Tips for next purchase pretty please

[Nomies]

Looking to expand wardrobe, but not sure with what, please advice

Background is I work in finance and I enjoy dressing properly and formally, but many colleagues dress rather shoddy so I can easily get away with dressing down a little bit. I do not want to dress too informally however, I enjoy classic menswear and how it looks but also embrace the adage "clothes maketh the man".

What I currently wear is the following
Dark blue fresco suit
Grey fresco suit (somewhere between mid and charcoal?)
Light grey fresco suit
Navy hopsack jacket
Cream cotton twill pants
White cotton twill pants
---below are very rarely used, I do not enjoy flannel---
Grey flannel pants
Light grey flannel pants
Brown flannel pants

What I tend to do is mix and mash, not quite full blown spezzato, but I see no issue taking a suit jacket and pairing with cotton twill pants or taking grey fresco pants with dark blue fresco jacket for example.

So question is, what is my next purchase, to eek out as many combinations as possible while keeping it clean and semi formal to formal?

 

[philosophe]

What do you actually like to wear? Looking at your list, it seems to me that you could think about another suit (if you prefer wearing suits) or perhaps a jacket and some odd trousers. One navy jacket is a decent start, but not much. Some alternatives to light colored cotton twills (unsuitable for cooler weather) and the flannels you don't like would make sense.

 

[Nomies]

What do you actually like to wear? Looking at your list, it seems to me that you could think about another suit (if you prefer wearing suits) or perhaps a jacket and some odd trousers. One navy jacket is a decent start, but not much. Some alternatives to light colored cotton twills (unsuitable for cooler weather) and the flannels you don't like would make sense.

I would have to say it varies. Right now I enjoy jacket and trousers a little bit more than full suit because it looks different and interesting and thus feels different and interesting. But it’s marginal, full suit is more than fine too.

What would be the alternative to light coloured cotton pants? This is where I get stuck. Most would say that obviously it is flannel, which makes sense, but I don’t like it. Darker coloured twill? More pants in fresco? I need something that is noticeably different from what I currently have because people here in Sweden generally dress very poorly and can’t tell the difference between let’s say different weaves, so to avoid looking like I’m repeating myself too much the colour needs to be different.

 

[philosophe]

Why don't you check out Cavour.com? You'll see lots of options.

 

[Nomies]

Why don't you check out Cavour.com? You'll see lots of options.

They only have 3 high rise pants and they're all flannel. I can check them out for inspiration, sure, but for that I'd prefer lookbooks or similar to see the full outfit including jacket.

 

[breakaway01]

I wouldn’t pair a fresco suit jacket with cotton trousers. What don’t you like about flannel?

Two thoughts:
Would add one or more odd jackets. IMO fresco does not have enough surface texture to serve as a good sportcoat.

Odd trouser fabrics for cool weather other than flannel: cavalry twill, covert, whipcord. Corduroy for more casual pairings.

 

[Nomies]

I wouldn’t pair a fresco suit jacket with cotton trousers. What don’t you like about flannel?

Two thoughts:
Would add one or more odd jackets. IMO fresco does not have enough surface texture to serve as a good sportcoat.

Odd trouser fabrics for cool weather other than flannel: cavalry twill, covert, whipcord. Corduroy for more casual pairings.

Fresco jacket with cotton twill trousers look totally fine imo and I’ve been pairing them up nicely. Especially the light grey fresco because it’s not a solid, it’s more of a mixed color light grey. Why do you feel they don’t mix? I know it’s a suit jacket, but it’s not like it’s a shiny worsted wool jacket we’re talking about and it’s paired with a very clean looking cotton twill with a crisp press fold. Jacket also doesn’t have flap pockets and a very soft shoulder.

I don’t like the fuzzyness of flannel, as in the look and feel. It doesn’t feel clean and formal. Especially not on a jacket, that is a very hard pass for me. I own 3 flannel trousers and I have worn them, I just don’t like them. Flannel is also very weak. My thighs rub against each other a lot and that will chew threw flannel like butter on a hot day.

I’m all for adding more jackets, but to pair with what? My fresco pants? I would love to get a toned down prince of wales jacket. Just no patch pockets. Too informal for my taste, the fabric is informal as it is. I agree fresco isn’t ideal as a single jacket, except for the light grey one as mentioned, that one is great. But yes that’s why I have a hopsack jacket (but no patch pockets).

I don’t care much for seasonal fabrics to be honest, I sweat easily and I want to keep it formal. That’s why I like fresco, it is breathable and very durable. If I’m cold I take a wool coat and a scarf. Stockholm, Sweden doesn’t get very cold. So the focus needs to be versatile colors that can be paired easily as well as looking clean and formal.

 

[breakaway01]

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you are asking for advice but rejecting everything that doesn't fall within what sounds like a fairly narrow range of dressing. "Formal" is not a binary 'formal'/'not formal' distinction. Sounds like you don't like texture in your clothing, which I honestly think is too bad, but on the other hand some people really enjoy having a particular uniform look that they like. At the most extreme you have Steve Jobs and his black turtlenecks.

if you really don't want to venture into more textured fabrics, stick with what you know and like. Maybe wool gabardine or twill trousers.

 

[Zerase]

I don’t like the fuzzyness of flannel, as in the look and feel. It doesn’t feel clean and formal.

I'd say it is one of the more formal winter weight materials there is. Sure, if you wear flannel trousers and a heavy tweed jacket it is not a formal look, but a grey flannel suit is very much appropriate in a business environment (and definitely in the finance sector in Stockholm)

 

[Nomies]

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you are asking for advice but rejecting everything that doesn't fall within what sounds like a fairly narrow range of dressing. "Formal" is not a binary 'formal'/'not formal' distinction. Sounds like you don't like texture in your clothing, which I honestly think is too bad, but on the other hand some people really enjoy having a particular uniform look that they like. At the most extreme you have Steve Jobs and his black turtlenecks.

if you really don't want to venture into more textured fabrics, stick with what you know and like. Maybe wool gabardine or twill trousers.

I can see how it looks this way, yes. Maybe I wasn’t specific enough, but what I was hoping for was something like “your next purchase should be a jacket with pattern X in color Y because you can match that with item 1, 2, 3 and 4 of your wardrobe. Probably too much to ask for to begin with. Like, I understand that I need more of everything, but what I struggle with is finding the time to just binge lookbooks for jacket and odd trouser combinations in various colors. Where would I even find this to begin with? Google just shows me **** fashion and the results doesn’t even match what I googled for.

And yes it is a shame I do not enjoy flannel, it limits me making it even more difficult to build a wardrobe.

I want outfits that work in finance where literally everyone else wears full suits, albeit poorly fitting with trash shoes. So if I don’t want to stick out too much I can’t venture much further than worsted wools or the like, cotton twill and maybe, maybe some heavy linen?

 

[breakaway01]

Since you like fresco -- maybe some other high twist wools for trousers. Drapers 4-ply is very good. You might like cavalry twill. It has some surface texture in terms of the twill but it is not fuzzy.

For jackets, maybe a navy, chocolate brown, or dark green herringbone?

 

[Nomies]

I'd say it is one of the more formal winter weight materials there is. Sure, if you wear flannel trousers and a heavy tweed jacket it is not a formal look, but a grey flannel suit is very much appropriate in a business environment (and definitely in the finance sector in Stockholm)

I have never ever seen anyone at any work place I’ve been at wear flannel in winter. I’m sure it exists somewhere, but I have never seen it. Other than when I wore flannel pants myself but with a sweater. It’s literally all navy or dark blue worsted wool in some cheap super 120 fabric and with a modern very slimmed fit. Maybe chinos and a navy blazer on some older gents. Thats it, year round.

 

[JacktheShoeshiner]

I care

I would have to say it varies. Right now I enjoy jacket and trousers a little bit more than full suit because it looks different and interesting and thus feels different and interesting. But it’s marginal, full suit is more than fine too.

What would be the alternative to light coloured cotton pants? This is where I get stuck. Most would say that obviously it is flannel, which makes sense, but I don’t like it. Darker coloured twill? More pants in fresco? I need something that is noticeably different from what I currently have because people here in Sweden generally dress very poorly and can’t tell the difference between let’s say different weaves, so to avoid looking like I’m repeating myself too much the colour needs to be different.

more about the shoes and you lovely suit selection would suggest to me your outfits would be incomplete without at least one pair of black, burgundy, mid tan, dark tan and blue shoes. Maybe even a pair of grey. Who cares if those in your office are carefree with their dress sense. You sound like a classy dresser so run with it.

 

[Nomies]

Since you like fresco -- maybe some other high twist wools for trousers. Drapers 4-ply is very good. You might like cavalry twill. It has some surface texture in terms of the twill but it is not fuzzy.

For jackets, maybe a navy, chocolate brown, or dark green herringbone?

Yes I have been looking at other high twist wool trousers, like brown. Should be fairly versatile I feel. Maybe not the darkest brown though. But what comes after that, when I have trousers in dark blue, grey, light grey and brown? Another shade of brown? Yes I have looked at cavalry twill after someone mentioned it earlier, looks good. The cotton twill I have now have around 250gr weight, so they’re not the heaviest for sure.

Wouldn’t herringbone be too discrete to really differentiate itself from a plain navy jacket? I was thinking more in the lines of some type of checked pattern? But that’s as far as I got myself. I’m sure there’s space for a herringbone jacket as well but maybe further down the road? I’m not disregarding your suggestion, just throwing out ideas.

 

[Nomies]

I care

more about the shoes and you lovely suit selection would suggest to me your outfits would be incomplete without at least one pair of black, burgundy, mid tan, dark tan and blue shoes. Maybe even a pair of grey. Who cares if those in your office are carefree with their dress sense. You sound like a classy dresser so run with it.

Shoes I got covered. I have a fully thought out plan here, to continue building on the oxfords I already own. I can still wear the shoes I purchased in 2015 and later and here my style has not changed. Since then I’ve had to replace my entire wardrobe however due to weight gain as well as finding out I really enjoy high rise pants and pleats, something I did not think would ever happen 7 years ago.