The threads thread

[Senor_Taylor]

I don't think there are threads for clothing on here, so here we go. First off, I have no idea how to dress myself so I'll have no good input.

What kind of shoes do you guys wear the work? How about with a suit? I'm not talking styles, necessarily, but make/model. I need nice shoes because of my knees and back.

Also what kind of pants do you buy? I came across these really nice khaki pants that breath and are made out almost a stretch dress pants material when I was working at CB and I wear this one pair practically every day. Doing so, I expect them not to last very long.

Also, do you all really spend like $40 per shirt? All of these nice polos and stuff I see cost so much. I've never really been one to buy nice clothes, so I'm not sure.

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[Jake]

Jeans from Gap. Khakis from Gap or Banana Republic. Dress pants from Express.

Shirts are a toss up, I have a lot from Express because they will run a lot of sales, and mixed with their coupons you can get some decent money off. Gap is also a good option- they are the same people as BR and Old Navy at different price points and I guess quality, to a point.

It's worth spending a little more for nicer clothes, versus $9 polos from H&M that will fall apart in a year. I have shirts that are several years old and still look great.

Check out the malefashionadvice subreddit too, they have good threads about how to buy basic staples that you can mix and match for not a ton of money.

Shoes... different for everyone. Seems like $100 at most will get you a nice pair from countless places (if not cheaper). I burn through shoes roughly every year.

[JPolen01]

I get a lot at banana republic. But don't shop there unless there is a sale going on. They run 40% off like every other week.

I haven't bought a pair of khakis in who knows how long. I wear jeans in the fall and winter for work. I'm a denim snob and will only wear super soft Japanese denim from hands like Citizen or 7 For All Man Kind. They are expensive but worth it.

[*insertusernamehere*]

Old Navy/gap is your friend, Levi's (on sale) are your friends, Nike/addidas sports shoes are your friends, I like some of sketchers casual shoes, DSW is actually your best friend in the shoes dept. Whatever dressy stuff just comes from Macy's and I like some of the other stuff they carry and winter stuff too! I dislike JCPenney and Kohl's. I like Columbia outerwear (raincoats, windbreakers etc).

OH and honestly, like seriously, go look through what Costco has whenever you go by. Tons of their stuff is good quality, price and looks good! Stock up undies and socks there too!

Be picky when you go to H&M their stuff is trendy but sometimes only lasts one wash. They have good jeans, one of my favorite pairs are from there but you really gotta hunt cause everything is made to fit some 120lb 5'7 metrosexual male on the west coat.

[Jake]

Every Polo shirt I've bought from H & M has turned into a belly shirt after a few washes, they shrink vertically. Haven't bought anything from them in ages now.

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[WRXtranceformed]

For work stuff? Nordstrom Rack is my go to. I have one nice pair of dress shoes and two pairs of cheaper Stacey Adams from Off Broadway that see most of the wear.

Have a few suits, all custom fitted which sounds expensive but it's really not. My favorite is a $850 Nordstrom Rack brand I got on sale for $135. It's a good idea to own at least one suit and get it tailored. Makes all the difference.

I don't have to dress up for work as much as i used to, but i never subscribed to buying ridiculously pricey shirts, shoes, etc. You just burn through them so fast with daily wear (especially traveling to Chicago, land of terrible weather most of the year) it doesn't make sense.

[.RJ]

For biz casual I like bonobos, sometimes banana republic. BR jeans are usually nice, too.

[JPolen01]

Oh I forgot about bonobos. They make some of the best dress pants. I think I have 3 pairs now? So soft and comfortable and they fit great. Pricey though.

[Apoc]

Nordstrom Rack or GTFO

[JustinG]

I have no real input....

If it didn't come from Target/Gap/Costco I have no idea, and when I do travel for work the dressiest I need to go is khakis and a button up.

I like the khakis from Gap and the Kirkland brand Costco khakis.

I have one suit, that I bought just to go on interviews last year off Amazon, cause the same suit at Men's Warehouse or whatever was twice the price..

If you aren't in front of a bunch of douche bag day trader bros who judge you based on the tie you are wearing then don't spend $40 on a dress shirt.

Also ditto on what Jake said, I stopped buying clothes from the tween stores in the mall like 8 years ago, cause they are all cut for 95lb 14yr olds, or the XL shrinks to a medium after one cold wash and being hung to dry.

TLDR: I have no fashion, I wear basketball shorts and a tshirt all day and when I leave the house I keep the same t-shirt on and throw on some jeans or non cargo khaki shorts.

[ispoonwithmugen]

I have a weird body frame BUT here is what I use:
Jacket: Ralph Lauren and Joseph A Bank ones
Dress button downs: Brooks Brother (they have these shirts you can't sweat through, AMAZING), Ralph Lauren and Joseph A Bank
Casual Button downs: Brooks brothers, Ralph Lauren, Prana, Patagonia stuff. Honestly just look for deals every once in awhile
T-shirts: Whatever company is giving away free shirts, Prana, North Face, etc
Casual Pants/shorts: Prana (love their fit) and ralph lauren
Shoes: I'm kinda a sneakerhead but my favorites are super casual: Adidas UltraBoost (so comfy), semi casual: Clark Desert Boots in brown leather, formal: either some Ralph Lauren leather penny loafers or a pair I'm blanking on that I got from Joseph A Bank.

Honestly get good quality clothes and get them fitted. You'll feel like a million bucks.

TL;DR: Go to TJ Maxx and try on a bunch of stuff.

[Ken]

Dress Shirts - Calvin Klein does a decent one but otherwise I wait for Brooks Brothers or Charles Tyrwhitt to a sale (CT is actually has $30 shirts right now.) Mostly because they have, hands down, the best non-iron shirts. I hate ironing, and if spending a little extra dough saves me that, so be it. It's worth it and they last forever. I still have some BB shirts from like 8 years ago and they look new. I bought a bunch of Express shirts back in the day and they fit nice but are THE FUCKING WORST to maintain - "Dry Clean Preferred" means it's a fucking bitch to iron and make look right. I'll probably be looking into one or two custom shirts though that fit 100% to me. Banana Republic has some awesome casual/sport shirts I just got, but that's another that I will wait for a sale for.

Suits - I just recently did an online suit company, got measured in store and it came out fucking awesome. It's called MySuit. I'm sure there are probably others near DC that do something similar. It was a little over $400 but way worth it, fits better than my off the rack Brooks Brothers and stuff from Mens Warehouse, even after getting tailored. Things just look better when they are cut to you.

Shoes - I tried going away, but came back to Cole Haan. Don't buy regular price ever, they have sales and discount codes all the time. Also, Designer Shoe Warehouse. I have gotten so many good deals there on very good brands, including Cole Haan, for like 60% off.

Pants - Something I still struggle with. I can't find anything with a good cut. Express has some but again with that Dry Clean preferred bullshit. I found JCrew Factory (their online/outlet brand) has some good stuff that I've bought for casual use (chinos etc) so I may buy some of their dress stuff soon as well.

Outside of the above, Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx and those can have some awesome finds every now and then. Always worth a look.

[Sully]

I stopped reading after the first couple posts cause I can't contribute to this thread. My entire wardrobe is from Kohl's. Kohl's charge and 30% off coupon during a sale. I lean towards the apt. 9 brand there but I'm sure none of you care. You can go back to talking about your fancy clothes and laughing at my Kohl's wardrobe.

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[*insertusernamehere*]

I'd just like to point out I've never had fashion/clothing ads until this thread popped up.

[.RJ]

Suits - I just recently did an online suit company, got measured in store and it came out fucking awesome. It's called MySuit. I'm sure there are probably others near DC that do something similar. It was a little over $400 but way worth it, fits better than my off the rack Brooks Brothers and stuff from Mens Warehouse, even after getting tailored. Things just look better when they are cut to you.

^ this is huge. you dont need expensive or fancy clothes to look good at work, simple things that fit you well and kept nice gets you most of the way there, if things fit you, you feel good and if you feel good you look good.

formal business attire has gone away most places - I have only worn my suits for fancy dinners or interviews in the past few years, and my last interview they told me not to wear one.

have any of y'all used the online services that send you boxes of things to try and you send back what you dont like?

[JPolen01]

My wife used Stichfix pretty routinely. Most times she only keeps one to two items so they pay for the rest to be returned. The couple times she has gotten boxes with nothing she likes she has called and complained they didn't follow her style guidelines and they have refunded the boxes. I thought about trying their men's line but haven't pulled the trigger.

How do you guys still shop at express? Everything they make is so cheap and falls apart immediately. The fact that they recommend dry cleaning their clothes is laughable.

I also buy a lot from Zappos. Usually 1-2 day shipping and free returns for literally any reason.

For casual wear I love in Under Armour being from Baltimore. Their 3/4 zip pullovers are perfect for the office since they have a little collar it looks nice. I have 4 or 5 of them in different colors and pretty much live in then come fall.

[ScottyB]

i still dress like i'm 20 so i guess i'm not the best for asking advice but some things i've learned:

i absolutely hate shopping. i'll either shop from home at places online that allow for painless returns or i'll go to a place knowing they have the thing i already know i want for cheap, so i'm enjoying the online buying advice here.

zappos for sports/rec shoes but i go to stores for business/fancy stuff to get the right fit. my Johnston & Murphy lace-up shearling leather dress shoes are among my favorite things i've ever put on my feet, worth every penny.

TJMaxx and Kohls for business casual stuff - i feel kinda dirty shopping there because i hated life being dragged in there by my mom when i was a kid, but you can't argue with the absurd prices. i tear up my cargo shorts all the time so i just get them at costco.

buy a suit or 2 off the rack if you find one that fits pretty well, but having at least one tailored is essential. when you need to look right for a serious occasion you don't want to skimp. i don't wear suits much anymore, so when its time to put one on i always go back to the tailored one i like. worth it.

i'm a believer in Kuhl brand pants, great alternatives for the usual khaki and jeans fabrics. the fabric/design is especially awesome for work/hike pants.

[Jake]

How do you guys still shop at express? Everything they make is so cheap and falls apart immediately. The fact that they recommend dry cleaning their clothes is laughable.

Not sure what you're getting at, unless you run your washing machine on "earthquake" mode or something. My Express dress shirts still look great after a few years of wear and washing at home (I hardly dry clean anything). Just picked up a few new shirts from them and the construction seems the same. I wash everything on gentle and dry it on low heat though, so I suspect that helps extend longevity.

[Senor_Taylor]

Great to see so many replies. I don't know why I haven't gotten around tor reading any of them...

[Ken]

How do you guys still shop at express? Everything they make is so cheap and falls apart immediately. The fact that they recommend dry cleaning their clothes is laughable.

Not sure what you're getting at, unless you run your washing machine on "earthquake" mode or something. My Express dress shirts still look great after a few years of wear and washing at home (I hardly dry clean anything). Just picked up a few new shirts from them and the construction seems the same. I wash everything on gentle and dry it on low heat though, so I suspect that helps extend longevity.

IDK what voodoo magic you use, i use gentle, cold wash and tumble dry low (yes, i remove it immediately) and even tried hang try. Then I iron them and those fuckers still have teeny tiny (noticeable) wrinkles in them that only come out when i suck it up and finally have it dry cleaned. Fuck those shirts. Hard.

BB or CT? perm press, tumble dry low, remove immediately and they're as if they just got pressed. It's magical and i'll gladly pay for that.