general question about building a new wardrobe
hi everyone, I'm starting to get into fashion and overhaul my wardrobe, most of what I wear day to day is just jeans with graphic tshirts and vans black sneakers. I'm 172cm tall in my early 20's and I still look like I'm 16 year old lol, pretty sure not having facial hair matters but I like not having a beard.
what I'm most worried about when I look for new stuff I could wear is that I'd look kinda ridiculous and wear clothes that are better for people who look older than me, not sure if that makes sense. I guess not being that tall matters too.
my general question is how do you choose clothes that are appropriate for your age and environment? my country isn't formal at all, so if I build a wardrobe I'm trying to keep in mind that I shouldn't look formal, but I do not know how to differentiate between formal and casual garments. Right now I'm starting to build a list for a fall/winter wardrobe, I'm not sure if a pair of gray wool flannel pants are a good start (other than getting some nice chinos and jeans). thanks in advance for the advice yall
6 Replies
I understand where you're coming from, but I personally feel that dressing your age does not matter and shouldn't be a thing you worry about.
I've included some pictures below of British clothing designer/manufacturer Nigel Cabourn who some people would probably say doesn't dress his age.
I don't agree that he should "dress his age" but what I do see is someone who gives the appearance of being happy and comfortable in the clothes they are wearing, which is more important than dressing to an image you think other people think you should have.
If you want to get into suits/tailoring and it makes you happy then go for it. If you want to get into streetwear, techwear etc then do that.
In terms of choosing the kind of clothes and looks you want to get into, I would recommend having a look through https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191 and https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1117803378521673768
If you see outfits or individual items that you are drawn to you could post them here and ask where the items were form or what style they fall into
i think it's helpful to look at this positively - rather than "i don't want to look ridiculous" let your choices be framed by "i want to look like [x] or wear [y] because i think it looks cool"
part of making any change in wardrobe is dealing with how people respond to the change(s) you made. the most important thing you can do is be true to yourself and your own tastes. the people who matter will accept it
without knowing anything else about your clothes or lifestyle, i think a pair of gray wool flannel pants are a good start (depending on the pants) but again, it's worth checking #waywt and #inspiration to see what you like
thank you for reframing this, i'll keep it in mind as I start developing my style
part of my fear comes from standing out too much but I will learn how to deal with that as well
totally reasonable but the thing about existing is that someone will always be paying attention to you. Like, even now, with whatever you're wearing, someone is noticing and forming opinions. I'm not saying this to freak you out, because it's just a normal and human thing that happens. So you might as well dress in a way that makes you feel as "you" as possible yk?
Another source of inspiration can be the people where you live. Start really paying attention to what people are wearing and what you like or dislike. It's great to see normal people going about their day in clothes. This will also give you an idea of just how much you'd stand out in a particular style. I'm not saying this as a deterrent to standing out - I'm definitely usually the only one wearing a suit and/or tie in my neighborhood when I do, but I just enjoy the clothes and accept that some people are gonna notice it.