Sartorial Genesis

[Prospero]

Greetings,

As you can clearly tell from my post count, I'm new here; I should add that "here" encompasses not only these forums, but the entire sartorial plane. I am, when it comes to this topic, woefully uninformed on even the basics of "how to dress." I do not have any real need to change my wardrobe, or to raise the standard on how I dress, but I do have the desire to do both. While I may not throw out my collection of well-worn t-shirts (after all, my closet would be lacking without a shirt designed to look like Iron Man's armor), I'd very much like to add a bit of sophistication to my repertoire.

What I'm looking for is advice, both general tips and specifics suggestions, on how I can improve my attire without looking like a) a clueless slob, or b) a pretentious jerk. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being a novice and 10 being an expert, I'm a 1. We're avoiding decimals, yes? Ok, a 1, if we're rounding up.

I would be more than happy to receive any directions towards material, online or otherwise, to help improve my understanding of the basic fundamentals of dressing with a bit of distinction.

A bit about me, to put things in context:

I'm a 26 year old high school teacher. I'm about 5'9", maybe 5'10", and I weigh about 150 lbs. I have light skin, brown eyes, brown hair that is rapidly thinning from the hairline back. I have a short, trimmed beard, and wear my hair about the same length or slightly longer. I wear glasses, never contacts.

Currently, I tend to wear whatever happens to be clean and on hand. I apparently lack whatever ability allows people to determine whether a certain color compliments another, because I frequently hear, "You're wearing that shirt with those slacks?" or receive the dreaded arched-brow from my wife.

My job has a very, very lax dress code. Jeans are not terribly uncommon, especially on Fridays. More often it's pants with polo shirts. I generally wear pants (tan or gray) with a long-sleeve shirt; either button-up or polo. No one wears a suit. Very few people wear ties.

My goal: To increase the overall style of my attire a notch (or three). I'm not really concerned about what I wear when I'm lounging around the house, but when I'm at work or out with my wife I'd like to look good.

My concerns: I have no idea where to even begin. I'm also a bit concerned that trying to dress up a bit will come across as pompous or self-important. I'm not a shy person, or lacking in confidence, but I'm not sure if I have the right... mindset, to achieve what I'm going for (if that makes any sense).

My idiosyncratic inclinations: I really like 3-piece suits. I'm not sure why, but there is something (to me) charming, in a slightly anachronistic way, about them. I get the impression these are viewed with skepticism, at best.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

[embowafa]

Originally Posted by Prospero

My concerns: I have no idea where to even begin. I'm also a bit concerned that trying to dress up a bit will come across as pompous or self-important. I'm not a shy person, or lacking in confidence, but I'm not sure if I have the right... mindset, to achieve what I'm going for (if that makes any sense).



Step 1) Soak up this forum. Read the WAYWRN thread and go back as far as you can to get a feel for how people dress. There should be enough pictures and situations where you can get a feel for how you should wear a dinner jacket to how you should wear a pair of jeans. If, after that, you have any specific questions about shoes, pants, shirts, jackets, prices, etc. use the nifty 'Search' function at the top of the forum. Chances are the question you have has been asked and answered 8,000 times.

Step 2) Take your measurements, or have someone take your measurements. KNOW your measurements top to bottom and do not buy clothes that do not fit your measurements.

Step 3) Don't buy any clothes until you've completed Step 1 (thoroughly) and Step 2.

 

[MetroStyles]

I might post some advice later, but this is a great thread title.

 

[chorse123]

Take baby steps. There's no reason to spend a lot of money or go crazy at first. Slowly build a wardrobe that is appropriate to what you need, then what you like. Really, those three piece suits may be fun, but you won't get nearly as much wear as you would out of one great basic sportcoat.

 

[anon]

Best advice I've read on here is to start from the bottom up -- that is, start with the shoes. Get yourself a nice pair or two of quality shoes, then get some better-fitting and higher quality pants, then shirts, ties, jackets, etc.

People around here are constantly asking great questions and the answers are very revealing, so just look around at what people are discussing. You'll learn a lot. I've only been here ~2 months and I can say I've learned a ton, but I haven't quite figured out how to translate it into the way I dress. Give yourself some time.

 

[Mr. Moo]

It takes some time, so be patient.

It takes some knowledge, so be mindful.

It takes some luck, so be vigilant.

 

[Lucky7]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

It takes some time, so be patient.

It takes some knowledge, so be mindful.

It takes some luck, so be vigilant.

Perfectly stated.

 

[Master-Classter]

Spend some time on this board, I mean days and weeks and months. It may take a while to get the feel for what makes sense, and what will work for you... Read and read places like this one. AAAC is a bit more trad but look at a few sites (PM sent) to get a feel for what people wear.

Also, start looking around at the people around you and in magazines and such. Start to notice and see what you like and don't to develop your own sense of taste. Look at people who's style you admire. Maybe even save pictures and try to copy their looks.


Once you have a sense, get your actual measurements, and also a sense for your fit. Go to various stores and try on everything from $300 suits, to $3000 suits, shirts, and pants and get a feel for what looks good/doesn't. PS - women know very little about men's clothing, do not trust their opinion. Notice, I still haven't suggested buying anything yet...

Take it slow... I've been on here about 2-3 years and every 6 months or so I can look back at purchases made just then and I can already see mistakes. It takes a while... But have fun, try buying some basics (navy blazer, white pocket square, mid-range shoes. Start with that). Also, start dropping from your rotation things that just don't look good anymore. Rather, just don't wear them. Buy 2-3 items above and drop 5 that don't really work.

As to finding the balance. Be realistic about what your job calls for / accepts. You may not need a suit and tie with pocket square. it's over the top! to me, nice shoes, slim chinos, and a v-neck sweater with a button shirt that all fits and is color-coordinated is a very put-together buy not overly complicated outfit. Throw in the occasional sportscoat and you're good to go. Next up, nice jeans...

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by embowafa

Step 2) Take your measurements, or have someone take your measurements. KNOW your measurements top to bottom and do not buy clothes that do not fit your measurements.


Unless you really know the brand well try things on. Different brands can have widely different ideas of what size X is.

You aren't going to wear a three piece suit to school are you? You might wear a vest and jeans or a jacket and jeans.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by Master-Classter

PS - women know very little about men's clothing, do not trust their opinion.

One thing. A fair number of guys are colour blind. Very few women are.

 

[embowafa]

Originally Posted by Nicola

Unless you really know the brand well try things on. Different brands can have widely different ideas of what size X is.

You aren't going to wear a three piece suit to school are you? You might wear a vest and jeans or a jacket and jeans.

Hence, knowing your measurements.

 

[TC11201]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

It takes some time, so be patient.

It takes some knowledge, so be mindful.

It takes some luck, so be vigilant.

I agree with this and would add a couple of other general thoughts:

1. Quality not quantity (and this from someone who has in the past gone overboard wrt the latter) - with quality defined not necessarily as the sartorially splendid names (with splendid prices to match) oft bandied about here, but clothing that is well made, with good materials, well designed (read: with a nod to timelessness) and delivers over and above its price point. The threads here should point you in the right direction on these fronts, with the obvious caveat that much depends on you finding a style you find comfortable and attractive.

2. There are a couple of books which may help in your quest - the Flusser book "Dressing the Man", Roetzle's "Gentleman" and, at an even more basin level, a book called something like "Simple Chic: Men's Wardrobe"

3. As you browse this and other online fora, don't get too caught up in some of the debates you might see here on methods of manufacture, specific materials, unique construction techniques, "house styles," etc. With no disrespect meant for the often very knowledgeable contributors to such threads, those are highly subtle and nuanced differences of opinion that are best engaged after you've comfortably begun to define your style and likes / dislikes.

4. Don't start at the top in terms of brands / prices, both b/c of the sticker shock that will inevitably ensue and because starting at the first rung of high quality will allow you to experiment and define your style without breaking the bank. Using shoes as an example, start with something like Allen Edmonds (if you're in the US) on sale before deciding to fill your shoe collection with Edward Green / John Lobb / Lattanzi, etc. AEs are high quality shoes (in the top 10% of shoes on the mkt, despite what you might see from some here) and the experience of wearing them regularly will allow you to decide whether and which features are important enough to you to start stepping into a more financially draining investment. Some will argue this, but IMHO the differences when moving from something like Kenneth Cole (SF's favorite bette noir of the shoe world) to something like Allen Edmonds are significantly larger than the differences between moving from say AE to something closer to the top end of RTW shoes. AE's may often not be quite as refined as say EG or its brethren, but they have enough commonalities to be mentioned in the same breath (or thread). KC and AE do not. The differences in the former are more like degrees of refinement, not more fundamental elements like basic construction, materials, methods of construction, etc.

5. If money is an issue, figure out which pieces are important for you to spend on - for some fabulous shoes are the ne plus ultra, others wax poetic about their bespoke Neapolitan suits, etc.

6. Start with basics and classic combinations and gradually broaden out and add unique pieces

With that said, here are a few brands / other makers that you might want to look out for:

Shoes - AE, Crockett and Jones benchgrade, Loake 1880 are all good places to start (the latter two, especially given the collapse of sterling) - very different aesthetics, but all good entry level high-quality (some would argue that C&J are a step above, which I'd agree with, just more accessible these days from a financial perspective)

Shirts - if you live near a major metro area, my best advice would be to find a high quality, but reasonably-priced custom shirt maker (~$150). It isn't really cheap, but shirts get lots of use, tend to be what most people see (most people who wear suits take off their jackets, etc.), and unlike most other articles of clothing, there is not a huge pricing difference between high quality RTw and custom. The other alternative would be to start with something like WW Chan when they come on tour to the US - they will make just one shirt which you can refine in terms of fit and style before ordering more.

Suits / Sportcoats - in the US, start with brands like Hickey Freeman or Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece (or even, gasp, 1818). They're often on sale (take a gander around the B&S forum, for instance), are well made pieces that will last and they can have a bit of style (especially, IMHO, HF).

Pants - again, HF on sale, BB on sale, or even reaching to Incotex - you can usually find good stuff for $100 or so, just be patient.

Hope that this helps a bit...

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I think you should start with the slacks, since you already commonly wear them.

Improving the look of your slacks will outwardly be a small step, but inwardly a large leap.

Buy quality and buy stuff that fits 'close' OTR, dont listen to the sales guy when he tells you that they dont have you size in stock, but one size up can be tailored down.

If you have built thighs, you may need to size up and have the waist taken in, if you are thin, you may need to buy one size down and have the waist let out depending on the brand.

Tailor them to a light break, or in the situation with pants like Incotex, no break.


Next step, shoes.

Depends on your personal style, but i would lean toward buying Allen Edmonds as a stepping stone, dont buy something overly expensive.

Stick to penny loafers in burgundy.

Shirts

You already wear dress shirts, so you're next step is simply improving that attire. Generally speaking i would stick to this:

White
Blue
White with a check pattern
Blue with a stripe pattern

Barrel Cuffs

Have the sides tapered in
Have the sleeve length made right.

Spend some time learning the correct way to launder your shirts, that works for you.

For me, thats Wash hot with similar colors (i do all the similar colors seperately), tumble dry, then iron damp with light starch.

 

[mkarim]

Originally Posted by chorse123

There's no reason to spend a lot of money or go crazy at first. Slowly build a wardrobe that is appropriate to what you need, then what you like.

That's very important. Your taste in style will change and will need refinement as you go, so buy slowly. Remember, these are going to be investments.

 

[JordanH.]

Originally Posted by Prospero

Greetings,

As you can clearly tell from my post count, I'm new here; I should add that "here" encompasses not only these forums, but the entire sartorial plane. I am, when it comes to this topic, woefully uninformed on even the basics of "how to dress." I do not have any real need to change my wardrobe, or to raise the standard on how I dress, but I do have the desire to do both. While I may not throw out my collection of well-worn t-shirts (after all, my closet would be lacking without a shirt designed to look like Iron Man's armor), I'd very much like to add a bit of sophistication to my repertoire.

What I'm looking for is advice, both general tips and specifics suggestions, on how I can improve my attire without looking like a) a clueless slob, or b) a pretentious jerk. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being a novice and 10 being an expert, I'm a 1. We're avoiding decimals, yes? Ok, a 1, if we're rounding up.

I would be more than happy to receive any directions towards material, online or otherwise, to help improve my understanding of the basic fundamentals of dressing with a bit of distinction.

A bit about me, to put things in context:

I'm a 26 year old high school teacher. I'm about 5'9", maybe 5'10", and I weigh about 150 lbs. I have light skin, brown eyes, brown hair that is rapidly thinning from the hairline back. I have a short, trimmed beard, and wear my hair about the same length or slightly longer. I wear glasses, never contacts.

Currently, I tend to wear whatever happens to be clean and on hand. I apparently lack whatever ability allows people to determine whether a certain color compliments another, because I frequently hear, "You're wearing that shirt with those slacks?" or receive the dreaded arched-brow from my wife.

My job has a very, very lax dress code. Jeans are not terribly uncommon, especially on Fridays. More often it's pants with polo shirts. I generally wear pants (tan or gray) with a long-sleeve shirt; either button-up or polo. No one wears a suit. Very few people wear ties.

My goal: To increase the overall style of my attire a notch (or three). I'm not really concerned about what I wear when I'm lounging around the house, but when I'm at work or out with my wife I'd like to look good.

My concerns: I have no idea where to even begin. I'm also a bit concerned that trying to dress up a bit will come across as pompous or self-important. I'm not a shy person, or lacking in confidence, but I'm not sure if I have the right... mindset, to achieve what I'm going for (if that makes any sense).

My idiosyncratic inclinations: I really like 3-piece suits. I'm not sure why, but there is something (to me) charming, in a slightly anachronistic way, about them. I get the impression these are viewed with skepticism, at best.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Get Alan Flusser's book: Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion. I flipped through it and saw many amazing images, which spurred my Sartorial journey. The book is great. It will give you almost everything you need to know about dressing with permanent style.