How do I start dressing better without dressing like a fruitcake?

KingRead · 2018-09-11T01:31:31+00:00

Look up 'alpha m' on YouTube for some suggestions. Alternatively, you can look up male celebrities whose personalities you believe are similar to yours and see how they dress when not in movies or shows.

As long as the clothes fit you right and match your inner personality, you'll feel most comfortable and will look and feel the best.

Throwaway-242424 · 2018-09-10T23:36:30+00:00

The biggest issue in casual men's clothing is being fit and getting a good fit.

Get some skinnyfat loser in a poorly-fitting casual outfit that cost $1,000 in some name-brand store and he'll look like garbage.

Get in shape and pick the right size, and you can get into high-end clubs wearing $20 chinos and a $10 t-shirt from K-Mart.

handfulofnuts · 2018-09-11T04:26:53+00:00

It's been a while since I looked at malefashionadvice, but I seem to remember that their basic advice is decent, although individuals' twists on things do tend to get a bit...precious. Tight pants with rolled cuffs, effeminate silhouettes, etc. But as with most things, you've got to filter out the nonsense.

Here's a good basic, classic wardrobe for a man who doesn't have to wear suits often:

Chinos: Khaki and navy. Heavier fabric in the winter, lighter (or linen) in the summer.

Jeans: You really only need one good pair. One good pair.

Dress pants: One pair in medium gray or charcoal. Wear either these or your khaki chinos with your blue blazer when you need to dress up but don't quite need a suit.

Shirts: Mostly button-down collars; solids, stripes, gingham, checks year-round and colorful plaids in the summer. One solid white with a spread collar for when you need to wear a suit.

Polos: White and navy, maybe a few other colors if you wear them more often.

Jacket: A blue blazer is all you need unless you're wearing sport coats often. Brass buttons optional. Find a quality, lightly used one on eBay. I paid $50 for my Brooks Brothers blazer (that's a $600 savings) and it had hardly been worn. A navy tropical wool or linen blazer for the summer can come in handy too, if you need it.

Suit: Just one unless you need more; solid navy or charcoal, NOT black, in 100% wool.

Shoes: Decent shoes are worth the investment; Allen Edmonds, Meermin, Loake 1880. A brown chukka and a brown split toe should cover most situations. Black cap toes to go with your suit, for job interviews, weddings, and funerals. Rain boots if it rains often where you live. Check out The Seven-Shoe Wardrobe at PutThisOn.

Belts: Should match your shoes.

Socks: No need to get fancy. A few pairs each in gray and navy should do, plus some dress socks to match your suit. Wool socks for the winter.

Coat: If you live somewhere that gets cold, get a good wool coat and some sweaters. I wear a navy peacoat most of the winter. Get a decent rain coat too. A trench or mac is classic and stylish.

Misc: A tie for occasions when you need to wear the suit, a few T-shirts and some shorts for the weekend, a hat, scarf, and gloves for winter, a swim suit, some sunglasses, etc.

Stick with natural fibers. Cotton, wool, linen. Nothing wrinkle-free either; learn to iron.

That should cover everything most men need. Stylish business casual works and is appropriate for most situations you'll find yourself in. Tweak as needed. If you wear suits to work, you'll need more suits. If it gets brutally cold where you live, you'll need a heavier coat. If you get invited to occasional black tie events, you'll need a tuxedo (do not rent). Etc.

Most of those items are very versatile. I can basically wear any of my shirts with any of my pants and shoes. This reduces the amount of time I have to put into deciding what to wear without resorting to the Jobs/Zuckerberg affectation of only having one outfit, allowing me to look stylish every day. Something I generally keep in mind when I buy clothes is that if I'm buying something that doesn't go with nearly everything else I own, I need to have a very good reason for buying it.

As others have said, fit is paramount. Don't spend too much money on clothes until you've got fit figured out, otherwise you're wasting money. Take tailored items (suit, blazer, dress pants) to a tailor to get altered. They don't fit you right off the rack, trust me, and a decent tailor can tell you exactly what needs to be done to make them fit.

When I first started learning how to dress, I'd buy cheap stuff from outlet stores. This allowed me to try out a new way of dressing without breaking the bank on stuff I might have decided I didn't like after all. Then once I had figured out what I like and what suits me, I started replacing the cheap stuff with better quality stuff. This is a process which took years, but it's worth taking your time. I'm now the most stylish guy in pretty much any room I walk into.

morescoobysnacks · 2018-09-10T23:33:21+00:00

During the day I wear black nikes, black jeans, and a particular brand of tees that fits my build without needing tailoring.

During the night I wear some dior sneakers, same black jeans, sometimes a black shirt or just the same tees, but I throw on jewelry (chains, bracelets).

Never had a problem. KISS.

Terdmuffin · 2018-09-10T23:34:39+00:00

Start with basics that fit well. Fit is key. Jeans, Chinos, colored t shirts or v necks, polos, basic button ups, decent shoes. Focus on fit, then you can start developing a style.

4angrydragons · 2018-09-10T23:15:34+00:00

Dress pants and a dress shirt. Don’t need a tie.

Slip on semi casual dress shoes.

Rhyudn · 2018-09-11T01:05:12+00:00

Honestly this is the only thing instagram is good for. I have an Instagram account to follow men’s fashion accounts or guys who have nice fashion sense. It keeps you updated and gives u some inspiration. If I were you, I would get an Instagram and look through men’s style pages and see if you like anything. Save the ones you like and start buying similarly pieces.

blister333 · 2018-09-11T00:42:54+00:00

Find what fits first. Once you find a brand/style then try stuff on to see what you like. Robert graham/bugatchi/cole haan/ banana republic jean- these all fit me really well.

replicaplater · 2018-09-10T23:22:54+00:00

Look up classic outfit combinations from past generations of dudes who knew how to dress and get ideas from them. Try Steve McQueen or Paul Newman for starters, those guys always were dressed well regardless of occasion. See what you like from those guys and find equivalent pieces that fit your sense of style.

yesbuthereswhy · 2018-09-11T01:18:46+00:00

The real key is finding clothes that fit to your body. You don't need expensive clothes but if you want and can afford it's up to you. Shopping at cheap outlet stores or online can save you big and give you a nice selection of clothes.

MeetCake · 2018-09-11T03:17:58+00:00

Khaki’s

Black shirt to hug your figure(tucked in)

Nice shoes

Hat

BOOM

ricoue · 2018-09-11T04:20:16+00:00

Go to amazon or an online fashion store and keep browsing until you get an idea of the look you would like. Then go to the cheapest real world store and get something that matches it as closely as possible.

BeeBopJoe · 2018-09-11T05:53:05+00:00

Go with something business casual, button up t shirt with dark jeans and shoes.

imtheoneimmortal · 2018-09-11T08:04:06+00:00

damn dressing should be free not to be masculine, you can dress like fruitcake and be masculine
what tv shows are redpilled?
what music redpilled?
what hobby?

MattyAnon · 2018-09-11T10:03:03+00:00

I'd prefer something a bit more classically masculine whilst simultaneously still fitting for my income level/career.

Good. Start with the classics then.

Dressing well on a budget:

Think in terms of "cost per wear".

Jeans: buy new, relatively expensive. Will take time to find great jeans, get female help if you can (girl who want to admire your ass, not your mother). Blue probably, black if it's your style for masculine and edgy.

Shoes: buy new, splurge here, get very nice very comfortable shoes. Stay classic.

Shirt or top, jacket and accessories: explore second hand and surplus stores relentlessly. Aim to spend a few hours a week looking around for great items that fit well. This time is saving you money and getting you variety. Find unusual stuff you love, don't compromise on fit (always go for well fitted, not tight, not loose). You have your variations here and these items don't need to be expensive but they take time to find.

That_Deaf_Guy · 2018-09-11T11:08:42+00:00

Honestly, keep it simple. All my t-shirts are plain, I've got 3 pairs of jeans (black, dark, and stonewashed - all Levis). One solid, Leather jacket. Regular black denim jacket, sheepskin blue denim jacket. Plain jumpers (wool/knitted), and a variety of flannels. x2 suits (navy and charcoal grey). Couple of polos, and some button up shirts. Couple of plain hoodies, and a tracksuit.

Shoe-wise, I'm a sneakerhead so take that as you will - my go-to is all black air max 95 sneakerboot. Chelsea boots for work/smarter, or a brown pair of brouges.

You're not a walking billboard; don't wear loud, childish shit, and make sure everything fits to show your gains. Done.

1z1z2x2x3c3c4v4v · 2018-09-11T13:45:11+00:00

This guy has all the info you need:

https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaMconsulting

priapula · 2018-09-11T23:03:34+00:00

celebs

trppr · 2018-09-11T02:38:41+00:00

Shoes are the most important part of your look as they determine the context of what your look is 'saying'. Figure out what kind of impression you want to make and then pick the right shoes for that. Pants and shirt should be easy to follow, just make sure they fit and colors work. Lots of established colours so just google pant color outfits etc...and you'll see what there is to make it work. Then just keep your eye out for those when shopping.

Tombert_Williams · 2018-09-11T04:41:23+00:00

Well, if you don't want to be a fruitcake, you can knock it off with the "whilst". What's up with that? Why is everybody doing that these days?

herrLitschka · 2018-09-11T13:13:16+00:00

Jeans: Levis 512 - Not that skinny, but also not as wide as a baggy. Slimness varies a bit with the colour, but that's normal. They last forever.

T-Shirt: Uniqlo (Supima t-shirt) - pick TTS or one size up for a looser fit (still looks good).

Don't pick colours that are bright as fuck, stick to classy colours like blue, grey, black, brown, white etc.

A couple of classic sneakers (Stan smith, mb some nikes) and you're good to go imo.

[deleted] · 2018-09-11T01:11:31+00:00

Some blue jeans a shirt that fits tight on you and some really nice shoes. I would recommend cole hans slip ons. They match with just about anything and maybe wear pollo or some other brand. But yeah wear something that really fits you man. If you like boots wear boots. If you don't want to look feminine which some guys pull off really well then go for a rugged look with lots of dark grayish colours and cackys or blue jeans.

Title	How do I start dressing better without dressing like a fruitcake?
Author	ayeitsurboylomein
Upvotes	14
Comments	46
Date	September 10, 2018 11:06 PM UTC (7 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/9es2l7/how_do_i_start_dressing_better_without_dressing/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/how-do-i-start-dressing-better-without-dressing.132625 https://theredarchive.com/post/132625

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