Ultimate noob thread - recommend me X in my wardrobe - post questions here please.

Alright so here's the deal. I'm a complete fashion n00b. I don't have an "eye" for fashion and I never have thought much about it. I was looking through my wardrobe the other day and I was just completely disgusted. There was barely anything that I wanted to wear out. I have a couple go to t-shirts and a decent pair of jeans, but I've never felt like my clothes have been an expression of who I am as a person, and I'd like that to change. I'm pretty poor right now, but could spend say $500-$1,000 on a new wardrobe. With my very limited budget to start, what are some good options? Is there a website out that gathers some of the cooler brands out there? I'm sick and tired of Abercrombie, American Eagle, Express, and the same old boring BS. Oh btw, I'm a 25 year old man, 6' 2" and fairly skinny. Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by SageOne

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Alright so here's the deal. I'm a complete fashion n00b. I don't have an "eye" for fashion and I never have thought much about it. I was looking through my wardrobe the other day and I was just completely disgusted. There was barely anything that I wanted to wear out. I have a couple go to t-shirts and a decent pair of jeans, but I've never felt like my clothes have been an expression of who I am as a person, and I'd like that to change. I'm pretty poor right now, but could spend say $500-$1,000 on a new wardrobe. With my very limited budget to start, what are some good options? Is there a website out that gathers some of the cooler brands out there? I'm sick and tired of Abercrombie, American Eagle, Express, and the same old boring BS. Oh btw, I'm a 25 year old man, 6' 2" and fairly skinny. Thanks everyone!

Some things that I think you really can't go wrong with right now. I'll go by usual full retail price. You should be able to knock about a hundred off with some eBay skills or buying some used clothes.

APC New Standards (165 ish, or altenatively Naked and Famous denim... about $130)
Converse Chuck Taylors ($30-40)
Allen Edmonds Park Avenue ($300) - In black, this should take care of your dress shoe needs for a while.

Start cutting down on all your Abercrombie/American Eagle graphic T stuff. I can only speak for bargain hunting on shirts. T-Shirts can easily be had for under $10. Target has an occasional nice graphic T-Shirt, American Apparel T-Shirts can be bought through wholesalers for under $10. Button up/button down shirts can be had on sale usually from about $20-$30. The key to buying those shirts is get shirts that fit (try all your shirts a size smaller than you usually wear) and also to not get some bright obnoxious color. Pale blues and pinks and whites are all safe choices when you don't have a good idea about what a nice shirt design might be.

For budget shirt brands I like Gap, J Crew and Ralph Lauren. Brooks Brothers can be had sometimes for good deals.

For shorts I think the Gap Chino shorts do fine as a low priced option, and sometimes those Abercrombie/Hollister/American Eagle brands put out nice shorts. For those just look out for no obnoxious branding and not too much distressing and not too many big cargo pockets.

Another simple way to improve your wardrobe is by swapping out those white athletic socks. Black socks are safe so just get like a big pack of Gold Toe black socks. Black socks are kind of boring but they do look better than white socks.

From your post I didn't get the impression that you were looking for a suit, but if you do, please get either a navy or charcoal suit. Grey is ok too but less versatile. Please don't get black. If it is your first suit then it would be better to play it safe and just get a solid design, no fancy patterns yet.

Wow that is an AWESOME start, I wasn't expecting a response like that, thanks lemmywinks! Any ideas for more unique button down options? Thanks again!!!

Hi, I need some of your expert fitting advice.

I'm looking for some slim plain and graphic t-shirts. No dress shirts.

I'm 6 feet tall, slim, but not super skinny. I'm an athlete so I don't have an irregular body shape or anything.

The problem with almost all of my shirts is that they're too large and feel like they're draped over my shoulders. Some of them are too wide and long (they go down past my pockets and aren't flattering). Some shirts start out well but widen at the bottom, making me look like a tent from the side. I wear medium-sized shirts.

When I wear these large shirts with larger pants it looks more proportional and it's better, but I've always noticed that smaller shirts with skinnier pants work better for me. If I wear slightly less tight pants with a small shirt the proportions look off and my upper body looks skinnier than I'd like. Does this mean I should always wear slim pants?

If I try a small shirt to combat the aforementioned problems it may result in a shirt that is too short in length.

So, I'm asking for shopping suggestions for slim shirts that would fit someone like me. I don't want something skin-tight, just something that doesn't drape (and, I guess, is almost "tapered" at the bottom?).

If you could recommend any online stores with low prices ($20-$40 for a t-shirt) I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by SageOne

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Wow that is an AWESOME start, I wasn't expecting a response like that, thanks lemmywinks! Any ideas for more unique button down options? Thanks again!!!

SageOne, if you're about to spend up to $1000 on clothing I'd recommend doing a lot of research beforehand.

I'm not an expert but I hope you agree that buying expensive clothing warrants taking some extra time to figure things out, such as sizing, putting together outfits, etc.

I guess if you're buying at a high-end store they'll know enough to help you out, though.

Just my opinion!

Absolutely. I plan to go to many of these stores and figure out correct sizes and what works, then hit ebay hard and go after what I want. Any specific suggestions jyksf? I thought lemmywinks was right on track!

Originally Posted by SageOne

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Absolutely. I plan to go to many of these stores and figure out correct sizes and what works, then hit ebay hard and go after what I want. Any specific suggestions jyksf? I thought lemmywinks was right on track!

Yeah, lemmywinks said many good things.

Just remember that fit is everything. It's even more important than quality. A $10 shirt from H&M that fits well will look better than a $50 shirt that doesn't. Again, I'm sure you know this but I'm just reminding you. Sometimes we feel inclined to buy things that look nice even if they don't fit us

Also, try some thrift stores and the like. It's hard to know what's good and what's bad but you'll get the hang of it. You'll have to take some risks (both in purchases and style choices), which means you've gotta be brave while you figure things out. Hey, as long as you don't wear things like drop-crotch pants I think you'll be fine.

lemmywinks suggested a pair of Converse. I like Converse but I never wear them, solely because I see them all around. They're completely fine and safe to wear, but I would buy something else. Maybe you can look for some shoes and ask for opinions here.

Hmm... also, a few good pieces in your wardrobe will do. A nice coat, a nice blazer, a couple pairs of jeans, a cardigan, a few pairs of kicks, etc. You can mix and match those and save money. No need to buy every color and cut of every style of clothing.

I hope this is helpful.

Originally Posted by jyksf

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I'm 6 feet tall, slim, but not super skinny. I'm an athlete so I don't have an irregular body shape or anything. Some shirts start out well but widen at the bottom, making me look like a tent from the side.
You do have an irregular body shape most likely (regular body shape in the US is not what we would call ideal). I don't know how much of an athlete you really are but from your shirt description it sounds like you have somewhat of a large drop--change from chest to waist measurement...an "average" suit for an average person will be 6" drop (40 chest, 34 pants) while a moderately athletic build might need an 8" drop (42 chest, 34 pants). Same deal applies to shirts...once you get down to your waist, you need it to taper more. If it was a dress shirt, you could have a seamstress/tailor taper it a bit once you find one that fits the chest/neck/arms. You could have a t-shirt tapered but it seems silly when you could probably find a brand of t-shirt that fits for less than the cost of alterations.

Originally Posted by otc

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You do have an irregular body shape most likely (regular body shape in the US is not what we would call ideal). I don't know how much of an athlete you really are but from your shirt description it sounds like you have somewhat of a large drop--change from chest to waist measurement...an "average" suit for an average person will be 6" drop (40 chest, 34 pants) while a moderately athletic build might need an 8" drop (42 chest, 34 pants). Same deal applies to shirts...once you get down to your waist, you need it to taper more.

If it was a dress shirt, you could have a seamstress/tailor taper it a bit once you find one that fits the chest/neck/arms. You could have a t-shirt tapered but it seems silly when you could probably find a brand of t-shirt that fits for less than the cost of alterations.

I see. I suppose that explains why I have trouble finding clothes that fit well. I'll just have to hunt for some brands that work for me, eh?

Thanks a lot for your input, otc. Much appreciated.

Anyone can recommand me where I can get a nice black slim-fitting suit and trousers for mariages and other similar events? Also I would like a nice pair of black shoes to go with it. It'll probably last me for quite a while so I won't mind spending a lot, but less than a 1000$. Thanks! Edit: I just looked up and I think that the AE Park Avenue would probably be good for me. Also, I want a black suit and not Navy or charcoal like most people would recommand cause I think black is better for mariages and stuff like that, I'm going to University in september, so I don't think I'd need suits for work. So if the shoes cost around 300$, would anyone know a suit i can get for about 500$? Leaving 200$ so I can buy a TOJ dress shirt .

SageOne, you might want to take advantage of Martin and Osa's going-out-of-business sale. The fit isn't very slim, but it's probably more fitted than what you are fed up with. Edit: or might not, because <36 jacket size at that height is quite slim.

Originally Posted by Jinx88

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I'm looking for a decent light tan (casual) shoe that will work with slim jeans (both black coated and dark blue). Pairing it with the black jeans is probably trickiest, hence why I'm looking for something on the light side. Then again it may not work at all. I'd love some desert boots, as I have a few pairs of Clarks already that I wear quite a bit, but sand is too light while oakwood is too yellow.

I'm really open to most styles that aren't too over the top, and I'd prefer something at, around, or below $150. Any suggestions would be much appreciated, as browsing online stores already has me overwhelmed without anything sticking out just yet. Thanks!
Any more opinions on this (specifically with black jeans)? The color I was thinking of was along the lines of this:

Originally Posted by SageOne

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Absolutely. I plan to go to many of these stores and figure out correct sizes and what works, then hit ebay hard and go after what I want. Any specific suggestions jyksf? I thought lemmywinks was right on track!

If you literally have $1000 lying around to spend on a new wardrobe I probably wouldn't go on a shopping spree if I were you. The more time you'll spend here the more you realize that $1000 might not get you what you really want... at retail, however if you really stick around you can get great deals on clothes and instead of a pretty average brand like Allen Edmonds for shoes you can get nicer things on sale/barely used for the same price.

So really, don't rush it and don't buy a lot of things right now.

A lot of people will recommend the WAYWT thread for inspiration but it's filled with lot's of crap to shift through. Try looking here or here for an idea of what users here think are good fits. For now, just try to get an idea of what you like. If brands aren't listed or whatever just private message the user and ask them. Sometimes they will ignore you but sometimes they can be very helpful and even give you sizing advice, where they go it, etc...

And pay attention to fit. If you look in the mirror you should be saying "Hey I look pretty good". While your opinion is entirely subjective and will not doubt grow and change as your personal sense of style does, yours is really the only one that matters. Here and here are good examples of how the same exact outfit can look 1000x better if the clothes just fit.

I'd write more but you didn't exactly give any information other than "help me dress better" which is something like walking into a random restaurant and asking the chef to "make me something good!". The point is that taste matters, specifically yours, and you might not know what you even like yet so after some researching you'll probably start to see brand names over and over again that you like, and ones you don't, and probably some things you don't want to lik but will somehow end up wanting.

i agree with the whole 'dont spend it all at once' thing

when i first started trying to get nice things, i bought lots of shirts and stuff that I thought fit well (and did fit better than my older stuff) but were all about a size too big, or the wrong kind of fit for my body. I also bought quite a few ugly pieces that i thought looked cool at the time.

nvm