Looking for an upgrade in the classic style department.

[noshirtsallowed]

Hello, I'm a new member whos been reading up on fashion, and went through the side bars and just trying to learn (my fashion is terrible).

I went to the mall recently to buy some new classic/semi formal clothing. I tried on fits from hugo boss, j crew, and theory. Although quite expensive, I prefer more of those brand fits and current style. I will admit JCrew does seem to have a more casual/loose fit, even though I like clothing to show more of my body sculpture. Now I understand there are TONS of different styles, but now that we are nearing year 2020, would you guys consider brands like Hugo Boss to be in style currently? I understand the quality is not great, but do you consider that type of brand to be stylish for semi-formal occasions? I read that many consider it to be an "old" european style (whatever that means), so I am not sure if thats a good thing haha.

Are there other brands you may prefer that are consider stylish for semi-formal (dress shirts, button downs, etc) that are currently in style?

Second on a side note, how do you determine what is in style? For an example, if people consider hugo boss to be an older european style, whos to say that style isnt 'in' currently? (I live in US) if that makes a difference.

If this is the wrong forum, my sincere apologies. I am a newbie trying to get in more recent style.

Thank you in advance and I appreciate it so much!

 

[dieworkwear]

On the classic side of the board, there aren't really discussions of "what's in style." The focus is more on the fit of the garment and whether something is generally classic. This lets you get out of the cyclical trend of "what's in" or "out of style." You don't have to stick to classic men's clothing to get out of that cycle, but staying close to what's considered "classic" and understanding when clothes fit you well is one way to do so.

It's hard to recommend general brands like this -- Huge Boss, J. Crew, or whatever -- because it's so dependent on how something fits you. Very generally speaking, I find mall brands to be too trendy to fit most people well. The last 15 years of menswear has veered towards very slim silhouettes, which works on a very small number of people. But stores sell it because that's what's in.

There are some threads here that go through how to think about the fit and silhouette of clothing. I would start with that, and then build basic pieces such as grey flannel trousers, navy sport coats, brown dress shoes, etc. There are a billion brands out there for all of these items. Instead of gravitating towards what you think is "hot" at the moment, you'd do better by figuring out what looks good on you.

 

[JJ Katz]

Very sound advice from DW.
Perhaps it would help to have a better understanding of which environment you will wear the new clothing in but everything DW wrote is to universal.

And if you MUST know, no; Hugo Boss clothing is not particularly fashionable.

 

[noshirtsallowed]

Thank you DW for the sound avice. Truly, exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much!!

JJ Katz, thanks for your honest opinion on HugoBoss. Do you have any brands you particularly recommend on that level thats considered a bit more fashionable? If it helps, I am more on the taller/slim/fit build and I prefer more of a slim fit as opposed to loose fit (JCrew seems a bit unfitting for my build).

Thank you guys again!

 

[Evergreen88]

As others suggested I would focus on the type of clothes that make you feel good and start to understand what makes them a good quality piece.

Chinos, shirts, OCBD, polos, blazers are a must. For this stuff I personally like Brooks Brothers (American), Boggi (Italian), Hackett (British).

I wouldn't buy shoes from a generic brand such as the above, I would rather go to a dedicated shoemaker brand.