Are We Over Analyzing Clothing and Dress?

[NORE]

I mean, c'mon. Take a look at some of the threads recently started. Some folks are coming here with genuine questions and we are still cramming these stupid 'rules' down their throats. Now I will admit, some people have no clue but c'mon, son. Some of the stuff I've read here is just ridiculous. It seems like the members people tend to worship on here are actually the most 'safe' dressers which equally makes them boring.

I say live a little. Live a lot! If what you put on makes you feel good then go out feeling good and knowing that you look good. I am of the belief that a person wearing a burlap sack that exudes confidence will always look better than a bespoke fitted dude with no panache.

Check it, while I am aware that many of you would never wear this I posted this in a thread and it was moderated out:

Why? Probably because of the colors. But I felt [and know I looked] like a boss. Now I'm not mad, not everyone wants do this or some of the other stuff I do, but I still say try something different. Live a little.

If things keep on the way they are going, all of the listeners will be wearing navy or gray suits with white or light blue shirts, solid navy or brown ties, navy socks, gunboats and a TV fold. C'mon, son. C'mon Styleforum. Where's the style?

 

[bellyhungry]

I would say the line between SF and AAAC appears to have been breached....

 

[NORE]



I would say the line between SF and AAAC appears to have been breached....

Care to explain?

 

[Putonghua73]



If things keep on the way they are going, all of the listeners will be wearing navy or gray suits with white or light blue shirts, solid navy or brown ties, navy socks, gunboats and a TV fold. C'mon, son. C'mon Styleforum. Where's the style?

I sympathize and agree with your position to an extent, as there is a lot of group-think on SF. That said, from reading a LOT of threads over the past few months, I appreciate and understand why the above is regularly recommended as staples (along with a couple of pairs of decent shoes) purely because a lot of people think that they dress well, when in fact, their outfit lets them down. Usually shoes, lack of colour coordination, combining different patterns which clash, and the SF favourite cognitive dissonance.

I will never wear anything resembling tweed or chinos, for example. However, my business sartorial attire has improved a hundred-fold from following a few, basic rules (and suffering Spoo envy): namely fit is everything i.e. tailor RTW suits, a couple of decent pairs of shoes, staple shirts (whites and blues), as well as wearing ties again.

In terms of casual wear, for the first time in my life, I will be shopping for a Sports coat (one very similar to the dark blue jacket I fell in love with in the appreciation of navy thread), and after seeing RDiaz's beautiful Meermin sand whole-cuts, my mind has been opened to other options for creating a Spring / Summer wardrobe i.e. the possibility of wearing non-Autumnal colours.

Look around during your commute, or out and about at weekends. How many people's outfits do you admire compared with how many make you cringe inside?

I think it's a case of learning the rules, understanding the instructional lesson contained therein, and following the principles to feel confident to make one's own decision - and occasionally asking for feedback.

 

[TheFoo]



Check it, while I am aware that many of you would never wear this I posted this in a thread and it was moderated out:

Why? Probably because of the colors.

No, because it is ugly as sin and tasteless.

But I felt [and know I looked] like a boss.

This is the problem that "rules" are meant to solve.

 

[Viral]

the over-analysis of clothing and dress has been happening long before you started this thread, so the answer is 'yes'.

Also, you have some people on SF who think only they know what works and what doesn't - but sometimes those same people appear not to own a mirror (or use it).

 

[unbelragazzo]

Which member moderated that picture out of their thread? I'd like to send them a PM of gratitude.

 

[TheFoo]



the over-analysis of clothing and dress has been happening long before you started this thread, so the answer is 'yes'.
Also, you have some people on SF who think only they know what works and what doesn't - but sometimes those same people appear not to own a mirror (or use it).

This is a discussion forum, not an image sharing service. While you are of course right that analyses may easily be false, your position and the OPs are inherently nihilistic to SF. Analytical discussion is the only hope of learning to see things better than we already do. If we relied merely on our first, impulsive reactions to things, we could never refine ourselves beyond where we have started. The recent uptick in analytical discussion by so-called forum elders was triggered by agreement amongst us that we would give the forum one last shot rather than ***** and moan about its decline.

 

[NORE]



I sympathize and agree with your position to an extent, as there is a lot of group-think on SF. That said, from reading a LOT of threads over the past few months, I appreciate and understand why the above is regularly recommended as staples (along with a couple of pairs of decent shoes) purely because a lot of people think that they dress well, when in fact, their outfit lets them down. Usually shoes, lack of colour coordination, combining different patterns which clash, and the SF favourite cognitive dissonance.
I will never wear anything resembling tweed or chinos, for example. However, my business sartorial attire has improved a hundred-fold from following a few, basic rules (and suffering Spoo envy): namely fit is everything i.e. tailor RTW suits, a couple of decent pairs of shoes, staple shirts (whites and blues), as well as wearing ties again.
In terms of casual wear, for the first time in my life, I will be shopping for a Sports coat (one very similar to the dark blue jacket I fell in love with in the appreciation of navy thread), and after seeing RDiaz's beautiful Meermin sand whole-cuts, my mind has been opened to other options for creating a Spring / Summer wardrobe i.e. the possibility of wearing non-Autumnal colours.
Look around during your commute, or out and about at weekends. How many people's outfits do you admire compared with how many make you cringe inside?
I think it's a case of learning the rules, understanding the instructional lesson contained therein, and following the principles to feel confident to make one's own decision - and occasionally asking for feedback.

I appreciate your contribution. I see many individuals owning their style (I live in NYC) and I also see many who look bizarre. Then there are the folks who don't seem to know any better.

No, because it is ugly as sin and tasteless.
This is the problem that "rules" are meant to solve.

Thanks for commenting here and I can certainly appreciate your opinion. But it's just that-an opinion. Case in point, I think that DB you own (the brownish looking one) is ugly as sin, as you put it. For many reasons. Now I know you have defended "why [you think] it works", but it isn't something I would ever wear nor something I would put you in if I were dressing you. Some of what you wear suits you well and looks good, tho.

the over-analysis of clothing and dress has been happening long before you started this thread, so the answer is 'yes'.
Also, you have some people on SF who think only they know what works and what doesn't - but sometimes those same people appear not to own a mirror (or use it).

Seems that way, doesn't it. Especially the folks who are supposed to be the authority on all things sartorial. I'm reminded of one guy who used to post pics that had a wide array of cothing, some of which was tame and some was adventurous. Fun. I just wished he'd rumple a sleeve or pant leg or something from time to time. He will be missed.

 

[TM79]

The recent new threads have been the best thing I've read on here in all of my time lurking and I hope they continue.

No one has to read them or take part in them if they think it's over-analytical or whatever - simple concept, no?

 

[NORE]



This is a discussion forum, not an image sharing service. While you are of course right that analyses may easily be false, your position and the OPs are inherently nihilistic to SF. Analytical discussion is the only hope of learning to see things better than we already do. If we relied merely on our first, impulsive reactions to things, we could never refine ourselves beyond where we have started. The recent uptick in analytical discussion by so-called forum elders was triggered by agreement amongst us that we would give the forum one last shot rather than ***** and moan about its decline.

Right. In the spirit of your post above, would you care to explain why my fit is ugly as sin?

 

[edmorel]

here's the thing though, if you are on SF, you are by default analyzing clothes. And every single community of anything has "groupthink", if everyone sat around disagreeing with everything, then why the hell would we keep coming back here All that being said, I think sometimes people take the threads and posts by the more vociferous members a bit too personal. At the end of the day, we are really here discussing something that is incredibly inconsequential in the big scheme of things. Not one person here would have their life negatively affected if all of a sudden their bespoke/designer wardrobe turned into JosABank or menswearhouse items. Your jobs will still be there, your family will still love you, etc etc.

So, take everything with a grain of salt. If you don't like the very detail oriented, analytical way of dressing, then don't participate in those threads but don't necessarily denigrate them as useless. By the same token, at least speaking for myself, I don't denigrate those that have a different style/approach to dressing then I do (occasional snark aside).

This happens across the internet, hobbiest communities develop into forums, certain people and items become forum favorities, backlash ensues, wash/rinse/repeat. Its human nature. I don't read anything here as "fact", whether the poster meant it that way or not. Just do your thing and take this for what it is, at the end of the day nothing that goes on here should have a real effect on your life.

Now, back to NORE, unbel, you can thank me for deleting that pic. It was in my sedate dressing threak I think, hence why it was deleted. NORE is a good guy in person, and whenever I've seen him he, is dressed well (I've never seen him in this outfit though ) but he has a bit of a martyr complex on the forum. Not sure why you care so much about what Manton or Foo are writing about (and vice versa), its a big world and there is space for everyone.

 

[NORE]

I'd just like to know what is wrong with this fit? Like I said, most folks may not purchase these pieces but I seriously don't think they look bad. Not like I'm rolling out with an orange Mohawk.

Foo said it was tasteless. How so? Ed said Why? unbel thanked Ed for deleting it. Why? Threadbearer once said it was radioactive. Why?

 

[TheFoo]



Right. In the spirit of your post above, would you care to explain why my fit is ugly as sin?

Okay.

The colors are obnoxious, yes. But that is not the worst of it. The outfit stumbles most because you have used your tie and PS each to directly and exactly reference the colors in your shirt. This is bad practice as it fails to create an interesting and balanced range of color, contrast, saturation, etc. You can sometimes get away with a limited universe of colors in an outfit when those colors are not so eye-searing. But here, you have hot pink and lime green. And that's it. So, it's not just obnoxious, its rote.

 

[NORE]



Okay.
The colors are obnoxious, yes. But that is not the worst of it. The outfit stumbles most because you have used your tie and PS each to directly and exactly reference the colors in your shirt. This is bad practice as it fails to create an interesting and balanced range of color, contrast, saturation, etc. You can sometimes get away with a limited universe of colors in an outfit when those colors are not so eye-searing. But here, you have hot pink and lime green. And that's it. So, it's not just obnoxious, its rote.

I truly appreciate the time you took to answer, thanks. What pieces would you change if you only could change 1? 2? And to what?