Considering a sartorial personality change?

This past weekend we took my mother-in-law to the Met. For whatever reason, the surroundings got me thinking about what I would do if I had to completely overhaul my style.

I would do something radically different. I'd switch to an all black and white wardrobe: black turtlenecks, black suits, black shoes, and white shirts, all absolutely identical. No ties or pocket squares. The only thing I'd keep from my past sartorial life would be my eyeglasses.

Would I actually do it? No way. Maybe I'm repressing something, but it was fun to think about what other sartorial identity other than my current one would feel like 'me'. I've always found stark simplicity appealing.

Anybody else consider a sartorial personality change?

No. Took me long enough to come to terms with the one I have now.. Also, as I get older, things that were important to me, become less so.

No.

You guys are no fun.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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The only thing I'd keep from my past sartorial life would be my eyeglasses.

yeah, this issue is actually is sort of plaging me. I will need to buy some clothes next summer, possibly as much as replacing my whole wardrobe. now, most of my suits are 3 piece single and double breasted, in dark grays and blues, maybe as many stripes as solid, with a couple of other patterns. right now, almost all of my shirts are collorful stripes with contrast collar/cuffs (I was wearing only blue for several years, and now I am wearing stuff that I bought 8-10 years ago). my shoes are a mix of ankle boots and black shoes. all of my ties are either dark blue or dark gray. I've been dressing like this for almost 20 years, more or less.

my intention has been to simplify for the past few years - go to an even simpler wardrobe, possibly all solids. possilby a single cut of suit - either SB or DB. now I am not sure - a lot of it comes down to the feeling that wearing a DB 3 peice suit with a contrast collar is a little much for, say, a PTA meeting. on the other hand, a SB 2 piece with a white shirt I could wear pretty much everywhere.

so, yeah, I guess I am considering.......

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Click to expand...

This past weekend we took my mother-in-law to the Met. For whatever reason, the surroundings got me thinking about what I would do if I had to completely overhaul my style.

I would do something radically different. I'd switch to an all black and white wardrobe: black turtlenecks, black suits, black shoes, and white shirts, all absolutely identical. No ties or pocket squares. The only thing I'd keep from my past sartorial life would be my eyeglasses.

Would I actually do it? No way. Maybe I'm repressing something, but it was fun to think about what other sartorial identity other than my current one would feel like 'me'. I've always found stark simplicity appealing.

Anybody else consider a sartorial personality change?

I see a fundamental element of continuity in your "makeover."

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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You guys are no fun.

Sorry.. My own personal style has just changed so much over the years, and it has only recently attained a form of equilibrium.. I make tweaks now and again, but these tweaks are minor; adding monks to my wardrobe for example.

Interesting thought. I think I would find that an all black and white uniform would be a bit too stifling. Having grown-up having to wear a school uniform, I don't actually relish the idea of having such a paired down wardrobe. I enjoy having a relative degree of sartorial freedom and being able to mix and match as I please. Do you find that your personal style tends to be relatively narrowly confined? I'm just curious, because your question seems to be predicated on the idea that each individual has a relatively constrained sartorial "identity, whereas there may be those that don't have as constrained a wardrobe or vision of what constitutes their "personal style."

I don't choose clothes to play a role, or play "dress-up." They aren't costume, they're what I like, so the idea seems strange to me.

..

Originally Posted by Manton

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I see a fundamental element of continuity in your "makeover."

No matter how I dress, I like to stick to my own rules.

Originally Posted by academe

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Interesting thought. I think I would find that an all black and white uniform would be a bit too stifling. Having grown-up having to wear a school uniform, I don't actually relish the idea of wearing something so paired down. I enjoy having a relative degree of sartorial freedom and being able to mix and match as I please. Do you find that your personal style tends to be relatively narrowly confined? I'm just curious, because your question seems to be predicated on the idea that each individual has a relatively constrained sartorial "identity, whereas there may be those that don't have as constrained a wardrobe or vision of what constitutes their "personal style."

I am very sure of my personal style, but I'm not sure it's very 'confined' in the sense you mean. I am able to come up with many combination using relatively few parts, and that's how I like it. My ideal is a low-inventory wardrobe with maximum possibilities.

A black-and-white wardrobe would drastically reduce my inventory, but also drastically reduce my possibilities. A good trade-off? I'm not sure. But it's debatable, at least.

Originally Posted by chorse123

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I don't choose clothes to play a role, or play "dress-up." They aren't costume, they're what I like, so the idea seems strange to me.

Who said anything about costume? It's about choosing which kind of wardrobe you like better. I suppose some could deal with having both, but the divide in my closet would really upset me. Anyway, I like to commit.

I would shop at Atelier.

I'd echo chorse here. I never considered changing my sartorial personality as I don't have a sartorial personality. Or shall I say that I have multiple personalities. I buy and wear what I like and it runs the full gamut from an RLPL suit to a Uniqlo t-shirt and sneakers.

Even in the tailored clothing arena, I have a general preference for softer tailoring and natural shoulders but very often find myself attracted to a more military cut or even slightly roped shoulders. If it looks good and fits me, I'm happy.

Same thing with interior decor and furniture - I'm very surprised when I see here some perfectly themed apartment (whether it's MCM or other). I don't get it - I like to have things at my place from very different influences and styles. Different strokes...

I don't have any doubt that the development of clearly bound "sartorial personality" is closely link to the narrowing down of vendor/tailor choices. Very quickly, it seems like the client's sartorial personality is just a nuanced variation of the tailor's sartorial personality.

As a conclusion, by all means, please buy a black turtleneck, a black suit and some white shirts if you feel like you'd like to wear these some times.