Starting out

[Luke.m]

Hello all,

Luke here, 23 from England.

I would like to delve further into classic menswear, however I have quickly realised that I’m going to be somewhat restricted by budget.

My current work attire is Black waxed Barbour jacket, formal fitted shirt with tie, formal slim trousers and Oxford shoes.

I have been buying shirts from either Charles Tyrwhitt or T.M.Lewin with a classic collar, due to the convenience and restricted budget - however I have found that T.M.Lewin shirts don’t lend themselves to being worn with a tie due to the smaller collar.

As for trousers - I tend to use Next’s Signature range, again due to budget restrictions and knowing that the fit is consistent.

I currently wear a pair of dark brown rubber sole Oxfords, but in the process of buying Meermin shoes.

I’m looking for recommendations for shirts, trousers and ties that will allow me to expand my wardrobe with good quality items as opposed to the run of the mill pieces I currently own - whilst sticking to a restricted budget.

I like the look of Anglo Italian, 100 hands, Orazio Luciano and so on - but would struggle to purchase anything of the sort.

If the same question has been asked previously, please refer me to older links!

Thank you
Luke

 

[rwtc]

I do not recommend Meermin or AE because I found both to be extremely painful to break in. Would recommend Crockett & Jones or anything similar if possible. Also... isn't the rule in England to not wear brown in town?

 

[Luke.m]

I do not recommend Meermin or AE because I found both to be extremely painful to break in. Would recommend Crockett & Jones or anything similar if possible. Also... isn't the rule in England to not wear brown in town?

Thank you for the advice.
I have heard the same about Meermin being hard to break in, but I struggled to find a brand that can rival the quality at the same price point?
That is how the old saying goes - however our office is slightly more casual as you aren’t required to wear a jacket or tie (board meetings being the exception).

 

[rwtc]

In terms of footwear, you really do get what you pay for. Do not think you'll manage to somehow "tough it out" during the break-in process, because it is much harder to do that in practice. You will get blisters or bleed, or both. Eventually you'll learn to hate them and move on to better quality shoes... that's typically the trajectory.

I'd recommend Carmina - they're having a sale right now:

Summer sale

MEN SELECTION...

www.carminashoemaker.com

Or alternatively C&J or Brunello Cucinelli (if on sale, as their shoes are all quite soft, but tends to be more casual, which should be okay for your office).

 

[masernaut]

Thank you for the advice.
I have heard the same about Meermin being hard to break in, but I struggled to find a brand that can rival the quality at the same price point?
That is how the old saying goes - however our office is slightly more casual as you aren’t required to wear a jacket or tie (board meetings being the exception).

Look into Yanko. Slightly higher price but much higher quality. Retailers like Skolyx carry Yanko.

 

[Luke.m]

Look into Yanko. Slightly higher price but much higher quality. Retailers like Skolyx carry Yanko.

I hadn’t heard of Yanko before, I like the look of the cap toe oxford’s.
They are £100 more than the Meermin’s though, does the difference in quality justify this?

 

[norMD]

Or just pick up skolyx own branded oxfords, they are probably rebranded yankos.

Trousers from suitsupply are ok.

CT and TM lewin are good for shirts.

And you can probably move on to anglo italian or some other MTM (consult permanentstyle) when funds allow.

 

[masernaut]

I hadn’t heard of Yanko before, I like the look of the cap toe oxford’s.
They are £100 more than the Meermin’s though, does the difference in quality justify this?

I would argue, yes. The shoe is wholly made in Spain. Not made in China and finished in Spain. The big plus of this is what you can expect better quality control and by going through Skolyx or any other retailer in Europe that carries Yanko, you can get easy returns/exchanges.

Meermin is known to have issues with quality control, customer service and the infamous "break-in." My Yankos (I have about three pairs) are comfortable and required very little break-in.

I know you are on a budget and there are budget options for you. Orban's (French) and Berwick (Portugal, I think) also offer quality footwear for a competitive price.

 

[Evergreen88]

Hi Luke where are you based in England? If you are somewhere near, I suggest you go visit the Northampton factory shops and pick up some great seconds to start your shoes collection. They are amazing value.

 

[Cheshire symposium]

For trousers, I would go bespoke. You can pick up a pair from Whitcomb and Shaftesbury’s ‘classic bespoke’ service for £400-£500. I would maybe start off with a mid grey given its versatility and then build from there.

 

[dieworkwear]

Have you considered other kinds of wardrobes?

I think a lot of classic men's style revolves around a tailored jacket (suits and sport coats). Without a tailored jacket, a lot of this stuff can become business casual. Sometimes that stuff works, but a lot of times it doesn't.

There are affordable suits and sport coats (e.g. Spier & MacKay). However, depending on your budget, those may also be out of reach.

If you're working on a tight budget, I think it's worth exploring other wardrobe options. A coat-and-tie look may also not work for your lifestyle. Nothing wrong with dressing up and standing out, but I feel like I've seen a lot of younger guys come into a tailored wardrobe on a tight budget, buy stuff that doesn't look quite right, and then in the end they realize they need to dress more casually anyway.

Some of the most stylish people I see on a day-to-day basis are wearing thrifted and vintage clothes. Workwear is also a pretty look to achieve on a budget.

 

[Konnor]

For trousers, I would go bespoke. You can pick up a pair from Whitcomb and Shaftesbury’s ‘classic bespoke’ service for £400-£500. I would maybe start off with a mid grey given its versatility and then build from there.

I'm going to guess that this isn't anywhere near his budget...

 

[Luke.m]

Or just pick up skolyx own branded oxfords, they are probably rebranded yankos.

Trousers from suitsupply are ok.

CT and TM lewin are good for shirts.

And you can probably move on to anglo italian or some other MTM (consult permanentstyle) when funds allow.

I’ll have a look at Skolyx own brand, do you have experience with these yourself?

Suit supply looks like it is within reach, will the difference in quality be noticeable compared to the likes of Next etc?

 

[Luke.m]

I would argue, yes. The shoe is wholly made in Spain. Not made in China and finished in Spain. The big plus of this is what you can expect better quality control and by going through Skolyx or any other retailer in Europe that carries Yanko, you can get easy returns/exchanges.

Meermin is known to have issues with quality control, customer service and the infamous "break-in." My Yankos (I have about three pairs) are comfortable and required very little break-in.

I know you are on a budget and there are budget options for you. Orban's (French) and Berwick (Portugal, I think) also offer quality footwear for a competitive price.

I will definitely consider the Yanko’s.

Thank you for the other suggestions.

 

[Luke.m]

Have you considered other kinds of wardrobes?

I think a lot of classic men's style revolves around a tailored jacket (suits and sport coats). Without a tailored jacket, a lot of this stuff can become business casual. Sometimes that stuff works, but a lot of times it doesn't.

There are affordable suits and sport coats (e.g. Spier & MacKay). However, depending on your budget, those may also be out of reach.

If you're working on a tight budget, I think it's worth exploring other wardrobe options. A coat-and-tie look may also not work for your lifestyle. Nothing wrong with dressing up and standing out, but I feel like I've seen a lot of younger guys come into a tailored wardrobe on a tight budget, buy stuff that doesn't look quite right, and then in the end they realize they need to dress more casually anyway.

Some of the most stylish people I see on a day-to-day basis are wearing thrifted and vintage clothes. Workwear is also a pretty look to achieve on a budget.

I would agree that it probably falls more within the business casual bracket.

What other wardrobe options do you suggest?

my go to workwear outfit is a button down collar shirt (with or without a tie), dark grey or navy formal trousers, with dark brown leather or suede oxfords and belt.

I was hoping to gradually replace items with higher quality as and when the budget allows.