Ask Tom About Haberdashery

[Sskim3]

I am leaning towards brown also. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't breaking any fashion rules.

Ha! No rules broken. Bold going with red. I'm boring so I typical stick to shades of blue LOL

 

[BrickHud]

Hey Tom, what are your thoughts about the concept of age-appropriate attire for men?

My whole life I've been a Brooks Brothers/ J.Press/L.L. Bean/J. Crew kind of guy. My friend says she thinks I dress in a boring and old-fashioned way that is not stylish. So when we go shopping together she tries to steer me to edgy stuff that is more currently "fashionable." But I'm middle-aged, and although I'm as slim as I was when I was at university and could pull it off, the styles just seem too "young", hip, and funky for me. I don't want to look like one of those older guys trying to look younger and hipper than I am. So I keep saying things like, "If I were 30 years younger, I'd wear that."

Do I need to get with the program? Or is there such a thing as "dressing your age"?

 

[Sskim3]

Hey Tom, what are your thoughts about the concept of age-appropriate attire for men?

My whole life I've been a Brooks Brothers/ J.Press/L.L. Bean/J. Crew kind of guy. My friend says she thinks I dress in a boring and old-fashioned way that is not stylish. So when we go shopping together she tries to steer me to edgy stuff that is more currently "fashionable." But I'm middle-aged, and although I'm as slim as I was when I was at university and could pull it off, the styles just seem too "young", hip, and funky for me. I don't want to look like one of those older guys trying to look younger and hipper than I am. So I keep saying things like, "If I were 30 years younger, I'd wear that."

Do I need to get with the program? Or is there such a thing as "dressing your age"?

I feel like you can dress anyway you want. You seem to have a very classic mindset which is great. It is timeless and rarely goes out of style. To be honest with you, you can probably slim down the sizing slightly (a more tailored fit) and you will still keep the same style but with a more modern take.

Look at Cary Grant's style. It still holds up today.

If you want to start spreading your wings a bit, start off with some linen items for spring summer. Seersucker is great for the summer. And my favorite is madras. Kind of an eff you look and makes you stand out quite a bit. As long as it fits right and you are confident, most folks will leave ya alone.

This article is a great place to start:
https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/smart-casual-dress-code/

Most importantly don't change if you don't want to. For years my SWMBO told me to dress nicer and now I have my own unique style that works for me. There are times I still get the you look ridiculous or you like an old man comment. I'd have it no other way though.

 

[Graybeard57]

I've read online (so I know it's true) that you can either gently wash a Navy wool peacoat in a mesh bag, cold water, gentle detergent, then lay it down to dry. Or it can be dry cleaned. I'm wondering which would be best for my 1976 boot camp issued one. There is a little mold on one portion, so I'm thinking washing is the best option. Thoughts?

 

[dangerousdon]

Okay Tom...I have one. It's not the best pick in the world and I usually keep to more "conservative" color schemes (navy, khaki, black, etc) But this sport coat was a steal and it fit (since I am loosing weight my dress clothes are going under renovation) I decided to give it a purchase. The pants are dress slacks, I just realized they sort of look like denim in the pic...I assure you they are not. The shirt is a little big around the neck (again, weight loss), but that will be fixed soon. Anyway, what's your opinion on the clothing choices here. And yeah...I didn't realize my tie was flying all over the place.

 

[Sskim3]

I've read online (so I know it's true) that you can either gently wash a Navy wool peacoat in a mesh bag, cold water, gentle detergent, then lay it down to dry. Or it can be dry cleaned. I'm wondering which would be best for my 1976 boot camp issued one. There is a little mold on one portion, so I'm thinking washing is the best option. Thoughts?

Honestly I have never tried to wash a wool coat by hand. I'm sure it's doable but I would test it first on a piece you don't mind messing up. Your peacoat has sentimental value so I would leverage a professional that you trust. Totally worth the dry cleaning costs. For mold, a lot folks put their clothes (and expensive handbags like vintage Louis Vuitton)in the sun for a long period of time (in a plastic bag to make it hotter) to kill the mold. You can try this as well. And then spot clean. The worst thing you want to do is do it yourself and the shape of the peacoat is ruined and worse it shrinks.

Okay Tom...I have one. It's not the best pick in the world and I usually keep to more "conservative" color schemes (navy, khaki, black, etc) But this sport coat was a steal and it fit (since I am loosing weight my dress clothes are going under renovation) I decided to give it a purchase. The pants are dress slacks, I just realized they sort of look like denim in the pic...I assure you they are not. The shirt is a little big around the neck (again, weight loss), but that will be fixed soon. Anyway, what's your opinion on the clothing choices here. And yeah...I didn't realize my tie was flying all over the place.

I love the sports coat. I would love to see the sleeve length to make sure the length is good. And how it looks buttoned. You may want to take the waist in for a more tailored look.

I think the pants are good but since its spring/summer, here are some recommendation on pants. White cotton pants would be killer summer rig with it. I'm a big fan of linen since the fabric is breathable too. So definitely look into. If you want bolder, the classic blue and white seersucker pants with a white shirt or polo shirt is a great casual look. My last recommendation is an F U look which I love and that's some madras pants. Perfect for the summer and a lot of personality. Just wear with confidence.

I find the sportscoat pretty casual so a tie is optional.

And you can dress it up with th ge shoes you have now or dress it down with loafers or boat shoes. Even casual sneakers would work,just make sure the colors ho together. Hope this helps!

 

[dangerousdon]

I love the sports coat. I would love to see the sleeve length to make sure the length is good. And how it looks buttoned. You may want to take the waist in for a more tailored look.

I think the pants are good but since its spring/summer, here are some recommendation on pants. White cotton pants would be killer summer rig with it. I'm a big fan of linen since the fabric is breathable too. So definitely look into. If you want bolder, the classic blue and white seersucker pants with a white shirt or polo shirt is a great casual look. My last recommendation is an F U look which I love and that's some madras pants. Perfect for the summer and a lot of personality. Just wear with confidence.

I find the sportscoat pretty casual so a tie is optional.

And you can dress it up with th ge shoes you have now or dress it down with loafers or boat shoes. Even casual sneakers would work,just make sure the colors ho together. Hope this helps!

Thanks Tom! It definitely does help. The slacks taken in is a great idea. Though I am trying to wait for a while before I do a whole lot of tailoring. The weight is still coming off, so changes in the waist and the mid-section are still going on. Yeah, the sleeves might be a tad long, so I need to fix that. I have seriously wanted a seersucker suit, just haven't found the right one yet. As my weight goes down, more clothes will be available to me. Madras pants...well, I might have to work up to that. Tanks for the help! I had to wear the tie unfortunately as I had to do an interview that day. Thanks again Tom!

 

[Sskim3]

Thanks Tom! It definitely does help. The slacks taken in is a great idea. Though I am trying to wait for a while before I do a whole lot of tailoring. The weight is still coming off, so changes in the waist and the mid-section are still going on. Yeah, the sleeves might be a tad long, so I need to fix that. I have seriously wanted a seersucker suit, just haven't found the right one yet. As my weight goes down, more clothes will be available to me. Madras pants...well, I might have to work up to that. Tanks for the help! I had to wear the tie unfortunately as I had to do an interview that day. Thanks again Tom!

If you are in a pinch, Jos A Bank has seersucker on sale all the time. You may be able to snack one for $100 to 150. The other source is eBay which has been good to me. Remember gentle used clothes is your best friend if you know all your measurements.

I always reiterate a little bit of tailoring goes a long way. It is the go to way to keep things nice and fresh without a new wardrobe. Your tailor if good will tell you when he or she can't do anything else and should recommend new clothes LOL.

Hope the interview went well!

 

[Dave in KY]

You don't need a tailored suit. Some folks like suits. As long as it's tailored, that is key. No one looks good with baggy and loose fitting clothes. One suggestion is get a navy sports coat. I feel it is more versatile than black. I tend to only wear black to funerals and weddings.

Do a quick search on black on Ask Andy or Styleforum. It's a headache LOL I tend to compare it to carts or canned goo in the shaving world.

The biggest thing here is your budget. On sale my preference is Brooks Brothers and J Press but call me biased. Brooks tend to be made in USA while J Press is typically made in UK. Both brands have sales so look out for 50%. If you want to save a few more dollars, eBay is a great source. Fortunately for ties, the secondary market is very kind. Ties don't wear down as much and most folks have multiple ties so I never really worry about a used tie. Think about your wardrobe and how often you wear certain ties.

I found this video helpful.

What I would do is watch a few times and then do a few run throughs while watching and pausing. I think it took me a good 15 to 20 min to get my first knot done.

Another tip is practice tying on your leg while watching tv until it's second nature. Self-tie Bow ties are the only ones I wear now.