Dress Shirts/Pants/Shoes/Ties for A Vegan

[Mark Hazell]

Well to narrow the search down for business attire I am a vegan so that cuts out wool and leather and silk. I never bought a dress shirt with specific measurements (always just bought small). I guess I should just do my measurements and buy more fitting shirts. I'm really slim. I'm 5'10" weighing around 145. A recently graduated undergrad so I'm not very rich and can't really pay very much for dress shirts/pants. What kind of slim dress shirts should I buy? I have two calvin klein dress shirts that are from the slimmest line they carry and those fit me fine (although perhaps a little short). i also have a really cheap black tie, but I think i want to do skinny ties instead. Thoughts on colors and such? As for shoes, which i think might be a really difficult thing to consider since I don't want leather shoes. Also belts. I have no idea where to go for pants. So that's my current wardrobe for business attire.. two calvin klein shirts and a useable tie. I'm in need of suggestions. I'm also the type of person that is a semi-minimalist and would rather buy good quality stuff (as opposed to stuff I'd have to replace regularly) even if it is of higher price and rather get it fixed rather than buying a new pair whether it be shoes, belts, pants, or shirts.

Edit:
From the progression of the thread, it looks like there are some leather/wool products that are hard to match (or even come close to for durability/fashion/etc). So in light of this, I will welcome any non-vegan recommendations, but i would also like explanations for why the vegan alternatives do not compare.

 

[Digmenow]

Nice thread title.

 

[RDiaz]

wat is a dress ****?

Now seriously, searching around the forum should give you all the information you need. There's plenty of it and great advice lying around

 

[Mark Hazell]

wat is a dress ****?

Now seriously, searching around the forum should give you all the information you need. There's plenty of it and great advice lying around

Thanks, edited and fixed.

 

[VaderDave]

Vegans don't wear wool? I did not know that.

 

[conradwu]

...

 

[RDiaz]

One thing to keep in mind is that wool is easier to avoid during the warm months - linen and lightweight cotton become not only feasible, but perhaps preferred alternatives...

 

[Balfour]

My favourite typo!

Now seriously, searching around the forum should give you all the information you need. There's plenty of it and great advice lying around

Yes, but most of the OP's options are cr@p. In ruling out wool, leather and silk he's not left with much to play with that will be comme il faut (certainly for conservative business dress or cold climates).

There is a late British MP, Alan Clark, who was a scion of the Establishment and someone one would expect to be a huntin' shootin' fishin' type. He recorded this exchange with Lady Thatcher in his diaries:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Mrs. Thatcher: "You hunt don't you?"
Alan Clark: "No, I do not, prime minister."[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Mrs Thatcher: "You eat meat don't you?"
Alan Clark: "No, I do not, prime minister." [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Mrs Thatcher: "Well, you wear leather shoes, don't you?"
Alan Clark: "I am sure, prime minister, you would not wish to see your ministers walking around in plastic footwear ... " [/FONT]

Hear, hear!

 

[RDiaz]

Wool and silk you can do without, there's always cotton (thicker for the cooler months; corduroy, etc.)

But shoes are a different animal... you could wear canvas bucks or something like that in warm months, but for colder months it's either leather or crappy plastic...

 

[Mark Hazell]

Are there really no good alternatives to leather shoes?

 

[Balfour]

Wool and silk you can do without, there's always cotton (thicker for the cooler months; corduroy, etc.)

I disagree (even if not dressing in conservative business dress), unless the only goals are to be warm and not offend public decency!

 

[RDiaz]

I disagree (even if not dressing in conservative business dress), unless the only goals are to be warm and not offend public decency!

Well I meant to say you can do without if you absolutely have to

Of course you're missing the best looking stuff, but that won't mean some corduroy, moleskins, etc. won't look good for fall/winter!

Although now that you mention it, I can't think of any nice fall/winter ties that are not made of wool or silk... maybe ditch the tie altogether?

 

[Mark Hazell]

So, I did some digging online for non-leather shoes and it looks like you guys were right. There are no good alternatives... so in light of this I'll have to compromise.

Edit:
Actually I found a couple pairs of shoes that are good (or maybe not, you guys tell me)
http://www.mooshoes.com/index.php?product=Eri&c=14&color=Blk
http://www.mooshoes.com/index.php?product=JUSTIN&c=14&color=Blk

 

[Balfour]

Well I meant to say you can do without if you absolutely have to

Of course you're missing the best looking stuff, but that won't mean some corduroy, moleskins, etc. won't look good for fall/winter!

Although now that you mention it, I can't think of any nice fall/winter ties that are not made of wool or silk... maybe ditch the tie altogether?

My main concern (even tieless) would be with jackets.

 

[cptjeff]



Vegans don't wear wool? I did not know that.

Some of them think that shearing sheep is cruel. I suppose it's better if the sheep gets cooked alive while standing in the field instead, as happens in a lot of climates if they're not shorn. Well, not cooked alive, but heatstroke and whatnot.

Wool is renewable, and gathering it does not harm the sheep. I can understand rejecting leather, even though it's usually a byproduct of the animals that are being killed primarily for meat, and silk does involve the mass slaughter of bugs, but wool is pretty damn benign.

But if OP does reject wool, I would suggest linen and cotton. He'll probably look quite out of place in the winter, but he could just become the guy who always wears corduroy suits.