How to dress well in CM without standing out too much

[FlyingMonkey]

I realize that hoodies may not appeal to some CM diehards but as it’s been around for literally decades it doesn’t stand out as much as you’d think.

Hoodies have in fact been around for literally centuries... hooded tops were the standard clothing of ordinary working folk in mediaeval Europe, monks and the gentry wore hooded cloaks. (And yes, I know what you meant!)

 

[Pulpo]

I've seen a lot of this in New York City in the last couple of years. Lots of kids in their 20s wearing sport coats, tassel loafers, cm trousers with sportswear. It's irreverent and young, and it's refreshing to see. It's also a trend, but, as ya'll say, it could re-orient the masses toward cm.

But don't you think that this kind of dress-down approach to cm has always existed, at least in the 20th century? When I watch old movies or tv shows, there's always some guy with tailored trousers and a sc paired with the sportwear (or underwear) of the time. Maybe it was meant to represent the character as "riff-raff" or off-duty, but it has always been there in some form. I think people just used the raw materials of cm/sw&d any way they saw fit.

One thing I'm struck by when watching TV / movies from the 90s is just how abundant and casual cm was. I've been rewatching the X-Files and Seinfeld (inducing tonal whiplash) and it always sticks out to me how about 40% of the characters (including background and random one-offs) are wearing a jacket or wool trousers as just like their everyday wardrobe. They're not "dressed up" it was just daily wear for people from all walks of life until like, 2002?

Kind of funny that doing so has almost completely gone away. It seemed like it was pretty common for a middle-aged guy to just throw on a sport coat and go about their day without it being much of a style consideration, but then that just stopped altogether. And I imagine that it's coming back in part because these brands (and consumers) are casting their gaze back to the 90s.

 

[dieworkwear]

One thing I'm struck by when watching TV / movies from the 90s is just how abundant and casual cm was. I've been rewatching the X-Files and Seinfeld (inducing tonal whiplash) and it always sticks out to me how about 40% of the characters (including background and random one-offs) are wearing a jacket or wool trousers as just like their everyday wardrobe. They're not "dressed up" it was just daily wear for people from all walks of life until like, 2002?

Kind of funny that doing so has almost completely gone away. It seemed like it was pretty common for a middle-aged guy to just throw on a sport coat and go about their day without it being much of a style consideration, but then that just stopped altogether. And I imagine that it's coming back in part because these brands (and consumers) are casting their gaze back to the 90s.

I think that's mostly an effect of how costume designers use clothes to communicate something about the character, not necessarily how people dressed in real life. I remember the 90s as still a fairly casual decade. Plus, even back then, lots of people didn't work in corporations and thus had very flexible dress codes.

 

[RSS]

I always thought the entire point of CM was not standing out. I'm reminded of the Anderson & Sheppard promise that upon leaving a client would not be recognized as wearing a new suit.

 

[Pulpo]

I think that's mostly an effect of how costume designers use clothes to communicate something about the character, not necessarily how people dressed in real life. I remember the 90s as still a fairly casual decade. Plus, even back then, lots of people didn't work in corporations and thus had very flexible dress codes.

Ah, I should have figured that might be the case. In my defense, I was more interested in playing Playstation at the time than what the adults around me were wearing lol.

 

[smittycl]

I always thought the entire point of CM was not standing out. I'm reminded of the Anderson & Sheppard promise that upon leaving a client would not be recognized as wearing a new suit.

That's what I was alluding to with the school uniform analogy (except for the part about me trying to stand out...).

 

[The Dirty Pigeon]

There are quite a few photos online of a young Harrison Ford striking what I think is a nice balance of CM with casual, especially considering the norms of that day.

 

[comrade]

I tend to mix and match quite a bit, and I have worn the fit above but with a hat and a tweed SC and I think it looks just fine. Without the jacket, it is a bit too high/low tho.
View attachment 1658111

-DL

Looks fine, but stands out. If I saw him I'd ask myself, what's his story, etc?

 

[radicaldog]

I always thought the entire point of CM was not standing out. I'm reminded of the Anderson & Sheppard promise that upon leaving a client would not be recognized as wearing a new suit.

Exactly. Which is why wearing trad CM under the age of 60 in most contexts is a violation of CM norms.

 

[dieworkwear]

Wear a top hat and a frock coat for a year. Then one day, switch to a suit and people will say "wow, you look casual today!"

 

[Mirage-]

It would be very funny if they asked you whether the reason you are suddenly wearing normal clothing is that you have a job interview.

 

[bertie]

It would be very funny if they asked you whether the reason you are suddenly wearing normal clothing is that you have a job interview.

Or court appearance

 

[mak1277]

Does anyone here regularly wear flannel shirts in this sort of dressed up context? Plenty of examples of denim and chambray, but I don’t see many pictures of flannels with a sport coat or with tailored trousers. Maybe I’m just not paying attention.

 

[smittycl]

Does anyone here regularly wear flannel shirts in this sort of dressed up context? Plenty of examples of denim and chambray, but I don’t see many pictures of flannels with a sport coat or with tailored trousers. Maybe I’m just not paying attention.

Growing up as a Northerner flannel shirts were alway super casual. Never used them with tailoring myself. I have worn some cashmere/cotton blends in POW with tweedy jackets but nothing “lumberjacky.”

 

[mak1277]

Growing up as a Northerner flannel shirts were alway super casual. Never used them with tailoring myself. I have worn some cashmere/cotton blends in POW with tweedy jackets but nothing “lumberjacky.”

I was thinking subtle patterns or even no pattern flannels, not necessarily red and black checks.

I’m aiming to buy something like this for the fall

Wythe Slate Melange Herringbone Flannel Shirt

A super soft and dense heavyweight flannel with a classic herringbone weave. This hefty 100% cotton flannel has a beautiful drape and a soft, smooth hand. ...

propercloth.com