OCI/callbacks/etc Men's Clothing Mega-thread Forum

[Bronte]

Speaking of watches, Pufer, do you or anybody else know of a good leather band, stainless case, white face watch? I have thin wrists so I'm looking for something 36-36mm, on the low end price wise. I've found it extremely difficult to find something that matches these specs, even though you'd expect them to ubiquitous. So many watches are so gaudy. Once I get a gig I'd like to get something like a Baume et Mercier or a Longines with a mechanical movement and maybe a preowned stainless Rolex Datejust, but for now I'm fine with something quartz.

[kalvano]

I couldn't find this on the CT website. Are their non-iron shirts machine wash and dry, or do they require dry cleaning?

[Bronte]

I couldn't find this on the CT website. Are their non-iron shirts machine wash and dry, or do they require dry cleaning?

Don't know from first hand experience, but I think it's safe to say all noniron shirts are wash and dry. They don't make them "noniron" to help out the dry cleaner. (Some, maybe, are hang dry only. They actually work best if you wash them cold and immediately pull them out, shake them, and hang them, even if they say you can put them in the drier. This also helps avoid wear and tear.)

[Thirteen]

I love these shirts, and you can't beat $23.90.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/1901-trim-f ... tback=5146

[Bronte]

I love these shirts, and you can't beat $23.90.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/1901-trim-f ... tback=5146

Kinda slim collars for a dress shirt. I wear shirts like that casually though. Do they have them in non-button down collar? You can wear button down collars with a tie, although it's been the source of great controversy in this thread, but it's not really appropriate for interviews / early in career.

[Pufer]

I assumed you were going for black leather (if you want brown, it's basically impossible to find a simple brown strap with stainless under $300 or so, they're all either gold or stupid looking; I've had good luck sweet-talking ladies at jewelry stores into swapping black bands for brown bands off of same-brand watches, but that does mean you have to pay retail). All the below are under $200:

Tissot T52142113 (this watch is way under the price for any other Tissot, so most people would expect it to be more expensive than it is)


Bulova 96B104 (cheapest of these top three - gold/brown equivalent is model 98H51, so you could just order a replacement brown band from Bulova on that model and still be cheaper than the Tissot with bands to match all belts)


Seiko SRP023 (little more on the chunky field watch side, but would work)


I don't really care for ultra-slim watches (they're always pretty fragile), but if that's your bag, this watch is probably the most unobjectionable looking cheap watch in the segment (although Stuhrling kinda sucks):

Stuhrling Belmont


If you'd prefer a square face:

Citizen AR1080-01A


-Pufer

[beach_terror]

Tissot T52142113 (this watch is way under the price for any other Tissot, so most people would expect it to be more expensive than it is)

Haha this was the watch I was going to pull the trigger for a few weeks ago. It was listing at like 80$-100$ on Amazon, then jumped back up to its 170$+ price - I need to impulse buy more often

[Bronte]

Pufer, thanks a lot. I am interested in a brown band watch for casual wear, but a black one would probably be more practical for work and OCI. I have noticed as well that brown strap plus stainless case is almost impossible to find. They always go gold (or faux gold). It's terrible. I'll look into the strap switching idea.

[Pufer]

I love these shirts, and you can't beat $23.90.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/1901-trim-f ... tback=5146

Kinda slim collars for a dress shirt. I wear shirts like that casually though. Do they have them in non-button down collar? You can wear button down collars with a tie, although it's been the source of great controversy in this thread, but it's not really appropriate for interviews / early in career.

They're not so much slim as they appear to be spread button down collars. The reason it looks strange is that, up until now, there's been no such thing except on cowboy shirts. Needless to say, if it's traditionally been unique to cowboy shirts, it probably shouldn't be on your dress shirt unless you live in rural Texas.


As long as we're on the topic, even though nobody should ever wear button-down collars (including cowboys), if you insist, here's something to keep in mind.

Here is some guy from the Brooks Brothers website wearing button down collars:



Note that the button-down collar is straight and crisp looking. Note also that it is long and follows roughly the same profile as a point collar. This is what your button down collars are supposed to look like - long and straight, and effectively identical-looking to a point collar from fifty feet away (and dippy looking from any closer). If it's not long and straight when you're just standing there, your shirt needs to be tailored (off the rack shirts assume that we stand a lot straighter than we actually do - your collar buttons generally have to be lowered in a button-down collar shirt).

On the other hand, here are Warren Buffet and Bill Gates:



Their button-down collars look like those of most boobs who wear button-down collars. Note how Buffet's collars are creased and severely bowed (you will never find a picture of him where this isn't true). Gates's collars are merely bowed, but have been starched enough that they're trying to keep from turning into "S" shapes.

They are billionaires, so they can get away with looking like shit. You're not a billionaire. You could have chosen to go with a point or medium spread collar and avoided this whole issue, but you've decided for some inexplicable reason that button down collars are cool, so now you have to make sure that your extraneous buttons are low enough and your collar is starched enough so that you don't look like a twit when you're just standing there. Well-dressed gentlemen who are going for the trad preppy look pull this off every time; if you don't, you should either stop wearing ridiculous shirt collars (what most reasonable people would do), or you should go get your shirts tailored. If you're going to insist on making wrong choices, at least make the wrong choice correctly.

-Pufer

[clearfire]

Question for Pufer, but others please offer advice as well.

I'm starting school this fall and am trying to make sure I have an adequate interview suit.

Last year I purchased 3 JAB Traveler suits during the buy one get two free sale.

One is black, one is charcoal with pinstripes, one is dark navy with pinstripes. I think the pinstripes are muted but admittedly don't know a whole lot about suits, learning a lot through this thread. I had all three tailored (like 50 bucks each I think). My favorite is the charcoal.

After reading this entire thread it seems that the general consensus is not to wear a black suit for an interview. And that the pinstripes are probably not appropriate either. Is this correct? Do I need to buy a solid navy or solid charcoal for interviewing?

Also, I can't figure out the $300 difference between these two suits, both are "Signature Gold" by JAB.
http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Pr ... 050_101713
http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Pr ... 050_102112

Should I spring for a BB suit for interviewing?

Thanks for all the info and advice.

[James Bond]

On the other hand, here are Warren Buffet and Bill Gates:



Their button-down collars look like those of most boobs who wear button-down collars. Note how Buffet's collars are creased and severely bowed (you will never find a picture of him where this isn't true). Gates's collars are merely bowed, but have been starched enough that they're trying to keep from turning into "S" shapes.

They are billionaires, so they can get away with looking like shit. You're not a billionaire. You could have chosen to go with a point or medium spread collar and avoided this whole issue, but you've decided for some inexplicable reason that button down collars are cool, so now you have to make sure that your extraneous buttons are low enough and your collar is starched enough so that you don't look like a twit when you're just standing there. Well-dressed gentlemen who are going for the trad preppy look pull this off every time; if you don't, you should either stop wearing ridiculous shirt collars (what most reasonable people would do), or you should go get your shirts tailored. If you're going to insist on making wrong choices, at least make the wrong choice correctly.

-Pufer

This button down collar hate for formal and business attire or all attire?

I can't stand when people wear button down collars with suits and ties, but you better believe I rock my Ralph Lauren oxford button down casually.

[beach_terror]

Just picked this up for 160$ (retails at 450$)


Looks beautiful in person, put it on and knew I had to have it. If any of you have Movado outlets near you and need a watch - get there ASAP, they have insane sales right now. Amazon Link

[shadow.]

I have a gold wedding ring but all of my belts have silver buckles. Should I get a gold-rimmed watch or silver? If gold, any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Aston2412]

As we're now all sharing pictures of our watches, this is the watch I will be wearing to my interviews.

--ImageRemoved--

I dislike leather bands (personal preference) and I dislike round watch faces (personal preference).

[Pufer]

After reading this entire thread it seems that the general consensus is not to wear a black suit for an interview. And that the pinstripes are probably not appropriate either. Is this correct? Do I need to buy a solid navy or solid charcoal for interviewing?

You don't strictly need to buy a solid navy or charcoal suit for interviewing, but it would probably be preferable. Really sorta' depends on whether reading this topic has shaken your ability to be completely confident that your suit is awesome when you walk into the interview.

If you decide to stick with your current arsenal, go with one of the pinstripes over the black, and you should also strongly consider sticking to a plain white shirt and a dark navy tie so as to go as conservative as possible on that front.

Also, I can't figure out the $300 difference between these two suits, both are "Signature Gold" by JAB.
http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Pr ... 050_101713
http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Pr ... 050_102112

Totally arbitrary difference based on their current sale. Oddly enough, those prices would generally be reversed under most sales (odd patterns are generally cheaper than basic solids/pinstripes at JAB, unless they're doing an X-for-1 sale - that's actually a pretty decent deal on the solid navy sig gold in your second link). The difference in list prices used to mean something in Sig Gold, but that's less true now that the Platinum line exists (the higher list price Sig Golds became the Platinum line; now, all Sig Golds are Sig Golds, just at randomly different list prices).

Should I spring for a BB suit for interviewing?

You can if you want and you have a bunch of cash sitting around, I suppose, but it's totally not necessary. If you feel the desire to get a solid navy/charcoal suit and you like the way JAB suits fit, you could spring for a Signature/Sig Gold suit and it would be plenty sufficient to get you through law school.

This button down collar hate for formal and business attire or all attire?

I can't stand when people wear button down collars with suits and ties, but you better believe I rock my Ralph Lauren oxford button down casually.

The fundamental issue really is that they're basically casual/sport shirts. That they were ever deemed acceptable for business by anyone is a fluke side effect of the mass production of shirts and the rise in office jobs taking the common man off the manufacturing line.

If they're actually worn in a casual/sport context, they're perfectly acceptable (I have a couple ventilation hiking shirts with button down collars and they're fine).

-Pufer

[clearfire]

Thanks.

[Pufer]

I have a gold wedding ring but all of my belts have silver buckles. Should I get a gold-rimmed watch or silver? If gold, any suggestions?

Thanks!

Your wedding band is your wedding band, whatever the color (if you had a blue ceramic wedding band, you wouldn't be obligated to try to come up with a blue watch and belt buckle). You basically just pretend that it doesn't exist for purposes of matching the rest of your wardrobe.

Thus, if your belt has a silver buckle, your watch should be silver too.

-Pufer

[jkay]

Knit ties. Possible or a definite no?

[Bronte]

Knit ties. Possible or a definite no?

Definite no.

[daesonesb]

As far as ties go, well let me tell you.

[Bronte]

As far as ties go: If you can't tell whether your tie goes well with your shirt, you probably need to tone it down. The good thing about wearing light blue or white solid shirts is that they will nearly always go well with your tie.

On a different tack, what do people think about criss cross lacing a captoed oxford? I get that you only get the full closure of the shoe's sides if you flat lace the shoe... but I find that flat lacing doesn't look that great -- almost cheap for some reason.

I prefer to criss cross lace my dress shoes, but understand that doesn't lead to a perfect meeting of the shoe's sides. What are people's opinions?

You just blew my mind.

[vamedic03]

I assumed you were going for black leather (if you want brown, it's basically impossible to find a simple brown strap with stainless under $300 or so, they're all either gold or stupid looking; I've had good luck sweet-talking ladies at jewelry stores into swapping black bands for brown bands off of same-brand watches, but that does mean you have to pay retail). All the below are under $200:

Tissot T52142113 (this watch is way under the price for any other Tissot, so most people would expect it to be more expensive than it is)


Bulova 96B104 (cheapest of these top three - gold/brown equivalent is model 98H51, so you could just order a replacement brown band from Bulova on that model and still be cheaper than the Tissot with bands to match all belts)


Seiko SRP023 (little more on the chunky field watch side, but would work)


I don't really care for ultra-slim watches (they're always pretty fragile), but if that's your bag, this watch is probably the most unobjectionable looking cheap watch in the segment (although Stuhrling kinda sucks):

Stuhrling Belmont


If you'd prefer a square face:

Citizen AR1080-01A


-Pufer

It's probably worth noting that the Seiko is an automatic movement rather than a quartz movement.

[daesonesb]

[quote="Bronte"][quote="daesonesb"]

[Bronte]

You just blew my mind.

Lol, I just bought some new black oxfords and am lacing them up for the first time. It occurred to me that all the dress shoes that I've owned have come prelaced flat, and I always change them to criss cross.

Seriously, given the nitpickiness of menswear threads on TLS, this doesn't really seem that over the top to me.

Not over the top at all. It was a genuine comment. I'm fully in favor of discussing the minutia. I've just never considered this before.

[GeePee]

As far as ties go: If you can't tell whether your tie goes well with your shirt, you probably need to tone it down. The good thing about wearing light blue or white solid shirts is that they will nearly always go well with your tie.

On a different tack, what do people think about criss cross lacing a captoed oxford? I get that you only get the full closure of the shoe's sides if you flat lace the shoe... but I find that flat lacing doesn't look that great -- almost cheap for some reason.

I prefer to criss cross lace my dress shoes, but understand that doesn't lead to a perfect meeting of the shoe's sides. What are people's opinions?

Interesting, I prefer flat-lace because it creates the fewest lines to draw the viewer's attention. I'd much rather someone looking at my oxfords see the break of my pants and the toe of my shoe, passing over the laces area. That may just be because I have giant, size-14 feet.

I think it's okay to have some space between the sides of your shoe and the break and toe, especially if you have somewhat smaller/normal-sized feet.