The general fashion/style/please dress me thread

Are there any good linen blends that don't wrinkle if you look at them wrong? My only experience with linen was a shirt I had a few years back. Looked terrible after I'd been wearing it for 15 minutes, sadly....

I'm good at picking colors and clothing shapes for myself (even though I break most of BaconTastesGood 's rules, amusingly), but I don't know how to put an outfit together beyond "this shirt goes with these pants and these shoes". Accessories, in other words, are a world I know nothing about. I lack the skills to layer pieces as well.

there are a couple of things I miss from working at a law firm instead of a library.

The ability to afford decently-made clothing is one of them. Oddly, the expectation of wearing a suit is another (although if I never wear another set of pantyhose it will be a-ok with me). It was easier to feel put together when I could put on one of my suits with a shell underneath, nylons and pumps and head off. I even wore accessories (and make up) back then. Now I just feel lumpy in poorly made, tired out clothing, and jewelry or accessories just seem kind of silly. That outfit the assistant was wearing in the clip? that would be me (plus 35 lb).

http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/14t3ga/beard_choices_got_any_more_ideas_for_me/

Well, let's assume you're actually good and not just Dunning-Krugering it =), but all rules can be broken, and it really comes down to attitude. One classic rule is that double breasted suits should not be worn by short, stocky men, because it over accentuates those features, but some men pull it off really well. The rules are there if you don't know any better and need some guidelines.

For example, I wore seersucker shorts. To my wedding. Just saying.

You have the core down it sounds like, choosing accessories is easy, as is layering, because you can do one thing at a time. Until it looks too busy, then back off one step. Don't have too many patterns converging (solid + check = great; solid + check + plaid = careful there...; solid + check + plaid + houndstooth = visual chaos); have a centralized tonal palette; avoid clashing colors (e.g. pink + red; even worse, pink + fuchsia or teal + green); try to think in terms of your 'anchoring' pieces and let other things accentuate those.

Put on your basic outfit, then add one accessory and see how it feels. Bangles, hat, scarf, necklace, earrings. Have those items contrast with the rest of your outfit.

Women who don't accessorize often don't even have accessories, and don't like to buy them because, hey, they never wear them. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. So make a concerted effort to get some inexpensive accessories and try them out. Even a fun watch is a great accent item. Nixon makes some great ones (as was discussed in the watch thread) and my wife has an assortment of Nixon watches she wears depending on outfit. Some are very bright (hot pink; orange) and some are fun but understated (rotolog for women). If she doesn't have a watch to match, she subs in bangles. And she always has hats, she rocks hats really well. Did I mention women should wear more hats?

Do you mean indoors? because where I live that would be almost as odd to see as someone wearing, say, a wedding gown.

I gotta disagree on this one. I dyed my hair bright red about two years ago and I have some pinkish clothes that go really well with it. Not bright pink obviously but the softer shades of pink really make the red pop out. I dislike the colour orange in almost all contexts, so that no is a given. You can also never wear red again, and since it's my favourite colour I had to put a lot of clothes on the shelves :P.

My wife would say that "softer shades of pink" is not a phrase she's familiar with. =)

Her hair was almost tomato red, and that absolutely did not go with her bright pink bags or shoes.

Nope, I wear a fairly neutral style actually, but I'm not afraid to wear, uh, different stuff. Like my seersucker shorts. Or my crushed velvet paisley jacket. But these days I don't care because I work at home, never leave my cave, and never go out. The only reason I wear pants anymore is because my mother in law lives with us...

So I'm lazy, and it's cold, so my outfits these days, almost without any variance, consists of dark jeans, T-shirt, and contrasting sweater or waffle weave long sleeve shirt (Gap). Sometimes I'll wear just a heavier long sleeve shirt. During summer I wear shorts and T-shirt.

Oh, totally unrelated, if you try out a new or different outfit and someone teases you about it, it might be because you had a slight miscalculation. A few years ago I wanted to wear something different so thought "monochrome suit and shirt with hot pink tie" would be good. I thought I looked awesome, but then all my coworkers pointed out I looked like a mobster's lawyer. Another time I wore a V-neck striped shirt with navy shorts, and I looked like I was a pirate. The shorts were fine. The shirt was fine. Together? "A-hoy, matey!"

Huh... What happened there?

Edit: clarification: you quoted me but the text is from Neopythia

Tag wasn't closed properly, should be fixed now!

Reminds me of going out with friends one evening in late October, wearing dark jeans and boots, a blue-white horizontally-striped shirt, a dark green felt light jacket, and a flat cap (it was slightly chilly). Apart, all those elements are usual staples of my wardrobe. In that particular combination, everyone assumed I was in costume as a Russian fisherman.

This is very good advice. Take me, I have a very odd build - it's not for nothing that when asked "what's your body type?" that I usually reply "Donkey Kong" - broad shoulders, barrel chest, thick short neck, long arms, and short (30" inseam) legs that are tree-trunk thick, which also results in a rather prominent badonkadonk. I could totally be a model for Barrel-Chucking Apparel Ltd.

The major detriment to my current style is that I'm carrying around about 40 pounds of extra weight - and the advice upthread about not trying to lose weight and update wardrobe at the same time is excellent advice. In fact, the prospect of updating one's style is often a good motivator for weight loss/body reconfiguration. But even in my best shape, I was oddly-shaped so I had to learn that when nothing fits off the rack, your local tailor can be your best friend. Not to mention that if you frequent a tailor and develop a good rapport with them, they tend to be indispensable sources of advice on fashion and accessories.

Example: if I wear short-sleeved t-shirts, they tend to be either tight across the chest and shoulders (Large) or hang down past my pants pockets (X-Large). Either depends on what particular effect I'm dressing for. Most men's sport shirts or dress shirts (and yes there is a significant difference) are cut differently and have as many different drapes and styles as Levi's jeans do. Hunty had one of the best pieces of advice for men that a good solid white oxford shirt is an absolutely must-have in a wardrobe. It goes with everything. And if you like the style, you can change it up with textures and colors. I have a royal blue oxford shirt that I wear often with either a charcoal or tan single-breasted suit and it looks sharp while still maintaining an air of professionalism.

My biggest boondoggle is pants. Any past roommate of mine will probably have horror stories to tell about "All right, 5:30, end of the work day, It's Pantsless O'Clock!" just because I have such a hate-hate relationship with ill-fitting trousers. The aforementioned tree-trunk thighs and huge Polish-Romanian ass require significant room to avoid binding or uncontrollable/unsightly tightness - but at the same time, that kind of fit often lends itself to bagginess. When cargo pants were in style? It was wonderful for me. Unfortunately, one cannot remain 22 years old forever. The current trend in trousers is Slim Fit - which is not the same as "skinny jeans". It's easier for guys built like me to find one or two really nice pairs of jeans, for instance, that fit perfectly in the waist and thighs but only come in like a 34" inseam - and just go and have them tailored. Same goes for work trousers - a good tailor that can make alterations to suit pants will do the same with a pair of chinos or khakis.

Do not listen to anyone who tells you that corduroy is in style. It is not 1978.

Well, not if you want to look like this guy

I can't upload an image because I'm stupid, but my hair wasn't tomato red. Still pretty red though, and I wore it in a combination with light pink? Is that a better term? I'm sorry but I'm having a dumb right now and I can't think of any better translation.

Edit: My hair-dye always said it was "Ruby Red", does this help anything?

Having a great tailor is absolutely crucial if you want things to fit. You'll have a lot more freedom in what you buy if you know that you can have it hemmed, taken in, darted, whatever. That said, finding a good tailor is like finding a good mechanic or doctor -- you can find someone who can do the work, but there's a certain degree of trust involved as well.

With regards to men's dress shirts -- Brooks Brothers and Jos A Bank are the places to shop, because they have them in many sizes (i.e. collar + sleeve + fit) vs. just "S/M/L/XL". I'm saddened that Nordstrom's, for example, will have $300 dress shirts that are available in four sizes. Jos A Bank will have a massive range of sizes for each style, which is awesome. So I can get a 17.5/35/athletic fit and then have it tweaked if necessary by my tailor, but most of the time that's close enough. If I just buy a size M, it doesn't fit across my chest. If I buy a size L, it will be billowy/blousey.

Men never, ever want to wear something described as "blousey".

Men: know your measurements.

"pink" is almost meaningless to me because, well, my wife's favorite color is pink. And that means there are a million shades of pink I have to be familiar with, and they don't match each other or the same colors. Using the following chart, "ultra pink" will clash with different colors than "amaranth pink", and both of those won't work the same as "medium pink" or just plain "pink".



I think you might be talking about lavender pink?

YES! Now I can finally explain! I'm thinking about the Tea Rose kind of pink, or maybe the Medium Pink (they look almost the same to me :P). Salmon Pink would also be a good match.
The word pink has now lost all meaning to me.

Charles Tyrwhitt also sells its shirts in varying collar/sleeve/fit configurations, and has the advantage of not being Jos A Bank. Ledbury will shorten sleeves for a small fee. Thomas Pink offers regular and long sleeve lengths.

Translated that into Guy Speak for you.

Yeah, those would be fine with bright red hair I think. What would not be is that ultra pink.

If you're looking at Thomas Pink, then this thread is not for you and you probably have your own tailor already =) Jos A Bank is great because they're fairly priced, widely available, generic (to the point of being boring -- I would not consider any of their suits other than the Joseph line), and have great sales all the time.

There are also "make my own custom shirt" type Web sites, similar to bloo's jeans one, but I've never tried them. They effectively give you a style, you take measurements, then they have someone overseas make them and ship them to you. It seems a little dicey (because you have to trust your own measurement skills) but it's also a consideration.

Charles Tyrwhitt it is, then. They have sales more or less constantly, although, while they have plenty of basics, they're British and thus many of their shirts are not particularly generic.

If anyone has useful blogs/websites to share, I wouldn't mind seeing them. I ran across a pretty decent one for hair/makeup: The Beauty Department.

I would absolutely love to run across a site or something that has working color combinations of button-up blouses/shirts and slacks for men.
mostly because the bf refuses to really wear anything else out and i am so tired of seeing the same beige pants and white with thin blue stripes/white shirt eughhhh

www.primermagazine.com is not a bad site to use for their occasional articles on style. The Dispatch section has links to a lot of other fashion/style blogs.

I don't suppose I can launch a campaign in here to get Aaron to get rid of his ridiculous rainbow plaid belt, can I? I realize he's a sysadmin in Silicon Valley, and so most dress codes are out the window, but seriously, his favorite belt (a hand-me-down from an equally sartorially silly roommate on the other coast) is ridiculous. >.<

we're not mentioning the trenchcoat. yet, anyway.

Personally, I hate belts as a rule. If your pants fit, you don't need a belt.

They don't, and getting him to spend money on better pants is a long-term project.

But belts can look really good, even if you don't need them functionally. They can be that nice color-middle ground between your top and your bottoms. They can be that one pop of color that an outfit needs to look amazing.
Not to mention some people wear belts as a waistwrap sort of thing; think those really thick belts you see around a woman's waist when she's wearing a dress.

He doesn't wear it when it's warm outside, does he? If he does I must mock him. The boyfriend I had when I was 15 did that, and I thought it was so cool... Then I got roughly old enough to vote and realized he was an idiot. Hopefully your boyfriend is NOT an idiot.

And yes, I think you should hold a belt-burning party for the rainbow plaid thing. Sorry, Aaron, but even somebody with no fashion sense like myself knows you should get rid of that thing.

It was his winter coat purchase, that time when we went thrifting with the intention of getting him SOMETHING warmer than layered sweatshirts. It's currently living in Maryland, with the small pile of other things we couldn't pack for lack of room. No warm-weather trenchcoating yet, I promise.

Oh, yay. I was afraid I'd have to think badly of Aaron. And he seems like such a nice guy that I would have felt guilty for laughing at him. But really: goths do not do well in hot climates unless they're willing to only dress up for club nights. Corsets, trenchcoats, thigh-high boots, and/or heavy makeup are HORRID in 90-degree, 100% humidity weather. I speak from experience. Goddamn I was dumb when I was a teenager. (I did awesome Robert Smith hair, though. My mom probably has pictures somewhere...)

I had a color analysis done early in my teenage years, and have stuck with that ever since. I just wanted to say, BaconTastesGood, that I love everything you're saying here. Some advice that I think a lot of people miss:

• Don't just grab things off of the rack, actually try them on in the store.
• Don't use a mirror, because they always suck in dressing rooms. Find a salesperson who you think is dressed well, and ask for their opinion. If they don't like it, ask for suggestions.
• When you are grabbing clothing, always grab one thing that makes you a little scared to wear in public, and try that on too. You might find that a particular fit that you had been avoiding looks amazing on you.
• Accessories really do make the outfit, and they don't have to be expensive ones. I have a $15 red scarf that I wear to add color to my otherwise boring black v-neck sweater.
• If you love jeans, as I do, darker denim is always better than lighter. Try on different fits, find one that is flattering, and stick to that. I require flared legs to balance out my hips.
• Sneakers belong in the gym, and should never be worn outside of working out. Wear boots, loafers, flats, heels, anything other than sneakers.
• Invest in a good coat.

I am fair-skinned, hazel-bordering-on-green eyes, and I dye my hair a flattering shade of auburn (because all my gray hairs freak me out, and my mousy brown hair was uninteresting). I stick to jewel tones, and avoid warm tones, as anything orange or yellow related make my skin look vaguely green. I actually cheered at my desk (clapping and squee-ing) when Pantone announced that the color of 2013 is to be Emerald Green. Few skin tones look bad in a true emerald green. The Tangerine announcement for 2012 was depressing, and it was awful trying to find the cute things I liked in colors other than tangerine. I also abhor the current trend of "neon everything!".

LIKE THIS


Halp me. I own primarily t-shirts and denim jeans of varying styles. One day I'll have a job and I haven't really purchased clothes outside of a single outfit or a new pair of jeans here and there since high school, so I have no idea what the hell I'm doing.

Those leggings need to be retired, too. They're old, and I don't like the length on them anyway :(

That gorgeous pear shape, tho.

HIPS FO' DAYZZZZZ

Though that picture doesn't really show it, I also have gigantic boobs, so I wind up wearing huge baggy tops since nothing quite fits right in both the bust and the ribs/waist.