Need help with shirts, trousers and ties

[herzzreh]

I got a new job and the dress code there is trousers, shirt and tie. The job comes with a $1300 one-time clothing allowance.

I own zero trousers, dress shirts and very little ties, and therefore, I have no clue as to what's good and what's bad. So, looking for suggestions as to what brands to get to have enough outfits for a normal 5-day week and to fit within that allowance.

 

[JohnnyLaw]

3 suits, 10 shirts and 5 ties should be a good start. If you hunt for deals, you should be able to stay within your budget. You might even have enough left over for a pair of shoes.

Don't wear a tie without a jacket.

 

[herzzreh]

Originally Posted by JohnnyLaw

3 suits, 10 shirts and 5 ties should be a good start. If you hunt for deals, you should be able to stay within your budget. You might even have enough left over for a pair of shoes.

Don't wear a tie without a jacket.

That's what I was thinking but... what brands should I be looking at?

 

[JohnnyLaw]

There is no easy answer. Read the forum. It will take some effort.

 

[Warren G.]

Yeah, best advice is to read the forum.

The buy/sell section is pretty good. A lot of sales going on as well.

 

[wmmk]

Originally Posted by JohnnyLaw

Don't wear a tie without a jacket.
A sweater should suffice in the OP's case, as least some of the time.

Originally Posted by herzzreh

That's what I was thinking but... what brands should I be looking at?
H&M and Zara are cheap. Other mid-market brands on sale might also work.

Anyway, I'd do a navy blazer (but not necessarily with brass buttons), a black/white herringbone tweed, a charcoal suit, and then a couple pairs of add trousers. Seeing that you're selling sz. 28 jeans right, now, I'd assume that you're fairly slim, so read up on the Slim Fit Shirts thread over on the Men's Clothing board. Stick with solid white/light blue/light pink, subtle stripes, and occasional checks for now.

As far as ties go, the groupthink at MC goes kind of nuts for knit ties, but with fairly good reason. J. Crew has some nice, relatively cheap ones. For your regular silk ties, just be tasteful. I see a whole lot of great outfits get totally ruined by bad ties.