help the LAST BOOMER? 59 y/o, style-challenged, which stores are trustworthy for quality, stylish clothing?

[rockwind1]

Suggestion for OP: check out this web site

Dappered – Affordable Men's Style

Affordable Men's Style

dappered.com

It will have a lot of helpful and reasonable suggestions for beginners, and even non-beginners, including both style suggestions and where to procure decent clothes for reasonable price.

thanks!

 

[Veremund]

Are there any slightly older fashion experts on here? what jeans do you buy? what brands and stores to you look for? how can you tell good denim from crappy denim? i love the new stretchy stuff.

The answer to all these questions is Levi’s.

 

[Harwid]

OP, are you near a major metro area? Asking because it may make more sense for you to go in person to stores and try on clothing than play the online order guessing game with your change in sizing etc...

Sizing of men’s clothing is all over the board these days. I purchased 3 sweaters yesterday - 1 large, 1 medium and 1 small. In LV you plenty of options to try clothes on.

Jeff

 

[jellyroller]

Sizing of men’s clothing is all over the board these days. I purchased 3 sweaters yesterday - 1 large, 1 medium and 1 small. In LV you plenty of options to try clothes on.

Jeff

Absolutely true

 

[rockwind1]

The answer to all these questions is Levi’s.

I was curious. Which style Levi’s do you prefer. Do they have any that have the new stretchy stuff. Not super stretchy just a little for comfort. Thanks

 

[paxonus]

are there any slightly older fashion experts on here? what jeans do you buy? what brands and stores to you look for?
how can you tell good denim from crappy denim? i love the new stretchy stuff. my hiking pants from rei are nice and stretchy. love whatever that stuff is.

I'm 67. I like the Wrangler 13MWZ Cowboy Cut. They have a higher rise than any other brand I have tried, including Levis. Not stretchy, but they look good and they are comfortable.

 

[Veremund]

I was curious. Which style Levi’s do you prefer. Do they have any that have the new stretchy stuff. Not super stretchy just a little for comfort. Thanks

I have some Levi’s denim 501 or 502s that have some stretch in them, and several pairs of khakis that have stretch as well.

 

[rockwind1]

I have some Levi’s denim 501 or 502s that have some stretch in them, and several pairs of khakis that have stretch as well.

So they must be newer manufactured versions than the old 501’s?

 

[double00]

The answer to all these questions is Levi’s.

501s forever

 

[Grayland]

I'm 59 as well. One thing I would suggest is that you make an effort to get back into, and stay in, good shape. I'm not suggestng some meathead routine, but get yourself moving regularly and start some resistance training. All clothing looks better on someone who is fit.

Nice shoes stand out. Maintain them well. They don't have to be super expensive either, but I do look for shoes that can be resoled. I've only resoled a few pairs, but the fact that they can be resoled usually means they are better quality to begin with. Sneakers are for the gym.

If I find something that fits me well and I like it, I'll often buy several of that item in various colors.

Make sure you actually like what you're wearing. When I first starting frequenting Styleforum, I read alot of posts that were critical of button down collar oxford shirts. They were too casual and inferior to spread collar or cutaway collar shirts in finer cotton - according to pundits. So I started wearing those types of shirts - and eventually figured out I just prefer button down collar oxford shirts. The dressier shirts are more appropriate for suit and tie, but I'm rarely in suit and tie.

Get some better denim. I like Levis 501's, but I have other pairs too. As mentioned earlier, stay the hell away from skinny jeans. I may be laughed at, but I have a few pairs of Revtown jeans - they have some stretch in them and are very comfortable. I agree with Thin White Duke to look for something other than jeans.

Stick with the classics. Chinos, button down shirts, polo shirts, pea coats, Harrington jackets, Levis 501's, crew neck Shetland sweaters, gray flannel trousers, a Harris Tweed sportcoat, etc. I guess I'm describing Ivy or Prep style, but there is a reason these clothing items have remained popular for generations.

Figure out what you really like first, then up the quality.
Keep in mind that at 59, you are older and should dress with a bit of dignity and style. In todays world, it doesn't take much effort to look sharp (in comparison to others). Geez, just tucking in your shirt and wearing well-maintained shoes with a matching belt will put you in the upper echelon!

I've bought and still have plenty of used clothing items that would easily be out of my price range if they were new. A good pair of wool pants can last a long time. For affordable "dressier" clothing, I find that Spier and MacKay has a nice selection. For casual wear, I find that LL Bean/Lands End works well and I'm not embarresed to admit that I've found a number of decent looking items at Target. I like their Goodfellow & Co. Oxford shirts and they fit me perfectly.

 

[jellyroller]

I'm 59 as well. One thing I would suggest is that you make an effort to get back into, and stay in, good shape. I'm not suggestng some meathead routine, but get yourself moving regularly and start some resistance training. All clothing looks better on someone who is fit.

Nice shoes stand out. Maintain them well. They don't have to be super expensive either, but I do look for shoes that can be resoled. I've only resoled a few pairs, but the fact that they can be resoled usually means they are better quality to begin with. Sneakers are for the gym.

If I find something that fits me well and I like it, I'll often buy several of that item in various colors.

Make sure you actually like what you're wearing. When I first starting frequenting Styleforum, I read alot of posts that were critical of button down collar oxford shirts. They were too casual and inferior to spread collar or cutaway collar shirts in finer cotton - according to pundits. So I started wearing those types of shirts - and eventually figured out I just prefer button down collar oxford shirts. The dressier shirts are more appropriate for suit and tie, but I'm rarely in suit and tie.

Get some better denim. I like Levis 501's, but I have other pairs too. As mentioned earlier, stay the hell away from skinny jeans. I may be laughed at, but I have a few pairs of Revtown jeans - they have some stretch in them and are very comfortable. I agree with Thin White Duke to look for something other than jeans.

Stick with the classics. Chinos, button down shirts, polo shirts, pea coats, Harrington jackets, Levis 501's, crew neck Shetland sweaters, gray flannel trousers, a Harris Tweed sportcoat, etc. I guess I'm describing Ivy or Prep style, but there is a reason these clothing items have remained popular for generations.

Figure out what you really like first, then up the quality.
Keep in mind that at 59, you are older and should dress with a bit of dignity and style. In todays world, it doesn't take much effort to look sharp (in comparison to others). Geez, just tucking in your shirt and wearing well-maintained shoes with a matching belt will put you in the upper echelon!

I've bought and still have plenty of used clothing items that would easily be out of my price range if they were new. A good pair of wool pants can last a long time. For affordable "dressier" clothing, I find that Spier and MacKay has a nice selection. For casual wear, I find that LL Bean/Lands End works well and I'm not embarresed to admit that I've found a number of decent looking items at Target. I like their Goodfellow & Co. Oxford shirts and they fit me perfectly.

Good post!

 

[rockwind1]

I'm 59 as well. One thing I would suggest is that you make an effort to get back into, and stay in, good shape. I'm not suggestng some meathead routine, but get yourself moving regularly and start some resistance training. All clothing looks better on someone who is fit.

I may have exaggerated a little bit in my first post, I am not in bad shape, it's just i used to be in much more above average shape and now i am not. I am 6' 1-1.5" ish, (used to be 6' 2" but i have apparently shrunk) and at the moment 202 lbs, 190 of which is in my butt.

but I am very, very active so no worries there, could use some muscle mass again but it's kinda harder than it used to be for some reason

 

[classicalthunde]

Over 40 year old here who started to care what he looked like ~5 years ago. My best advice would be to find a (or several) styles/looks your interested in and then work backwards from there about what to get and where you should shop. If you're going to go a trad/ivy route advice and shopping locations are going to be very different then if you wan to go a workwear route, a modern look, or a 'sleeze' 70s look.

Smaller scale advice:
- avoid going too trim or too full cut, find the medium ground and something that flatters you. For a long time I thought bigger was better cause it hides flaws but it also makes you look like a sail. Too skinny can do the opposite
- figure out how color combos work and play into that
- find a 'focal' piece to center an outfit around and build out from there (i.e. 'I want to wear this cool field jacket, how can I style this into 2-3 different distinctive outfits')
- focus on silhouette and how it looks rather than perseverating on quality or the best 'value'
- don't be afraid to thrift stuff, its a low cost way to try something out that might not stick
- Derek Guy (a former poster here, now active on Twitter) has often written about how 'clothing is a language' and learning how things work with each other to make a coherent outfit that conveys a message

Things I like that I think are cool:

Casual tops: Carhart K87 t shirts (full cut tshirt that is also 'in' at the moment), flannels (LL Bean, Vermont Flannel, Lands End), crew neck sweatshirts (Carhartt/Champion), Shetland sweaters (O'Connells), golf shirts (Polo, Lacoste), Oxford Cloth Button Downs (JCrew, Lands End, Kamakura, Brooks Brothers)

Shorts: JCrew chino shorts (7in or 9in length), Patagonia baggies

Pants: 3sixteen Jeans (SL or CT fit) or Nudie jeans (tons of fits), JCrew chinos or 5-pocket cords,

Jackets: blazers or tweed sport coats for dressing up (Spier and Mackay), vintage army field jackets (ebay), Barbour waxed jackets (ebay), Patagonia nano-puffs,

Shoes: classic New Balances (515, 574s), adidas sambas (also 'in' right now), Rancourt camp moccs (like a Sperry boat shoes but better), Alden boots (relatively high end workwear boots), Birkenstocks,

 

[rockwind1]

Over 40 year old here who started to care what he looked like ~5 years ago. My best advice would be to find a (or several) styles/looks your interested in and then work backwards from there about what to get and where you should shop. If you're going to go a trad/ivy route advice and shopping locations are going to be very different then if you wan to go a workwear route, a modern look, or a 'sleeze' 70s look.

Smaller scale advice:
- avoid going too trim or too full cut, find the medium ground and something that flatters you. For a long time I thought bigger was better cause it hides flaws but it also makes you look like a sail. Too skinny can do the opposite
- figure out how color combos work and play into that
- find a 'focal' piece to center an outfit around and build out from there (i.e. 'I want to wear this cool field jacket, how can I style this into 2-3 different distinctive outfits')
- focus on silhouette and how it looks rather than perseverating on quality or the best 'value'
- don't be afraid to thrift stuff, its a low cost way to try something out that might not stick
- Derek Guy (a former poster here, now active on Twitter) has often written about how 'clothing is a language' and learning how things work with each other to make a coherent outfit that conveys a message

Things I like that I think are cool:

Casual tops: Carhart K87 t shirts (full cut tshirt that is also 'in' at the moment), flannels (LL Bean, Vermont Flannel, Lands End), crew neck sweatshirts (Carhartt/Champion), Shetland sweaters (O'Connells), golf shirts (Polo, Lacoste), Oxford Cloth Button Downs (JCrew, Lands End, Kamakura, Brooks Brothers)

Shorts: JCrew chino shorts (7in or 9in length), Patagonia baggies

Pants: 3sixteen Jeans (SL or CT fit) or Nudie jeans (tons of fits), JCrew chinos or 5-pocket cords,

Jackets: blazers or tweed sport coats for dressing up (Spier and Mackay), vintage army field jackets (ebay), Barbour waxed jackets (ebay), Patagonia nano-puffs,

Shoes: classic New Balances (515, 574s), adidas sambas (also 'in' right now), Rancourt camp moccs (like a Sperry boat shoes but better), Alden boots (relatively high end workwear boots), Birkenstocks,

thanks,, carhart is a familiar brand. i remember the sperry (topsiders, we called them) do the rancourt camp mocs have more arch support? just wondering.

 

[classicalthunde]

thanks,, carhart is a familiar brand. i remember the sperry (topsiders, we called them) do the rancourt camp mocs have more arch support? just wondering.

no, not necessarily...just better made and a bit more distinctive. If you need arch support, Aldens have a steel shank in the sole, but definitely lean to the dressier end of the spectrum