Dressing Better Vol 2.0

So much swag in this picture.

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Repped. It's going to be quite a transition going from a t-shirt and jeans everyday to more business casual type stuff.
You get used to it, my man. I used to feel funny tucking in my shirt when I wasn't forced to, but I got used to it. I still wear t shirt and jeans at times though.
 
Which vest do you guys think is best? Im undecided.
This is reversible which is a tan color, and seems to be good for when it rains or moisture in general.
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And this one is just simple, but its a soft material almost like suede. So I'm not sure how this will stand up to moisture.
It is thinner but not reversible.
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I'm partial to khaki hues so I would say the first one. I have a similar vest in green. It's not thick, just a slightly padded look for layering myself. Looking forward to wearing a cardigan/sweater under when the time comes.
 
for those who missed out on the levi ff sale a few weeks back or looking for some slim cargos, i just went to my local levis and they had the ivy green and caraway 508s on clearance.  they were also doing some 30% store wide promotion so brought them down to $41 with tax.  originally went to exchange my green pair but ended up getting the caraways also 
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The young lad all the way to the right is looking at the camera like how the Lakers are playing now :lol :p

It really depends. My mom grew up in East Texas and she dressed like she was going to church everyday. They were really poor and could not afford two sets of clothes. This is the deep south, so church was a big part of life.
 
Do you guys usually try to get a nice fitting vest or a little bigger due to the layering underneath?
 
for those who missed out on the levi ff sale a few weeks back or looking for some slim cargos, i just went to my local levis and they had the ivy green and caraway 508s on clearance.  they were also doing some 30% store wide promotion so brought them down to $41 with tax.  originally went to exchange my green pair but ended up getting the caraways also :hat

Was the check out system working they had to hand write my receipt. The cashier was cute until she started having a hard time computing the 30% and the tax on the calculator.
 
Which vest do you guys think is best? Im undecided.
This is reversible which is a tan color, and seems to be good for when it rains or moisture in general.
700

And this one is just simple, but its a soft material almost like suede. So I'm not sure how this will stand up to moisture.
It is thinner but not reversible.
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That first vest is hot right now, but that second vest is a classic. It would have looked good in the 80s, 90s, now, and when you are 50 you can still pull that off. Get the black vest. If you really want the Navajo/Native American print, you can always pick up a scarf for some flair.
 
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thanks for the advice but i went we the print vest, only because it's also reversible. And it's a down vest and the slight puff is okay with me.
The black one is indeed suede and looks like it can get very linty and faded the more i wear it.


Edit:
Your point about buying a piece that will last for years, style wise is very true. Now my intentions when buying things is not to buy stuff thats "HOT" right now but buy things that I like and catch my eye. I could careless what the current trend is. Sooner or later something everybody likes becomes hyped and popular. Learned this with shoes.
 
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Damn you layer up in 50 degree weather? That's crazy.. you got that reptilian blood lol
Yeah, man...I get cold really easily. With it being 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll probably catch me in a collar shirt, layering cardigan/sweater and a jacket :lol And gloves and scarf. If not at work, maybe a beanie or a wool cap too :lol

I have no idea how I would survive in say, Boston.

Like NEWMJ said, SoCal is the coldest place I've lived. Prior to this, I lived in South East Asia where humidity reigns. You can wear a t shirt and shorts 365 days a year, even during Monsoon season.

EDIT: Every time I see a parked food truck, I keep hoping it would be yours so I can go say what's up :lol Alas, no luck so far.

Damn! I wanna know what you wear to go Big Bear or Mammoth :lol

I actually don't work on the truck too often these days. We're working on some big things so i'm usually in front of a computer or on the phone. Working on getting a store so definitely swing through as it should be more convenient.
 
Do you guys usually try to get a nice fitting vest or a little bigger due to the layering underneath?
Sizing is already accounted for, otherwise everything would be out of wack. A size small vest I bought fits me well with layering, as the vest was intended for.
 
Damn! I wanna know what you wear to go Big Bear or Mammoth :lol
I actually don't work on the truck too often these days. We're working on some big things so i'm usually in front of a computer or on the phone. Working on getting a store so definitely swing through as it should be more convenient.
I haven't gone to the snow since I was a kid, man. I was huskier back then so it was all good. I remember I just went in a sweat suit. I got hurt while playing in the snow and haven't returned since.

Keep me posted on the store, man. I would swing through and perhaps take a picture outside of your establishment for my outfit picture, haha.
 
It really depends. My mom grew up in East Texas and she dressed like she was going to church everyday. They were really poor and could not afford two sets of clothes. This is the deep south, so church was a big part of life.
Moms know best, man. My mom's side is high class and she always dressed me like this. I used to dislike it a lot in middle and high school, where I opted for size 3XL shirts and jeans sagging down to my knees...what a fool I was.
 
Damn! I wanna know what you wear to go Big Bear or Mammoth :lol
I actually don't work on the truck too often these days. We're working on some big things so i'm usually in front of a computer or on the phone. Working on getting a store so definitely swing through as it should be more convenient.
I haven't gone to the snow since I was a kid, man. I was huskier back then so it was all good. I remember I just went in a sweat suit. I got hurt while playing in the snow and haven't returned since.

Keep me posted on the store, man. I would swing through and perhaps take a picture outside of your establishment for my outfit picture, haha.

Sounds good my man!
 
Cool, G. How many total? I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say 6-8? Essentially someone will get 2 presents, one from the Secret Santa and one from me, in the form of a gift card. I didn't participate because I don't really want anything in return. I have more clothes than I really need.
A: Princeton? Oh, you think you smart huh? :lol JK, man. Looking sharp with the scarf.

That's super nice of you Wis!

Definitely. You young dudes are way ahead of the curve. When I was 20 in undergrad, I thought I was cool in my SB Dunks and The 100s t shirts. I did not even own a suit until I was in grad school and had professional job.
I would definitely buy the cheaper stuff. You're in undergrad, your body may change and/or you may get beer, food, etc. spilled onto the clothes. Fast fashion brands like H&M and Uniqlo should be your best friend.
For a suit, I would go with a navy or gray (either light or dark would be fine). The colors are versatile and you can wear the pieces as separates. If you want another pair of dress trousers, go with the color you didn't get the suit in, so if you got a navy suit, get grey trousers and vice versa. I think you can get a full suit from H&M for around $150 or less. I bought a blazer from them before at around $70, and dress trousers for around $40 or so. Granted this was maybe 4 years ago, but prices shouldn't have jumped severely.
For shirts, white and light blue are staples. If you want a pattern, go with a simple blue stripe or gingham.
For shoes, go with something cheap for now. Those boots Serg and others posted from JC Penney look great. I would also get a pair of desert boots, you can wear them with suits. 2 pairs would be ample at this point for you.
Everything I talked about so far should be under the $750 line which gives you a little leftover to buy a couple of belts and ties. You can get belts and ties from Macy's, and utilize the coupons that are always available.
Just make sure the stuff you buy fits you properly, that's the key. And wear with confidence, my young friend. :)
EDIT: As you get more money in, if you want to continue building your wardrobe, I would consider several things:
1. finer footwear. Get shoes that are Goodyear Welt like Allen Edmonds, which can be bought on sale. Assuming you do not gain a lot of weight forcing your feet to get bigger, you can wear them for a decade easily with several repairs. Goodyear Welt allows for the shoe repair shop to change the sole as they wear out. This can be done 5-7 times until the shoes 'die' completely. You will need to do this about 1 year max, assuming you walk crazy distance in them.
2. adding more shirts to your collection. I wouldn't go above J. Crew's level at your stage.
3. get some knitwear ie cardigan and sweater to wear in lieu of a jacket.
4. save some money and enjoy, man. It's college....suppose to be an enjoyable time. Use your money to go out on dates and hang out with friends. You don't get winter and summer breaks anymore in the real world, just 2 weeks off a year. :( :)

I think this list is great, but if Wis doesn't mind I do want to get a little more specific, since the budget is somewhat "limited" but considering you have to dress with business attire 2-3 times a week, here's my suggestions. I am a cheap shopper and am big on stores like Ross, Marshall's, Target, etc.

1. A navy suit, personally as a first suit, considering your budget I'd do a navy suit. The reason for that, in my opinion, although gray is great, the navy jacket will be more versatile with separate trousers. The navy suit can be worn as separates, and the navy blazer will be incredibly versatile to wear with everything from dark denim to other trousers like gray and a khaki colored pant. H&M and Uniqlo-you can get a suit for about $150. (Left: $600)

2. Trousers: In addition to the navy that will come with the suit, I'd get a gray (honestly light gray or heather gray would be fine) and khaki colored trousers. Both of these would go great with a navy blazer and are incredibly versatile in regards to what shirts you can wear. Get solid, not striped, flat front, no pleats. I recommend either cotton or wool, or some type of blend of the two. H&M, Uniqlo, Target, JCP, Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx, you can likely find these two. I believe you can get these two four about $30-40 each, no more and don't be surprised if you find them for less. Lets assume, $80 for both at the highest. (Left: $520)

3. Shirts: Go with a semi-spread collar and stick to the basics. White, light blue and lavender, would be my 3. If you want to add another 2, go with a striped white with blue shirt and a white and blue check shirt. Honestly you'd be good with 3 shirts since you only need to dress in business attire 2-3 days, I'd max out at 5, for budget reasons. Dappered.com did a great post on 10 essential shirts to have, here's the link. Personally I'd stick to option 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Granted lavender wasn't one of their options. Target and JCP have great deals on shirts and the Target brand ones are actually liked by a lot of people and come in a spread collar, and usually sell for about $23. You can get the white, light blue and lavender at target for $23 a piece. Total: $69. Add two more, and lets say those are at most $30, Total: $129. (Left with 3 shirts: $451; Left with 5 shirts: $382)

4. Shoes: Based on the budget constraints I'd honestly go to JC Penney and buy the Stafford Ashton Brown wingtip and if you want a black pair as well, get the Stafford Ashford Black Longwings. The great thing about the navy, gray and khaki colored trousers is that they go great with both colored shoes but IF you only can do one pair, do the brown Ashton's. Brown will honestly look so much better with gray, khaki or navy. One pair $60, two pairs $120. (Left: $320-$390 with 1 pair, $262-$331 with 2 pairs)

5. Ties and bow ties: Ross and Marshalls have been great places for me personally in regards to ties. The great thing about the shirt options and trouser options, is one they can be mixed with each other and will go with mostly any tie or bowtie. Ties at Marshalls runbetween $10-$13. Get 5-7 ties, in colors that you like, navy, gray solid and or striped are good starters. Probably $50-70 for all of them. (Left: $200-$340 depending on amount of shirts and shoes bought)

6. Sweaters: Honestly get some v-necks, 2 or 3 and a cardigan. V-necks, light brown, navy and another neutral color. Cardigan, gray. Old Navy has v-necks for $13 right now, cardigan probably no more than $30 from Old Navy or Gap Outlet. (Left: $140-$280 depending on amount of shirts and shoes bought)

7. Accessories: Socks, tie bar, pocket square. Small things but they can make take your outfits to the next level with these small touches. Target has some really nice socks, from plain navy and gray to socks with designs and color. Socks is where you can go a little "crazy" and are a nice way to add some "pop" to your outfit. Socks at target $2.50 a pair, get yourself about 5. Pocket square, a simple white cotton one in your breast pocket of your navy blazer will look great. Target carries some white ones, if you have a Walmart, they sell a pack of 6 for $3; obviously more than you need but for $3 why not. Tie bar, simple plain steel colored tie bar. 2"-2.5" in width, depending on the tie width your buying. eBay, where I got mine, has them for about $3-4, Nordstrom has some as well, from thetiebar.com for $15 with free shipping. In all about $30 at most for these things. It'll leave you with some money in your pocket still.

Sorry for the long post but I know as someone who likes being a bargain shopper and someone who has been on a budget in the past and still shop like I am on one here and there I thought that it would be helpful to break it down a little. I hope you don't mind I added this list to my blog.
 
kind of an odd question, but i'm looking to get a sweater or two for when i feel i should be more dressed up. Problem is, i'm a relatively broke college kid, and buying a sweater i would wear infrequently for $100 seems to be useless. Anyone know of any places i could get a nice sweater for a fair bit cheaper? Or what is the general price range for sweaters? thanks
 
kind of an odd question, but i'm looking to get a sweater or two for when i feel i should be more dressed up. Problem is, i'm a relatively broke college kid, and buying a sweater i would wear infrequently for $100 seems to be useless. Anyone know of any places i could get a nice sweater for a fair bit cheaper? Or what is the general price range for sweaters? thanks

Was at Old Navy yesterday and they had V-necks in a lot of colors for $13 a piece. Pick up a few basics: gray, navy, light brown, and maybe black. Obviously you don't have to get 4, but honestly a couple of those would be great and at $13, why not.
 
Was at Old Navy yesterday and they had V-necks in a lot of colors for $13 a piece. Pick up a few basics: gray, navy, light brown, and maybe black. Obviously you don't have to get 4, but honestly a couple of those would be great and at $13, why not.
 thanks a lot, $13 is a price i can do. Also, what kind of pants do you wear with sweaters? Would jeans be too casual?
 
Unfortunately, yes. :lol :{
Again, this is just to start me off. I'll keep adding more money as the weeks go on. But that is where my budget stands as of right now.

For such a tight budget check jcrewfactory.com. you might also find some decent cheap pieces at landsend.
 
Another sneaker entry. The weather is wacky as can be, suppose to be high 80s Fahrenheit today.
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