[Vaun]

(09-27-2013 05:38 PM)WestIndianArchie Wrote:  

Real talk, 1,000 pair of shoes, UOENO.

Go to the thrift store. Buy a decent suit for 20 bucks, and fix the sleeves and get the jacket taken in for about 60 bucks. Boom, you're done. You look better than the schlub who bought the top of the line $600 Hugo Boss @ Macy's, better than the dork who got the $1800 Canali @ Nordstrom's, probably better than the fool who paid 6,000 for the Kiton @ their flagship store.

WIA

This...

I too worked in a professional environment where clothes mattered and I would spend $1000 for a suit easily. Then after a dozen or so wears it would fall apart. I once wrote a scathing email to the head of Burberry and got $3500 in suits for free, because everything I bought from them fell apart within a few months of wears.

Expensive has nothing to do with quality, and you have to be an educated buyer to know the difference. I would splurge for shoes and denim though, but thats just me. I have a shop here in NYC from Italy that sells the best $400 suits you have ever seen. It just takes time and knowing what to buy, and what you DONT have to buy.

[Gopher]

(09-29-2013 10:39 PM)puckman Wrote:  

(09-27-2013 05:38 PM)WestIndianArchie Wrote:  

Real talk, 1,000 pair of shoes, UOENO.

Go to the thrift store. Buy a decent suit for 20 bucks, and fix the sleeves and get the jacket taken in for about 60 bucks. Boom, you're done. You look better than the schlub who bought the top of the line $600 Hugo Boss @ Macy's, better than the dork who got the $1800 Canali @ Nordstrom's, probably better than the fool who paid 6,000 for the Kiton @ their flagship store.

WIA

This...

I too worked in a professional environment where clothes mattered and I would spend $1000 for a suit easily. Then after a dozen or so wears it would fall apart. I once wrote a scathing email to the head of Burberry and got $3500 in suits for free, because everything I bought from them fell apart within a few months of wears.

Expensive has nothing to do with quality, and you have to be an educated buyer to know the difference. I would splurge for shoes and denim though, but thats just me. I have a shop here in NYC from Italy that sells the best $400 suits you have ever seen. It just takes time and knowing what to buy, and what you DONT have to buy.

What is the shop?

[neanderthal]

(09-28-2013 12:51 PM)MrXY Wrote:  

(09-27-2013 08:10 PM)SpiderKing Wrote:  

Try thrift stores in or near the rich areas of your city.

(09-27-2013 03:55 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

Poor girls and middle class girls can't tell the difference.

Many employees can't tell the difference in quality either, and set prices according to familiar brands. I've seen Tommy Hilfiger and Ecko button-ups for $13, while obscure higher quality shirts like Hickey Freeman were priced at $5.

Haha this so many times. A lot of these stores will up the price of mall brands like Nautica, A&F and Polo, or even put them in their "boutique section"; meanwhile I walk out the door with Zegna, Robert Graham, Brioni, Hickey Freeman, Zanella, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, etc, etc.

I've got a great wardrobe, almost all of it from thrift stores and Ebay. You substitute knowledge,time and effort for money. Styleforum is a great learning resource; you just have to avoid being talked into dressing too old-mannish, since there's a contingent of guys there who advocate that style. But others don't you can take what you learn there and interpret it into a cool ,younger playerish style, which is what I did.

Important point-shoes. Shoes ,shoes ,shoes! If you want to be taken as a man of means and style, give high priority to your shoe wardrobe. Women don't know anything about men's shoes in detail such as the names of styles and the makers, but believe me they are born with an eye to distinguish quality shoes form cheap shoes.

Example-the other day I met with a girl through a sugar daddy ad I put out. We met in a restaurant bar. After we had talked for half an hour, she said "I can't stop looking at your socks!" ( I like to wear crazy socks) But actually she had looked down initially to check out my shoes. This girl is 19 and she was checking out my shoes to see if they were congruent with who I said I was. They were-really nice suede Ferragamo ankle boots and I passed the test.

Funny..A gold digger asked me the same question tonight.

I saw her tell her friend that I had money while I went to the bathroom. She thought I was not up to her ways. I called her out on it because I was not going to be taken for a fool.

I have only been dealing with middle class chicks so dealing with this gold digger was a first. What do you guys do when you find out a girl is only after the money?

[Vaun]

(09-29-2013 11:49 PM)Gopher Wrote:  

What is the shop?

http://www.seanstore.com/#!campaigns/c24jr

French designer, Italian made, high quality, $400-$600 suits. No ecommerce unfortunately, maybe I need to talk to them.

[DVY]

(09-29-2013 10:39 PM)puckman Wrote:  

This...

I too worked in a professional environment where clothes mattered and I would spend $1000 for a suit easily. Then after a dozen or so wears it would fall apart. I once wrote a scathing email to the head of Burberry and got $3500 in suits for free, because everything I bought from them fell apart within a few months of wears.

Expensive has nothing to do with quality, and you have to be an educated buyer to know the difference. I would splurge for shoes and denim though, but thats just me. I have a shop here in NYC from Italy that sells the best $400 suits you have ever seen. It just takes time and knowing what to buy, and what you DONT have to buy.

Please let us novices know what are some of these factors for buying and against....

[Vaun]

(09-30-2013 05:54 PM)DVY Wrote:  

Please let us novices know what are some of these factors for buying and against....

haha, sure. Labels are a joke in big department stores. For some reason every suit I have ever bought at a Macy's or Bloomingdales or Nordstrom has fallen apart and was generally a bad purchase. I havent had the same luck as WIA with thrift stores for suits, every work suit I have found in a thrift store was far beyond repair. In a finance or real estate office I dont think an old suit will get you by. If you work in that environment I would suck it up and just spend the money, but find quality. Personally, I dont do the bespoke, I really like Brooks Brothers, because I have never bought a bad item there and their service it beyond anything I can find. The store I gave above is a good example of the types of designers that are out there that make high quality suits that dont cost a fortune, but you have to look for them.

Thrift stores though are GREAT for finding sport coats, especially old worsted wool sport coats that you can easily have fitted, and look retro and cool.

[DVY]

Ahh, I see. Can you elaborate more on individual elements of "quality".

I usually touch the fabric, pull at the lapels a little bit and just move my arms around in the jacket (should be smooth feeling, no starch-iness.

What else do you look for?

[samsamsam]

(10-01-2013 10:43 AM)DVY Wrote:  

Ahh, I see. Can you elaborate more on individual elements of "quality".

I usually touch the fabric, pull at the lapels a little bit and just move my arms around in the jacket (should be smooth feeling, no starch-iness.

What else do you look for?

http://www.montagio.com.au/cms/5_signs_o..._mens_suit

It covers:
1) Fit
2) Fabric
3) Lining
4) Stitching
5) Construction

Hope that helps.

[Vaun]

(10-01-2013 10:55 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  

(10-01-2013 10:43 AM)DVY Wrote:  

Ahh, I see. Can you elaborate more on individual elements of "quality".

I usually touch the fabric, pull at the lapels a little bit and just move my arms around in the jacket (should be smooth feeling, no starch-iness.

What else do you look for?

http://www.montagio.com.au/cms/5_signs_o..._mens_suit

It covers:
1) Fit
2) Fabric
3) Lining
4) Stitching
5) Construction

Hope that helps.

^^ this is good, but I would also consider the store and their return policy. I have bought suits that look great, but fall apart quick(after less than a dozen wears) like the Burberry suits. Thats why I like Brooks Brothers, I have built up a relationship with them over time, they have a history of all of my purchases over the last 5 years at the register, and they will give you a preferred status on returns, repairs and issues that arise. Can say honestly though I have never had a problem with them, and their clothing is truly an investment.

[Distant Light]

Dude wear what fits your "look" that you enjoy most...

I for one am 24 and STRONGLY DISLIKE anything that looks youngish, I want to be like the 50 year old "fascinating man". With that said, i add my own flare in the sense that I'm abit of a wild/crazy dude which is why my cloth is put together BUT rather fucked up at the sametime.

P.S...I highly doubt women even look at shoes or they would've noticed the massive whole in my boots. HOWEVER, they do notice the massive hole in my crotch. I get into all the top venues in NY due to my overall look, wild hair, unkept facial hair (i want facial hair like my grandfather) and my style that shows that I dress "smart" BUT actually really fucking wild. People love pointing out to people when introducing me how my belt and jeans are massively fucked up. (They can't see the boots hahahaha)

[kenny_powers]

Better to dress sharp and have no money than to have no money and dress like shit. Fake it till you make it.

[MrXY]

Just as I noted above I walked into a thrift store yesterday and left with a Brioni shirt for $2.37. It was half price clothing day. The fabric, cut and construction are superb and the shirt fits me just right. Brioni shirts retail for $400-575 ; you might be able to find them on sale for $250-300.

The store had mall brands like Tommy Bahama, Daniel Cremieux and Banana Republic marked up above Goodwill's normal retail price........

[dog24]

Dressing sharp is an everyday thing... I used to get mad hate from my "friends" once i upgraded my wardrobe, eventually everyone got used to it, and people thought of me as a well dressed guy. Consistency is key, you gotta take some time everyday to look good. If you only do it every once in a while seems a bit try hard.