The Style Thread

[BloodAngel]

I bought a $140 pair of Clarke's for work in June last year. They've already fallen apart, any ideas as to what shoes I can get that won't fall apart so quickly? I don't care about the fashion, just it being comfortable.

 

The shoes usually spend an hour or so drenched in water, which is I guess what made them fall apart.

 

Also, I need more casual shoes, I have a pair of desert boots and Converse but haven't found anything else which I like.

 

Not sure if you can get them where you are, but Rockport are good for that sort of thing. Probably some of the most comfortable shoes you will ever wear and they do do some waterproof ones. Very much practicality over fashion.

[Omar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crJ4tTVy1nI

 

"Using room temp mink oil on cold boots gave me a slimy mess.

I know!

Heat up the whole thing so the leather drinks in the oil.

Done.

The leftover oily newsprint makes a great fire starter.

 

Edit 2/2012

The boots still keep out the wet.

The mink oil draws the leather dye out, can be seen on light coloured pants cuff."

[Shiny]

I can confirm mink oil working, have done it to me brown leather chelsea boots.

 

Short sleeves vs rolled up? I'd go the latter every time. Short sleeves, unless fitting and mid-bicep, look IT instead of summer swag. Rolled up sleeves looks casual and nonchalant. It is as good as, really. I roll my sleeves all the time.

 

Today I rocked some slim navy chinos, brown keds (for the curious, http://www.rosenbergshoes.com.au/www/436/files/keds-anchorchukkabrown-large.jpg), a pink oxford cloth and a blue cardigan. Just matched solids, but I think it was an interesting and quite safe outfit.

[Maleficus1055]

Duck boots. :thumbup:

 

I hate how these are getting popular, they look so bad.

[stevepole]

Duck boots. :thumbup:

 

I hate how these are getting popular, they look so bad.

 

I'm a bit partial to them as a work boot, I had a pair growing up.

[Jeffwilson99]

So the old CBD don't go to well in the wet then, ae Jim? I'm still on the hunt for something water resistant at least for walking to uni in... Something that doesn't look ridiculous.

[Maleficus1055]

I've got $150 towards sunglasses thanks to insurance, and I'm finally gonna buy my first prescription pair.

Any recommendations?

[RpgGamer]

Haven't checked this thread since like page 3.

 

got curious.

 

saw this:

 

$150 towards sunglasses

 

 

[Maleficus1055]

[Bonez899]

I've got $150 towards sunglasses thanks to insurance, and I'm finally gonna buy my first prescription pair.

Any recommendations?

Try the Transitions, I just got a pair a while back and their nice to have. Takes about 2 minutes for them to adjust, and they do it so gradually that you don't notice anything is changed outside. Only downside, it takes a couple minutes to change back, and depending on the sun that could leave you next to blind.

[Shiny]

Avoid transitions. In my experience they are never dark enough.

 

Instead for sunnies, aim for a universally flattering style. Wayfarers are got, and if you got a boxier face so too are aviators. Ray Bans are ideal for your price range, I would imagine. Also, Warby Parker, look them up.

[Maleficus1055]

I've got $150 towards sunglasses thanks to insurance, and I'm finally gonna buy my first prescription pair.

Any recommendations?

Try the Transitions, I just got a pair a while back and their nice to have. Takes about 2 minutes for them to adjust, and they do it so gradually that you don't notice anything is changed outside. Only downside, it takes a couple minutes to change back, and depending on the sun that could leave you next to blind.

Really hate transitions, they never get dark enough and change pretty slowly, along with the fact that something about them i just unflattering to look at. Also I already have prescription glasses.

 

 

Avoid transitions. In my experience they are never dark enough.

 

Instead for sunnies, aim for a universally flattering style. Wayfarers are got, and if you got a boxier face so too are aviators. Ray Bans are ideal for your price range, I would imagine. Also, Warby Parker, look them up.

 

 

I'll look into Ray-Ban's different styles and see if there's something I like.

[Omar]

snip

"Buy less buy better" is a form of anti-consumerism. Better off buying one pair of 150$ shades than 15 pairs of 10$ ones.

[Randox]

Not exactly up on my sunglasses terminology, by my preference (especially for guys) is mirrored two lens wraparounds with a full frame. Not sure if that is even possible for prescriptions, but I find that style to not only look nice, but to be incredibly practical because they actually cover your eye in a way that very little light can get around them and into your eyes.

 

These are mine, and no, I can assure you I am not in the picture (which was a problem I had a lot of fun solving seeing as I am essentially taking a picture of a convex mirror), but you can see a bit of the phone taking the picture:

[Maleficus1055]

Eh, apparently my insurance works only at independent place, big places like Lenscrafters no longer cover it. Only place in the mall I know is expensive because they have Gucci, Prada, all that stuff for glasses. I'll go in and see if i can find some I like anyway. I'm partial to the Aviator and Clubmaster style of sunglasses, so there might be a pair I can afford and like.

[Shiny]

Clubmasters are a nicer style than avaitors I personally feel, and they have a bit more of style edge. And god no wraparounds look like you've emerged from the 90s playing water sports. Avoid.

[Omar]

You and me guy, were gonna grow old together.

The man sat with a new pair of pants next to him.

Well grow old together and well be trustworthy and Ill you everything. Well be BFFs!

The pants sat and looked awkward.

Here, have some of your coffee! the man exclaimed and poured some coffee down the pants fly.

The pants sat and looked awkward and wet.

The man pulled out his computer and wrote about how the pants would grow old with him and theyd have lots of stories to tell and how hed wear them every day and never wash them and how the pants would whisker and how they'd have adventures and how they'd carry him through life like a trustworthy friend and how he'd spill stuff on them but the pants would still hang out with him and how all his other friends sucked and how the pants would go through bitter rejection of girls but more hopefully they'd be there for the successes but mostly just bitter rejection.

 

BFFs.

 

From guidetobadtaste

[Skull]

Going to be buying a suit soon, I figured I'd come to you guys for some advice. I need one for my cousin's wedding, but I want it to be something I can wear to pretty much any formal event.

 

Basically I'm looking for something (forgive my lack of terminology) with classic styling, probably in black or gray. Beyond that, I really have no knowledge of suits in terms of what material I want, number of buttons, brand, etc.

 

So yeah, general advice would be awesome. If I missed anything critical just ask me. Thanks for the help, if I get any.

 

Oh yeah, price. Uhh... not really expensive, $300 is probably the most I really want to spend, but $500 is my definite max. Anything closer to $200 would be better.

[Estonian dude]

Just make sure it's woollen and it fits you. Those are the 2 main qualities and if you meet them both you have an awesome suit, no matter the style.

[Jonanananas]

I don't have much knowledge with suits either, but definitely go with two buttons, and close the top one. With three buttons, no matter which buttons you close, there is always some part of it that looks stupid/doesn't fit imo.

[Omar]

a) Gray wool flannel, two buttons, and get it tailored; skimp on the suit if need be. Black suits are for funerals. Tuxedos are not black suits.

b) Don't go to a department store.

c) If you're done growing, it's not a bad idea to shell out some more cash for a suit like this; think of it as an investment.

d) You will also need a dress shirt (light blue or white broadcloth), a tie (I would suggest navy twill, cheap on Styleforum or eBay), shoes (keep your eyes peeled on SF and eBay for an inexpensive pair of black cap toe oxfords, like Allen Edmonds' Park Avenue), and a pair of socks (navy, over-the-calf, wool or wool with less than 20% nylon).

 

Put This On has articles about everything I mentioned so you can make a relatively educated purchase.

[Skull]

Sounds like what I was planning on doing for the most part. Only real questions are: charcoal gray, light gray or something in between? Where would you suggest I get the suit from, online or somewhere else? Also the wedding is outdoor and in July, so is flannel going to be too heavy of a wool, or should I just suck it up for the sake of future use? Since I live in a place where it's usually not very hot I'm guessing I should probably go for a heavier wool just for the sake of versatility.

 

I'm either done growing or pretty close, I've probably grown an inch in the past two or three years. I am looking to put on some muscle though, but I don't know how much that would affect it. I'm 5'8 and about 140 pounds if that helps make any decisions. While the suit is something I'm looking at as an investment, I also have to pay my way through college which is a more pressing investment at this time. However, I could probably get some money out of my dad to put towards it, so we'll say $300 is the most I can justify putting towards it myself, any more is going to have to come from somewhere else.

 

If you guys could throw up some pictures of what you're talking about (basically you, Omar) it would be greatly appreciated. I'm a little lost when it comes to the higher levels of dress. I don't really know the difference between types of dress shoes or anything like that. I have a basic idea of how the suit should fit, but not stuff like where the pants should break or what the lapel should look like. I have seen from the bit of research that I did that I should avoid pleated pants.

[Shiny]

I'm going to go down a different route.

 

a) Navy worsted wool, two buttons, get it tailored. The worsted wool is a bit more seasonally friendly, and will take you right through spring, summer and autumn. A navy suit that fits: http://www.menofhabit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Suitsupply-Suit-511x640.jpg . His trousers might be considered slightly too short (with the whole break thing), but with dress shoes and socks, I think it is fine. A good general size for lapels is about 3", not too wide, and not too slim.

b) Get your measurements taken by someone, a friend will be fine, so you know where to start. https://www.asuitthatfits.com/shop/index.php?option=com_facileforms&Itemid=102 is a good guide of what to measure. Write these down for the future I suppose, in case you want to buy clothing online.

c) Get some brown wingtips to rock with the navy suit, and a brown belt to match the shoes. (http://prepidemic.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/crockett.jpg) Ebay, or sf. Omar pretty much said it all there.

 

The reason I stand for navy over a medium grey is purely preference. Both are as versatile as the other. A flannel will be too heavy for summer.

 

This is also a good read:

[Skull]

I think I'd really need to something on to pick the color, I'm leaning towards gray, but that's just from what's in my head and looking at pictures of other people in suits. However, it seems like gray suits work better on people with darker hair, which I don't have. But yeah, I'll probably swing by a department store to try some stuff on and get a feel of what color and style I'm looking for.

 

I think I agree on going with worsted over flannel. Even though it's cold where I live more often than not, I assume most of my time in a suit will be spent indoors, since not many formal events are held outside in cold or poor weather. Plus I deal with cold far better than heat.

 

I'm assuming that if I go with the navy suit the shoes/belt can't be black, right? It's not something I planned on doing even if it is something you can get away with, but I just figured I would ask to make sure. Is brown okay with gray? Or is that pretty much the same as mixing brown and black?

 

Sorry I'm asking so many questions, this is just a pretty big investment on my part and I don't want to piss my money away by not knowing what I'm doing.

[Randox]

I think I'd really need to something on to pick the color, I'm leaning towards gray, but that's just from what's in my head and looking at pictures of other people in suits. However, it seems like gray suits work better on people with darker hair, which I don't have. But yeah, I'll probably swing by a department store to try some stuff on and get a feel of what color and style I'm looking for.

 

I think I agree on going with worsted over flannel. Even though it's cold where I live more often than not, I assume most of my time in a suit will be spent indoors, since not many formal events are held outside in cold or poor weather. Plus I deal with cold far better than heat.

 

I'm assuming that if I go with the navy suit the shoes/belt can't be black, right? It's not something I planned on doing even if it is something you can get away with, but I just figured I would ask to make sure. Is brown okay with gray? Or is that pretty much the same as mixing brown and black?

 

Sorry I'm asking so many questions, this is just a pretty big investment on my part and I don't want to piss my money away by not knowing what I'm doing.

The color has more to do with your skin tone actually, but I figure its too much to ask most guys to get their colors done. For example though, I can't wear black because it makes me look like I'm dying (and I wish that we're an exaggeration). As a general rule, I would not recommend a grey suit though. If your not going with black (and since when are those funeral only. I'd say easily 50% of the suits I see ever are black), go with either blue or brown.