• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Your significant other and your clothes habit

JohnMS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2004
Messages
650
Reaction score
0
A washboard. Trouble is I would be stuck doing the wash. But hey, if I have the Gravatis.
nelsonbrownicon.jpg
 

kalra2411

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2003
Messages
718
Reaction score
1
I have been reading this thread since the beginning, and I was contemplating whether to post, but here it goes:

My wife and I both encourage each other to buy good clothes, and to look good, if we did not, I am sure that we would look strange in the social circle in which we mix. A party at someone's house in Hampstead on a Friday or Saturday evening, and every man is wearing Brioni, Pal Zileri, whatever, and every woman is clad with at least a 10ct. on there finger, with yet more gracing their necks and wrists and a dress by YSL Rive Gauche, McQueen, Gucci, Galliano, Channel, whatever.

I am sure that if I dressed any less in the office, the employees would laugh, managers wear Armani Black Label, so of course I will wear Kiton.

All I can say is; "Let the good times of Martinis followed by Single Malts followed by Cognac Role."
 

JohnMS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2004
Messages
650
Reaction score
0
Man, I'm just hangin' out in the wrong crowd, down here in the 15 percent tax bracket.
 

kabert

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Messages
2,078
Reaction score
7
Indeed, they say money can't buy happiness, but it can eliminate or substantially eliminate spousal quibbles about spending money on clothes and shoes. I also occasionally drop hints to my wife about how thrifty I'm being in other ways. How I'm long-suffering in my "ancient" 1998 model year car. How -- speaking truthfully -- that Brioni blazer that just came in the mail was actually just $150 on EBay and the Edward Greens were just $175 on EBay (hon, these shoes would be $800 at retail).... If my wife thinks it's a little over the top that I've got way too many dress shirts and dress shoes, etc., I only respect her more for not saying anything about it other than with an occasional raised eyebrow at yet another EBay purchase.
 

acole

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2004
Messages
221
Reaction score
0
That's my strategy too, kabert...always emphasize the value.  Jantzen's a dream come true in that regard.  Since I never pay retail, the focus is almost invariably "wow, can't believe you got such a great deal" rather than "hey, you spent $300..."  I snag nice things for her when I can, too, which probably doesn't hurt.  The "ancient car" shtick is useful as well--mine's a 1991.  

Whatever your tax bracket, you can always step up several levels in quality with a bit of digging and patience.  I recently scored two brand new HF suits in LP 120 Tasmanian (solid navy and solid charcoal) off eBay.  My wife was with me when I tried on the exact same suits at Nordstorm where they cost $1400 after tax, and the salesguy cheerfully confided that "basics like these NEVER go on sale."

I remember feeling bummed, because they fit me very well, but the concept of a $1000+ suit went over like a lead balloon--and not just with my wife--despite rationalizations about construction and durability, fabric quality, etc. Well, I ended up paying just 20% of their price for two cornerstone wardrobe staples, and the next time I walk into that men's department at Nordies I'm going to have to fight to keep from laughing.  A HF suit is a far cry from the the likes of Sartoria Attolini and Kiton, but considering I could've gone to Men's Wearhouse and paid the same amount for some cheap POS suit that would fall apart in a year, I think I did very well.
 

jcusey

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Apr 24, 2003
Messages
1,803
Reaction score
54
A washboard. Trouble is I would be stuck doing the wash. But hey, if I have the Gravatis.
nelsonbrownicon.jpg
Have you seen those in person, or just on the Harold's website? That picture isn't very good, but the shoe is much better looking in person.
 

NavyStyles

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
505
Reaction score
1
A washboard. Â Trouble is I would be stuck doing the wash. Â But hey, if I have the Gravatis.
Gotta make sacrifices
wink.gif
.
 

Stu

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2002
Messages
2,323
Reaction score
16
My surefire, foolproof way to spend ridiculously on clothes and come off looking like a hero:

Me: "Baby, check out this Zegna Napoli Couture sport coat."
She: "Beautiful."
Me: "Check out the price tag."
Shows her $2,200 Saks price tag.
Me: "Just guess how much I paid for it."
She: "I don't know. Maybe $700?"
Me. "Not even close. Can you believe $250?"
She: "Wow, what a deal."

See, I get points for being smart.
 

Keith T

TWAT Master.
Joined
Apr 17, 2004
Messages
1,847
Reaction score
1,465
My wife is very tolerant, perhaps a bit bemused.  She is also very cognizant of style herself, dresses very well, but does tease me a little.  I'm probably more label conscious than she is, but not terrible about it.  To borrow the exchange format used by Stu and others, this would be typical:

Wife:  "What would you like for Christmas this year? And don't tell me another friggin' tie."

Self: "Uh....okay...how about another friggin' shirt?"

See, I believe it can actually be helpful around holidays and birthdays when you're a clothesie, since people always know what they can get you.  Mind, you have to be specific with them when they ask what you want...

Self:  "Some brown tropical wool pants, 33" waist, make sure they have a decent waistband and they are lined to the knee.  Buy them unfinished and I'll take them to the tailor to get them cuffed.  Now when I say brown, I mean brown, not khaki.  For God's sake, don't buy a blend.  And make sure you get double-pleated.  You got all that?  Thanks. Love ya."

I mean let's face it, my kids should never have the problem that I always do around Father's Day, which is ...What the heck can I get Dad this year?  And what do you get when you ask the old man?  

Old man:  "Gosh son, I don't know.  I got everything I want.  Just take me out to dinner or something".

How boring is that?

So I believe I just twisted it around to make my interest in clothes sound like it benefits my family.
 

Looking to improve

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
345
Reaction score
22
Me:  "I just bought a hat too, a straw Panama hat."

Friend: "Is it a Montechristi hat?  I've been there, you know, when I was in Equador."  

Me "Yes, hand woven."
Kai,

I read your post yesterday and today my curiosity got the upper hand. Never mind the price you paid for your new panama, what does it look like?

MtB
 

BjornH

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
497
Reaction score
1
My surefire, foolproof way to spend ridiculously on clothes and come off looking like a hero:

Me: "Baby, check out this Zegna Napoli Couture sport coat."
She: "Beautiful."
Me:  "Check out the price tag."
Shows her $2,200 Saks price tag.
Me: "Just guess how much I paid for it."
She:  "I don't know. Maybe $700?"
Me. "Not even close. Can you believe $250?"
She: "Wow, what a deal."

See, I get points for being smart.
Funny - I used that exact same method on my recent purchase. Worked like a charm .

B
 

AlanC

Minister of Trad
Joined
Nov 7, 2003
Messages
7,805
Reaction score
97
Whatever your tax bracket, you can always step up several levels in quality with a bit of digging and patience.
I think this is really the key. There's a lot of high flying around here, most of which I'm not in a position to keep up with. However, you can't get caught up in "keeping up" but rather analyze your own situation and needs. Then with making wise choices you will upgrade your wardrobe in a dramatic fashion (no pun intended). You have to have the knowledge and the willingness to look, keep looking and look some more. Deals will appear and good purchases can always be made at what you're able to afford.

Give me someone's Walmart clothing budget and over time I could turn it into a decent wardrobe. Give me someone's department store clothing budget and you're in business.
 

FIHTies

Distinguished Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Messages
2,950
Reaction score
6
Originally Posted by Stu,18 June 2004, 03:19
My surefire, foolproof way to spend ridiculously on clothes and come off looking like a hero: Me: "Baby, check out this Zegna Napoli Couture sport coat." She: "Beautiful." Me: Â "Check out the price tag." Shows her $2,200 Saks price tag. Me: "Just guess how much I paid for it." She: Â "I don't know. Maybe $700?" Me. "Not even close. Can you believe $250?" She: "Wow, what a deal." See, I get points for being smart.
But when she lowballs it to begin with... then you are screwed. Been there...done that (on technology stuff though with my boss...) and its not a pleasant sight. yeesh...sometimes people just dont understand quality and necessity...
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,162
Messages
10,579,065
Members
223,883
Latest member
Darru
Top