help the LAST BOOMER? 59 y/o, style-challenged, which stores are trustworthy for quality, stylish clothing?

[breakaway01]

My best advice would be to find a (or several) styles/looks your interested in and then work backwards from there about what to get and where you should shop. If you're going to go a trad/ivy route advice and shopping locations are going to be very different then if you wan to go a workwear route, a modern look, or a 'sleeze' 70s look.

Smaller scale advice:
- avoid going too trim or too full cut, find the medium ground and something that flatters you. For a long time I thought bigger was better cause it hides flaws but it also makes you look like a sail. Too skinny can do the opposite
- figure out how color combos work and play into that
- find a 'focal' piece to center an outfit around and build out from there (i.e. 'I want to wear this cool field jacket, how can I style this into 2-3 different distinctive outfits')
- focus on silhouette and how it looks rather than perseverating on quality or the best 'value'
- don't be afraid to thrift stuff, its a low cost way to try something out that might not stick
- Derek Guy (a former poster here, now active on Twitter) has often written about how 'clothing is a language' and learning how things work with each other to make a coherent outfit that conveys a message

This is all such fantastic advice. Also: look at different outfits (here, Instagram, lookbooks, blogs) and try a lot of things on. Many or even most of them will not resonate with you -- that's fine. But try to be explicit about why you like (or don't like) a given outfit or item of clothing. The more clearly you can articulate that, the better. It's all about developing your own eye and aesthetic preferences.

Sometimes people post here asking "I bought this [insert item of clothing] but I don't know what to wear it with, help!" My advice is never buy clothing without a clear idea of how you will integrate it into your wardrobe. Don't buy things just because the price was really good.

Also, people often post questions like "what is the best pair of khakis?" Asking that question means, again, that you haven't thought about what style and silhouette you're going for.

 

[classicalthunde]

Also: look at different outfits (here, Instagram, lookbooks, blogs) and try a lot of things on. Many or even most of them will not resonate with you -- that's fine. But try to be explicit about why you like (or don't like) a given outfit or item of clothing.

One of the more helpful things I’ve done is start a Google Drive with inspiration pics of outfits I like so I can refer to them later if I want to try and find something similar or construct a similar outfit.

If you’ll indulge a convoluted metaphor - I’m a good cook, I can follow a recipe or YouTube clip and replicate dishes that are pretty damn good. I understand the basics and simple tricks: how to dice an onion properly, the benefit of what browning meat does, or that adding acid can be that little something you didn’t know you needed to take a dish to the next level. But I’m not inventing dishes or recipes from scratch wholesale . I’m not that educated or talented to do that.

Take the same approach to clothes, follow the experts and try and recreate their looks and refine to your own tastes and ability. Gradually you’ll pick up little techniques you can port to other outfits, etc.

 

[rockwind1]

This is all such fantastic advice. Also: look at different outfits (here, Instagram, lookbooks, blogs) and try a lot of things on. Many or even most of them will not resonate with you -- that's fine. But try to be explicit about why you like (or don't like) a given outfit or item of clothing. The more clearly you can articulate that, the better. It's all about developing your own eye and aesthetic preferences.

Sometimes people post here asking "I bought this [insert item of clothing] but I don't know what to wear it with, help!" My advice is never buy clothing without a clear idea of how you will integrate it into your wardrobe. Don't buy things just because the price was really good.

Also, people often post questions like "what is the best pair of khakis?" Asking that question means, again, that you haven't thought about what style and silhouette you're going for.

I can resonate with that, and thanks! I am going to stay true to my blue collar roots although I am living in a upper middle class world in some ways. i was mostly ( i think) asking about good and high quality brands of the items i am going to buy, assuming they fit my body. and good online sources in case i find something locally but not in my size!

 

[breakaway01]

I can resonate with that, and thanks! I am going to stay true to my blue collar roots although I am living in a upper middle class world in some ways. i was mostly ( i think) asking about good and high quality brands of the items i am going to buy, assuming they fit my body. and good online sources in case i find something locally but not in my size!

so I take that you are thinking mostly along the lines of a workwear or maybe Western aesthetic rather than Ivy/prep or sleek European. If so, I'd definitely check out Polo Ralph Lauren (not the outlet stores) at least to get some ideas -- both PRL and RRL lines.

Online - I like Standard and Strange, No Man Walks Alone, Division Road, Canoe Club as retailers that each carry multiple brands. Warning, if you're used to Costco/Kirkland pricing, these will be shocking at first. But check them out, get some ideas.

 

[breakaway01]

If you’ll indulge a convoluted metaphor - I’m a good cook, I can follow a recipe or YouTube clip and replicate dishes that are pretty damn good. I understand the basics and simple tricks: how to dice an onion properly, the benefit of what browning meat does, or that adding acid can be that little something you didn’t know you needed to take a dish to the next level. But I’m not inventing dishes or recipes from scratch wholesale . I’m not that educated or talented to do that.

Take the same approach to clothes, follow the experts and try and recreate their looks and refine to your own tastes and ability. Gradually you’ll pick up little techniques you can port to other outfits, etc.

I feel much the same way. There are a few people who are so talented and intuitive in cooking, dressing, music, etc that they don't seem to need much grounding in the 'classics'. But most people benefit from understanding the classics before branching out. I play the piano for fun, and I can't imagine going straight to jazz/blues improvisation without a solid base in being able to play jazz standards and understanding at least a little theory around chords and chord progressions.

 

[rockwind1]

so I take that you are thinking mostly along the lines of a workwear or maybe Western aesthetic rather than Ivy/prep or sleek European. If so, I'd definitely check out Polo Ralph Lauren (not the outlet stores) at least to get some ideas -- both PRL and RRL lines.

Online - I like Standard and Strange, No Man Walks Alone, Division Road, Canoe Club as retailers that each carry multiple brands. Warning, if you're used to Costco/Kirkland pricing, these will be shocking at first. But check them out, get some ideas.

well,, I am definitely going to get some Ivy/prep stuff, My son goes to a fancy back east college so I need to look good when visiting. plus set an example. I initially started this fashion path to help him wear non-nerd clothes, then I thought,, "hey, I should lead by example"!!

 

[classicalthunde]

I am definitely going to get some Ivy/prep stuff

For Ivy/Prep stuff, aside from the big names you can check out:

- Spier and Mackay (all online)
- Kent Wang (all online, sizes run very small check measurements)
- Juniors (store in Philadelphia, online presence)
- O'Connell's (store in Buffalo, online presence)
- J Press (store in NYC, online presence)
- Ben Silver (store in Charleston, online presence)
- Crowley Vintage (vintage store in DUMBO Brooklyn, no online aside from an IG account)
- Alden (heritage style shoes)

 

[philosophe]

If I were you, I'd check out the Portuguese Flannel offerings at NoManWalksAlone. They're excellent quality and very reasonably priced. NoMan also has a good selection of 3sixteen merchandise, plus some goodies from Wythe. As I recall, the lead designed at Wythe used to work for Ralph Lauren. If you like the RL clothes, definitely try Wythe.

If you need anything for cold weather, O'Connell's will be perfect. The sales staff is very knowledgeable and helpful over the phone. Junior's in Philly is also terrific and lots of reasonably-prived, high-quality options. The owner, Glenn, is very helpful.

 

[Viral]

well,, I am definitely going to get some Ivy/prep stuff, My son goes to a fancy back east college so I need to look good when visiting. plus set an example. I initially started this fashion path to help him wear non-nerd clothes, then I thought,, "hey, I should lead by example"!!

Prepare for severe sticker shock of you plan on following the advice herein…..enjoy the journey!