Renounced MC/conservative business dress in favor of toned down "sharp casual" ?

[mkarim]



I'm not certain sure why, but people stopped asking me why I'm so dressed up, and my theory is that it has to do with me becoming better at dressing well and then carrying it off like I don't give a damn. I think the questions come up when the look is ugly, which is usual for beginners, and is also carried from a position of weakness. Weakness meaning everything is too perfect or amateur in look or you're too stiff and uncomfortable in your clothes like you're wearing a costume, and so on. People wouldn't dare to ask a hoodlum or biker gang member why he dresses the way he does, so why should the members here get harassed so much for their clothes? Carry yourself with strength and their doubts will stop. They will even start to compliment you and ask where you got your gear, and then even start to outright copy you, which has happened to me on occasion.

There's a lot of truth to this. I see this happening to me too.

 

[Reevolving]



People are always asking me why I'm all dressed up.   I do have better shoes and clothes though. 

Bingo. I think this is the litmus test. If people are asking you this, that means you don't look natural. You look out of place. Try dialing it back some, and report back the types of reactions you get.

I'm not certain sure why, but people stopped asking me why I'm so dressed up, and my theory is that it has to do with me becoming better at dressing well and then carrying it off like I don't give a damn. I think the questions come up when the look is ugly, which is usual for beginners, and is also carried from a position of weakness. Weakness meaning everything is too perfect or amateur in look or you're too stiff and uncomfortable in your clothes like you're wearing a costume, and so on. People wouldn't dare to ask a hoodlum or biker gang member why he dresses the way he does, so why should the members here get harassed so much for their clothes? Carry yourself with strength and their doubts will stop. They will even start to compliment you and ask where you got your gear, and then even start to outright copy you, which has happened to me on occasion.

Well said. Either they're used to your overdone Pee Wee Herman look, or you're dressing more appropriately. In other words, you're not overdressing. Have you changed anything about your wardrobe since they stopped bugging you? More textured jackets and pants? No ties? Jeans and cords?

Fantastic post Reevolving and I think you nailed it although I never made the transition to the Pee Wee Herman stage.
I am still in the early stages of building a suitable smart casual wardrobe but have been excited to add a few casual pants (Donegal tweed, flannel, houndstooth) and I purchased my first textured jacket the other day. I find Epaulet and Frans Boone great for both inspiration and purchases. I certainly haven't renounced conservative business dress but I have certainly been able to appreciate the awesomeness of smart casual done well.

Well said. I think you're on your way to something more than a conservative business dress uniform. I have recently incorporated the same types of articles, and while I still dress conservative business dress a few times a week, the real difference is that I know how to tone it down a bit. The key to this theme is the beginner who only knows 1 speed: Dressed to the 9's.

 

[PiCcolocV]

Perfectly describes my current dress-goal; NB's outfits tend to walk that ideal line of classy without trying hard, which is a tough thing to do. As mentioned above, it is so contextual when it comes to a specific outfit, but if we are talking casual weekday nights and weekends, TDSC rules.

 

[deek]

Well said. Either they're used to your overdone Pee Wee Herman look, or you're dressing more appropriately. In other words, you're not overdressing. Have you changed anything about your wardrobe since they stopped bugging you? More textured jackets and pants? No ties? Jeans and cords?

The major breakthrough for me has been to place an emphasis on the weight and texture of clothing above the color and fit. Mastering those two things (weight and texture), and understanding what they say at a subconscious level is what takes clothing from a boring paint-by-numbers exercise to a statement that will communicate something meaningful to people beyond "hey, he's wearing a tie."

Picking items by color and arranging them in ways that is pleasing is boring, even computers can calculate that for you, yet everyone seems to place an emphasis on it. It has all been done and seen before. It says nothing, for the most part. But a rugged pair of worn jeans, a cable-knit sweater with rough chinos, a soft fur coat, they say something even without knowing their colors. Their colors, in fact, don't matter much in your imagination, do they.

So an understanding of texture and weight are primarily responsible for taking my style from "why are you so dressed up?" to "where did you get that?"

 

[SoGent]

Bingo. I think this is the litmus test. If people are asking you this, that means you don't look natural.
The key to this theme is the beginner who only knows 1 speed: Dressed to the 9's.

like anything else, 'dressing' is situational and what - if any - statement you want to make.

 

[Reevolving]



   like anything else, 'dressing' is situational and what - if any - statement you want to make.

Yes, the problem is making the wrong statement.
The newcomer to SF will want to make the statement "Hey, I'm dressed up"
As we've established in this thread, that's too simple.

 

[Reevolving]



Perfectly describes my current dress-goal; NB's outfits tend to walk that ideal line of classy without trying hard,

That hits the nail on the head. "Why are you dressed up?" is addressing the fact that the person appears to be trying too hard like Pee Wee Herman (who ironically, was not trying to hard, but you get the point)

 

[Reevolving]



.... taking my style from "why are you so dressed up?" to "where did you get that?"

Exactly.

 

[chevron]

Someone needs to take some time and compile an NOBD lookbook thread.

 

[mkarim]



Someone needs to take some time and compile an NOBD lookbook thread.

Seriously that's a good idea.

 

[NOBD]

 

[Reevolving]

 

[Louis XIV]

Subscribed. Thanks for sharing!

I stumbled across this picture on a lot of tumblrs today and liked it. I think it could fit in here as well but am curious what others think

 

[Caustic Man]

This thread just makes me realize that I need suede brogues even more now.

 

[Reevolving]

Updates?