[teholbeddict]

I went with fashion rabid, it's sad and stereotypical, but it's completely true! I buy clothes, shoes and accessories for every season and everything in between. I have more clothes than I have places to put them, three closets a multiple drawers worth and there's still not enough room! It's shameful really but I have clothes with the tags still on that I forget I even own. I go through my stuff every couple of months and give a few boxes away to charity, which helps clear some room in the closets for about a week and then I go back out and buy more. I try to find unique pieces for my wardrobe that I'm not going to see someone else walking down the street in. I also don't wear the same outfit more than once for say a night out or an event, I'm just kind of weird that way. Work is easy for me as I'm in the medical field so I'm always in scrubs and a lab coat, but outside of that I am a major fashionista. So yeah fashion is a pretty serious for me.

[Darkwatch]

I'm just going to define what I think fashion, to be clear.

Fashion: Is a trend in clothing based on cut, shape and colour (possibly other things) that is set by an elite and is then trickled down and distributed around.
It's aesthetics are based more on novelty than actual enduring appeal.
It changes with the seasons as well as social years (i.e. School).

I don't follow fashion. We get some magazines like Vogue and such at work and I never get it. As for the trickled down stuff that we see in stores, I still find it all ridiculous, no subtlety, or taste as far as I'm concerned.

I do know how to dress with style.
The difference in my mind, is that following fashion means you go with the flow.
Knowing how to dress with style is knowing what looks good on you regardless of what fashion is pushing that season.
You wear properly fitted clothes for your body and try and stick to colours that help you (fluorescent is a NO). What's funny about this is it's mostly by instinct.
Last time I bought clothes I picked out what I liked, and the cashier (not the sales woman) said that she was impressed that I knew my pallet. After a few seconds of silence with a look of "huh?" the cashier figured out this was the first I'd heard of it.

In general I dress casual, and when I mean casual I don't mean that casual style that is in no way casual (since it demands a certain look now.) By casual I mean what is comfortal and looks okay. Basically jeans (of the blue and black variety) with t-shirts (I hate long sleeves) that are green, dark blue, black or red (in general), though I do have a stronger liking for black, except in the summer I try and stick to light grey or red.

Some of you are probably thinking:
"But DW, what about dress to impress? I mean if that's how you dress all the time people will think you're a lazy slob/student!"

See this is where it gets fun. People are so used to the fact that I wear very casual laid back stuff that the second I pull out a nice shirt, trim the beard and wear nice jeans they fall over backwards in confusion. I get compliments coming out the wazoo, that I'd never get if I did this every single day.
I've always been told that I know how to look good, I just rarely exercise the desire to do so.

I currently own 3 pairs of shoes (1 too many as far as I am concerned):
-1 pair of black formal shoes that see use once every year and a half (on average).
-1 pair of every day running shoes that will see the abuse of lots of walking.
-1 pair of track shoes for the gym.

I also own two pairs of steel toed boots, both dark brown. Always good for winter and or shows (which by the way I missed the Cannibal Corpse & Neuraxis show last night and I am not happy about that.)

As to socks, I own black dress socks (no other colour, since as far as I'm concerned whenever I have to wear a suite a part of me dies inside, so it's a funeral).
Also a bunch of black workout socks.
The rest are normal grey or grey-white socks.

I own two suits and a ensemble I put together for my dad's wedding.
The first is a nice black suit, and I will admit to looking Imperial in that thing. I wear a nice dark blue (not navy) dress shirt underneath with a darker tie.
Second, which has seen the most use, is a dark beige suit (with those crisscrossing lines), good for most occasions, wear a dark red shirt with a darker tie.
Last is the ensemble, dark blue sports coat (with those crisscrossing lines), light blue shirt, black pants, no tie.
The last is my favourite since i put it together to look good and feel free.
I find formal clothing very restrictive and while I may look good a day in that stuff drives me up the wall.
Also I HATE ties, and avoid wearing them whenever possible.

Cougar, on Apr 24 2009, 08:53 AM, said:

I have three settings:

Work

Casual

and Student Rugby

The first is where I spend the money, I read GQ and follow fashion advice, my suits have to be tailored, ties silk and shirts fitted. I have 12 suits, plus a tux, 30 shirts mainly white, light blue, light biege/cream, if they are patterned its subtle and above all light coloured ( I think dark shirt, light tie is a bloody crime) and 50 pairs of colourful socks (you should only wear black socks to a funeral) to match all combinations of shirts/ties and suits, 5 pairs of smart black shoes, one brown pair, 2 tan and brogues, all of these are expensive, but then expensive leather shoes are worth the investment as they last and can be resoled time and again.

Casual is all polos and jeans, with some jumpers thrown in, all good quality but not necessarily labels, think Franklin and Marshall, Lyle and Scott, Firetrap, Ted Baker etc mid level brands, and one of about 10 pairs of trainers.

Student Rugby player is tight tees or rugby shirts, hoodies, baggy jeans or shorts with flip flops, I guarantee you this is the uniform of all student rugby players and ex-student rugby players and is probably the most comfy of all, there are no labels here except Canterbury.

The only things that I would wear through all styles are my watches I am an enthusiastic collector of automatic watches (Omegas, Tags, Breitlings, Bell and Ross etc) and my collection is steadily growing, I always wear a good watch.

This Cougar, is insanity.

[Grimjust Bearegular]

I am rabid. My wardrobe has exploded with clothes, which are now heaped randomly throughout the apartment. I spend quite a lot of time figuring out what to wear the next day. I love clothes and I love shopping!


But I'm not necessarily trendy, cus some trends are just plain ugly and stupid!


My most expensice piece of clothing is priceless. It's a vintage dress from the 50s.

This post has been edited by Grimhilde: 24 April 2009 - 01:55 PM

[HoosierDaddy]

I said "dress in the dark." Unless I'm trying to get with a woman, I could care less how I look. Outside of business, it's tees and shorts or whatnot. I can rock a suit and look like the preppiest damn prep you've ever seen before, if I wanna.

Edit: Most expensive piece? Suit.

This post has been edited by HoosierDaddy: 24 April 2009 - 01:57 PM

[teholbeddict]

Grimhilde, on Apr 24 2009, 08:53 AM, said:

I am rabid. My wardrobe has exploded with clothes, which are now heaped randomly throughout the apartment. I spend quite a lot of time figuring out what to wear the next day. I love clothes and I love shopping!


But I'm not necessarily trendy, cus some trends are just plain ugly and stupid!


My most expensice piece of clothing is priceless. It's a vintage dress from the 50s.

Grimhilde makes a good point about the trendy thing. I try to hve a balance between some wardrobe staples, fashionable pieces and a just a bit of trendy stuff, not too much. Trends are not always easy to pull off, some of them are ridiculous, and it normally means that you're not going to be able to wear it next year or even next season. There are times when I buy something like that knowing that I might only get to wear it once or twice if I'm lucky. So they're not for someone who likes to get alot of wear out of their stuff. The worst thing is people who try to mix too many trends at once and end up looking like a walking disaster! Keep it to one trendy piece per outfit, anything more is just too much!

Edit: Oh and my most expensive piece of clothing would be my Prada double breasted wool trench coat. It cost me so much money it's painful to think about! But it was completely worth it I love that coat!

This post has been edited by teholbeddict: 24 April 2009 - 02:05 PM

[Darkwatch]

teholbeddict, on Apr 24 2009, 10:00 AM, said:

Grimhilde makes a good point about the trendy thing. I try to hve a balance between some wardrobe staples, fashionable pieces and a just a bit of trendy stuff, not too much. Trends are not always easy to pull off, some of them are ridiculous, and it normally means that you're not going to be able to wear it next year or even next season. There are times when I buy something like that knowing that I might only get to wear it once or twice if I'm lucky. So they're not for someone who likes to get alot of wear out of their stuff. The worst thing is people who try to mix too many trends at once and end up looking like a walking disaster! Keep it to one trendy piece per outfit, anything more is just too much!

See I like having clothes for years.
Hell I've only clothe shopped twice in the last 4 years.

[Shinrei]

@ Cougar,

Who buys untailored suits anyways? Do they exist, and if so, what's the point? I have to admit though, other than getting the proper neck size, I don't pay close enough attention to shirts. I realize it probably looks silly, tailored suits with shirts that aren't custom fit. That's something I need to fix as my new job requires a more fitting appearance. I have lots of nice ties though, so I can vary things a bit. Most shirts are white, offwhite or light blue, but I do have one dark blue and one yellow one. I have a soft spot for french cuffs with cufflinks (as I said before, accessories are important IMO).

So many Japanese businessmen on trains are always fully done up, but I prefer to ride the train with no tie and top button open, deliberate casual. It might make me look like a Yakuza, but it gets appreciative looks from the ladies.

My half-ass rules to dressing well in a suit:

A) Accessories are important. This extends as far as the case you carry.
Always show cuff.
C) Have nice shoes for gods sake. Ghetto shoes ruin the entire thing.
D) Pull up your socks. Men showing ankle isn't sexy.


I disagree with the black socks thing though. What's wrong with black socks?

And a final note, I wish the fedora would come back in style.

[Darkwatch]

Shinrei no Shintai, on Apr 24 2009, 10:06 AM, said:

And a final note, I wish the fedora would come back in style.

Then bring it back yourself.

My ensemble usually has the bowler hat to top the whole thing off.

[Shinrei]

Heh, I own 2, but it hasn't caught on.

[HoosierDaddy]

Keep on keeping on, Shin.

[Darkwatch]

Shinrei no Shintai, on Apr 24 2009, 10:12 AM, said:

Heh, I own 2, but it hasn't caught on.

Lend the second to a friend and make it look like it's catching on.

[Shinrei]

Actually, they're in the US at the moment. They might actually work in Japan where people are more image conscious.

[Vengeance]

Shin there should have been a spot for if you are married and your wife picks your clothes out for you. I haven't bought my own clothes (at least not by myself) for 10 years. I had no fashions sense before her. Well I still have none but now I look like I might have a little....

[Shinrei]

Well, I know I try to pay more attention to what I'm wearing when we're out together. Don't want to embarass her.

But I still control what I buy.

[Mezla PigDog]

Shinrei no Shintai, on Apr 24 2009, 01:15 PM, said:

Do you cycle things out of your wardrobe Mezla, or does it just 'grow'? 20 times a year that would start encroaching on my wife's precious closet space.

I throw things out/give them to charity as they go really out of fashion, I stop liking them or they start looking a bit threadbare. Also, I have moved house about 7 times in the last 10 years so I always have a good clear out then which keeps the volume down. Shoes are another matter though. I'm pretty rabid about them.

Shinrei no Shintai, on Apr 24 2009, 03:18 PM, said:

Well, I know I try to pay more attention to what I'm wearing when we're out together. Don't want to embarass her.

But I still control what I buy.

Mr PigDog usually scrubs up well on his own. I'd hate to have to dress him! There was one occasion about 3 years ago where I refused to go outside with him in what he was wearing. Yeah, that one turned into an epic row but he looked reeeeeeeally bad. I can still picture it now and it makes me laugh.

[Cougar]

Well DW makes an interesting point about style and fashion, my casual wear is fashionable, but my suits owe nothing to fashion and everything to the dressing sensibilites of a classic English business look. I never wear a tight suit (skinny fit jacket drainpipe trousers) or a pencil tie which are the fashionable look and I insisted on classic morning dress for my wedding atire rather than some faux Georgian monstrosity in Ivory or some shit.

Also I forgot to add that I typically sport a pocket square with a suit, I have about 10 of these, all silk.

I know this seems like insanity but I get a tremendous sense of enjoyment from being well turned out and I love the timeless style of the English business look maybe with a touch of Italian colour and flair chucked in (if you don't know what I mean check out a Pal Zilieri advert for the slightly more colourful style of the Italian businessmen).

The only thing I'm a bit poor at is a don't shave too often maybe only twice a week so I support a long stubble most of the time.

This post has been edited by Cougar: 24 April 2009 - 02:47 PM

[Macros]

what ever is on top of the pile.
I know people that buy a new shirt every week to go out in that weekend, crazy fools.

[drinksinbars]

Macros, on Apr 24 2009, 04:19 PM, said:

what ever is on top of the pile.
I know people that buy a new shirt every week to go out in that weekend, crazy fools.

they happen to frequent the bot? or drive m3's? Tw**s

the girlfriends mother says i look like a criminal most of the times i meet or, or that she saw me on crimewatch

[Macros]

THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BOT!
You take that back you filthy married old person!

[drinksinbars]

Macros, on Apr 24 2009, 04:32 PM, said:

THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BOT!
You take that back you filthy married old person!

i fucking hate the bot, full of ass monkeys and mucksavages my girlfriends mates included