Goodbye Casual - Hello Suits

[Alex Roest]

Originally Posted by wannalooksmart

Quite like the mod look. Tight fitting grey suit, white shirt, thin black tie.


There's been lots of excellent advice already, just to add on that you may still be interested in this :

http://uppers.org/showArticle.asp?article=237

It's an article I wrote two years ago, but I'm sure you will get the idea....good luck !

Btw I only smartened up my own act ten years ago at exactly your age now..... nice one anyhow......

 

[Souper]

Originally Posted by wannalooksmart

...Firstly, any of you out there who have done exactly that. Swapped casual look for suits. Is it best just to go all in or to do so gradually. What kind of reaction do you get from people when they see you turn up to informal occasions wearing a suit?

Secondly advice for achieving the right look. I want to look young, cool and sharp. I do not want to look like a bank manager or a pimp. Also advice on getting the right fit at the right price.

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

Since I'm 19 and right now the only thing I need a suit for is an interview, I haven't personally done that yet. I'll echo what's been said a few times. Go in gradually or you'll look like you're trying too hard, especially when you haven't figured out your own personal style yet. Might not be hard to do with streetware, but with casual wear you're practically begging to look like a jackass. Perhaps not to a random passerby, but to someone who knows you you'll put out the wrong impression.

Secondly, looking young, cool and sharp is really hard if you're actively trying to piggy back on the most up to date trends especially if you have no idea what you're doing. Just look comfortable in what you're wearing.

and finally, though this may contradict what others here are saying, while you definitely want to find your own style, don't feel bad about indulging in some follow-the-leader type thinking from this forum. If you admittedly know nothing about dressing yourself up to this level, read as many posts as you can and just thoroughly educate yourself, wear a couple of suits that fit right, post it in WAYWN and ask for advice, and go from there.

 

[wannalooksmart]

thanks all for your advice. i think i will be best to try a smartened up casual look as the norm and then throw in the odd suit day here and there. i would like to wear suits more than i do as i feel really confident when i wear them and would be happy to wear them all the more as long as i dont look stupid. i suppose thats why i am asking for advice on stuff like how to wear them without looking like a banker or pimp. i think my best best is to spend a bit more time and money chosing casual/smart stuff (shirts, sports jackets, shoes) and get a look that i can pull off almost anywhere rather than blowing a fair amount of money on a made to measure suit that i would only wear once in a while. i suppose as i get more used to it i can move up the sartorial ladder. once again thanks for helping us out, i've come on here because i want to do something about this and perhaps need a bit of encouragement and advice to do so.

 

[mataleao]

Just by reading this forum daily, I've been tempted to wear a suit at work once a week.

 

[williamson]

Originally Posted by epa

I used to think that but after seeing Brad Pitt in Cannes I think that it can look nice, although maybe it requires a pocket square.

One swallow doesn't make a summer!

I think that the pocket square adds to the incongruity;
Suit + pocket square - formal; no tie - casual.
Mixed modes - mixed messages - mixed metaphors.

 

[lasbar]

Do not forget to use common sense.....
You know ..The famous "The right clothes at the right place at the right moment"...
Do not try to be overdressed to kill ,because it's risky!
The marge between sartorial brilliance and iconoclam is sometimes very thin...
Be yourself ,use your common sense to analize the situation and if you do want to make a statement ,be yourself and enjoy it...
I do prefer wearing tailored shirts than tee-shirts and suits than jeans but it took me a long time to accept that fact..

 

[wannalooksmart]

Have to admit, sartorially I have had quite a good day. Went to the city today and wore light brown casualish style sports jacket with a kind of worn effect with blue jeans, white shirt and thin black tie. Went around the pubs making the last of smoking before the ban comes in (and I gave up 5 yrs ago!). Then came back to my flat, decided I did not want to stay in so changed into grey suit, black shirt and white tie and went up local pub. Perhaps a bit overdressed, I can blame the alcohol I had earlier for that. Mind you nobody said anything and I felt great. Looks like I'm heading in the right direction.

 

[chobochobo]

I agree with many of the respondents. Find your own style, building around fit and quality - it will evolve - goodness knows how many of my early purchases I gave to charity because I realised that I could never wear them.

You will find a lot of knowledgeable 'well-dressed' people here; I use the quotation marks because I have been surprised by some people - they right tomes of seemingly authoritative material and obviously have tailored expensive clothing but when you see their outfits they look terrible. But I guess that's natural, we're different, we have very different tastes - of the looks I like, Ed Morel, Lseca and Soph are top of the list. Plus (more rambling) even if you like a look, it may not work as well on you.

Have fun.

 

[lasbar]

I do think that some people on this forum have been on a long sartorial way and therefore their choices can appear obscur and strange to certain more traditional sartorial amateurs....
We all follow a road to Damascus on ths forum coming andgoing in different directions and that's what is making this forum interesting...
There is no "pensee unique",only sartorial concepts and philosophies......
Look around you and you will find your way....