How am I doing for a 16 year old?

[andrew96]

Originally Posted by Mrshinyredplanet

Not a huge amount of clothing, and what I have doesn't conform to the idealistic staples of a men's wardrobe. Navy blue blazer, size 36s. Picked up in a thrift store, only label says it is 120s, but the fabric definitely has a wool element to it. I'm not a fabric expert so I can't overly tell....

Pictured here, with a light blue solid, and probably the favourite tie of my rotation -

- Take that, but replace the logos with small red, embroidered ducks. May be a tad novel, but it is fun and a bit quirky. I aplogise the the collar over collar faux pas, friend wanted it like that for his photo shoot.

Probably my favourite shirt, a plum check, overtop on a black + gold striped blazer. Again, not a staple, and something I have now grown out of. Anyway, opinions, critique, comments. Also - QUESTION. Where would someone of a 5 11", 36 jacket, 31 pant buy a suit, also bearing in mind that I come from New Zealand. Any places on here? Any on the internet? I have a budget of the slim US $300. Yeah. Thrifty works well, because i'd be able to splurge a bit on accessories. Cheers, awaiting your opinion

The collar of the first shirt is far to large, and I'd lose the sweater and opt for a v neck. Also the tie is horrid. I have not and will not look at what the others are saying but I'm sure it's full of disgusting insults and folly. I've been in your shoes and here's what you need to know, you'll grow so you shouldn't spend too much on clothing just yet unless you have money to burn, buy things you can't grow out of like watches or shoes(your feet stop growing far before the rest of your body). If you want to buy into the High School insanity and be popular, don't dress well, if you want praise from your teachers, parents, etc you'll do great. And remember, looking good isn't synonymous with dressing formally, they are rather slightly overlapping fields. PS: You may also want to consider that if you're labeled badly by your peers, climbing up the social ladder will be all but impossible, but impressing adults when it counts can be done anytime.

 

[krnxbab0]

Originally Posted by Decades

Ignoring all the dating-and-relationships-at-16 drivel here's my 2 cents:

First, don't spend too much money on this stuff. I had a nice collection of well fitting selvage denim until I started cycling at 18 and then hit another small growth spurt at 20. Don't make that mistake.

Second, unless you're required a jacket and tie for school why not focus on some basics with good fit? Dark denim, some chinos on the bottom with polos, sweaters, and oxfords. Ditch the Nikes or whatever (doesn't appear that you'd be wearing sneakers anyway) and go with some chukkas or plain toe oxfords. Basics and good fit will go a long way, and (not sure what the status quo is in NZ) I'd wager you'll look better than most.

Unless of course you're going for the Harry Potter/Curt from Glee (on a tame episode) look. If so, go for it.

Too much time spent on these forums can really warp perspective.

Growth spurt at 20? I can still (maybe) become taller!

To OP, I would say to wear shirts with v-neck sweaters at 16, if you are trying to be a little more formal at casual events. And yeah try to find out your collar size before buying cheap shirts with collars far too big.

 

[Mrshinyredplanet]

I was going for criticism rather than praise, what to improve, where to improve it.

Thank you for all of your opinions

 

[EnglishLapel]

I think a lot of this depends on where you come from. Many of the posters in this thread are from the USA and seem to be saying that wearing even well fitting tailored clothing will make one a social pariah. I went to a public school in London and wearing beautiful sports coats and pocket hanks whilst doing all the usual hedonistic teenage activities became something of a trademark and the majority of my peers loved it.

 

[EnglishLapel]

In terms of criticism, your collars are too big and ties are not great. Lurk a bit more and you will pick things up. However at this age jacket, suits and shirts need to fit VERY well (I know at a young age one has a budget but shop very carefully and you can do well) otherwise it just looks a bit stupid.

 

[ktrp]

Originally Posted by emptym

You and Zeemon are truly disgusting and saddening. But since I agree w/ Fr. Flanagan that there are no bad boys, only boys who do bad things, I have hope for your coming maturity.

.

What's sad is that in my teens and early 20's, I would have agreed with you. Maturing was what made me realize I spent too much time doing the 'right' thing and nobody cared.

If I were doing it over again, I would have studied harder and had more superficial relationships. I thought I was above the 'game', but really, I just sucked at it. The 'game' never ends, even when you're married. In fact, its the same game but harder.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Originally Posted by ktrp

What's sad is that in my teens and early 20's, I would have agreed with you. Maturing was what made me realize I spent too much time doing the 'right' thing and nobody cared.

If I were doing it over again, I would have studied harder and had more superficial relationships. I thought I was above the 'game', but really, I just sucked at it. The 'game' never ends, even when you're married. In fact, its the same game but harder.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[ktrp]

Originally Posted by EnglishLapel

I think a lot of this depends on where you come from. Many of the posters in this thread are from the USA and seem to be saying that wearing even well fitting tailored clothing will make one a social pariah. I went to a public school in London and wearing beautiful sports coats and pocket hanks whilst doing all the usual hedonistic teenage activities became something of a trademark and the majority of my peers loved it.

Definitely. I went to a private school in Toronto. We had a school uniform blazer and tie, but if you even wore the tie home from school, you were a loser. Wearing a button down shirt outside of school hours would have made you a pariah.

 

[Snebbu]

When I was 15/16 years old I used to be wearing (ill-fitting) dress shirts and sports coats to my high school too, whereas everyone else was just walking around in t-shirts and jeans. Let's just say that even though it didn't alienate me from my friends, it didn't do me many favors in terms of popularity either.
With that said however, the reason for my slight impopularity wasn't so much that I was wearing different clothes from everyone else, it was my attitude, and the fact that I didn't feel completely comfortable wearing those clothes back then (though the fact that the clothes that I wore back then were cheap-looking and ill-fitting probably didn't help either). I'm not sure how it is in high schools in other countries, but in the Netherlands the only thing that counts is attitude. There are guys at my school wearing nothing but cheap garbage that have much more luck with the ladies than some other guys wearing expensive brands and nicely fitting albeit sporty-looking clothes.
So if you think you can pull it off to wear such clothes, then by all means do. But if you feel uncomfortable or insecure in even the slightest way whilst wearing more tailored and probably mature clothing, you'll get ripped to pieces by your peers.
I might still be wearing dress shirts and sports coats to school, and though I now only buy quality stuff of which I know that it fits me, the thing that has most changed is my attitude, and with that has changed my social standing in high school for the better too.

 

[ALFAMALE]

you look like the dean of columbia business school

 

[acridsheep]

Originally Posted by ktrp

If I were doing it over again, I would have studied harder and had more superficial relationships. I thought I was above the 'game', but really, I just sucked at it. The 'game' never ends, even when you're married. In fact, its the same game but harder.
This might be the greatest thing I have ever read. Not counting things I have written and then reread.

 

[Quadcammer]

Originally Posted by acridsheep

This might be the greatest thing I have ever read. Not counting things I have written and then reread.

agreed, very on point

 

[Cary Grant]

Originally Posted by unjung

The douchebags ******** all over some 16 year old kid who's just trying to experiment and enjoy himself need to reexamine the purpose for their existence. ******* embarrassing.

When I was 16, I was a raver. So you can do a lot worse.

+1 - well put.

 

[Metlin]

Originally Posted by ktrp

What's sad is that in my teens and early 20's, I would have agreed with you. Maturing was what made me realize I spent too much time doing the 'right' thing and nobody cared. If I were doing it over again, I would have studied harder and had more superficial relationships. I thought I was above the 'game', but really, I just sucked at it. The 'game' never ends, even when you're married. In fact, its the same game but harder.
Of course the game never ends, but that's a piss poor excuse for justifying superficial relationships. As I've gotten older, I've appreciated the myriad of qualities in an understanding wife, and I've just found other things to play the game with -- such as entrepreneurship and motorcycles.

 

[Loathing]

Originally Posted by Quadcammer

I don't live anywhere near small town USA (being in NYC) and agree with him.

be honest, you're a virgin, right?

Just because you live in NYC doesn't stop you from having a small-world-view. And what exactly do you agree with? I agree with him too about the majority of girls being brand-whores, and that by wearing branded stuff you have a higher chance of getting laid. So what? My point wasn't to disagree but to explain that there is an alternative to dressing badly just to get ********* wet.

I'm a virgin? how ******* old are you? I haven't been accused of being a virgin since I was 12. You must have lost yours pretty late since you're still talking about it. Haha, crazy.