This is drawing on from the "queues outside Hollister" thread here http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18222894&highlight=hollister, I was going to put this in there then thought id make a new thread where we can all muse and talk about our personal tastes in a more dedicated fashion.
Ok, so here's my tuppence from a man who has definitely grown and changed in tastes over the years.
When you hit 25-30, and presuming your fashion isn't dictated to you by your social circle (wot u wearin u puff lol!), you should then (again, just giving a person opinion) be looking at buying good quality, long-lasting items that fit the "timeless fashion" label... i'm talking things like fine, high quality merino wool v-neck jumpers (don't get Cashmere, its a nightmare to maintain), worn with a shirt or t-shirt underneath. For shirts, they should all be as slim as possible and perfectly fitting (and I cant stress that enough) and in a core selection of colours that flatter you... no outlandish designs or colours that you will regret 6 months later, and each item should be able to mix and match with the majority of your wardrobe. It should be a progressive collection of complimentary items that don't need to be thrown out until they wear out.
Some of my personally reccommended items (non exorbitantly priced too, I do buy high-end stuff but that is very personal with regards to taste and styling, this thread is dealing with more "general" things) for a very flattering look are:
----------------------------
Knitwear:
Jasper Conran Merino Wool jumpers http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs...uctsuniverse_18664}&ps=default&sid=*min_price
They are very fine material, very slim fitting, have no crappy logos, and look great with a t-shirt or shirt underneath. Debenhams keep having sales on them, so I advise picking up Black, Navy, Charcoal, and one other colour eg: Green that goes well with with the other core colours.
All Saints: Knitwear http://www.allsaints.com/men/knitwear/
This brand really have produce some awesome stuff in the last years and have a distinctive look while remaining very cool. Expensive, but always good quality, and worth the money for the most part.
Other good brands that look smart and wear well and last are Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralp Lauren, and some Firetrap knitwear (for thicker stuff) etc.
ASOS: Knitwear http://www.asos.com/search/wool-jumper?q=wool+jumper&pgesize=204&sort=priceasc
ASOS, as usual, tons of choice.
----------------------------
Jeans:
Levi's - There's a reason these are so popular, they make jeans that fit very well and last ages, mostly with zip flies too http://www.levi.com/GB/en_GB/category/men/jeans
Choose the style that takes your fancy, go and try it on somewhere, then order as cheap as possible online. Job done.
Nudie jeans are also good with some quirkier styles in there among the staples http://www.nudiejeans.com/shop/jeans/s/1
ASOS can't be beat for those on more of a budget (they have high-end stuff too of course) and they sell many brands in addition to their decent own brand http://www.asos.com/Men/Jeans/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=4208#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
----------------------------
Shirts:
Debenhams have some good shirts from the following brands:
Very fine materials, last ages, and perfect for business wear. In the sales you can pick up some bargains.
NEXT - Their tailored (suited to work) and slim-fitting (suited to casual) shirts are well styled, fit very well, and last ages. http://www.next.co.uk/men/shirts
Do not fear T.K.Maxx, because that jumble sale of a store happens to have some of the best bargains available for those willing to brave the chaos. Bargains (pure cotton only, don't buy anything polyester) to be picked up from there are such as Calvin Klein slim-fitting shirts for £29 - bargain.
----------------------------
T-Shirts and Polos:
For T-shirts:
ASOS: Huge selection, something for everyone http://www.asos.com/Men/T-Shirts/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=7616#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
For Summer jack and Jones do some cool prints, are 100% cotton, and generally fit very well. for Winter I wear plainer grey and white tees with a blazer.
For Polo shirts:
ASOS again has a huge selection: http://www.asos.com/Men/Polo-Shirts...oduct|v2#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
NEXT polos are also decent if on more of a budget http://www.next.co.uk/men/t-shirts-tops
My personal favourite brands for polos are:
Tommy Hilfiger (sim fit)
Ralph Lauren (slim fit)
They look good and last ages.
----------------------------
Shoes:
----------------------------
Suits:
Higher end:
A Suit That Fits - http://www.asuitthatfits.com/shop/index.php
The place to get a custom tailored, bespoke suit that fits like a glove for a reasonable price, in just about any quality you want ranging from good, to luxury. I can't reccommend them enough, and the benefit is you get to design your own suit and make it as individual as possible compared to any on the rails option.
Budget:
NEXT do a decent range of suits i nall fits, colours and materials: http://www.next.co.uk/men/tailoring
I have had a few suits from them and for the money they are good value and fit very well.
Debenhams have a decent range of slim fit mix and match wool suits, with some good prices in the sales:
All three brands fit me very well and actually have a relatively tailored look... for the money (theyre always in the sales) you cant beat them imo, and they look much better than some of the dross you get from Moss Bros et al.
----------------------------
Blazers:
Blazers are imo an essential item in a wardrobe for smart and casual occasions, mix them with a sharp white or black shirt, and you will look awesome.
I have bought some amazing pure British wool blazers from ASOS.com that fit like a glove, very sharp, and are very reasonably prices for the quality http://www.asos.com/search/wool-bla...ine=floor:floor_1001¤tpricerange=45-285
I now have a few form there that look amazing in almost any smart casual situation when combined with decent shoes and a short or tshirt. Take your time though and anything that doesnt fit perfectly, return it.
----------------------------
Coats & Jackets
ASOS also have a cracking selection of jackets and coats very good prices, especially for pure wool stuff http://www.asos.com/men/jackets-coa...oduct|v2#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
All Saints: http://www.allsaints.com/men/coats/style,any/colour,any/size,any/
All Saints really have produced some awesome stuff in the last years and have a distinctive look while remaining very cool. Expensive, but always good quality materials, and worth the money for the most part.
G-star do also make the odd gem. I have a G-star Wool garber Trench as seen here http://www.xileclothing.com/product...DECOY_WOOL_GARBER_TRENCH_6081_4002_0_0_1.html which looks awesome... great fitting and styling, and can be worn in any situation due to the discreet logos, even to work.
----------------------------
Those are just my personal musings, reflect my own opinion, and im not telling anyone how to dress... merely sharing some tips thatwork for me. Obviously here are a ton more brands I either don't know of or haven't mentioned (I didn't have all day to write the thread), so if you know of any others then say so.
So, how do you dress and do you have any tips of your own to share? Feel free to reccommend your own, rubbish mine, or suggest alternatives and additions. Maybe some of us will find it useful.
Ok, so here's my tuppence from a man who has definitely grown and changed in tastes over the years.
When you hit 25-30, and presuming your fashion isn't dictated to you by your social circle (wot u wearin u puff lol!), you should then (again, just giving a person opinion) be looking at buying good quality, long-lasting items that fit the "timeless fashion" label... i'm talking things like fine, high quality merino wool v-neck jumpers (don't get Cashmere, its a nightmare to maintain), worn with a shirt or t-shirt underneath. For shirts, they should all be as slim as possible and perfectly fitting (and I cant stress that enough) and in a core selection of colours that flatter you... no outlandish designs or colours that you will regret 6 months later, and each item should be able to mix and match with the majority of your wardrobe. It should be a progressive collection of complimentary items that don't need to be thrown out until they wear out.
Some of my personally reccommended items (non exorbitantly priced too, I do buy high-end stuff but that is very personal with regards to taste and styling, this thread is dealing with more "general" things) for a very flattering look are:
----------------------------
Knitwear:
Jasper Conran Merino Wool jumpers http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs...uctsuniverse_18664}&ps=default&sid=*min_price
They are very fine material, very slim fitting, have no crappy logos, and look great with a t-shirt or shirt underneath. Debenhams keep having sales on them, so I advise picking up Black, Navy, Charcoal, and one other colour eg: Green that goes well with with the other core colours.
All Saints: Knitwear http://www.allsaints.com/men/knitwear/
This brand really have produce some awesome stuff in the last years and have a distinctive look while remaining very cool. Expensive, but always good quality, and worth the money for the most part.
Other good brands that look smart and wear well and last are Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralp Lauren, and some Firetrap knitwear (for thicker stuff) etc.
ASOS: Knitwear http://www.asos.com/search/wool-jumper?q=wool+jumper&pgesize=204&sort=priceasc
ASOS, as usual, tons of choice.
----------------------------
Jeans:
Levi's - There's a reason these are so popular, they make jeans that fit very well and last ages, mostly with zip flies too http://www.levi.com/GB/en_GB/category/men/jeans
Choose the style that takes your fancy, go and try it on somewhere, then order as cheap as possible online. Job done.
Nudie jeans are also good with some quirkier styles in there among the staples http://www.nudiejeans.com/shop/jeans/s/1
ASOS can't be beat for those on more of a budget (they have high-end stuff too of course) and they sell many brands in addition to their decent own brand http://www.asos.com/Men/Jeans/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=4208#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
----------------------------
Shirts:
Debenhams have some good shirts from the following brands:
- St. George by Duffer
- Jeff Banks/Jeff Banks Stvdio
- Jasper Conran
Very fine materials, last ages, and perfect for business wear. In the sales you can pick up some bargains.
NEXT - Their tailored (suited to work) and slim-fitting (suited to casual) shirts are well styled, fit very well, and last ages. http://www.next.co.uk/men/shirts
Do not fear T.K.Maxx, because that jumble sale of a store happens to have some of the best bargains available for those willing to brave the chaos. Bargains (pure cotton only, don't buy anything polyester) to be picked up from there are such as Calvin Klein slim-fitting shirts for £29 - bargain.
----------------------------
T-Shirts and Polos:
For T-shirts:
ASOS: Huge selection, something for everyone http://www.asos.com/Men/T-Shirts/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=7616#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
For Summer jack and Jones do some cool prints, are 100% cotton, and generally fit very well. for Winter I wear plainer grey and white tees with a blazer.
For Polo shirts:
ASOS again has a huge selection: http://www.asos.com/Men/Polo-Shirts...oduct|v2#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
NEXT polos are also decent if on more of a budget http://www.next.co.uk/men/t-shirts-tops
My personal favourite brands for polos are:
Tommy Hilfiger (sim fit)
Ralph Lauren (slim fit)
They look good and last ages.
----------------------------
Shoes:
- Melvin and Hamilton footwear - My new favourite for formal and smart casual shoes, the quality is awesome and I have pairs that I have had for 8 months and they still look great http://www.melvin-hamilton.com/shoes/men.html
- Tommy Hilfiger footwear - A bit pricier in general, but VERY high quality shoes that last for ages. I have a pair of leather casual loafers which go with everything I have, and have worn amazingly well.
- Ted Baker - Mid-priced and also last a good while, classic styling and good quality shoes.
- ASOS own brand - Low priced and some of the formal shoes ive had off of them for £20 have lasted ages and still look great with regular polishing and shining. They have tons of other brands too of course http://www.asos.com/men/shoes-boots-trainers/cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=4209&via=top
----------------------------
Suits:
Higher end:
A Suit That Fits - http://www.asuitthatfits.com/shop/index.php
The place to get a custom tailored, bespoke suit that fits like a glove for a reasonable price, in just about any quality you want ranging from good, to luxury. I can't reccommend them enough, and the benefit is you get to design your own suit and make it as individual as possible compared to any on the rails option.
Budget:
NEXT do a decent range of suits i nall fits, colours and materials: http://www.next.co.uk/men/tailoring
I have had a few suits from them and for the money they are good value and fit very well.
Debenhams have a decent range of slim fit mix and match wool suits, with some good prices in the sales:
- Jeff Banks Stvdio
- Ben Sherman
- Jasper Conran
All three brands fit me very well and actually have a relatively tailored look... for the money (theyre always in the sales) you cant beat them imo, and they look much better than some of the dross you get from Moss Bros et al.
----------------------------
Blazers:
Blazers are imo an essential item in a wardrobe for smart and casual occasions, mix them with a sharp white or black shirt, and you will look awesome.
I have bought some amazing pure British wool blazers from ASOS.com that fit like a glove, very sharp, and are very reasonably prices for the quality http://www.asos.com/search/wool-bla...ine=floor:floor_1001¤tpricerange=45-285
I now have a few form there that look amazing in almost any smart casual situation when combined with decent shoes and a short or tshirt. Take your time though and anything that doesnt fit perfectly, return it.
----------------------------
Coats & Jackets
ASOS also have a cracking selection of jackets and coats very good prices, especially for pure wool stuff http://www.asos.com/men/jackets-coa...oduct|v2#parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=204&sort=3
All Saints: http://www.allsaints.com/men/coats/style,any/colour,any/size,any/
All Saints really have produced some awesome stuff in the last years and have a distinctive look while remaining very cool. Expensive, but always good quality materials, and worth the money for the most part.
G-star do also make the odd gem. I have a G-star Wool garber Trench as seen here http://www.xileclothing.com/product...DECOY_WOOL_GARBER_TRENCH_6081_4002_0_0_1.html which looks awesome... great fitting and styling, and can be worn in any situation due to the discreet logos, even to work.
----------------------------
Those are just my personal musings, reflect my own opinion, and im not telling anyone how to dress... merely sharing some tips thatwork for me. Obviously here are a ton more brands I either don't know of or haven't mentioned (I didn't have all day to write the thread), so if you know of any others then say so.
So, how do you dress and do you have any tips of your own to share? Feel free to reccommend your own, rubbish mine, or suggest alternatives and additions. Maybe some of us will find it useful.
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