello. I am new to this forum, this is my first post, sorry if I posted in the wrong place or am breaking the forum rules, if so just inform me and I'll try to fix it.

Anyway I recently went through my wardrobe and donated/sold clothes all of my clothes that were ruined/too small/I never wore. I wound up with like 7 pieces of clothing
So I decided to start rebuilding a wardrobe that is more minimalist and interchangeable than my last one. Right now the wardrobe I'm thinking of winding up with is;

1 dark colored jean
1 sport jacket (thinking a charcoal tweed.)
5 dress shirts (I have right now a striped white/purple, a striped white/blue and a blue. I think I need a white and a burgundy)
a 3 button Henley (Not sure what colors.)
t shirts (currently 1 white, 2 black)
v neck sweater (tan maybe? not sure of color)
shawl sweater (Charcoal grey probably)
black suit (need to replace pants)
olive chinos
blue oxford shirt (Have)
scarfs (Have)
2 pairs shoes; thinking brogues/semi-brogues and a pair of Clark desert boots (Only shoes I have right now are a pair of falling apart Harley Davidson motorcycle boots)
bag - I am actually thinking maybe a brown leather briefcase. Or maybe a tote.
a couple of ties (Have)
Belts/socks/underwear (Have)
Glasses (Never had a pair but really need to get a prescription)

and I also have 3 pairs of light jeans, a leather bomber and a jean jacket.

What do you think? I am pretty new to this dressing decent thing, so I would love any advice you"ve got!

edit; with notes from thread so far I have replaces shoes with a brogue and a chukka, I am buying some OCBD, I have replaced the black suit with a charcoal one, I have replaced the burgundy dress shirt with a darker blue shirt (Though I am still open to other colors), the sports coat is now a black and white herringbone, I am adding a navy blazer, and I am adding a pair of khaki pants and a grey trouser. I am also looking for a different color for the v neck sweater that would layer well with the sports jacket and the blazer.

extra info. I am 6 foot 5, I am an art student who lives in vermont.

billythekid · Dec 30, 2015

The sport jacket should be navy. Keep the white shirt. Throw away the others and definitely don't get the burgundy. For a v neck, get grey. Not tan. Throw away the black suit. Get a navy or grey suit.

rfkannen · Dec 30, 2015

billythekid said:
The sport jacket should be navy. Keep the white shirt. Throw away the others and definitely don't get the burgundy. For a v neck, get grey. Not tan. Throw away the black suit. Get a navy or grey suit.

My worry about navy is that it might be too formal, I am looking for something that I can wear everyday that is pretty casual. I don't want to look pretentious. Am I just being paranoid?

What is the problem with the striped dress shirts? Isn't blue like a classic dress shirt color? What would be a good color besides burgundy (for reference I am a darker white dude, winter coloring)

Grey does seem like a better call than tan. Ill change that.

I have heard similar comments about the suit, I think I might buy the pants for the suit just because they can double as dress pants, and save the jacket for if I need to go to a funeral or something. A grey suit sounds like a good purchase though. On the other hand it might be good to get rid of the jacket, I suppose I do want to cut down on wardrobe size.... I don't know. It might make sense to just get rid of the jacket and buy a new suit, but it is a pretty nice jacket.

thanks for replying!

ajc2162 · Dec 30, 2015

Hi rfkannen, welcome to the forum and good for you in deciding to get a better wardrobe.

May I suggest that you go slowly with OTR to begin with. Fit is key so it's worth trying on different brands to see what works best for you. Vanity sizing is something to take into account.

It would help if you explained if you wanted a business wardrobe or just a casual wardrobe for knocking around in. Your list is extensive but straddles both genres.So if I were you, I'd focus on what is important.

Buy only one item of each to begin with and give yourself time to assess objectively when the novelty wears off - before you buy more.

You can get the suit later but I'd recommend either a navy or dark grey to start with. Avoid black because it's not very versatile (use the search function if you want to find out why black isn't the best option). By the way, the suit pants will wear differently to the coat so don't wear as a separate.

Far better just to get a nice pair of wool trousers - can't go wrong with mid to dark grey as a starter; and they go well with blue shirts and.blue sports coats.

I'll leave it there as a start for you to think about. Feel free to come back with more info / questions.

Patrick R · Dec 30, 2015

Sounds like you are trying to do a version of this: http://putthison.com/post/712103418/the-essential-mans-wardrobe-perhaps-the-most

ajc2162 · Dec 30, 2015

Patrick R said:
Sounds like you are trying to do a version of this: http://putthison.com/post/712103418/the-essential-mans-wardrobe-perhaps-the-most

Thanks Patrick - that basically covers it.

rfkannen · Dec 31, 2015

ajc2162 said:
Hi rfkannen, welcome to the forum and good for you in deciding to get a better wardrobe.

May I suggest that you go slowly with OTR to begin with. Fit is key so it's worth trying on different brands to see what works best for you. Vanity sizing is something to take into account.

It would help if you explained if you wanted a business wardrobe or just a casual wardrobe for knocking around in. Your list is extensive but straddles both genres.So if I were you, I'd focus on what is important.

Buy only one item of each to begin with and give yourself time to assess objectively when the novelty wears off - before you buy more.

You can get the suit later but I'd recommend either a navy or dark grey to start with. Avoid black because it's not very versatile (use the search function if you want to find out why black isn't the best option). By the way, the suit pants will wear differently to the coat so don't wear as a separate.

Far better just to get a nice pair of wool trousers - can't go wrong with mid to dark grey as a starter; and they go well with blue shirts and.blue sports coats.

I'll leave it there as a start for you to think about. Feel free to come back with more info / questions.

Ill take fit into mind. According to my internet search OTR means on the run?

Wow I suppose I really did not mention it. Yeah, I am an art student who lives in Vermont, so I want to be fairly formal, not t shirts all the time, but too formal and I would look a bit silly. I like to be the best dressed man in a room, but still I am in a place where it would be a bit awkward to go full out tuxedo or something.

Good idea on the only buying one item at a time. I will do that.

Oh you can't wear suit pants separate? Well then ill probably just but a different pair of pants, then a suit, and then latter replace the black suit pants(Just in case I have to go to a funeral). Dark grey wool trousers sounds good!

Thank you for the help!

Patrick R said:
Sounds like you are trying to do a version of this: http://putthison.com/post/712103418/the-essential-mans-wardrobe-perhaps-the-most

That does seem about right! Ill take a look at that!

Wayward · Dec 31, 2015

OTR = off the rack, as in the opposite of anything custom made, be it made-to-measure (MTM) or bespoke.

Yeah, definitely start slow. Once you begin paying attention, you'll find that your tastes will start to change and may no longer enjoy certain pieces.

Suit jackets and pants are supposed to match in colour. Pants are also known to wear out faster than the jacket. When you start to wear just the pants, it'll make them fade AND die faster, which is why it's not recommended. Pro-tip: always dry clean both jacket and pants together, in order to avoid colour discrepancies.

If you're looking to start a versatile wardrobe, I'd suggest the more conservative i.e. boring colours to start. When I hear tan for example, I immediately think of all the limitations in pairing. Navy, blue, grey, brown, white and black can't go wrong, for now. Then, once you're comfortable, then branch out into things like burnt orange, forest green, burgundy and whatnot, which IMO would still do fine with the conservative stuff.

Nobleprofessor · Dec 31, 2015

rfkannen said:
Hello. I am new to this forum, this is my first post, sorry if I posted in the wrong place or am breaking the forum rules, if so just inform me and I'll try to fix it.

Anyway I recently went through my wardrobe and donated/sold clothes all of my clothes that were ruined/too small/I never wore. I wound up with like 7 pieces of clothing
So I decided to start rebuilding a wardrobe that is more minimalist and interchangeable than my last one. Right now the wardrobe I'm thinking of winding up with is;

1 dark colored jean

1 sport jacket (thinking a charcoal tweed.)

5 dress shirts (I have right now a striped white/purple, a striped white/blue and a blue. I think I need a white and a burgundy)

a 3 button Henley (Not sure what colors.)

t shirts (currently 1 white, 2 black)

v neck sweater (tan maybe? not sure of color)

shawl sweater (Charcoal grey probably)

black suit (need to replace pants)

olive chinos

blue oxford shirt (Have)

scarfs (Have)

2 pairs shoes; thinking brogues/semi-brogues and a pair of Clark desert boots (Only shoes I have right now are a pair of falling apart Harley Davidson motorcycle boots)

bag - I am actually thinking maybe a brown leather briefcase. Or maybe a tote.

a couple of ties (Have)

Belts/socks/underwear (Have)

Glasses (Never had a pair but really need to get a prescription)

and I also have 3 pairs of light jeans, a leather bomber and a jean jacket.

What do you think? I am pretty new to this dressing decent thing, so I would love any advice you"ve got!

As others have already mentioned, get a Navy Blazer instead a tweed. A Navy blazer is, in my opinion, one of the most versatile items in a man's wardrobe. It can be dressed up or down.

For dress shoes, I assume by brogues what most people call wingtips. That would be fine, and I love wingtips. But, if you really are only going to have a limited number of pairs, go with a cap toe. They can be black, burgundy or brown with black and burgundy being more versatile (in my opinion). You don't need a black suit. Instead of spending the money to buy black pants, get khakis and a nice pair of gray slacks/trousers in a 4 season wool.

Wayward · Dec 31, 2015

Nobleprofessor said:
For dress shoes, I assume by brogues what most people call wingtips. That would be fine, and I love wingtips. But, if you really are only going to have a limited number of pairs, go with a cap toe. They can be black, burgundy or brown with black and burgundy being more versatile (in my opinion).

Respectfully disagree. Black shoes are quite formal, and can't be dressed down. Black cap toes represent the ultimate conservative business shoes, and should never be worn except with suit or jacket/trousers.

Brogues only refer to punching details like medallions, and don't have to have the shortwings or longwings (ex. see the AE Strands). Brogues are also less formal than cap toes. Brogues in some sort of brown would go with more outfits.

Furthermore, since a black suit can only be worn with black shoes, this is one more reason not to get a black suit if you are planning a minimal wardrobe.

rfkannen · Dec 31, 2015

Wayward said:
Respectfully disagree. Black shoes are quite formal, and can't be dressed down. Black cap toes represent the ultimate conservative business shoes, and should never be worn except with suit or jacket/trousers.

Brogues only refer to punching details like medallions, and don't have to have the shortwings or longwings (ex. see the AE Strands). Brogues are also less formal than cap toes. Brogues in some sort of brown would go with more outfits.

Furthermore, since a black suit can only be worn with black shoes, this is one more reason not to get a black suit if you are planning a minimal wardrobe.

ah, than maybe a black shoe would be best. I think I think i will go back to the brogue.

yeah it sounds like a black suit would not be the best, ill add a note at the bottom of the original post to reflect my changes.

Nobleprofessor said:
As others have already mentioned, get a Navy Blazer instead a tweed. A Navy blazer is, in my opinion, one of the most versatile items in a man's wardrobe. It can be dressed up or down.

For dress shoes, I assume by brogues what most people call wingtips. That would be fine, and I love wingtips. But, if you really are only going to have a limited number of pairs, go with a cap toe. They can be black, burgundy or brown with black and burgundy being more versatile (in my opinion). You don't need a black suit. Instead of spending the money to buy black pants, get khakis and a nice pair of gray slacks/trousers in a 4 season wool.

I will add a navy blazer, but I still do want a sports coat as well, I am thinking a black and white herringbone maybe?

hmm I think a brown cap toe might be good, but I have always liked brogues anyway, so I am probably going to get a pair unless I hear some evidence against them.

Yeah the no black suit seems to be unanimous, I will add a pair of gray trousers and khakis.

Wayward said:
OTR = off the rack, as in the opposite of anything custom made, be it made-to-measure (MTM) or bespoke.

Yeah, definitely start slow. Once you begin paying attention, you'll find that your tastes will start to change and may no longer enjoy certain pieces.

Suit jackets and pants are supposed to match in colour. Pants are also known to wear out faster than the jacket. When you start to wear just the pants, it'll make them fade AND die faster, which is why it's not recommended. Pro-tip: always dry clean both jacket and pants together, in order to avoid colour discrepancies.

If you're looking to start a versatile wardrobe, I'd suggest the more conservative i.e. boring colours to start. When I hear tan for example, I immediately think of all the limitations in pairing. Navy, blue, grey, brown, white and black can't go wrong, for now. Then, once you're comfortable, then branch out into things like burnt orange, forest green, burgundy and whatnot, which IMO would still do fine with the conservative stuff.

Thank you for the terminology.

Right, I won't buy the pants for now. Thanks for the washing tip

good advise for the coloring, but I picked tan because I wanted to layer it with other clothes, some of which are going to be grey, and I didn't want it to be similar. For example I am thinking of getting a black and white sports coat, and I want something that can layer with that.

billythekid · Dec 31, 2015

If you are an art student, you only need one suit. Nothing too fine.
He is absolutely correct on tan stuff. That's a whole different lesson for a year or so from now.
Shoes--A wingtip would be perfect--Allen Edmond Strand too. Go to Boston, get sized at a store, then order from Shoebank.com
The black/white sports coat is a terrible idea.

ajc2162 · Dec 31, 2015

I'm glad you like all the info you're getting; and you can probably already see how this is helping you form a clearer idea of what you want.

Re the "don't rush" suggestion, it's all about having fun while you're learning. After all, the most important thing is how you feel and you will slowly grow into what style suits you. You'll be surprised how much more confident you will feel after only six months.

So it's not an exam and there's no time limit. Trust me, you will regret a purchase now and again - take it as part of the learning game and donate it to a charity. But you don't want to find you've bought many of the same item that don't push your buttons. That's a bit of a financial hit so you learn to be a little bit more resistant to all those attractive sales offering "Buy 3 for $.. ".

Enjoy the journey.

rfkannen · Dec 31, 2015

billythekid said:
If you are an art student, you only need one suit. Nothing too fine.
He is absolutely correct on tan stuff. That's a whole different lesson for a year or so from now.
Shoes--A wingtip would be perfect--Allen Edmond Strand too. Go to Boston, get sized at a store, then order from Shoebank.com
The black/white sports coat is a terrible idea.

Yeah I think Ill pick up a grey suit eventually, but I really don't need more than 1.

If tan doesn't work what would be a good sweater color? I want something that could work with both the navy blazer and the sports coat that I still am conflicted about color wise? (Also sports coat color, I have heard no to black and white herringbone and charcoal tweed. I just want something that is fairly casual that fits with the rest of the wardrobe, I don't really know fabric and sports coat acetic)

ajc2162 said:
I'm glad you like all the info you're getting; and you can probably already see how this is helping you form a clearer idea of what you want.

Re the "don't rush" suggestion, it's all about having fun while you're learning. After all, the most important thing is how you feel and you will slowly grow into what style suits you. You'll be surprised how much more confident you will feel after only six months.

So it's not an exam and there's no time limit. Trust me, you will regret a purchase now and again - take it as part of the learning game and donate it to a charity. But you don't want to find you've bought many of the same item that don't push your buttons. That's a bit of a financial hit so you learn to be a little bit more resistant to all those attractive sales offering "Buy 3 for $.. ".

Enjoy the journey.

they are giving me a much clearer idea.

Yeah it is good to not rush, I just want to have a good idea first you know?

Yeah 1 at a time sounds good, don't want to spend to much on something that I wind up not wanting.

Thank you.

billythekid · Jan 1, 2016

A grey sweater is perfect. + a light blue.
Just get a navy sports coat and then a grey suit. You can wear the sports coat with chinos, dark jeans, grey slacks. Mix in the sweaters and 5 dress shirts and suddenly you've got a bunch of combinations.

Trying to build a wardrobe, how does this look

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