Teenager looking for classic menswear advice

[Matteo Castillo]

Hey guys


I'm a 17yo teenager and I need some style advices. I've always been really interested in classic menswear and now that I'll be 18 in some months I want to start dressing like an adult man, but I look way younger.


My favorites things to wear are suits, but i always felt that i'm too young for it. l have some hand-me-downs from my dad that I got when I turned 10 (i recently adjusted them to fit me properly) and could buy some other "adult" clothes recently since i got a job, but i'm still not comfortable enough to wear them because I feel like a kid. What can I do to look and feel more mature? What other pieces of clothing should I also wear and which combinations should i try?

I already have a few button up shirts, a coat, some ties, a blazer, a sweater, three regular suits (a gray, a navy blue and a striped one), a three-piece suit (charcoal gray) and a striped navy double-breasted (most of my suits and shirts are [tailored] hand-me-downs). I'm planning to buy a jacket when I get money. What else should I try? I'm short so it's easy for me to pass as fourteen, and it's awful.

I know that I'm not an adult but one day I'll be and want to be prepared, and I don't really feel comfortable in streetwear and other "young" styles, so I really want to try it.

 

[johng70]

Dressing like an adult is not the same thing as wearing a suit and tie. Don't confuse level of formality with dressing like an adult. You can dress like a mature man by wearing proper fitting clothes, button down shirts, nice shoes/belt.
How acceptable the level of formality of a suit is depends on where you are wearing it - especially as a young man who looks young. You mention having a job - let's start with that. What job do you have? That will help us determine whether a suit is recommended formality for that environment.

 

[Crispyj]

You might want to refrain from spending too much on suit/ tailored jackets, just in case you grow a bit more, vertically or horizontally. Also figure out if you just like to wear suits or you like tailoring.

Since you seem to have a good amount of suits, I would say lean a bit towards the casual side, like The Anthology Lazyman jacket. Budget friendlier options are Chad Prom's Over Cardigan Jacket or Informale work shirt.

For more inspiration, especially for people similar to your height, check out Asian menswear enthusiasts on Instagram. Some recommendations: Camoshita, Tarosixstrings, Lamarche_Official, Buzzspoke (The Anthology), wwc.willy (The Anthology).

 

[Matteo Castillo]

Dressing like an adult is not the same thing as wearing a suit and tie. Don't confuse level of formality with dressing like an adult. You can dress like a mature man by wearing proper fitting clothes, button down shirts, nice shoes/belt.
How acceptable the level of formality of a suit is depends on where you are wearing it - especially as a young man who looks young. You mention having a job - let's start with that. What job do you have? That will help us determine whether a suit is recommended formality for that environment.

Well, i still don't know too much about adult clothing that aren't suits and ties (they're my favorite type of clothes, but i need to try other things)
I work on an office, and there aren't any specific dress code required so we can wear from simple shirts to full suits (younger people are allowed to wear t-shirts), but they are only worn by older men, so i think it would be weird if i start dressing like them even though I want to.

 

[Matteo Castillo]

You might want to refrain from spending too much on suit/ tailored jackets, just in case you grow a bit more, vertically or horizontally. Also figure out if you just like to wear suits or you like tailoring.

Since you seem to have a good amount of suits, I would say lean a bit towards the casual side, like The Anthology Lazyman jacket. Budget friendlier options are Chad Prom's Over Cardigan Jacket or Informale work shirt.

For more inspiration, especially for people similar to your height, check out Asian menswear enthusiasts on Instagram. Some recommendations: Camoshita, Tarosixstrings, Lamarche_Official, Buzzspoke (The Anthology), wwc.willy (The Anthology).

Thanks for these recommendations, i'll check them out

 

[Stuart Midgley]

I'd say remember that there is not, and never was, just one 'adult suit' style. In any given era there have always been distinct differences between suit styles for younger men, for middle-aged men and for older men. I mean, 18 year olds in the 1920's wore differently styled suit outfits to 50 year olds in the 1920s. Ditto today.

If you want to look and feel comfortable in suits at 18, research and think about what makes a good young man's suit style (for your taste). Then aim your purchases for that. Good luck!

 

[singlechange]

Hi Matteo,
In a way I was a bit like you and I wanted to know what combinations of clothing to wear and look differently than I was.
Have a look at www.thesartorialist.com where Scot Schuman has loads of photographs where you will see men young and not so young where combinations of clothing.
I got my start wearing different combinations of clothing this way.
By the way, Scott probably has about similar physical build like yourself too, so see if you can find photographs of him wearing his clothing.

 

[Matteo Castillo]

rha

Hi Matteo,
In a way I was a bit like you and I wanted to know what combinations of clothing to wear and look differently than I was.
Have a look at www.thesartorialist.com where Scot Schuman has loads of photographs where you will see men young and not so young where combinations of clothing.
I got my start wearing different combinations of clothing this way.
By the way, Scott probably has about similar physical build like yourself too, so see if you can find photographs of him wearing his clothing.

thank you. i will check it out

 

[mbdakin]

Matteo, a few thoughts for you:

• Don't rush; learning to dress well takes a lifetime. Read widely, find other men whose style you like and try to understand what makes it work for them.
• Comfort is important; if you feel uncomfortable in your clothes, others will notice. Focus on fit. It's nice to have a head start on your wardrobe, but don't feel compelled to hang onto something if it doesn't work for you.
• Introduce one new item at a time, and wear it until it feels natural. You may get comments on the way your dress, especially changes, but people will forget about it over time.
• When I meet someone, I always notice their shoes. Your choice of footwear grounds the whole outfit, and a well-made pair of shoes is a good mark of maturity and professionalism. Invest in a pair of well-made leather shoes, take care of them and they'll last a lifetime.

Good luck!