Non-Rule "Rules"

[Big T]



Navy trousers and white jacket. I like.

I'm "ambivalent to looks OK" on the navy & white, in the picture. Guy looks natural with that style. However, coincidentally, this past week, at dinner at a local restaurant, I saw a gentleman dressed in a similar fashion. It did not work, at all. First, he was much shorter and much bulkier. The jacket was a toned down shade of bright white, but white, and wrinkled all to hell, and buttoned. I do not recall the color of shirt, but it must have been non-descript. Same with shoes. Another thing that affected the look, the guy had long, rectangular glasses on, the made him look much squatty.

Guess in the long run, it is what looks good on one, looks like crap on another. Hell, even for me, a late 50's semi-bald, portly guy, I can even look good enough to elicit looks and comments from the young ladies at the restaurant we frequent (it's either that, or that I have money, or that I tip well: I prefer the young ones are looking at me thinking they would like to make me their slab of bacon).

 

[Holdfast]

... no black shoes with khakis, come on, that's ironclad.

I'm pretty sure I've done this at least once and liked the effect. It's a quasi-military aeshetic , which can be sort of fun to play with. Talking of personal preferences though, what I really wanted to ask was whether you felt as strongly about this with a khaki-coloured suit (say, paired with white shirt and black knit tie)? I don't own such a suit, but I can imagine it looking pretty fun.

I have been giving thought that texture is actually a pattern.

It is if it's both very prominent and very similar to another item you're wearing (the tie/shirt in that pic meets those criteria IMO).




I'm sure I apply lots of little artificial constraints to my clothes, but it's difficult to articulate them in list format. I'm not always aware of them; it just unconsiously influences what I like to see paired together. I also probably break those self-imposed constraints if the mood really takes me to do so, so calling them rules - even personal ones - is tricky. In some ways, those around me are probably better placed to judge this. The only one that really springs to mind is that I don't wear ties with button-down collars; I just don't feel comfortable when wearing that. It looks good on others in certain combos/contexts though.

 

[TheFoo]

Awesome thread idea. Here are some of mine.

1. Socks should never be the same color as trousers.
2. Linen squares should only be TV-folded.
3. The only acceptable linen squares are solid white, and they should never be worn with solid white shirts.
4. Cotton squares don't belong anywhere.
5. Silk squares should only be poofed, never folded. Corners should not show.
3. If not black, belt and shoes should not match.
4. Only button-down collars should be worn without a tie.
5. Trousers worn with jackets should be pleated.
6. Pleated trousers should be double-pleated.
7. The only acceptable tie knot is the four-in-hand.
8. Shirt collar points should not show when wearing a jacket.
9. Bow ties should span the full width of the shirt collar.

 

[Baron]



Awesome thread idea. Here are some of mine.
1. Socks should never be the same color as trousers.
2. Linen squares should only be TV-folded.
3. The only acceptable linen squares are solid white, and they should never be worn with solid white shirts.
4. Cotton squares don't belong anywhere.
5. Silk squares should only be poofed, never folded. Corners should not show.
3. If not black, belt and shoes should not match.
4. Only button-down collars should be worn without a tie.
5. Trousers worn with jackets should be pleated.
6. Pleated trousers should be double-pleated.
7. The only acceptable tie knot is the four-in-hand.
8. Shirt collar points should not show when wearing a jacket.
9. Bow ties should span the full width of the shirt collar.

Your number system is unique, so rather than refer to the numbers, i'll bold the two that are true for me.

That second to last one, about collar points - that's a real rule, no?

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

No surprises in there Foof.

 

[TheFoo]



That second to last one, about collar points - that's a real rule, no?

Is it? If not, it should be.

No surprises in there Foof.

Well, common sense shouldn't be surprising.

 

[JakeGittes]

I do not like wearing bow ties with white collared shirts.

 

[philosophe]

Other posters have covered the ground well, so I'll add just personal rule:

No solid-color dress socks. Some kind of pattern is a must.

 

[Manton]



Awesome thread idea. Here are some of mine.
1. Socks should never be the same color as trousers.
2. Linen squares should only be TV-folded.
3. The only acceptable linen squares are solid white, and they should never be worn with solid white shirts.
4. Cotton squares don't belong anywhere.
5. Silk squares should only be poofed, never folded. Corners should not show.
3. If not black, belt and shoes should not match.
4. Only button-down collars should be worn without a tie.
5. Trousers worn with jackets should be pleated.
6. Pleated trousers should be double-pleated.
7. The only acceptable tie knot is the four-in-hand.
8. Shirt collar points should not show when wearing a jacket.
9. Bow ties should span the full width of the shirt collar.

not much I disagree with here.

A white linen square with a white shirt is fine. I like my drake moghul print cotton squares for summer. My belts don't exactly match my shoes but I try to keep the tone close. E.g., I wil not wear a tan belt with dark brown shoes or vice versa.

 

[DocHolliday]



Is it? If not, it should be.

There's no rule, though I agree it looks best.

It's a good example of a notion that gains traction on SF and then becomes repeated as a "rule."

Gives the mavericks something to rail about, anyway.

 

[Manton]

An old fashioned BB point collar, the points are meant to show. One of the reasons, maybe, I have never really liked those.

 

[DocHolliday]

I love the austere minimalism of white shirt, slim black tie, white square. Looks great with navy and gray suits.

 

[Eustace Tilley]

A white linen square with a white shirt is fine.

+1

 

[Baron]

I also will poof or at least sloppily fold a white linen square. I'm not keen on a super neat tv fold.

 

[Manton]

I find that linen does not take well to poofing.