How has your look evolved as you get older? Is "dressing older" inevitable?

[Dimninja]

I've been rockin jeans, hoodies and Chuck T's most of my life. In the outerwear department, I've always had a preference for uber technical apparel, Acronym, Aether, TAD Gear, Arcteryx and the likes being my more recent purchases. That is until recently, when I began to drift more towards old school, British and American heritage brands like Barbour, Belstaff, Woolrich Woolen Mills, Filson etc. Could this be connected to the lead up to and recent celebration of my 40th birthday? My currently most worn pieces are; Woolrich Woolen Mills Stream Jacket, navy cord, Barbour Chesterhope jacket, black waxed cotton, Polo Ralph Lauren heavy flannel shirt, dark olive and a pair of Clarks Rapple Breeze boots in dark chestnut leather. Still teaming these with my selvage jeans collection but definitely don't blend in with most of the students on my local campus anymore.

My question is; how has your style evolved, where is it heading and do you think the simple process of aging is affecting it?

 

[JayJay]

My style of dress has gone over time from trad to fashion and now back to trad.

 

[mr monty]

Leon Magazine usually has some nice looks/ideas for guys 40+

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:c...6/309q.jpg&t=1

 

[celery]

Aging does affect your choices in style and fashion.

If you take a look at SW&D there are many simple and clean outfits that could be worn at any age (see Berlin Report for an excellent example). There are also many posts, that if you placed someone in their mid-thirties or forties in their outfits, would make you face palm.

If you can pull something off, go for it. But as time passes, you'll look stupider and stupider in certain items.

 

[DWFII]

Is getting older inevitable? Probably. Is maturity inevitable? Not by any measure.

 

[Cary Grant]

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I am only 25 and I have slowly been transitioning from fashion forward to more traditional. I think elements of your own style remain, but you get more mature and realize that a lot of trends in fashion are very silly. Practicality takes precedence. I feel like I want to wear things that will last me quality wise, thus I want items that will never go out of fashion because they are never really in fashion.

As en edit, I owe a lot to this forum in helping me realize this and further develop my own style within tradtional dress. I don't know how, or when it would have developed otherwise.

 

[DWFII]

^ same guy

After the "inevitable."

 

[Master Squirrel]

I evolved. the days of the backward baseball cap and hot pink "frankie says relax" sweatshirt are over.

 

[Sazerac]

There's an old Andy Warhol quote that seems apropos: "if you dress older when you're young, as you age you'll look the same."

This can be good, I suppose.

Personally, I've gone from Wall Street meets Williamsburg when I lived in Manhattan to something like a vaguely depressed German art director with lots of technical elements thrown in since moving to Colorado. People where a lot of tech clothes here, which is understandable. (Ever see someone wearing Patagonia fleece at a $140 prix fixe formal dining joint? Cuz it happens in CO all the time.)

I think I'm just looking for something simpler and monochromatic yet sleek.

 

[Dimninja]

Hey, my humble thanks as a newbie for the posts...

DWFII - I totally agree. I aim never to grow up. I'm not saying that immaturity is a virtue by any means, just that too many people view "growing up" as some sort of goal or achievment. I think that, if anything, the change in my taste has come from an understanding of the values applied to the brands that I like in respect of the craftsmanship, materials, ethos etc. I've never really followed fashion, never worn "this weeks" sneakers, always preferred style over fashion. I'm a schizophrenic splicing of a n early eighties punk rocker and an early nineties techno head, who also happens to like rock n roll and trad jazz. What I'm interested in, as much for the ideas and suggestions, is how peoples style has progressed, from what to what. Having lurked and then finally joined SF, I can honestly say it's a great way to not only find new ideas and directions, but to understand your own personal, signature style and direction and where, ultimately, it might take you sartorially. I work weird hours (fuckin clients) so I may not get to post too often but I'm lookin forward to, hopefully, findin out what you wear, why you wear it and maybe where I can get it. I'm gonna stop this wankfest now...laters man...

Bueno suerte.

 

[johnvw]

Originally Posted by DWFII

Is getting older inevitable? Probably. Is maturity inevitable? Not by any measure.
So true! Well said!

 

[TM79]

I'm 31 and look around 29-31 years old. I'll still wear my Converse and Seavees sneakers but I'm no longer wearing skinny jeans and some of the other stuff I wore in my early and mid 20's. I think it's a combination of me getting older and feeling a little more mature and the stuff is also starting to look out of place on me.

 

[Master Squirrel]

Originally Posted by Dimninja

Hey, my humble thanks as a newbie for the posts...

DWFII - I totally agree. I aim never to grow up.

Glad to hear that I'll be able to spot you in a crowd or at a job interview.

I'm not saying that immaturity is a virtue by any means, just that too many people view "growing up" as some sort of goal or achievment. I think that, if anything, the change in my taste has come from an understanding of the values applied to the brands that I like in respect of the craftsmanship, materials, ethos etc. I've never really followed fashion, never worn "this weeks" sneakers, always preferred style over fashion. I'm a schizophrenic splicing of a n early eighties punk rocker and an early nineties techno head, who also happens to like rock n roll and trad jazz.

WTF? Is this from your Match ad?

I work weird hours (fuckin clients) so I may not get to post too often

I find the hours on styleforum to be quite restrictive (closing at 3pm? give me a break.)

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by Dimninja

DWFII - I totally agree. I aim never to grow up.
It takes all kinds, I guess--no offense intended. Me...I'm pushing 65 and I'm a great fan of maturity and the refinement of taste and the subtlety of presentation that comes with maturity.