My wife is angry with all of you

[HRHAndrew]

The problem with quicken is that it is very easy to see how much I spend each year on clothing. Â My wife added it up last night, and the amount I spent for the year was over 3 times as much as her. Â She said something along the lines of "everytime someone on that fashion forum posts about a good deal, you never resist. You should stay away for a while." Â She does make a good point, I did buy the RLPL/EG shoes on bluefly and some other things. Â But what she fails to realize is that we save each other money by posting not only bluefly codes but pointing out the good deals as well. Â Oh well, I guess I could have worse vices. Â Like taking up one of those "massage" offers that I get when I am travelling around the world. Â P.S. Anyone know of any good steals out there

 

[LA Guy]

But what she fails to realize is that we save each other money by posting not only bluefly codes but pointing out the good deals as well.  

Yeah, keep telling yourself this.  These days, I'm limiting my purchases to replacements and one or maybe two pieces a season.  I'm trying to make mine a "capsule" wardrobe - a well edited selection from a variety of labels for a variety of occasions.

Not doing so well though...

 

[johnnynorman3]

These days, I'm limiting my purchases to replacements and one or maybe two pieces a season.  I'm trying to make mine a "capsule" wardrobe - a well edited selection from a variety of labels for a variety of occasions.

LA Guy, this just begs the question -- how often do you "replace" things. Do you go out and get a new Oxxford navy blue suit to replace your two year old Brioni when you get tired of the Roman shoulder?

Currently, I'm spending a lot of money on clothes in the short run, but since I've been on this board I feel like my purchases are those that will last, both in terms of style and pure physical longevity. My sense is that in about 12 months, my closet will be stocked with almost entirely new clothes -- with the exception of some old favorites -- and that I will not need to make anymore bulk purchases for many years. And, since I joined this board, I feel like my purchase dollar is going a long way.

 

[Shirtmaven]

I always tell my customers.
"Buying custom made shirts is one of the few vices that you will still have the next day."

 

[johnnynorman3]

I always tell my customers.
"Buying custom made shirts is one of the few vices that you will still have the next day."

Amen -- I wore one of my Jantzen shirts to work for the first time, and I will never go back.

 

[Kai]

Currently, I'm spending a lot of money on clothes in the short run, but since I've been on this board I feel like my purchases are those that will last, both in terms of style and pure physical longevity.  My sense is that in about 12 months, my closet will be stocked with almost entirely new clothes -- with the exception of some old favorites -- and that I will not need to make anymore bulk purchases for many years.  And, since I joined this board, I feel like my purchase dollar is going a long way.

If you buy the right things, you can wear them for a long time.  Buy classic style and good quality and your clothes may well outlast you.    

Case in point:  Today, I'm wearing a plain navy blue Canali suit I purchased in 1992; Johnston and Murphy shell cordovan oxfords purchased in 1993; and carrying an Atlas top frame briefcase from 1990.  

These items are all more than 10 years old, and have seen a great deal of use.  In spite of this, they still look good.  I could well be wearing/carrying these things into the next decade.  That's what I call "bargain shopping."

 

[johnnynorman3]

Kai, you are certainly right. My next suit purchase is going to be a navy blue suit -- my current one has beautiful fabric and a nice cut, and looks pretty good on me, but it is by no means a construction gem (it is fused, and the lapels' roll leaves much to be desired). For several months I just wrote off the navy blue suit -- I figured I already had one, so why not sink money into a pinstripe or something else that is bound to be less versatile. I have changed my theories.

The tough part is convincing the significant other that your "theory" is correct, which it most certainly is.

But, today at work I saw so many people in horrible suits (business casual, which makes me wonder why you'd wear a suit to work if it were ******). I never want to be one of those people (FYI, I wore a pair of Polo charcoal wool pants and a Jantzen pinstripe spread).

Oh, yeah. Has anyone noticed that young American businessmen tend to wear suits that are at least 2 sizes too big?

 

[HRHAndrew]

The tough part is convincing the significant other that your "theory" is correct, which it most certainly is.

Oh, yeah.  Has anyone noticed that young American businessmen tend to wear suits that are at least 2 sizes too big?

That is not just an American phenomenon.  Where ever I travel I see poor fitting suits an mismatched items.

 

[johnnynorman3]

HRHAndrew,

In a post on this board some time ago, someone stated that Americans tend to wear suits that are too SMALL, such that they pull at the waist. But I couldn't believe some of the ill fitting garb some of my young co-workers had on today. The jackets were billowing and buckling in the back, the sleeves were too long and the shoulders sagged because they were too wide. The chests were totally oversized. And the fabrics -- good God, it was like Super 80s was all the rage.

Am I crazy to say that I DON'T look like that in a RTW suit? How can they get such illfitting suits? Their bodies seemed fine enough that they should be able to find a well fitting suit OTR.

 

[gqelements]

Quote:

The tough part is convincing the significant other that your "theory" is correct, which it most certainly is.
Quote Oh, yeah. Â Has anyone noticed that young American businessmen tend to wear suits that are at least 2 sizes too big?
That is not just an American phenomenon. Â Where ever I travel I see poor fitting suits an mismatched items.[/quote] Doesn't everything these days seem too sizes too big or too sizes too small? But once again, this board is home to a group of select style aficionados that believe their way is the right way. I agree with this board's consensus of how a suit SHOULD fit, but once again it is just a consensus of a group. The ginos [too tight] and gangsters [to big] have their own, essentially equally valid, fashion ideas. To each his own I so to speak. Perhaps this is a moment deserving some restraint on free expression? The ultimate measuring stick is the female taste... after all we can only spend so much time in front of the mirror, and no we do not drape ourselves in Kittons and YSL while roaming our bachelor pads....

 

[HRHAndrew]

Am I crazy to say that I DON'T look like that in a RTW suit? How can they get such illfitting suits?

The ginos [too tight] and gangsters [to big] have their own, essentially equally valid, fashion ideas. To each his own I so to speak. Perhaps this is a moment deserving some restraint on free expression?

Quote The ultimate measuring stick is the female taste... after all we can only spend so much time in front of the mirror, and no we do not drape ourselves in Kittons and YSL while roaming our bachelor pads....[/quote] One has to be true to their own taste as it would make you more confident, and we all know what women think of confident men... Bachelor pad, what's that?

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

The problem with quicken is that it is very easy to see how much I spend each year on clothing.  My wife added it up last night, and the amount I spent for the year was over 3 times as much as her.  She said something along the lines of "everytime someone on that fashion forum posts about a good deal, you never resist. You should stay away for a while."  

You need to pull an "Enron."  First, destroy the paper trail ("I really don't know how much that new suit cost&quot.  Then, deny ("Honey, I bought that last year&quot.  If all else fails, buy your wife something nice from Tiffany's.

Oh, yeah.  Has anyone noticed that young American businessmen tend to wear suits that are at least 2 sizes too big?

I haven't noticed that, but I have noticed many men wearing suit jackets that are way too long.  These are almost always men of slightly below-average height (5'7" to 5'9&quot who don't want to admit that they should be wearing a size "short."

 

[Carlo]

HRH - you are missing the point - either this is a first wife or else you must be a very slow learner.

When she says you spent 3 times as much as she did the canned response should be "But darling - you are beautiful and everything looks good on you, I've just been trying to raise myself up to your level so you won't be embarassed when we go out".

...sigh, for the love of God, man - call on us when such a discussion arises and let more experienced BS artists help you form a cohesive strategy for dealing with the woman.

 

[HRHAndrew]

When she says you spent 3 times as much as she did the canned response should be "But darling - you are beautiful and everything looks good on you, I've just been trying to raise myself up to your level so you won't be embarassed when we go out".

We are going to be spending the weekend at the Four Seasons in Chicago, I am sure the gap will close. Plus there is always that Berkin bag.

 

[Bic Pentameter]

This comment says more about me than it does about the forum or the people who populate it, but I believe that my participation has caused/encouraged me to spend more money than I otherwise would have by (1) introducing me to new brands and products and (2) making it "easier" to spend money on them knowing that my newfound peers (other forum members) also do so.

Before I joined the forum, I was relatively content with middle of the road lower quality items at very low prices. Since joining the forum, I have been introduced to higher end and higher cost items such as E. Green, Vass and John Lobb; Pantharella and Zimmerelli, to name just a few.  

(Granted, I never would have heard of that Hong Kong shirtmaker some of us are very fond of, or Mr. Carlo Fanco, but I also would probably be buying my dress shirts and neckties at Ross with a $24.99 price ceiling on the shirts and a  $9.99 one on the neckties.)  

I also believe that it is somehow easier to spend more than $500 on a pair of shoes or more than $1000 on a suit knowing that someone else on the board has done so....When our wives, parents or co-workers think that shoes should cost under $100 and suits shouldn't break the $500 mark, those E. Green shoes on Bluefly don't seem so reasonable, despite the deep discount compared to retail and the fact that other posters rate them a good value.

I fully understand the "being educated to make good decisions leads to quality purchases that last longer" argument, but I am not quite sure it holds water in my case.  Perhaps time will tell.

Just my opinion.

Bic