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Outfits to go with jeans, khakis...

sonick

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Okay, my wardrobe is getting too boring...

First of all, im about 5'6", asian, fairly 'toned' (skinny but with fairly good muscle definition), and im 17 years old... Im trying to stray away from the 'teenager' stereotype with baggy jeans and big Tshirt etc.

I have three pairs of jeans (one wide leg dark navy blue from GAP, one medium blue 'faded' HASH jean, and one light blue 'faded' MANAGER jean)

I ususally just wear a T-shirt, or a ribbed T... Usually top it off with a corduroy jacket. Sometimes with a Tshirt i'll wear a plaid shortsleeve shirt on top of it.

I dont have many sweaters, but sojetimes ill wear these fleece pullovers (with front pockets) with the jeans.

I need more styles to go wtih my jeans beside the basic T-shirt. I was thinking of getting a long-sleeve striped shirt (white and blue stripes, something like that)

I also need someting to go with my khakis. I dont have many outfits that match my khakis... Only maybe like a black ribbed V-neck T, or another couple of T-shirts. Im thinking maybe a polo shirt? I got a yellow one to go wtih my khakis, but i have no idea what kind of jacket to top it off with...

Locally i have stores like GUESS, BANANA REPUBLIC, GAP, AE, OLD NAVY, ROOTS etc. But i'd rather keep it in the price range of GAP/AE.

Thanks alot.
 

Nick M

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Personally, I'd visit all the thrift stores in your local area. The vast, vast majority of the styles you currently see in youth-targeted clothing stores are recycled designs from years - and decades - gone by. If you want to look trendy, I'd suggest you window-shop at BR, Gap etc. to see which trend from the 60s/70s/80s they're ripping off this week - vintage denim, floral/geometric/striped shirts, sherpa, suede, the list goes on... Then, go to a thrift store and find the genuine article at a much lower price - and in many cases, in better-quality materials. Otherwise, I'd look towards buying some long-sleeved dress shirts with short hems - the body of the shirt extending only a few inches longer than the sleeves - that you can wear untucked over both jeans and khakis. Your color and pattern options for these shirts are practically limitless, since jeans and khakis match with pretty much everything - just look for designs you like. A jean jacket is probably a good idea too, as are cotton v-neck and crew-neck sweaters. Nick.
 

Mike C.

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Welcome to the board. Hopefully you will find the help you need here. A good idea would be to search archived posts for an idea of what we wear and how we wear it. The best post to look at first would be the "What are you wearing now?" thread.

As for your case, it sounds like you have way too many tee-shirts. The soulution is not buying more, as you suggested, instead try other options such as button downs, polos, knits, ect... Also you mentioned a corderoy jacket; is this a sportcoat or just a regualar GAP type zip up. I'd suggest you pick up a corderoy sportcoat; it would look great with jeans and a tee shirt, at the same time taking away that boring look you seem to be trying to get away from.
Good luck.
 

VWpete

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Welcome...
Listen to the suggestions given by Nick and Mike. I second a corduroy or casual (I've got a moleskin one I love) blazer to wear as a jacket over t-shirts or button ups. It's a great staple and you will look better than 90% of your peers already. Think classic pieces that will last the trends as the foundation of your wardrobe. Throw some lightweight knit sweaters (v-neck or crew) in your wardrobe. I like black, navy, grey, camel... and then add some color for spring with button ups. Button-ups are probably the most important part of my wardrobe as I can wear them alone, under sweaters, with blazers... you name it.
The most important thing is fit. Make sure shirts fit in the shoulders and pants are not too long or baggy. You can buy cheaper clothing that fits and it'll look a heck of alot better than ill-fitting designer clothing. Have fun with it. You came to the right place.
Cheers,
Pete
 

Mike C.

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Also, you may want to stay away from the standard mall stores (Gap, AE, BR, J Crew, ect...). Start looking at designer stuff in order to add some spice to your wardrobe. The DOES NOT mean expensive. Where do you live? I bet you have some discount stores like TJ Maxx, or Century 21 in your area. If so, you can find designer clothes at a CHEAPER price than if you paid full price at the GAP. Just look at the "Best bargain under $30" thread.
 

sonick

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ahh thanks alot guys. I thought this might've been one of those 'elitest' fashion forums who rips apart every teenager tryin to look good
tounge.gif
But its cool here
biggrin.gif
Anyways.. Nick (hehe, my name is nick too.): Thanks for the tips.. yeah i do need some more sweaters... The ones ihave right now just don't 'fit'... But they're like cheap stuff, maybe i should spend a bit more get a quality sweater... Yeah im looking for a nice looking casual dress shirt (i found one at gap, looks really nice on me, its the white one with blue stripes.. but its not on sale
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and idont have the disposable income to spend $50 on a shirt) MikeC: Yeah my cord jacket is a Gap-type zip-up.. i dont know exactly what a sportcoat looks like, ill go on google see if i can find out
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Yeah i have a WINNERS (Canadian equivalent of TJMax) i visit every so often to find deals.. Infact a recentl yi found an AEOutfitters Polo for $15CAD
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VWPete: About the button-ups, tehy're like longsleeve collared shirts right? Are they patterend? or just plain colored? Also, what shoes would go well with a pair of khakis? Right now i have a pair of Adidas Oldschool (Superstars) as my everyday wear shoe for jeans and khakis. It looks allright, but I need another pair that would look good to alternate with that. Something a bit less sporty. Thanks again. Keep the tips coming
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Mike C.

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Here is what i'm talking about corduroy sportcoat, it would look great with jeans. Â As for shoes, the Superstars are a really cool, classic that will never go out of style. Â For a more dressy shoe to go with khakis, try Camper; you can get them on Bluefly for like USD60. Spend some time on that site, you can get some really great deals
 

VWpete

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Hey there,
By button ups I mean collared, long-sleeve shirts that fit well. I'm sorry I wasn't clear. Mix it up with a few basic solids and some good, simple patterns to start your new wardrobe. Keep your eyes open at discount stores and check out the thread for the best style for under 30$... It'll give you some ideas.
Have fun with it.
Pete
 

LA Guy

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I'll second the corduroy blazer idea, and add moleskin and corduroy shirts to that mix. Both go extremely well with jeans. Paisley patterned shirts, which I have always advocated for casualwear (less preppy than stripes, and a nice change from solids) are becoming increasingly more mainstream (i.e., accessible) this summer - I've seen good examples at J.Crew and Lucky Brand ( a terrific paisley shirt in corduroy). You might want to try some military and western influenced shirts as well. There was a fair bit of western influence at Prada last summer, so cheaper and quite serviceable knockoffs should abound at discount retailers. Military surplus stores and thrift/vintage stores are a great resource. A trend that I personally haven't taken up are early eighties track jackets, meant to be worn extremely fitted (see pictures of guys in Harlem from that time, not the clueless wankers at Urban-outfitters) most notably by Adidas.

A good outfit might be to pair a blue and tan paisley shirt with a chocolate brown corduroy blazer, bootleg jeans, and some visually interesting/contrasting footwear (maybe tan chelsea boots, maybe bright red sneakers).


To stand out, though, I think you really need 1) a distinctive haircut (i.e., no "Asian hair", which in North America means either too short on the back and sides compared to the top, or everywhere else in the world means too long or too shaggy all around) and 2) cool eyewear if you wear glasses.
 

sonick

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Ah thanks alot.. yeah i gotta get a haircut soon, but im not sure what look would be good.. my hair is like typical asian hair, very stiff.. Thers this striped button-up at gap i want sooo bad, but its $50
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However, i did catch some nice finds at ESPRIT... I got a Lambswool Vneck sweater for $25CAD (reg price $69) and a pair of plain-front Khakis for $20 CAD (reg $69) with a 10% off coupon on top of that
smile.gif
 

norcaltransplant

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As East Coast-West Coast hybrid who is familiar with Asian subculture and (some) fashion, I suggest you evaluate your present and future environment before making any major fashion decisions. If your heading to college soon, I would suggest investing in clothing that is appropriate for collegiate and high school wear (e.g. the khaki's are a good choice--they don't appear to ****** and can be worn to bus. casual/dinners in a pinch). West coast styles are a little less reserved--they don't depend on shades of gray, black, and charcoal most New Yorkers favor.

Please avoid Armani Exchange...lest you appear a F.O.B. I second the notion for purchasing dress shirts with a short hem, they are extremely versatile. For a contemporary look, find something with a bit of lycra in it (I have a fitted Donna Karan sig. shirt that works perfectly with khakis). Think about investing in a decent pair of shoes. I suggest a nice pair of rubber soled monkstraps--more versatile than oxfords since you can wear them sans suit or slacks. Go with the oxfords (cap or split toe) if you need something for semi-formal dress.

My final advice is to do a bit of research. Learn your size in both American and European brands. Remember to avoid certain labels if your slim--for instance, I'm a twig and subsequently disregard Hugo Boss (black label), Hickey Freeman, and Pink shirts (I haven't tried the new silver label) due to their tremendous girth.

But above all, enjoy yourself. Isn't consumerism great?
 

sonick

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Heh thanks for the tips... Yeah i dont have any AX's around here, so that wont be a problem
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Yes im gonna go to college soon, but I think that what im getting into would be suitable for wearing to class. As for the shoes, im not gonna be going to anything TOO formal, so something casual (rather than sporty like my Adidas) would work. Im noticing that the light tan/suede material for shoes/slip-ons are becoming popular: http://bluefly.speedera.net/zs.blue....ght=480 Im thininking of finidng something like that. But i dont wear casual shoes more, so im not really used to seeing myself in that look. But im pretty sure something slimilar to that color/style shoudl work. Thanks again, keep 'em coming
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VWpete

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I like my Campers alot. I'm on my second pair. I think they'd be a great shoe for your age. Campers are alot better styled than the clunky Steve Madden shoes that are so popular these days... Yuck. I'd go for them if you can.
Cheers,
Pete
 

Mike C.

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I have that same pair of Campers, except mine are dark brown leather, not suede. They are extremely high quality shoes for a really cheap price. Mine are still wearable after almost a year and a half of heavy wear. However, I just replaced them Ludwig Reiter Sport "Jogging" model shoes.
 

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