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

[bk1]

Gosh darn it why don't people know how to wear suits/dress clothes that fit properly? What are fathers doing these days?

The illusion that baggy clothes actually hide the rolls is powerful.

[James Bond]

Anyone hit up the Charles Tyrwhitt and Hickey Freeman sales yet? They are rather epic. I got 4 shirts and a blazer total.

[texaslawyer]

WE ARE GOING TO BE ATTORNEYS !!!! GODDAMMIT DRESS AND ACT LIKE YOU BELONG !

[James Bond]

Gosh darn it why don't people know how to wear suits/dress clothes that fit properly? What are fathers doing these days?

The illusion that baggy clothes actually hide the rolls is powerful.

A well fitted suit, actually, can make a chubby guy look a lot better

[bk1]

Gosh darn it why don't people know how to wear suits/dress clothes that fit properly? What are fathers doing these days?

The illusion that baggy clothes actually hide the rolls is powerful.

A well fitted suit, actually, can make a chubby guy look a lot better

That's exactly what I said, though I was being obtuse.

[stayway]

Question, is it ok to wear a striped dress shirt under a suit for an "informal" meet and greet with potential employers? it's in the evening.

[Stanford4Me]

Question, is it ok to wear a striped dress shirt under a suit for an "informal" meet and greet with potential employers? it's in the evening.

This is my personal opinion, I don't ever stress what I wear at a meet and greet because these people aren't going to remember me come OCI. That's not to say I just wear whatever, but I don't follow the conservative dress rules that I would follow for interviews.

[Cactus]

Anyone hit up the Charles Tyrwhitt and Hickey Freeman sales yet? They are rather epic. I got 4 shirts and a blazer total.

Thank you for the heads up. I don't have the discretionary funds to capitalize on these deals at the moment, do you know if this is standard practice for these two brands during the transition from Fall to Spring seasons? Getting a Charles Tyrwhitt shirt for $50 or Hickey Freeman suit for $500 is extraordinary.

[skers]

I'm not planning on wearing them to any interviews, but would oxblood shell cordovan shoes be too flashy for a SA?

[James Bond]

Anyone hit up the Charles Tyrwhitt and Hickey Freeman sales yet? They are rather epic. I got 4 shirts and a blazer total.

Thank you for the heads up. I don't have the discretionary funds to capitalize on these deals at the moment, do you know if this is standard practice for these two brands during the transition from Fall to Spring seasons? Getting a Charles Tyrwhitt shirt for $50 or Hickey Freeman suit for $500 is extraordinary.

Tyrwhitt is on sale A LOT. I'm not sure about Hickey Freeman. I admittedly only have one shirt and now one blazer from them. That's BSD status, and I'm not there in life yet

[stayway]

Question, is it ok to wear a striped dress shirt under a suit for an "informal" meet and greet with potential employers? it's in the evening.

This is my personal opinion, I don't ever stress what I wear at a meet and greet because these people aren't going to remember me come OCI. That's not to say I just wear whatever, but I don't follow the conservative dress rules that I would follow for interviews.

thanks; it's just that this meet and greet is for employers that will be conducting interviews the very next day at a job fair.

I guess it won't really matter because I plan on wearing a white shirt on the day of the interview.

[fatduck]

so...I've got $200 at JC Penney that can be used on "any Joseph Abboud apparel, accessories, or shoe purchase" (I assume that means any accessories/shoes, not some weird Joseph Abboud shoe line )

is Joseph Abboud a good brand? my suit collection is sorely lacking a nice solid grey, but I want something quality. should I use the money toward a suit or just spend it on shoes/accessories and buy a suit elsewhere?

shameless bump ^

[vanwinkle]

so...I've got $200 at JC Penney that can be used on "any Joseph Abboud apparel, accessories, or shoe purchase" (I assume that means any accessories/shoes, not some weird Joseph Abboud shoe line )

is Joseph Abboud a good brand? my suit collection is sorely lacking a nice solid grey, but I want something quality. should I use the money toward a suit or just spend it on shoes/accessories and buy a suit elsewhere?

shameless bump ^

On the one hand, you probably have the "shops at Brooks Brothers" types who will tell you anything you can buy at JC Penney is not "good".

On the other hand, you will have people (like myself) who will tell you that any decent-looking suit can look good with proper tailoring.

I went to an S&K that was going out of business, bought three different styles of suits marked down from the $3-500 range to $70 each, spent another $60 getting each of them properly tailored, and ended up with three really sharp suits for under $500 total. One striped, one black, one gray.

Use your eye and trust it. Does it look good? Is there anything that stands out as looking wrong? It should be a basic clean, conservative suit. Then take it and get it tailored to fit you. Once it sits on you properly, it will make you look good.

[Pufer]

so...I've got $200 at JC Penney that can be used on "any Joseph Abboud apparel, accessories, or shoe purchase" (I assume that means any accessories/shoes, not some weird Joseph Abboud shoe line )

is Joseph Abboud a good brand? my suit collection is sorely lacking a nice solid grey, but I want something quality. should I use the money toward a suit or just spend it on shoes/accessories and buy a suit elsewhere?

shameless bump ^

1. JCPenney no longer sells anything except JCPenney brand stuff, with either licensed (Abboud) or purchased (Claiborne) brand names on them. JCP is basically a more dowdy Kohl's.
2. Because of the above, the fact that some Joseph Abboud suiting lines consist of eminently decent suits (for instance, whatever line they sell at Nordstrom is pretty good) has nothing to do with any "Abboud" suits at JCP.
3. As far as I'm aware, JCP sells no Abboud stuff, only J.C. Penney stuff branded "JOE Joseph Abboud."
4. JOE Joseph Abboud suits are polyester suits of a quality slightly below that of the Merona wool suits that Target sells.

While vanwinkle is correct that, if fitted properly, even quite cheap suits will probably be fine in most situations, I'd argue that your cheap suit should at least be made out of wool.

As to stuff at JCP in general, Stafford Executive line suits are traditionally the top-of-the-line JCP suits, and are probably the only suits that come within a million miles of being objectively quality there (I know a lawyer who is in court literally every day doing eviction work who wears nothing but cheap Stafford suits, and looks fine doing so). Stafford ties are surprisingly solid (especially recently), and Stafford Executive dress shirts aren't half bad for everyday use. Other than that, there's not much to go after there.

Since you have $200 and are limited to pseudo-Abboud, I'd be thinking a cheap sport coat I wouldn't mind fucking up, or maybe some everyday office slacks/cheap ties.

-Pufer

[vanwinkle]

1. JCPenney no longer sells anything except JCPenney brand stuff, with either licensed (Abboud) or purchased (Claiborne) brand names on them. JCP is basically a more dowdy Kohl's.
2. Because of the above, the fact that some Joseph Abboud suiting lines consist of eminently decent suits (for instance, whatever line they sell at Nordstrom is pretty good) has nothing to do with any "Abboud" suits at JCP.

If true, this is pretty disgusting. And I would not doubt the wisdom of Pufer without cause.

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

so...I've got $200 at JC Penney that can be used on "any Joseph Abboud apparel, accessories, or shoe purchase" (I assume that means any accessories/shoes, not some weird Joseph Abboud shoe line )

is Joseph Abboud a good brand? my suit collection is sorely lacking a nice solid grey, but I want something quality. should I use the money toward a suit or just spend it on shoes/accessories and buy a suit elsewhere?

shameless bump ^

1. JCPenney no longer sells anything except JCPenney brand stuff, with either licensed (Abboud) or purchased (Claiborne) brand names on them. JCP is basically a more dowdy Kohl's.
2. Because of the above, the fact that some Joseph Abboud suiting lines consist of eminently decent suits (for instance, whatever line they sell at Nordstrom is pretty good) has nothing to do with any "Abboud" suits at JCP.
3. As far as I'm aware, JCP sells no Abboud stuff, only J.C. Penney stuff branded "JOE Joseph Abboud."
4. JOE Joseph Abboud suits are polyester suits of a quality slightly below that of the Merona wool suits that Target sells.

While vanwinkle is correct that, if fitted properly, even quite cheap suits will probably be fine in most situations, I'd argue that your cheap suit should at least be made out of wool.

As to stuff at JCP in general, Stafford Executive line suits are traditionally the top-of-the-line JCP suits, and are probably the only suits that come within a million miles of being objectively quality there (I know a lawyer who is in court literally every day doing eviction work who wears nothing but cheap Stafford suits, and looks fine doing so). Stafford ties are surprisingly solid (especially recently), and Stafford Executive dress shirts aren't half bad for everyday use. Other than that, there's not much to go after there.

Since you have $200 and are limited to pseudo-Abboud, I'd be thinking a cheap sport coat I wouldn't mind fucking up, or maybe some everyday office slacks/cheap ties.

-Pufer

Pufer spotting!

You reek of wisdom and knowledge.

[Pufer]

1. JCPenney no longer sells anything except JCPenney brand stuff, with either licensed (Abboud) or purchased (Claiborne) brand names on them. JCP is basically a more dowdy Kohl's.
2. Because of the above, the fact that some Joseph Abboud suiting lines consist of eminently decent suits (for instance, whatever line they sell at Nordstrom is pretty good) has nothing to do with any "Abboud" suits at JCP.

If true, this is pretty disgusting. And I would not doubt the wisdom of Pufer without cause.

So as to not invite reliance upon a too-broad statement, there are limited exceptions to everything being JCP in pants (Dockers and Levi's pants are real Dockers and Levi's, and some Haggar pants lines are shared with Kohl's), shoes (Nike and other brand name sneakers), and watches (Seiko, Citizen and other brand-name watches).

In the dress clothing and non-pants realms, however, everything is JCP-brand under different names.

-Pufer

[romothesavior]

Anybody have any tips for getting wrinkles/cracks out of my dress shoes (or at least lessening the appearance)? I use shoe trees, but I still seem to be getting a little creasing and cracking where my feet flex. I plan to buy new black dress shoes at some point but I am pretty strapped for cash this semester and I need to make these last until the end of the summer.

[BunkMoreland]

have we already discussed the amount/type of wardrobe you need for a summer associateship in this topic? Biz casual, if it matters.

[skers]

1. JCPenney no longer sells anything except JCPenney brand stuff, with either licensed (Abboud) or purchased (Claiborne) brand names on them. JCP is basically a more dowdy Kohl's.
2. Because of the above, the fact that some Joseph Abboud suiting lines consist of eminently decent suits (for instance, whatever line they sell at Nordstrom is pretty good) has nothing to do with any "Abboud" suits at JCP.

If true, this is pretty disgusting. And I would not doubt the wisdom of Pufer without cause.

So as to not invite reliance upon a too-broad statement, there are limited exceptions to everything being JCP in pants (Dockers and Levi's pants are real Dockers and Levi's, and some Haggar pants lines are shared with Kohl's), shoes (Nike and other brand name sneakers), and watches (Seiko, Citizen and other brand-name watches).

In the dress clothing and non-pants realms, however, everything is JCP-brand under different names.

-Pufer

I'm bump a question for some Pufer wisdom. I don't plan on interviewing in them ever, but how would shell cordovan oxblood shoes be viewed on an SA?

[Borhas]

took advantage of the Jos a bank sale a while ago. Got a couple suites for $60, and a couple for $150. I am disappointed w/ the $60 suites, but at that price I'll be ok... I'll just go get them tailored to my size. Though I have to say, the MSRP price for jos a bank stuff is absurdly over priced. No one in their right mind would pay $550 for the suites I got for $60.

[texaslawyer]

took advantage of the Jos a bank sale a while ago. Got a couple suites for $60, and a couple for $150. I am disappointed w/ the $60 suites, but at that price I'll be ok... I'll just go get them tailored to my size. Though I have to say, the MSRP price for jos a bank stuff is absurdly over priced. No one in their right mind would pay $550 for the suites I got for $60.

Borhas, Joseph A. Bank does have some good deals, but they do love their mechandise. Believe it or not I have gotten
some gorgeous suits in thrift stores. I have a killer, charcoal pinstripe Botany 500, normally $700 off the rack. I got it
for $14 at a thrift store. It had never been worn. In fact the pockets were still sewn together and the inseam wasn't taken up.
Such a deal !

[crazycanuck]

took advantage of the Jos a bank sale a while ago. Got a couple suites for $60, and a couple for $150. I am disappointed w/ the $60 suites, but at that price I'll be ok... I'll just go get them tailored to my size. Though I have to say, the MSRP price for jos a bank stuff is absurdly over priced. No one in their right mind would pay $550 for the suites I got for $60.

Borhas, Joseph A. Bank does have some good deals, but they do love their mechandise. Believe it or not I have gotten
some gorgeous suits in thrift stores. I have a killer, charcoal pinstripe Botany 500, normally $700 off the rack. I got it
for $14 at a thrift store. It had never been worn. In fact the pockets were still sewn together and the inseam wasn't taken up.
Such a deal !

Someone shit on the inside.

Seriously.

[romothesavior]

Anybody have any tips for getting wrinkles/cracks out of my dress shoes (or at least lessening the appearance)? I use shoe trees, but I still seem to be getting a little creasing and cracking where my feet flex. I plan to buy new black dress shoes at some point but I am pretty strapped for cash this semester and I need to make these last until the end of the summer.

shameless bump

[Pufer]

I'm bump a question for some Pufer wisdom. I don't plan on interviewing in them ever, but how would shell cordovan oxblood shoes be viewed on an SA?

Like anything, it depends on the crowd, but I wouldn't be particularly concerned. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you'll want to match your belt to your shoes in shade and gloss a lot closer than you would necessarily need to with black or dark brown. If the shade of red in your belt clashes at all with the shade in your shoes, it's the type of thing that will really jump out at some folks.

Anybody have any tips for getting wrinkles/cracks out of my dress shoes (or at least lessening the appearance)? I use shoe trees, but I still seem to be getting a little creasing and cracking where my feet flex. I plan to buy new black dress shoes at some point but I am pretty strapped for cash this semester and I need to make these last until the end of the summer.

shameless bump

If there is cracking of the leather (and not just cracking of the polish layers, in which case they probably just need to be stripped), you have a problem. That said, depending on the quality of the shoes (i.e., whether they can be stripped or are either grained or are painted, not finished, so that stripping would fuck them up), I'd try stripping them down, conditioning them (either with a true conditioner or just cream wax, depending on the severity - this might make any cracks less noticeable, and will make the wrinkles more pliable and responsive to shoe trees), then going with a couple coats of wax polish to try to minimize whatever remaining imperfections there are.

If that sounds extreme for what you're dealing with, you might just try going with a creamier cream polish before your next wax polish to see if the extra superficial moisture helps out any.

-Pufer