so if my girl friend doesn't pick my clothes...

[ted]

Ok, I think I'm ready for the criticism to begin. My girl friend (current and past ones) generally suggests what to buy. That has amounted to a lot of Dockers and polo shirts ( I think I own every solid color every made). I've never been to worried about this until recently.

I seem to like more preppy cloths (if that word is still used). I don't see much in GQ or other magazines I like so where do I find out more about this style. I guess I could buy POLO stuff but is it all good? Some of it seems kinda silly - like I'm the kind of guy to wear a fancy crest on a blazer pocket - uh no.

A friend joked I should just get the Official Preppy Handbook - I thought that book was a joke it that right?

Any help is appreciated. I admit - I need to learn a lot and am sure I don't call things by their right names sometimes - so please be kind

 

[GreyFlannelMan]

Preppy still exists; some would say it is part of a genre known on the message boards as "Trad." If you are interested in that, you should visit Ask Andy About Clothes, which has an entire sub-category devoted to all things Trad (and I do mean all things --from dogs to cars to towns and so on).

Lose the Dockers and the girlfriend picking out your wardrobe.

 

[AlanC]

As someone at this very moment wearing khakis and a polo shirt I would caution against tossing all of them. I personally believe it is a useful 'look' for lack of a better term, but you need to see beyond it. This site will help you with that. Read, absorb, ask questions. Get rid of any square toed shoes.

 

[Duveen]

Originally Posted by GreyFlannelMan

Lose the Dockers and the girlfriend picking out your wardrobe.

Hmmm...I'd argue you could keep the girlfriend, but not let her pick out your wardrobe. But there are a lot of factors to weigh in that decision.

Do take a look at the AAAC Trad forum (http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/F...p?FORUM_ID=15), but be aware that this may be too conservative for you.

Where the trads have good ideas is:
* Get things that last
* Pick classic styles
* Don't be afraid of a little color

Where they get somewhat dogmatic is:
* No darts/shaping in suits (very much a matter of style)
* A bit too much affection for the truly old-school, East Coast looks (hornrims, button-downs and shabby chic). These can be great, but if you go all the way with grosgrain watchbands it can be a bit much.

Good luck, and do check things out around here as well to help balance things out!

 

[drake]

I think Preppy is a subset of Trad; but unfortunately not well represented on Ask Andy (it's probably seen as too fashiony for the Trads on AAAC). Ted: You can get a decent start by checking out the J. Crew website: www.jcrew.com

 

[mack11211]

The Preppy Handbook was a very good satire of the WASP ethnicity/ethos/lifestyle circa 1980. The writers knew what they were sending up, which is why it worked so well & inspired so many knock-offs. Since then the look has evolved, but just a wee bit.

 

[ted]

Thanks for the replys. The girl friend is staying for now, I'll just go shopping without her to start. Checked out the 'trad' at Ask Andy - they seem like ok guys if somewhat older than me - seem a bit serious but I guess I can learn from them. Checked out JCrew - they seem pretty cool. Is preppy or 'trad' really so full of rules? If I'm tired of the gf telling me what I can and can't wear why would I want a style that does the same thing? Or do all styles have hard and fast rules? Sorry if this is a dumb question.

 

[Renault78law]

Originally Posted by GreyFlannelMan

Lose the Dockers and the girlfriend picking out your wardrobe.
I agree on both counts. The latter is squarely within your mom's purview.

 

[StevenRocks]

Originally Posted by ted

Is preppy or 'trad' really so full of rules? If I'm tired of the gf telling me what I can and can't wear why would I want a style that does the same thing? Or do all styles have hard and fast rules? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
Take the "rules" as guidelines, but please do your own thing. Clothing is one of the things that we can make truly personal, and you shouldn't let a bunch of Trad purists or your girlfriend take that away from you.

 

[Teacher]

Woman no pick man clothes! Man pick man clothes! Woman make man look like pastel mama's boy with odd taste!

 

[chorse123]

You've started in the right direction. Be a man and dress yourself. J. Crew is pretty good, though as you learn more you can get better value. Brooks brothers is the older man's J. Crew, more sedate, more expensive. Ignore the trads, many of them are truly crazy. Rules? The rules seem to matter very little anymore, and I wouldn't say they're tied to one specific style or another, more to polite society.

 

[SGladwell]

Originally Posted by Teacher

Woman no pick man clothes! Man pick man clothes! Woman make man look like pastel mama's boy with odd taste!
Maybe you just need to find a better woman. Here are some things my girlfriend has either bought me or convinced me to buy in the last few months: -Deadstock pre-Prada (1999) Helmut Lang classic cut dry jeans -Vintage navy cashmere V-neck by Pringle -Fuschia and lightish olive green irregularly-patterned Charvet tie that she now regrets recommending. (Other women love to come up and touch it. It's the most magnetic piece of clothing I've ever seen, especially over a putty-colored herringbone Zegna Su Misura shirt with a woven and printed pattern Brioni pocket square with a tan/putty base color.) -Charcoal cashmere flannel Kiton pants with almost jeans-like front pockets. -Charcoal peaked-lapel Luciano Barbera sportcoat of Carlo Barbera super 100's fabric. (I wasn't going to buy it because it is unvented, but she talked me into it and that fantastic fabric just does not wrinkle no matter how much I sit on it.) -Sky blue linen pocket square with white piping (NM house brand)

 

[berlin report]

Everytime I hear a customer say to me "I really like this but I have to show it to my girlfriend first before I can buy it.", I feel really sad for them. Of course its great if your partner likes what you wear but you should never let them dictate it.
The 'preppy' look is making a huge comeback so you should not have any problems getting the look you want. Try to get pieces that have been "re-interpreted"--- custom-fit polos, flat-front low-slung chinos, vans or chucks, croc loafers, fitted blousons with some cafe-racer details...
Enjoy.

 

[philosophe]

Berlin Report makes an excellent suggestion. Buying more fitted polos and chinos will update your look. Shop for fit as much as for color. Avoid clothes that are shapeless and blousy. And avoid those ubiquitous square-toed shoes.

 

[Dapper Dandy]

Originally Posted by berlin report

Everytime I hear a customer say to me "I really like this but I have to show it to my girlfriend first before I can buy it.", I feel really sad for them.

Actually, I use that line to avoid telling a salesman that I don't want to buy anything, or that I changed my mind about buying something. That way he or she will leave me alone and let me shop in peace.