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Dressing up a bit more?

cmrocks

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I've been reading this forum for quite a while now and I have to say that it has helped my style a lot. I've learned the importance of quality and fit. This forum has really helped me develop my day to day style. What I'm having problems with now is when the occasion calls for something a bit dressier.

Right now, this is what I'm wearing most of the time. Adidas sneakers or classic chucks and jeans, mostly Nudies. For my upper body, I wear a lot of plain tshirts from AA, casual white button up shirts, hoodies and sweaters.

I find that I've been going to some better nightclubs with my friends, ones that a bit more upscale. Most of the male clientele is doing either jeans/striped shirt, jeans/polo, jeans/tshirt/blazer or jeans/track jacket. I usually wear sneakers and jeans with a sweater over top of a white collared shirt. I like the look but I want something a bit more.

I'm looking for something that is a bit dressier and more sleek, if you will. I would like to get away from jeans if possible. I also want to avoid sport coats and blazers. I'm just not a fan of them. I'm thinking that I would like to try something more along the lines of black dress shoes, grey dress pants and a black sweater or possibly a mock neck.

Any suggestions on how to pull this off properly? I'm worried that what I try will end up looking bad. If it helps, I wear dark framed glasses and have medium length hair with longer bangs that usually close to eye length.
 

drizzt3117

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I think the look you're discussing is simple enough that it won't be too hard to pull off. The key IMO is to find good shoes that look modern yet not overly trendy, and pants that are modern enough that they don't look like you just came from work: I picked a bunch of stuff from bluefly, because it's easiest. Something like this would work IMO: You could go with a black sweater, like the following: http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID or a casual button-up shirt, like this: http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID with nice fitted dress pants, in charcoal or so: like http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID or http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID or if you want something a bit more trendy and a bit less dressy, something like: http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID or http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID Shoes would likely make or break the outfit, and there are a couple routes you can go. If you want something more flashy, and want to stay with black, then boots like these may work: http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID or http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID If you want to stay with boots, but be a bit more muted: http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID or http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID If you want to go the shoe route, then try something like these, just try to make sure you don't go with something too businesslike... http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID http://www.bluefly.com/pages/product...&Nu=Product+ID Personally I think a sportcoat or other outerwear does help to consolidate a look, and being in a club/bar i.e. a hot place, it's most likely a sportcoat will be the least warm way to do so effectively, but if you want to forgo it, a sweater will work as long as you make sure that it's fitted, and not too loose, but not so tight that it looks questionable or unflattering.
 

Max

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Rock a vest. Try it.
 

jet

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Blazers and loafers, the only way to go.
 

Hawkeye

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How about a cardigan? And for pants, try a glen plaid or something like that. If you have an H&M near you, check that out, they have lots of dressy/casual stuff that might work for what you want.
 

cmrocks

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drizzt,

Thanks a lot man. I really like some of those boots. I think I'm going to look for a pair of pants that are still dress pants but with a slightly more modern cut ie lower rise and a bit slimmer.

Can boots be worn with a suit? I don't yet own a pair of black shoes/boots so it would be nice to have something that I could wear with a suit if the occasion called for it.

Another thing I'm considering is just getting a well fitted charcoal suit. I could wear the pants as dress pants and use the jacket with jeans if I wanted to. I don't own a suit yet so it is something I need to get before too long.

Max,

A vest is something I have considered too. I think I would want to be wearing jeans though because a vest is pretty dressy. I saw a picture on the sartorialist a while back of a guy wearing jeans, white shirt and a black vest and it looked great.

Hawkeye,

I have a black cashmere cardigan that I wear quite often. I usually end up wearing it with jeans and a white tshirt. I'll try dressing it up a bit more when I go out. I just feel kind of "Mr. Rogerish", if you will, when I dress it up too much.
 

Get Smart

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Black boots (chelsea, brogued, or wingtip) with a suit looks awesome, just make sure your trousers are no break or it'll look sloppy. and they can be worn with jeans just as easily.

patterned/checked trousers look great for dressing up a bit more but still maintaining a casual vibe. but whatever the color, make sure it's flat fronted, and ideally frog mouth pockets would look better than slanted pockets.
 

Goblin

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Just out of curiosity, why a mock turtleneck instead of a "real" turtleneck?

I'm interested in these replies as well, because the occasion will likely arise at some point when I have to go to functions that are sort of classy, but not black tie, and my two wardrobe settings are "courtroom" and "guttersnipe."
 

drizzt3117

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Originally Posted by DucatiCole
drizzt,

Thanks a lot man. I really like some of those boots. I think I'm going to look for a pair of pants that are still dress pants but with a slightly more modern cut ie lower rise and a bit slimmer.


That's not a bad idea. A cheap option would be BR, but there are many other companies that make similar pants.

Can boots be worn with a suit? I don't yet own a pair of black shoes/boots so it would be nice to have something that I could wear with a suit if the occasion called for it.
Sure, boots look good with a suit if they are sleek. You may want to select something with a plain or cap toe if you are going to wear it with a suit a lot.

Another thing I'm considering is just getting a well fitted charcoal suit. I could wear the pants as dress pants and use the jacket with jeans if I wanted to. I don't own a suit yet so it is something I need to get before too long.
That's a good idea, the only issue you may run into is that if you're going to get a business suit, the jacket may not be particularly trendy, but you may still be able to get away with it, especially with something like Z Zegna or Paul Smith, if you can find something in solid Charcoal from those makers.
 

drizzt3117

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Originally Posted by Goblin
Just out of curiosity, why a mock turtleneck instead of a "real" turtleneck?

I'm interested in these replies as well, because the occasion will likely arise at some point when I have to go to functions that are sort of classy, but not black tie, and my two wardrobe settings are "courtroom" and "guttersnipe."


Suit w/o tie or polo/button-up shirt with slacks would always work?
 

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