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Casual style

Alias

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I'm trying to apply all what I've learned into casual style. I'm already well ahead of the curve with regards to business dress and whatnot, but I'm completely lost when it comes to dressing for the street.

I was thinking about going for that rumpled dress shirt + sweater + jeans + jacket thing. It sounds and looks a lot better than my current "wear whatever is clean" method.

To the guys who do something similar to this, and have experience:

How long do you prefer your shirts to be, to look their best untucked? Any pitfalls I need to be aware of?
 

aybojs

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I wear dress shirts with jeans primarily, usually with the sleeves rolled up. The bad part is it can make some people think you're trying that godawful "metro" trend, but just avoid the ridiculously loud striped Banana Republic shirts or the skin tight shiny metallic-colored or black shirts and you'll be fine.

The key thing to look for is shirt length. Being short, I just can't wear any off the rack shirts casually because otherwise I'll have ugly dress shirt tails sagging all over ******. Make your sure shirts end right at the waist, otherwise you'll look like a nerd.
 

marc37

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The key thing to look for is shirt length.  Make your sure shirts end right at the waist, otherwise you'll look like a nerd.
how true.
 

rsp1

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To add to aybojs' comments, try to find shirts that aren't as long and that have a relatively flat bottom (e.g., nothing with a gusset or large "slope"). In addition, try to find a shirt that doesn't have the extra buttons sewn into the bottom, doesn't have a shirt pocket and has (I believe this is the term) french-style plackets, which is to say that you can't see the 2 vertical sewing lines on the front. All of those things may contribute to you looking like an off-duty banker (which, at least in NYC, is a bad thing).
 

Alias

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Thanks, guys.

With regards to shirt length, what would you define as the "waist"? I know of one waist, and that's where my dress trousers go (bellybutton). Sad, I know.
 

Nick M

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With regards to shirt length, what would you define as the "waist"?
I would define it as closer to the hips, that is to say, where the waistband of your jeans should be.

That being said, I like my shirts to be versatile, so that they can be worn untucked with jeans/cords, or tucked into regular trousers.

As a result, my preferred length is about halfway down the back pockets of my jeans - short enough so that my legs make up more than half of my body length, but long enough so that, when tucked, the tail doesn't come out if I have to reach for something.
 

rlevine

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I usually wear jeans with untucked button downs casually, but I don't know what shoes would look best with this look. Any ideas?
 

Nick M

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I usually wear jeans with untucked button downs casually, but I don't know what shoes would look best with this look.  Any ideas?
I usually go with some kind of leather boot, but I've been looking lately into what you might call 'hybrid' shoes - a leather shoe shaped like a sneaker, with laces all the way down the vamp, but with a little more structure, like a bowling shoe.

Aside from that, Converse Chuck Taylors never fail.
 

Alias

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Looks like I'm going to get more shirts from Jantzen. My dress shirts run a little on the long side (because I always tuck them in, of course) but I'm wondering if the shirts that I own that run towards the more casual end of the spectrum can't be altered with regards to length.
 

Nick M

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Looks like I'm going to get more shirts from Jantzen. My dress shirts run a little on the long side (because I always tuck them in, of course) but I'm wondering if the shirts that I own that run towards the more casual end of the spectrum can't be altered with regards to length.
Sure, I've had that done with a few shirts. Easy. Works best on shirts without a pocket/ with a pocket placed high on the chest, otherwise the shirt can look out of proportion. You know, I saw a Jantzen shirt on a certain... very awful forum the other day, I vote we put a lid on mentioning them before the entire Internet starts wearing them and there's no fabric left for us.
 

aybojs

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(Alias @ 06 Sep. 2004, 07:00) Looks like I'm going to get more shirts from Jantzen. My dress shirts run a little on the long side (because I always tuck them in, of course) but I'm wondering if the shirts that I own that run towards the more casual end of the spectrum can't be altered with regards to length.
Sure, I've had that done with a few shirts. Easy. Works best on shirts without a pocket/ with a pocket placed high on the chest, otherwise the shirt can look out of proportion. You know, I saw a Jantzen shirt on a certain... very awful forum the other day, I vote we put a lid on mentioning them before the entire Internet starts wearing them and there's no fabric left for us.
That was me... I signed up a week or two ago. You'll note that I obscured the tag and didn't say where I got it from. Anyway, I'm also in the middle of a Jantzen order, seeing as how OTR shirt makers seem to hate short people like me. Unfortunately Ricky hasn't responded to my last 3-4 e-mails or the 2 orders I placed. Alias... if you do place an order, let me know if/when you here from him.
 

Nick M

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I placed an order for four shirts on the 1st, and I got a reply... *goes to check*... on the 5th. This is unusual, I find. Sometimes I get no response at all, and shirts just arrive on my doorstep a few weeks later.

Nice choices with the shirt, BTW... I've never seen the practical use for a gusset, but a purple one is cool.
 

aybojs

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Weird, I've been e-mailing Ricky since late July and placed orders in mid August and a few days ago respectively, with another planned one on the way. Not a single reply... maybe Ricky secretly hates me or something
sad.gif
As you can see I also disagree with rsp1 about gussets on casual shirts. I ordered one split tail shirt and it just didn't feel right; if the shirt is the proper short length, then I think minor aspects like gussets and the placket won't draw negative attention. BTW, what's your username on *cough*those*cough* forums?
 

Nick M

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BTW, what's your username on *cough*those*cough* forums?
Everyone asks that. Currently don't have one.
lookaround.gif
It tends to cut into my 'real life' time, ie time when I should be typing up assignments, but I might re-register during mid-semester break. Alias'll give you his username, though, I'm sure, if you PM him.
 

aybojs

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I already outed Alias in another thread, so to speak. Since you're from Australia though, I'll give you the $10 if you go find TAK and break all his fingers so he can't make his incessantly annoying 34874983732897 posts per day
tounge.gif
.
 

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