When did you start caring about how you dressed?

[Guy-Montag]

28.

I'd worked as a fashion photographer's assistant for a bit, so I knew what high fashion looked like, but it'd been jeans and a t-shirt from college till recently. New job, wearing khaki's and a polo as the standard IT uniform. Then they asked the IT staff to start wearing dress shirts and I thought "Hah. Two can play that game."

It was just a joke at first, but the compliments were so nice that it stuck.

Now it's pocket squares, vests, boutonnieres, pocket watches, and some really nice looking ties.

People really do treat you differently when you dress nice. Everyone says 'Sir', which is nice, a bit weird and slightly amusing.

 

[anon]

Originally Posted by GradSchooler

During my Master's degree. Though it wasn't until I started my PhD that I really tried to "dress like a grown up" and save the jeans and faded t-shirts for lounging about home or quick trips to the store.
same here. then i found sf and really started caring

 

[JayJay]

I don't remember the age, but it's been most of my life. My parents kept me and my siblings dressed well, and my dad and his brothers taught me basics at an early age.

 

[westinghouse]

At the age of 18.

 

[cotton]

After losing a significant amount of weight and transferring to a new office for work. Prior to this I was a loser and dressed the part. Was still wearing **** I had worn in high school, picked out by my mother.

 

[WRAdvisor]

I've always cared about how I dressed, but I wasn't into designer labels until about a year ago. Now, I've gained the knowledge and understanding about how professional clothing is suppose to fit and that better quality means owning for years instead of months.

 

[gaseousclay]

i've always cared about how I dressed but the occasion for me to wear nice clothing, especially suits, are few and far between. i'm 38 but i've only recently started investing in my dress wardrobe. i'm still learning about the do's and don'ts of menswear and coordination so it's been a learning experience. trying to budget my clothing needs and wants is also a hard thing to do - I still want to buy more expensive dress shoes, but I don't need to. it's the same with shirts and ties. I'd still rather buy my stuff at Nordstrom Rack at a discount than pay full price. then of course there's my wife to contend with. she's pretty thrifty about most things and anytime I invest money in something she gives me grief for it. if it were up to her i'd be wearing a cheap $75 suit from Target and shoes from Payless

 

[Eccentric]

I was about 17 and in highschool when I started to think about how I looked. It was not until I had to start wearing suits for debate the next year, however, that my interest really took off.

 

[taxgenius]

12 years old.

 

[upnorth]

I still don't care.

 

[bowtielover]

Well I would say I was at leas 10 ro 11, I used to always wath my fathe get ready work in amazement. He was always finely dressed as I am today, and I decided to do so mysel show the respect and admiration I had for him. I taught myself how to tie a bowtie from watching him tie one and mimicing his moves, and that year I went to an all boys school so I got a wear a uniform those days. I would leave it on once I was home and stay dressed up right along side my father so he would not be so over dressed at home. After tiem it had just becoem a habit of mine and now I am dressed up all the time and constantly concerned with how I look most of the time.

 

[youngScholar]

Around mid 20s (pre SF though). I made damn sure my duckbilled shoes had a good shine!

 

[sho'nuff]

at age 54

 

[GBR]

One was brought up to care.

That however does not mean I never wear ripped jeans etc - I do - just on the right occasion. Caring and being a clothes horse are very different.

 

[Dw3610wm]

I was always taught to be well presented by my mom, my dad is very old school and doesn't give a toss. But I really started caring when I found out that I am infact a 38R not a size L, and when I discovered designerwear and well constructed fits and materials. I liked the whole fantasy of designerwear as opposed to boring graphic/plain t-shirts everyone was starting to wear around me. Oh and lots of free time.