Lenticular_J

I have friends in similar situations. They generally work full-time when they're not doing school, and part-time during. Hell, that's what my family does and did. You will certainly need a lot saved up for school, because lots of stuff pops up that you didn't anticipate.

... Racial profiling? Well, yeah. When you're looking for illegal Mexican immigrants, you'll look at Mexican people. You'd think of all people you'd know that it's not hard to tell if someone's an illegal immigrant. A lot of my friends' parents and grandparents are. Arizona has it worse than Texas though (excluding El Paso) - a lot more drug trafficking and the like goes through there, rather than people just looking for a better life. Now, I doubt many cops will just stop Mexicans walking down the streets and demand an ID. This is more Arizona flexing their muscle and trying to scare folks than anything.

Is your well [bleep]ed up or something? I grew up on well water, and it was just fine - luckily I also avoided all the teeth nastiness that tends to come with it. It wasn't particularly great, although it was better than here in a city. Although this town has a reputation for nasty water. Our public services suck in general.

Thank you, Goon. I despise relying on other people. Sometimes I swear it's like the universe is out to get me, surrounding me with folks that can't keep their words.

I walk around my house hoping for someone to break in. It's always at night that I could use a good fight.

Chinos, dress shirts, vests, that sort of thing, as well as suits, go well with driving caps (the Ivy one you're talking about, there are tons of names). Really casual, although a lot of people today would consider it fairly dressy. And those mini-fedoras, not sure what to call them (trilby?), are very in-fashion right now. You can wear them with jeans and a t-shirt very easily, so long as it's either very neutral or very bold. Or you can get a real fedora, wide-brim and all.

I have the first actual date I've had in a few weeks tonight. Woooo. She's a cool girl. We're going to our friends' choir concert, and I have a couple ideas for afterwards, depending on what the weather and such is like.

Don't buy anything besides water or milk (some fruit juice is acceptable). Buy lemons and limes, or just the juice (preferably the fruit, though), and you can flavor the water. Water's a better energy drink anyways. All water has electrolytes, because that's how the molecules are formed. Water advertised as such usually has sugar in it, though. Buy a water bottle or something if you drink a lot at school. I mean, seriously. Not that difficult. Plus, you'll feel a lot better. Just gotta hunker down.

I learn about what I like. If I'm interested in something, I'll soak up information like a [bleep]. Occasionally I'll do research. Gotta find the opinions of people you respect, make sure they're conflicting, and find a place somewhere in the middle to make your stand. Works on a lot of things. Btws: Start dressing better, and girls will start giving you more attention. People in general will give you more respect. It's a good thing.

gftog as per us (pronounced youj (soft J)) I've been bored with the girls at my school lately. I'm ready for summer - I'm bored with people in general sometimes. But I'll get better. OH! That reminds me. Next year, my school's dance team is gonna be interesting. They're generally considered the hottest group of girls at my school (not something to be particularly proud of, although there are a few shining examples, but my school is considered the most attractive school in town in general ... still not something to be proud of). Most of them are seniors, and thus graduating, and the incoming group is going to be ... interesting. The old girls that are staying are mostly good looking, and almost all of them are crazy [bleep]ty, whereas the ones coming in range from one that's smokin' and [bleep]ty, to one that's like a 7 and a complete straight-laced Christian prude girl. I do believe next year will be fun. Would have been more fun if I'd run for student council. They made their speeches Monday, and they were absolutely atrocious. It's really not that hard to appeal to a bunch of teenagers. Be attractive, probably white, and wealthy - or at least give off the same vibe. The white kids are the only ones that voted, anyways. And make a lasting impression. If they remember you as the guy that stuttered, or as the one everyone called a douche when you walked up, you're not gonna do good.

I don't really "close." I've just applied all that pickup stuff to life in general. That's a good way to go about doing it, but I don't place much value on kisses any more. I get really close with people really easy, so I'm not freaked out about a kiss. Although lately I've been asking girls I barely know if they'd like a kiss, real serious and stuff, and a lot of the time they start stuttering and get really confused. Until I pull a hershey's kiss out of my pocket. Oh god it's funny. Love it. Stupid, immature and kind of mean, but whatever.

Suits are classic, high-quality menswear. Or do you have better opinions than, you know most people?

... I wake up at the exact same time every day without even needing to. Actually, I always wake up about 20 minutes before the time I usually need to get up. My grandfather says it's in my blood, since he's half Comanche, so ... Iunno.

I want to get one of Banana Republic's v-neck sweaters. They're like 15 bucks and ridiculously soft. The rest of their clothes are pretty nice, but very overpriced, even when they're on sale it seems. I should really subscribe to those store services that tell me when there's a sale ...

Oh yes, it's perfect to have boat shoes. I'm not huge on them, but I have slip-on shoes that are pretty much the same general thing, just no laces. They're great with light, happy clothes, especially if you get a pair in a color that says "Hey [bleep]er look at me!" I'm debating with myself whether or not to wear undershirts under my dress shirts. When it gets warmer I'll have to for hygiene's sake, but the next couple weeks are the only spring I really get, and my undershirts are rather sad and ill-fitting, and somehow find a way to come untucked just on the side in the middle of the day.

I'm able to work out, cook and eat breakfast (a real breakfast), shower, shave and what-have-you, and put on some fly clothes (occasionally I need to do some maintenance to said fly clothes, too) in about 70 minutes or so (wake up at 6:30-6:40, head to school at like 7:45, right? yeah ...). People who have to get up ridiculously early to get ready are just bad at managing time.

I'd get a nice pair of lace-ups first. Cap-toe oxfords are pretty much the dressiest shoes around - you might want plain-toe. Loafers, think more black leather than boat shoes. Although boat shoes like those are also great to have for a very casual look. I think the nautical thing is headed for trendy this year, like the military thing last year. I don't pay much attention to trends. But, I digress. Be sure to go in to a local Express store (if possible) to try on their clothes. My favorite shirts are the 1MX fitted. Quite high quality. On Amazon, mostly accessories, yeah, though you can sometimes find something great. Jeans, you gotta find your own best fit, although straight legs and boot cuts are generally the most flattering. That color is great, Levi's are a good brand. A pretty good blazer probably will run you around 60 at the smaller department stores, plus ten or twenty to get it perfectly tailored. If you plan on really changing yourself before you head off to college, be sure to spend some time sifting through your clothes and throw out/donate/change whatever you haven't worn in a while, don't like any more, or just doesn't fit you. I did that, and now my closet is practically empty. All that's left are clothes that I really enjoy wearing and that fit me well. Start taking someone shopping with you. Preferably either (listed by how easy it is to find them): an attractive girl, an attractive guy gay, or an attractive straight guy who really has style. It's a huge help. Start thinking in outfits. Sure, having a few spectacular pieces is better than a bunch of mediocre ones, but you want your spectacular pieces to fit together into a great outfit. Oh, and learn how to properly take care of your clothes. How to wash them right, what needs to go to the dry cleaners, how to iron well, and - very important - get a shoe shine kit. Go to one of those professional shoe shiners (yes, they're professional) at a mall or something and pay the five dollars or so to get your newest pair shined, as well as fantastic advice. They're the friendliest guys around, especially if you actually ask their opinions instead of just sitting there reading. They'll tell you the best products and show you just how to use them. These guys know their [cabbage]. They can probably help with other clothing-related issues as well, although I'd befriend a tailor for that. Get a few cedar hangars for your suit(s) and nicer clothes (blazer and whatnot), and a few cedar blocks to slip in with t-shirts. And some shoe-trees. When you're done with your shoes, put shoe-trees in them and don't wear them for a day or so. It'll make them last years. Oh, and as for what to wear with a blazer: the possibilities are endless. It just compliments so many outfits that it's mind-boggling. Sweaters, button shirts, t-shirts, whatever. It's cool. Suit-wise, you should be looking at darker colors and pinstripes. Both will elongate and thin you, making you look far taller and thinner than you are. I'd go with two-button suits for the most part. Invest in a few great ties and some pocket squares to go with. You don't necessarily need a tie to wear a pocket square - it's becoming a very chic accessory in itself. Remember to try everything on (or, if you're buying online, something similar) in the store before you buy it. Shoes, try on after you've been running around all day. Your feet swell. If it doesn't already feel almost perfect (unless it's something that can be tailored and it's a wicked sweet deal) in the store, don't buy it. These days, you don't "break in" clothes. They're pretty much intended to stay the same shape until they're forced into warping. Feel free to ask if you got more questions.

Express has great fitted shirts, for 50 bucks when not on sale. I personally like spread-collar French cuffed shirts, but they're really hard to find except at specialty suit shops, so I go to Express Men. Keep an eye out for their sales, they go down pretty frequently and you can nab a buttload of shirts. But my favorite real suit store is Jos A. Bank. They do tailoring here, too! Shoes ... Kenneth Cole has safe, basic oxfords that look pretty nice. You can find them at department stores or large, quality shoe chains like DSW. Burlington might have older ones, too. Don't rule out online for some things. If you make connections, you can do a whole lot of good. I now can get Italian-made suits for 200 dollars, including taking them to the tailor here. Not bad. I scope out Amazon pretty frequently - it isn't hard to make sure something's legit. They have great narrow ties on there, for about ten bucks a pop. I'm waiting for them to restock the black. I'd get a navy blazer first, with black buttons. Goes with so much it's not even funny. Make sure it's wool. If you want really high-class, go to a department store or specialty suit shop. Make sure to pay the ten or twenty bucks to take it to a tailor, no matter where you go. But, since I'm sure you're still growing, you'll probably want to go a bit on the low end of the price spectrum like me and go to Burlington Coat Factory or smaller discount department stores, like Stein Mart. For your second blazer I'd get a fun one that you only intend to wear occasionally - I have a 50% worsted wool 50% cashmere that is ridiculously soft that I got for 30 dollars at Stein Mart. Gotta keep a lint brush on me all the time, though. You might be stopping off your growing though, which puts you in a better situation than me. I'm working out and growing taller (if I keep up the rate I'm going, I'll be at least two inches taller than my brother by the time I'm about 18, which is when he stopped - and that's 6"6), which sucks for clothes stuff. Don't have enough of a steady income to keep up with it, either. I'd also get a nice leather jacket, just because sometimes you want to be James Dean. And find some great pairs of jeans - two or three dark pairs would be an amazing little hold out. Khakis (chinos, whatever) are also coming back hard. Pastel colored shirts and brown shoes are a classic look with flat-front white khakis. You should also get some aviators, my personal favorite sunglasses. Or wayfarers, although I don't like those as much - both the most classic styles out there. Once you build up a sturdy foundation with the classics, start experimenting with trendy stuff. It's a lot of fun.

Well, if your jacket's tailored well, it oughtta look like that buttoned. Although it might be a little tight, too. Just having it fit well should work well enough, methinks.

I just found the box for a Nestle Wonder Ball and got junk punched by nostalgia.

What do you mean bowl out? If you could find a picture, that'd help. But if I'm getting what you're saying, good posture and a three-button jacket with the top two buttons buttoned should do it.

It's just far more uncommon to see someone in a suit wearing brown shoes, as far as I know. Particularly if it's a black or grey suit. It can just look interesting. And you likely know more about trendy stuff, whereas I have the classics. We complete each other!

If I'm with older people (pretty common) or at an event with people who actually do know suits, though, taking a chance on the shoes is more likely to be noticed, though. But, yeah, kids at my school freak out over a blazer. That's because I'm pretty much the only one who strays from either pure athletic wear or jeans and a t shirt.

I'm fifteen, [bleep]es. I don't know what it is, but there's just something about shoes. I'm considering getting a fancy-[wagon] pair of brown oxfords and trying to wear them with every suit I got (won't be able to get them for a while, but it wouldn't hurt to start looking). It might be interesting, seeing as every guy plays it safe with black.

Most girls won't make the first move so I wouldn't hold my breath. Why does it matter though? I still don't get why people hook up in the movies :unsure: There's something attractive about paying 20 bucks to make out in public, I guess.