Men's fashion for dummies?

[TheOtherScott]

I'm clueless about fashion and how to look good. I have a general idea about some things (the sometimes/always/never rule about suit buttons), but beyond that, I'm pretty hopeless. I've been told that I should go to a tailor to get my suit looking it's best, but what other options should I be exploring? What are the safe bets for looking professional, and doing so on a budget when possible?

I'm a teacher, so I don't need to be cutting-edge or shelling out for designer duds, but I can't look like a teenager trying to dress up anymore.

[bigm141414]

A tailored suit does help to make a person look good. I can attest to that. If you are a teacher you can get by with the basics, khakis, black slacks, button down shirts and dark blue jeans. Mix and match those with some brown or black shoes and you should be able to have a complete wardrobe with about 13 items. (4 pairs of pants, 5 shirts, 2 pair of shoes, and two belts).

[leadchipmunk]

It mainly depends on age, body type, height, skin tone, hair, facial hair and so on. When one of those changes, a style can change from suitable to horrendous.

Art of Manliness has some really nice articles and links that will help you find a good classy look for you.

http://artofmanliness.com/category/dress-grooming/

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/09/22/style-tips-for-college-men/

http://artofmanliness.com/2010/08/12/mans-guide-change-appearance/

They also have a good bit of links that will lead you to other sites.

http://artofmanliness.com/2009/03/31/best-mens-style-websites/

Also, find something that makes you stand out. It doesn't have to be anything big or outlandish. If you usually wear a jacket that has a boutonnière (meaning the lapel buttonhole) then stop by a florist everyday on your way in to work and pick up a flower.

I personally wear combat boots with most everything, if I keep them in good shape, then they look pretty much just like dress shoes or close enough, but I have pink shoelaces (other times different colors, but I've been rocking the pink for a year now) and they aren't very noticeable, but when someone does, they always love that.

I also remember a story I read somewhere about a guy that wore a suit and tie for work, his style change was less noticeable. He would wear his tie tack at an angle. It would get people starting conversations with him telling him it is off, and he would explain it is on purpose and it got him to meet many people at conventions and generate a rapport with people.

So, in general, pick something that looks good on you and makes you stand out just enough to be memorable, but not in a bad way.

[Crizomaticus]

Dress for the seasons. If it's spring, dress like it's spring (colors), etc. Kinda common sense, but some people wear summer all year long, and put a coat over it in the winter.

Fitted clothes. This is about the most important thing, nothing makes a person look immature more than ill-fitted clothes. Your pants shouldn't look like you're wearing a diaper, or be baggy/too long, and your shirts shouldn't look like you're smuggling a pillow in extra fabric. One finger should fit in the collar. Casual clothes, well, that's obvious.

And of course, the healthier you become, the better your clothes will look.

Men's fashion is pretty easy and timeless, don't bother with trends if that's not you. Check out magazines that feature fashion like GQ (http://www.gq.com/style) or Complex for ideas.

[morethanjustamom]

A tailored suit does help to make a person look good. I can attest to that. If you are a teacher you can get by with the basics, khakis, black slacks, button down shirts and dark blue jeans. Mix and match those with some brown or black shoes and you should be able to have a complete wardrobe with about 13 items. (4 pairs of pants, 5 shirts, 2 pair of shoes, and two belts).

All of this! Get yourself a nice dark suit when you can afford it for the occasional wedding/funeral/interview/fancy event.

It doesn't take a huge wardrobe to look nice. My husband is a lawyer and he gets by with almost exactly what BigM suggests here, plus a few suits for court days.

Oh, when in doubt about what to wear, overdress a little. It's better to be the best dressed guy in the room than the worst.

[Crizomaticus]

Nice jeans are just about my favorite thing. With a dress shirt, and nice belt/shoes they're classy, and with a tshirt they're casual.

Dancing on the line between casual/dressy tends to make you look a bit more fashion foward.

Oh, and shoes. The shoes just about always the common denominator for an outfit.

[LRB]

Keep an eye on what the more experienced (but not yet ancient) teachers in your building wear, too. A lot of what is appropriate for work is cultural, and every work culture is different.

[ETFnerd]

an inexpensive and stylish teacher's wardrobe:

shirts

pants

suit (choose the 2-button style)

shoes

[Rosie]

Depending on how smartly dressed your school requires you to be you can't really go wrong with a nice pair of trousers (dark jeans if its a casual school, slacks if its smarter) with a long sleeved shirt and tie. Roll the sleeves up in the summer or wear with a nice knit jumper or blazer in the winter. For idiot proof tie and shirt combos, stick to white and shades of blue and introduce more colours as you get more confident with your colour combinations

Oh, when in doubt about what to wear, overdress a little. It's better to be the best dressed guy in the room than the worst.

This is always my mantra when I'm going to an event that I'm not sure what the dress code is.

[Barbarossa]

Learn the difference between "fashion" and "style."

Read Dressing the Man.

Buy expensive shoes. Seriously, one pair of Allen Edmonds will last you longer than ten pair of...whatever Target sells...as long as you take care of them. It's an investment.

Likewise, buy custom shirts. Same price as off the rack at Dillards, but made just for you, usually with superior materials. Related: friends don't let friends wear yellow shirts.

A charcoal grey suit is always appropriate, as is a navy blue suit. I personally prefer a three piece for versatility reasons.

Pants should hang from the shoulder. Belts are for batman. Have your tailor fit bracer buttons on the inside of your waistband. Much more comfortable, much more dignified.

Barber. Shop. Not stylists, BARBER...SHOP.

[Barbarossa]

Nice jeans are just about my favorite thing. With a dress shirt, and nice belt/shoes they're classy, and with a tshirt they're casual.

Dancing on the line between casual/dressy tends to make you look a bit more fashion foward.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with these.

Jeans are always casual. You may look good with a nice shirt/leathers, but to look professional you need wool, or linen if you're in hotter climes in the summer.

Standing on the line between casual and dress makes it seem (to me) like you're confused about where you're going and why. I feel that the traditional "formal/semiformal/business formal/business casual/casual" dress codes are good guidelines, personally.

[GoToTheGround]

The difference fitted clothes make is unbelievable and I completely agree with nice shoes.

I got pulled up after an event I did for looking like crap (I was wearing an off rack black pinstripe suit) - actually the directors words were 'we need to work on your presentation' - so the next weekend they took me out in to London and we went to stores I would never have gone near (mainly because I used to feel very uncomfortable in shops that could be museums and feel like they have one assistant for every customer that goes in there....all with judgmental eyes).

It was awesome! He grabbed a shop assistant and started going through stuff, making me try tons of different shirts/blazers etc- it was like I was in a cliched movie scene. I now totally understand the whole concept of buy nice clothes off the rack and have them altered as needed and make use of the assistants in the shops. My go to for stuff now: http://www.reissonline.com/

Thanks to that one trip, my standard 'evening out/event' look is now: fitted blazer, fitted formal shirt (colorful), straight legged levis and nice leather shoes with a long tip/point - and damn do I feel boss as hell walking around in any of those clothing combos I've now accumulated, even if my wallet freaking hates me for it.

[skip-tracer]

One piece of advice I was given lately was to stop dressing like I'm still a teenager as I'm not fooling anyone. It may or may not apply to you.

I'm only in my mid-twenties, so not an old guy, but dressing in poorly made band t-shirts, hoodies, jeans and a pair of Vans every day isn't doing me any favours at all. I've basically failed to take this advice so far, but I have at least upgraded to some black jeans that fit properly and don't have holes in which might be a start.

[leadchipmunk]

an inexpensive and stylish teacher's wardrobe:

shirts

pants

suit (choose the 2-button style)

shoes

What? Shirts, normally $135 on sale for $35. That is madness, not yet to SPARTA levels though. Maybe if they were giving them away.

Pants should hang from the shoulder. Belts are for batman. Have your tailor fit bracer buttons on the inside of your waistband. Much more comfortable, much more dignified.

Barber. Shop. Not stylists, BARBER...SHOP.

How do pants hang from the shoulder?

Belts can be ok if they are good looking dress belts, and some men cannot pull off suspenders. It all depends on the person.

Cannot stress barber enough. I've done the stylist look, and it is ok at times, but you cannot beat a good barber cut.

Nice jeans are just about my favorite thing. With a dress shirt, and nice belt/shoes they're classy, and with a tshirt they're casual.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with these.

Jeans are always casual. You may look good with a nice shirt/leathers, but to look professional you need wool, or linen if you're in hotter climes in the summer.

Standing on the line between casual and dress makes it seem (to me) like you're confused about where you're going and why. I feel that the traditional "formal/semiformal/business formal/business casual/casual" dress codes are good guidelines, personally.

Gotta agree with the disagree.

Jeans are not classy, and can be at best considered business casual if they are properly worn, and only in certain professions (education being one of them). They can be alright is paired up with a sweater or nice blazer, but it should be done very rarely (like once a month or so). And they must be properly fit jeans.

[Knightwatch]

Great site, dappered.com

Seriously, name aside, it's awesome.

[Maj. Bloodnok]

As another professional on a budget, I can definitely recommend Goodwill or other thrift stores. Look for stores in wealthy neighborhoods; they tend to get very high-quality clothes and shoes. I've found Brooks Brothers shirts and slacks, custom-made suits from Hickey Freeman, and Cole Haan and Allen Edmonds shoes for very reasonable prices. If you find a good-quality suit that fits reasonably well, it's worth the investment to get it tailored to fit. Plus, the very low prices make it more likely that you'll try something you wouldn't ordinarily.

Here's a good article from Lifehacker that covers the basics: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/newbie-fashion-tips-for-grown-up-men.html

On the subject of suits and suit care, check out www.englishcut.com. It's the blog of Thomas Mahon, one of the best custom tailors in the world, and the biggest suit nerd you'll ever find. Click the 'top ten' link for ten articles on bespoke tailoring and how to pick a ready-to-wear suit.

One on color coordination: http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/color-wheel-color-coordination-men/

And one on body type: http://artofmanliness.com/2009/01/15/mens-fashion-body-type/ (this is important; I've tried wearing double-breasted suits when I was too fat for them, and they made me look huge.)

Hope this helps!

[TheOtherScott]

This is all very helpful, thanks!

I should have mentioned that it's teaching ESL, not teaching kids, so it's a bit more relaxed. Based on what the other two men at the school I did my placement at wore, I can probably get away with jeans, t-shirts and sneakers (and even all three at once), but that's unlikely to get me noticed by people with the ability to pay me for teaching. If I can mix professional style and casual comfort, I'm a happy camper.

In terms of suits, I only have a black suit at the moment, but only need to suit up for weddings.

But that said, is buying a reasonably well-fitting suit from a thrift store and taking it to a good tailor simply polishing a turd, or a smart use of money?

[TheOtherScott]

And of course, the healthier you become, the better your clothes will look.

This actually isn't the case for me. I've lost about 15 pounds in the last year, and now a lot of my clothes look too big.

So I have a need for a new wardrobe, and hence this thread.

[Barbarossa]

[...]

But that said, is buying a reasonably well-fitting suit from a thrift store and taking it to a good tailor simply polishing a turd, or a smart use of money?

Well, it depends on if you buy a turd or not.

My favorite winter jackets are a pair of thrifted 100% camel hair jackets (one tan, one charcoal) that I got for a song. As long as you ignore the labels (unnecessary upcharge usually) and focus on:

1.) fit (a little on the generous side is OK),

2.) material (don't pay for polyester. Just don't.)

3.) pattern (solids are always a good way to go.)

4.) style (would you actually wear this on a regular basis?)

...buying and taking the garment to your tailor is a great idea. Make sure to try and find a thrift store close to an affluent neighborhood or professional area of town; they'll usually have a better selection of what you're looking for.

[leadchipmunk]

Doing adult education, you can get away with more. I say if you can pull off a beard, go for something similar to this for a more casual stye. Well, that basically is my casual, everyday style.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3220[/ATTACH]

If the thrifted suit is relatively well fitting and the tailor is good, then it shouldn't be a problem getting it tailored to you as far as I know.

[morethanjustamom]

This is all very helpful, thanks!

I should have mentioned that it's teaching ESL, not teaching kids, so it's a bit more relaxed. Based on what the other two men at the school I did my placement at wore, I can probably get away with jeans, t-shirts and sneakers (and even all three at once), but that's unlikely to get me noticed by people with the ability to pay me for teaching. If I can mix professional style and casual comfort, I'm a happy camper.

In terms of suits, I only have a black suit at the moment, but only need to suit up for weddings.

But that said, is buying a reasonably well-fitting suit from a thrift store and taking it to a good tailor simply polishing a turd, or a smart use of money?

Know your brands before you head to the thrift store.

[Barbarossa]

Doing adult education, you can get away with more. I say if you can pull off a beard, go for something similar to this for a more casual stye. Well, that basically is my casual, everyday style.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3220[/ATTACH]

If the thrifted suit is relatively well fitting and the tailor is good, then it shouldn't be a problem getting it tailored to you as far as I know.

Or, if you can't grow a professorial beard, you could shoot for a look like these:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3221[/ATTACH]

The left is Our Great King in a 3 piece and tie; perfect for the more formal days at the office. The right is a double of Our Great King in a more casual outfit. Either would put you head and shoulders above the masses.

Out of curiosity, what size clothing do you wear? I have quite a few odd jackets that are on their way out; I'd be more than happy to send you a few if you'd like?

[wildross]

As a case in point, I went out to lunch on Sunday with a family that is friends of ours. Mike, the father was wearing a polo shirt and jeans; I was wearing a western cut suit jacket and jeans. The waitress asked 1 check or 2, Mike said 1 and she brought the check to me. I looked more "official" I guess.

['Roos]

In the level 2 or 3 of men's fashion (keep in mind I'm a girl and just saying what *I* enjoy and look for in a well-dressed man) nothing says awesome like the following:

Nice shoes. Granted, I'm a dancer so I may be focused on shoes, but damn, nice, well-made, good material shoes cared for with love make up for a lot of shortcomings (And are often as comfortable/more comfortable than sneakers if they're well made!)

Appropriate pocket square/button flower/accent - this means that your colors/patterns don't clash (I was SO impressed by a window display I saw the other day with plaid, checks and stripes of all different colors in between shirt, jacket and tie with patterned pocket square AND IT SOMEHOW WENT TOGETHER - that said, that's like, level 10 fashion - do not attempt without a team of advisors). A guy who takes the time to do something with his pocket? Awesome

Appropriate/tasteful jewelry. I'm talking a subtly awesome tie-bar (vintage storeS!! VINTAGE STORES (seriously was seeing these things for like, 10$ in chicago, and cufflinks for 18$)), cuff links, collar pins, a classy/appropriate watch or chain, etc.

Crisp collars. I have nothing to add to this - crisp collar + tie = +5 fashion in my book.

This is after you've mastered the 'fitted clothes, good colors' level, but in my mind is what brings a guy from looking good to looking AMAZING.

[AuroraNorth]

This is all very helpful, thanks!

But that said, is buying a reasonably well-fitting suit from a thrift store and taking it to a good tailor simply polishing a turd, or a smart use of money?

Not a guy, but I check thrift shops and alter things that don't fit just right- I can't do fancy tailoring but I can hem and such. Think of it this way- if you get a good suit that probably cost $200 retail at the thrift store for $25 and a tailor alters it for $60, you have a great fitting, elegant outfit for $85.