Dressing Better Vol 2.0

Here's everyone added in order by post date. Took off DikembeSaysNo because he just joined today.

1. af1 1982
2. HHHornet15
3. omgitswes
4. BIGBOSS
5. LyonBC1
6. NikeAirForce1
7. knightlovesqueen
8. UNKNWN
9. CurbsideProphet
10. paliplaya2010
11. SoleAsian
12. Mags on fire
12. davinci
13. marmourjr
14. NCTwin
 
Missed me :\
:lol You're #14, dude.

Edit: wait, why did you put your name at #14 and took NCTwin off?. Just put yourself as #15, man.

Can someone else do me a favor and run the list to include everyone, fairly please? If not, I'll do it myself.

I didn't, I added myself to davinci's original post which only had 13 names :lol

There were 2 lists floating around, I guess I quoted the wrong one :\
 
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W is giving away a J Crew shirt and Sweater, both large. Names are being put in for the raffle.


We should do a team dressing better though 8o
There really are two lists? Man, I'll go back and compose myself then :lol

The list is for the two J. Crew items I posted up earlier that I would raffle off.
 
Pinoy732 I want to see you restore a leather jacket
Restoring footwear isn't that difficult, my man. Cleaner/conditioner and wax would do for most. Adrian does know what he's doing with the neutral wax and such.
 
Pinoy732 I want to see you restore a leather jacket

Restoring footwear is VERY easy... much easier than you'd expect anyway. A leather jacket would probably be harder.

Anyway, I just saw this...

Sean Hotchkiss for GQ, this looks off. His head appears giant, almost cartoonish :lol

700
 
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Pinoy732 I want to see you restore a leather jacket
Haha yeah man, like the other guys are saying, shoes are fairly easy but a jacket would be a tad more difficult. I'd bet I could condition and clean it fine, but restoring color perfectly, who knows? It sure would take a lot of product though :lol

Also, Unknwn, his head looks huge because of that insanely petite suit. :lol
I used to think that GQ look was pure dopeness. Thank god I know realize how unfunctional something like that would be.
 
thanks everyone and jmal, like Unknwn is saying, its fairly easy to learn. I actually learned from that GQ article posted and googling how to do it.
i.e. http://www.ehow.com/how_31_shine-shoes.html

it's actually really rewarding being able to maintain your own shoes and its fairly cheap to do. $5 for a brush, $5 for dauber applicator, $5 mink oil, $5 saddle soap, $10 per polish all of which i accumulated over the past few months. Most shoe shine places will run you $5 per shoe. Although everything I listed can run upwards of $50 (depending on the amount of different polishes you buy) you will be able to shine way more than 10 shoes haha.

Wis and Unknwn: Yeah guys, I have no clue how I keep running into these pieces. I really just thumb through and its hit or miss. With this and the other, I didn't even see a tag for the sizing. Just tried them on and bam :lol


So do you have to match the shoe shine to the color exactly or how does that work?

or is there just a standard- brown and black?
 
wj4's shoes are C&J Belgrave in polo suede

Speaking of C&J, their site says winter sale on, does anyone know what is actually on sale in stores?
 
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thanks everyone and jmal, like Unknwn is saying, its fairly easy to learn. I actually learned from that GQ article posted and googling how to do it.
i.e. http://www.ehow.com/how_31_shine-shoes.html

it's actually really rewarding being able to maintain your own shoes and its fairly cheap to do. $5 for a brush, $5 for dauber applicator, $5 mink oil, $5 saddle soap, $10 per polish all of which i accumulated over the past few months. Most shoe shine places will run you $5 per shoe. Although everything I listed can run upwards of $50 (depending on the amount of different polishes you buy) you will be able to shine way more than 10 shoes haha.

Wis and Unknwn: Yeah guys, I have no clue how I keep running into these pieces. I really just thumb through and its hit or miss. With this and the other, I didn't even see a tag for the sizing. Just tried them on and bam :lol


So do you have to match the shoe shine to the color exactly or how does that work?

or is there just a standard- brown and black?
It's really up to you. The first time I polished shoes, it was for my walnut AE player's and AE had a sale running on polish so I bought the exact color from the site. In theory I could've purchased something like "Kiwi Neutral Polish" which is for lighter colored shoes. Kiwi products can be found at your local grocery store and that's where I found my shoeshine brush, mink oil (boots), and saddle soap. They also carry polishes in a variety of colors (i.e. black, brown, etc). I know it is fine to buy any of these polishes but when I got black, I also ended up getting the AE one because i'm difficult :lol.

Now that I have a brown pair of shoes, I need brown polish but will probably just go with Kiwi, so I don't have to put in an order online. As for the shoes I have cleaned for resale (Park Avenues/McAllisters) since I did not have a Chili polish or a Merlot polish, I just used the saddle soap to clean em up. I can only imagine how rich the color would be if the proper polish was applied.

Side note, if getting into this, you need to understand there is also wax polish and cream polish. I have only dealt with wax at this point, but from my understanding, cream is more beneficial to the shoe since it rejuvenates the leather rather than just coating on another layer of polish. Caking on polish over the years will ruin the shoe, this is why before every polish I now clean thoroughly with saddle soap and buff to get off any excess I can, then polish. Apparently you can use nail polish remover for this process, but I am not taking the risk :rolleyes. Maybe for the next time I shine up my shoes though, I'll purchase the cream and try it out.
 
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thanks everyone and jmal, like Unknwn is saying, its fairly easy to learn. I actually learned from that GQ article posted and googling how to do it.
i.e. http://www.ehow.com/how_31_shine-shoes.html

it's actually really rewarding being able to maintain your own shoes and its fairly cheap to do. $5 for a brush, $5 for dauber applicator, $5 mink oil, $5 saddle soap, $10 per polish all of which i accumulated over the past few months. Most shoe shine places will run you $5 per shoe. Although everything I listed can run upwards of $50 (depending on the amount of different polishes you buy) you will be able to shine way more than 10 shoes haha.

Wis and Unknwn: Yeah guys, I have no clue how I keep running into these pieces. I really just thumb through and its hit or miss. With this and the other, I didn't even see a tag for the sizing. Just tried them on and bam :lol


So do you have to match the shoe shine to the color exactly or how does that work?

or is there just a standard- brown and black?

They have neutral colors that you can pretty much use on anything, it's either clear or cream colored. (most people use)

They do make color specific shine though
 
Goodmorning DB fam, found this. Thought some of you would appreciate it ;)

Business Casual Basics, Part II: Dress Pants


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1. Please stop buying black dress pants.

Just stop it. Right now. Unless you’re a classical musician or a waiter there’s really no need to go there.

2. Assess your needs.

First, learn how people in your office dress and what the official stance on business attire is (if there is one). Some easy questions to ask yourself: does everyone have their pants creased or are they unpressed? Do you see wool slacks or cotton chinos or denim? If your office is anything like mine then all of these are perfectly acceptable, leaving the decisions to you. In my mind, business casual pants fall into three broad categories:

“Trousers.” This is a bit of a catch-all term, but in my mind it signifies pants made from a dressy fabric (usually some weave of wool, but any fiber will do) and with creases running up the legs. They will also have more formal details like slanted pockets, buttoned back pockets and hidden seams. These would be the equivalent of the bottom half of your suit, but without a matching jacket (you have a suit, right?).
Chinos. Named after the twill fabric that they are usually manufactured from, these bad boys are casual in nature but have become perfectly acceptable in most offices. These feature external stiching, rugged fabric, and a lack of creasing (or any pressing).
Denim. Now before you get too excited, this isn’t a free pass for jeans in the office. I’m talking about dark, unadorned, slim/straight denim with no rips and holes. When done right this can work well with casual fabrics like oxford cloth and tweed.
Once you figure out what your office’s feel is and where your personal tastes lie you can start looking to purchase. Try to keep things consistent with the rest of your outfit; if you wear spread collars, ties and blazers you’re going to need trousers for just about every day. If you wear button down oxford shirts, sweaters, and loafers then you can roll with just chinos and denim.

3. Figure out how these things should fit.

Now, this will depend on several things, namely your body shape, the pant style and your personal preferences. Much like shirts, the general concept is to find something that flatters your shape without pulling or looking constrictive. However, I believe that the fit should vary between the type of pants.

Trousers: due to their formal nature, I tend to lean towards classic proportions here. The nicer fabric will allow them to drape in an attractive manner and this is lost when they become overly snug. I don’t wear trousers tapered past 8” and I look for a rise that will allow them to sit above my hips.
As the intermediate choice, chinos can land anywhere on the spectrum. I prefer to keep mine on the slim side but make sure that my legs aren’t tapered past 7.5-8” (and I’m a lanky guy).
Denim can be worn slimmer than the other two styles, but within reason. I keep my denim snug in the thigh and waist as it tends to stretch with wear. I usually have a taper of about 7.5”.
Learning what pant fit suits you best will take some time and experimentation, but at the very least be conscious of the choices you make in this area so you can adjust in the future if need be. More information on fit can be found here and here.

4. Gray, gray, gray, and then something close to gray (but still not black).

Gray is a great (gray-t?) color for trousers because it provides a solid foundation for the rest of your outfit without detracting from it. It’s hard to think of a traditional shirt or blazer color that won’t look good with gray pants (with the exception of gray, of course). Embrace the color and make it the cornerstone of your collection; your brown, tan and navy blazers will thank you. Add variety by using different shades and fabrics. Of course, denim is best in navy and chinos are classic in khaki, but stick with gray trousers until you’re well on your way to a full wardrobe.

5. Experiment with materials and texture rather than colors.

Wild colors can be fun but I find that diversifying with different fabrics is a more versatile way to expand your daily choices. Worsted wool is a standby for trousers, but consider flannel, tweed, moleskin, linen, tropical wool or cotton canvas depending on your climate.

6. Pleats: the ultimate divider

Pleats got a bad reputation when they became the go-to for guys giving PowerPoint presentations. I grew up in a world of relaxed fit triple-pleat Dockers and it was not pretty. However, there is a time and place for pleats. When worn correctly (up on your hips and not pulled open) they can help create a smoother appearance of the lines in your pants, especially for men with larger seats and thighs. However, if you don’t know much about how pleats operate I would suggest avoiding them until you know if they’ll be beneficial to you. More information can be found here.

7. Break it up.

The break of a pant leg is a crucial but often ignored aspect of fit. The term “break” refers to how far the pants extend down your leg before ending. A “full break” will involve the pant leg folding upon itself several times over the shoe, whereas no break implies that the pants end before even touching your feet. A medium break is an easy choice, but current trends favor slight/no break (as do I). Narrower pant legs will look best a bit shorter, and vice versa. More information here and here.

8. Care for your clothes.

Take care of your clothes. Trousers should be hung and aired out before thrown in a closet. Dry clean only and do it as little as necessary. Chinos can usually be washed in a machine, and I prefer to hang dry mine. Iron if needed. Denim should stay out of the dryer and washed infrequently; the specifics beyond that vary depending on who you ask.

9. Make a list and stock up.

Pants for work can be found almost anywhere, but here is a short list (not complete by any means) that may help narrow your search.

Trousers: Howard Yount, Epaulet, Brooks Brothers, Land’s End

Chinos: Epaulet, Bonobos, J. Crew, Land’s End Canvas, Ralph Lauren

Denim: Levi’s, Bonobos, 3Sixteen, A.P.C.
 
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wj4's shoes are C&J Belgrave in polo suede

Speaking of C&J, their site says winter sale on, does anyone know what is actually on sale in stores?
Correcto, sir. I used those shoes because it's the only pair I have left that are unworn :lol

We miss out on a lot of stuff because we're in the states. I hear factory sales are better with C&J, Tricker's, etc.
 
Alright, dudes.

Here is the revised list for the goodies. Anyone who posts in this thread, be it asking question or helping, is in. To add on, just add your screen name in.


1. af1 1982
2. HHHornet15
3.omgitswes
4.BIGBOSS
5. LyonBC1
6. NikeAirForce1
7. paliplaya2010
8. UNKNWN
9. KNIGHTLOVESQUEEN
10. SoleAsian
11. marmourjr
12. NCTwin
 
I'm going to have to check out Nordstrom rack in person for those sperrys. Price can't be beat, but I'm a size 10.
 
Also, today is the last day for the neckwear challenge. Tomorrow begins the rugged footwear challenge.
 
Alright, dudes.

Here is the revised list for the goodies. Anyone who posts in this thread, be it asking question or helping, is in. To add on, just add your screen name in.


1. af1 1982
2. HHHornet15
3.omgitswes
4.BIGBOSS
5. LyonBC1
6. NikeAirForce1
7. paliplaya2010
8. UNKNWN
9. KNIGHTLOVESQUEEN
10. SoleAsian
11. marmourjr
12. NCTwin
13. Mags On fire
Hope I did it right 
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