Ask A Question, Get An Answer... - Post All Quick Questions Here (Classic menswear)

[Spurious]

Anyone with a recommendation for an UK based online shop to buy shoe care products? I am rather price sensitive, since I dont think there is much of a difference between the products (unless you can convince me).

 

[adam-r8]

Anyone with a recommendation for an UK based online shop to buy shoe care products? I am rather price sensitive, since I dont think there is much of a difference between the products (unless you can convince me).

Timpsons are probably your best option if you want generic products at low cost

 

[Smore]

I just look a bit like a sack in it, it's a very boxy suit. But I guess it's probably the best way to go. Thanks.

 

[Kid Nickels]



Screw it then, if you are going to look ridiculous, you might as well go all the way. Get the pinstripe one.
BTW, no one can pull of that look.

+1... except Craig Sager!

here you go bud... meet your mentor and aspire to greatness.

 

[pstoller]



The tie bars at The Tie Bar are made of "sturdy polished metal," while the J. Crew tie bar is made of sterling silver. The designs of the bars from The Tie Bar are nice enough, but there's a good reason for the price difference beyond just the brand name.

fyi, i have both a sterling silver j crew tie bar and a tiebar.com's tie bars... and the latter have lasted a lot longer... (the j crew ones are really dinged up)

Silver is a soft metal, so it's going to get dinged more easily than, say, nickel. But, what are you doing that you're dinging up your tie bars? We're talking about a piece of jewelry that clips a silk tie to a cotton dress shirt; if you stay out of sword fights and store the tie bar in the case it came in rather than clattering around in a drawer full of other jewelry, it should last a lifetime with minimal signs of wear.

 

[12345Michael54321]



I know the standard rule of thumb for what to wear to an interview is a conservative charcoal gray or navy blue suit, but what do you do if the one you have is old and ill fitting (got it when I was younger).

Actually, the rule is to wear a clean, properly fitting, conservative charcoal or navy suit. If your suit is ill-fitting, it violates this rule. (Old isn't necessarily a problem, assuming the suit's in good condition and doesn't look silly due to highly dated styling - the dated styling problem being minimized, to an extent, by the fact that conservative suit style tends to change relatively slowly.)

To what extent one must follow this rule could perhaps be challenged by some, but for purposes of this discussion let's assume that you believe there's some validity to this general rule, as applied to your situation.

I have a better fitting suit that I had tailored to fit me properly but it's in khaki.

And this suit violates the aforementioned rule, too.

The position is just a low level management position, nothing fancy.

Is it important to you that you obtain the position? Are many thousands of dollars in income to you at stake? Will you go to the trouble of preparing yourself in any way for the interview? If so, then it's an important enough interview that you ought to dress appropriately for it.

Without knowing the company, the location, the position, etc., I have no idea whether appropriate dress means a clean, properly fitting, conservative charcoal or navy suit. But your question seems to suggest that this is the case.

So older ill fitting suit because it's gray, or better fitting suit even if its khaki?

Neither is the right choice, but if you're simply asking which is the lesser of two evils, I'd suggest the ill-fitting grey suit. So long as it doesn't fit you so poorly as to make you look like a joke. My rationale is that your suit's color will be obvious at a glance, even by someone who knows nothing about suits. Whereas poor fit can, sometimes, to an extent, be overlooked.

Just as a side note I don't have the time or the means to purchase a new suit or have the old one tailored.

Consider buying yourself a new suit, that fits you well, and which is navy or charcoal. Not necessarily for this interview (since you state there's not enough time and not enough money), but sometime reasonably soon. Because a man can do worse than to have a suit in his closet which fits him and which is appropriate for wearing to a job interview or other professional meeting, a wedding, a funeral, a court appearance, etc. Not that these events necessarily demand such a suit be worn, but as a practical matter any of them, and others, may lend themselves to the wearing of such a suit.

I'm not talking about a $1500 suit either, if that's just not financially practical. A used, but mint condition, suit off of eBay, which is the right size for you and which you pick up for $70, is far better than no suit at all.

Anyway, I wish you good luck on your interview for the position you seek.
--
Michael

 

[Kid Nickels]



Silver is a soft metal, so it's going to get dinged more easily than, say, nickel. But, what are you doing that you're dinging up your tie bars? We're talking about a piece of jewelry that clips a silk tie to a cotton dress shirt; if you stay out of sword fights and store the tie bar in the case it came in rather than clattering around in a drawer full of other jewelry, it should last a lifetime with minimal signs of wear.

+1.. exactly. I don't think you really want to be wearing any base metal accessories. How on earth would it get dinged up anyway? Plus, you are completely overpaying for what is essentially crap if it's made of anything but silver. Personally I don't wear anything of base metals. Recently I picked up a few pairs of links and a cool tie clip in Mexico... I usually go there once or twice a year, the craftsmanship is excellent, 925 quality and very reasonably priced. I paid less for solid silver than you did for something of nickel or even worse. Search around for any online retailers of Taxco silver and see what is available.

 

[12345Michael54321]



Silver is a soft metal, so it's going to get dinged more easily than, say, nickel. But, what are you doing that you're dinging up your tie bars? We're talking about a piece of jewelry that clips a silk tie to a cotton dress shirt; if you stay out of sword fights and store the tie bar in the case it came in rather than clattering around in a drawer full of other jewelry, it should last a lifetime with minimal signs of wear.

Agreed.

Although since sterling silver tarnishes, I prefer that items like cufflinks, tie clips, belt buckles, etc., be rhodium plated. It's not a huge issue for me, but when I had to replace my sterling silver knot cufflinks last year, I did opt for rhodium plated ones. (Actually, for this pair from Joseph A. Bank, during an "All Accessories 65% Off!!!" sale, instead of splurging on a $400 pair from Tiffany & Co. Fine, so I'm a cheapskate.)



--
Michael

 

[Kid Nickels]

If you have or find something you really like, having it rhodium (a form of titanium) plated is not very expensive. But make sure it's "hot" not "cold".

 

[12345Michael54321]



having it rhodium (a form of titanium) plated

Rhodium is not a form of titanium. It is a completely different element, a member of the platinum group.

 

[Kid Nickels]



Rhodium is not a form of titanium. It is a completely different element, a member of the platinum group.

yeah ... I misspoke.. it's platinum... I did mean platinum (really ). Not sure why I said titanium considering I just had a ring done a couple weeks ago. Must be the wine... Thanks for the correction.

 

[erutha95]



yeah ... I misspoke.. it's platinum... I did mean platinum (really ). Not sure why I said titanium considering I just had a ring done a couple weeks ago. Must be the wine... Thanks for the correction.

It's not platinum either. It's its own element. Similar to platinum, but distinct. That is, rhodium is about as similar to platinum as aluminum is to titanium,

 

[pstoller]



If you have or find something you really like, having it rhodium … plated is not very expensive.

As an alternative, palladium plating is nearly as good and a bit cheaper. Rhodium is certainly worth it if for plating white gold, but palladium is more than good enough for silver. Palladium is also a superior choice to nickel as an alloy for making white gold, and some jewelers even use an alloy of palladium and silver to make a higher quality of sterling.

 

[clarksdb]

Medium gray or navy linen suit? Need it for summer graduation. Tan is out of the question as I have brown complexion. Just won't look good on me. I'm thinking the gray pants as an individual piece will be more versatile but the navy jacket will be more versatile as well. So yeah medium gray or navy?

What pants can a gray jacket work with? How about with dark denim?

 

[Patrick Alfante]

Edit: Just made a thread