Lostcause
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- Jul 15, 2014
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Hello forum,
I need advice. I changed my environment and am struggling to dress appropriately while still being true to myself.
I am a 43 year old undergraduate college student at a major university. One where the average age of student is a preposterous 21 years old.
I find it difficult to find a "style" niche. My first year here I tried to "age-up" the ordinary college look. Jeans and some ironic t-shirt, except I "aged" it by choosing shirts from my era; dungeons and dragons, Atari, C-64 etc. I was a geek and figured this was a way of dressing like a college student while acknowledging my age.
I never felt comfortable and feel like an idiot for trying that look for so long.
So, I have changed my look to capture who I am. I am a veteran with more than 20 years service, including two wars. I feel pretty comfortable in clothing that has a hint of utility or military aspect to it.
These are the boots I wear (I ride a vintage scooter and a motorcycle to school so I use ankle boots).
http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Martens-Me...&qid=1405476631&sr=1-28&keywords=buckle+boots
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXBCS0/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1405476608&sr=1&keywords=buckle+boots
I wear caps like this often (slight variations in color and style but mostly flat caps):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ULNB7U/ref=twister_B00J5AB1PE
And I usually wear dark blue jeans or dark tan khakis, or dark grey pants,
occasionally wear pants like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Parat...1405476831&sr=8-12&keywords=paratrooper+pants
I wear casual or easy care button down shirts with or without undershirts, usually with, never with a sheen. And this will cause some of you to cringe - I almost never tuck them in. Example:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R50UT6/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I don't wear a button down shirt with utility pants, instead I wear a unpatterned subdued blend sweater.
Belt with buckle, mostly silver tone and simple buckles.
And I pair them with either a orphan suit jacket or sport coat that has either no pattern or a very simple non-dressy pattern (like herringbone) I do not like jackets that look like they are missing trousers.
However, I usually wear military inspired jackets like this (especially with when I wear utility/cargo pants I never wear utility pants with a suit jacket). This link is to an XXL but I wear large. I have several different military inspired jackets of different colors and designs - including a P-coat. All designed for civilian wear (I never wear an actual surplus military jacket).
http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Kors-...r_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1405477865&sr=1-5
My student backpack is a tactical sling bag that I absolutely love.
I feel like I am dressing reasonably appropriately for my age while not looking like a professor.
So that was long, but that was everything I could think of. I am looking for feedback and advice. This is last christmas (forgot to mention I sometimes wear a watch cap if it is cold).
I need advice. I changed my environment and am struggling to dress appropriately while still being true to myself.
I am a 43 year old undergraduate college student at a major university. One where the average age of student is a preposterous 21 years old.
I find it difficult to find a "style" niche. My first year here I tried to "age-up" the ordinary college look. Jeans and some ironic t-shirt, except I "aged" it by choosing shirts from my era; dungeons and dragons, Atari, C-64 etc. I was a geek and figured this was a way of dressing like a college student while acknowledging my age.
I never felt comfortable and feel like an idiot for trying that look for so long.
So, I have changed my look to capture who I am. I am a veteran with more than 20 years service, including two wars. I feel pretty comfortable in clothing that has a hint of utility or military aspect to it.
These are the boots I wear (I ride a vintage scooter and a motorcycle to school so I use ankle boots).
http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Martens-Me...&qid=1405476631&sr=1-28&keywords=buckle+boots
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXBCS0/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1405476608&sr=1&keywords=buckle+boots
I wear caps like this often (slight variations in color and style but mostly flat caps):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ULNB7U/ref=twister_B00J5AB1PE
And I usually wear dark blue jeans or dark tan khakis, or dark grey pants,
occasionally wear pants like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Parat...1405476831&sr=8-12&keywords=paratrooper+pants
I wear casual or easy care button down shirts with or without undershirts, usually with, never with a sheen. And this will cause some of you to cringe - I almost never tuck them in. Example:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R50UT6/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I don't wear a button down shirt with utility pants, instead I wear a unpatterned subdued blend sweater.
Belt with buckle, mostly silver tone and simple buckles.
And I pair them with either a orphan suit jacket or sport coat that has either no pattern or a very simple non-dressy pattern (like herringbone) I do not like jackets that look like they are missing trousers.
However, I usually wear military inspired jackets like this (especially with when I wear utility/cargo pants I never wear utility pants with a suit jacket). This link is to an XXL but I wear large. I have several different military inspired jackets of different colors and designs - including a P-coat. All designed for civilian wear (I never wear an actual surplus military jacket).
http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Kors-...r_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1405477865&sr=1-5
My student backpack is a tactical sling bag that I absolutely love.
I feel like I am dressing reasonably appropriately for my age while not looking like a professor.
So that was long, but that was everything I could think of. I am looking for feedback and advice. This is last christmas (forgot to mention I sometimes wear a watch cap if it is cold).
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