How to dress well in CM without standing out too much

[dieworkwear]

You're always telling people to buy suede chukkas to wear with tailoring aren't you? How is something like this all that different?

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That strikes me as a much more casual shoe. When I think of chukkas and tailoring, I usually think of something like this:

 

[mak1277]

That strikes me as a much more casual shoe. When I think of chukkas and tailoring, I usually think of something like this:


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Fair enough...I always thought you recommended suede (I realize that's not the only reason these are more formal than what I posted).

 

['patanoster]

More inspiration: I think Nicolas Gabard looks great here. I probably wouldn't wear those shoes, but they go very well with his vibe.

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This reminds me of an old @dieworkwear post about the casual structured cut.

I don’t know if I could ever look that good in them, but those boots are amazing and really make that outfit IMO.

 

[Dadacantona]

The Colin Firth character, Bill Haydon (loosely based on the real life Kim Philby), the “Tailor” in the recent film “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”, is a posh Oxbridge M16 officer who wears nicely tailored clothing with desert boots. The character is taken from the John le Carre novels.

That always stuck in my mind. Can’t recall if Haydon wore desert boots in the original BBC series (or in the book), but Alec Guinness‘ Smiley did.
Another literary desert boots-with-tailoring wearer is Tom Ripley (also “cordovans” and Gucci loafers), an American living (hiding?) in Europe.
I‘ve always found it a very natural pairing, especially with Flannel, cord etc, but I fall into the left wing academic category so maybe I’m proving the original point.

 

[Waldo Jeffers]

I realize I’m a few pages behind, but I think charcoal pants can look great with a dark navy sportcoat

in fact, I think this can look more elegant than the usual mid gray pants with navy jacket look, especially since it’s more conducive to black shoes

it’s a nice combination to get a pretty formal look without wearing a suit

so don’t write off charcoal pants!

 

[radicaldog]

I don’t know if I could ever look that good in them, but those boots are amazing and really make that outfit IMO.

Agreed. But you need to be a skinny, rakish cocaine fiend to look good in them.

 

[TheChihuahua]

Totally.



Come on, I would've thought you'd know better than to dig yourself into another hole with arbitrary footwear rules by now.

If you don't know that desert boots with tailoring has been a thing since the mods and with various other Euro subcultures as well, I don't know what to tell you.

LOL

sports coat with desert boots would mean one doesn’t know how to dress because of no political connection.

butdieworkwwwr was praising new balance with a blue blazer look, as well as the suit with early 1990’s middle school girls shoes (keds)

 

[TheChihuahua]

You're always telling people to buy suede chukkas to wear with tailoring aren't you? How is something like this all that different?

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there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to this guy at this point.

 

['patanoster]

Agreed. But you need to be a skinny, rakish cocaine fiend to look good in them.

Well, two out of three ain’t bad…

 

[radicaldog]

LOL

sports coat with desert boots would mean one doesn’t know how to dress because of no political connection.

butdieworkwwwr was praising new balance with a blue blazer look, as well as the suit with early 1990’s middle school girls shoes (keds)

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Fwiw I think those are both good looks. By sheer coincidence, here I am in a grey linen suit and white canvas trainers, just a couple of weeks ago (shirt is a linen jersey polo):

(That cafe is in the centre of Amsterdam, and tbh I think I stood out a bit. Maybe not too much. Not sure.)

 

[Substanceoverstyle]

The unavoidable problem with wearing white trainers or sneakers like that is all the attention is pulled downward, away from your face towards your feet. They stand out from the rest of the outfit. In fact, in this picture, they stand out from basically everything.


Having said that, you probably did not stand out much as a person - almost everything goes nowadays, most certainly in Amsterdam.

 

[radicaldog]

The unavoidable problem with wearing white trainers or sneakers like that is all the attention is pulled downward, away from your face towards your feet. They stand out from the rest of the outfit. In fact, in this picture, they stand out from basically everything.

You're right, that's what I figured too. I remember thinking I should've worn the same shoes but in ecru with gum soles. In my defence, in the picture my feet are clearly too close to the lens so they look giant compared to the rest. Sand desert boots would've been much better but I didn't want to wear socks.

Having said that, you probably did not stand out much as a person - almost everything goes nowadays, most certainly in Amsterdam.

On the contrary, I find this city really conformist. It's almost as bad as Copenhagen or Stockholm.

 

[bobby jonathan]

LOL

sports coat with desert boots would mean one doesn’t know how to dress because of no political connection.

butdieworkwwwr was praising new balance with a blue blazer look, as well as the suit with early 1990’s middle school girls shoes (keds)

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Casual look, shouldn't look, overworked.

It's like dough, too needed.

bobby jonathan

 

[bobby jonathan]

Fwiw I think those are both good looks. By sheer coincidence, here I am in a grey linen suit and white canvas trainers, just a couple of weeks ago (shirt is a linen jersey polo):

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(That cafe is in the centre of Amsterdam, and tbh I think I stood out a bit. Maybe not too much. Not sure.)

What stands out the most, is your ankles which while are for standing, shouldn't stand in our eye.

bobby jonathan

 

[Hellbent]

On the contrary, I find this city really conformist.

I agree. Most everyone in jeans and outer wear. Stressed to their teeth by trying desperately to appear as casual as possible. All ending up looking the same.

Paris is my favorite city when it comes to varied dress. You can wear sharp or casual. Nobody stands out it seems.


EDIT: Like that the outfit a lot btw.