Menswear noob, need to look like a higher tax bracket
Hi all.
As the title suggests, I need to look the part of a higher tax bracket.
I've decided on some plaid grey trousers, a black merino sweater, a navy blazer, and some white sneakers.
Blazer; https://shop.lululemon.com/p/mens-jackets-and-outerwear/New-Venture-Blazer-Button-Front/_/prod11750076?cid=Google_PMAX_US_NAT_EN_M_NB_Men-Everything-Else_OMNI_GEN_Y24_ag-&color=31382&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAyJS7BhBiEiwAyS9uNWabTmZnQx4JMqmo2VHCwYtdJJJ6iYs5KIYQpJWp1LyciBucQ-El1xoCcs0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&locale=en_US&sl=US&sz=L
Trousers & sweater: https://bonobos.com/products/washable-merino-crew-neck-sweater?color=jet%20black
Sneakers: https://pfflyers.com/products/all-american?variant=42531607740583¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoae5BhCNARIsADVLzZdUL02Fh8NyvVXVSxAI_5SiFQ3YEtaTZ-9ei6tP1zfXdHWVwoT-4jwaAq_6EALw_wcB
I would post pictures but it's not letting me, sorry.
Washable Merino Crew Neck Sweater
Versatile merino wool you can throw in the wash.
P.F. Flyers
Sea Salt All-American Hi Cousy | High-Top Canvas Sneaker
This Classic PF Flyers model was named after legendary Boston Celtic basketball player and member of the NBA 75, Bob Cousy. Cousy originally laced up this high-top canvas style in 1957, and now they're back with a modernized look.
48 Replies
As the title suggests, I need to look the part of a higher tax bracket.This is a strange thing to say. Generally, I'd probably avoid getting a blazer from Lululemon. That one's $200 for a slim fit made of 77% Polyester, 23% Elastomultiester. I don't even know what that is.
I'm a drug addict 2 years in recovery, trying to get my first apartment.
I feel like it appropriately sums up the situation
Fair point. Wouldn't ha e thought about that, thank you.
Do you have any reccomendations here, or should I try to go somewhere local?
Congrats on your recovery, right on.
I'm far from a suit/blazer expert but I think in that price range you can definitely find something nice. I think generally what you want is to look "presentable," which can mean different things to different people. What you dont' want to look is uncomfortable.
Fair point. I had gone in to a local suit shop not too long ago, and was both blown away by the quality and service, but also the price.
I might go back in and just like, ask for advice. Dude seemed pretty cool.
if the intent is to look presentable for this one specific occasion then the most impactful thing would be finding something that fits well, and while that means different things to different people i'd avoid anything too oversized or certainly too tight
One of the best suit suit knowers in the server is typing right now but I’m gonna page another one @beans in chili to see if he has anything to add here as well
Suits aren’t my area of expertise in here but wishing you the best of luck and congratulations on your recovery
I'm also a freshman in college, so I'm just really trying to upgrade to something versatile.
I know, it's asking a lot to build something for a bunch of separate occasions, but I'm looking to piece it all together. Job fairs, internship interviews, etc.
Going from the gutter to engineering school is one hell of a task
there's two separate tracks i'm taking here, the one that will most likely get you through this situation and the one that's probably going to be more impactful in sobriety
for the sake of interviews, apartment showings, etc, components of the basic bastard is an easy way to be more 'put together'; it's not creative or overly expressive but it's cohesive and fairly easy to find https://imgur.com/3d9J8ne
but as someone also a couple years in recovery, i'm still surprised by what new things come up, both the struggles and the opportunities - and i have the benefit of being well past college age
Yeah I finally got my hands on 3 OBCDs from unqilo, first time I've ever seen them in stock lol
Your university might have business clothes available to buy for cheap or borrow. Unsure if that was just at my school or if it’s more common.
I’d avoid the poly stuff from lululemon and the like as it’ll be kinda pricey anyway and just not that great.
Zeo already posting great advice for general outfits and such!
my uni also had a clothing library but idk how common that is
in the same that you're relearning most other things in life - how to deal with stress, daily function, what have you - you're also at an age where you're also growing as a person independent of sobriety
My school has discount events for buying formal wear at jc penney lmao
Possibly better than nothing
Fyi always check if a brand offers student discounts
that may inform what things you find good or cool and how you respond to certain experiences, especially without substances in turn, and that usually impacts how you dress as well. take these things slow, and know that it may not all come together in a day but that's okay
goodwill, savers, other secondhand stores, facebook marketplace, sites like depop, garage sales, and the other things people have mentioned are all reasonable options in terms of finding clothes for little
Yeah I felt that. The only problem is I've also lost 150lbs in these 2 years, nothing I own fits me anymore. It's insane.
you'll want to try and avoid the trap of buying a million things at once, even though it is tempting (both in a 'i figured something out' stretch and a 'this is a substitute for other addictive behavior' thing)
trying stuff on will be key, and in a pinch you can always take a picture and ask how something fits (especially if you're getting stuff like suits or dress shirts)
and buying stuff secondhand will minimize the cost especially if your body composition changes further
Yeah I'd say for example you can find more enjoyable basic button downs secondhand than what'd you buy at the mall nowadays. The mall may still be worth visiting to have a better idea of your size
Uniqlo is quite solid
Would probably last longer, too.
factory outlets are so much better than the mall generally
Express is pretty good though on sale
depends on the brand depends on the item
i would say thing one is figuring out what you like and how you want things to fit
Yeah and you can more easily find fabrics that aren't non iron. You may need to iron or steam them more though!
if you have the time and patience it's cheaper to do this via secondhand efforts but if not uniqlo is a reasonable option
but beyond simply buying clothes to be clothed you'll want to figure out what you want to look like
when i gained a bunch of weight i wore a relatively cheap uniqlo suit (less for the pants + jacket than that lulu blazer) to like 6 weddings in one summer without a hitch
see what people are wearing, be it on #waywt or #inspiration or online or at your school. see what you think is really cool, then you'll have an idea of what things to maybe get in response
the thing that stands out to me when you say you're a freshman is while i get the urge to try and present a certain way to get an apartment etc you also don't to spend a bunch of money on something you don't actually want or will continue to wear for that.
exactly - and if you're not the kind of person who likes wearing suits or needs to wear suits often, one may be all you need
Honestly I'm trying to keep a bit of my punk roots.
For awhile there I took a complete God damn 180 aesthetically, tried that "Rainbow Connection" ass shit that Jamie did in Trailer Park Boys. Just wasn't working for me.
I feel like I've found a happy medium, however. Something true to myself, but still not quite as "let's go drink in the park"
i think that's the fun part honestly, balancing those parts of yourself with the whole "societal rule" thing and using it to break those rules
but it's a process like zeo said
it is fully possible to both keep those aspects of who you are and express that and dress in a way deemed 'respectable'
100%. It's just the dressing more presentably part of the equation that I don't have a ton of experience with
I'd think the uniqlo ocbds should already be good enough for some portion of interviews. Like I wouldn't think twice that it's too casual for interviewing for an on campus job
Black jeans, blue OCBD, brown leather boots (good boots)?
That appropriate for interviews and such? That's been the majority of what I've worn so far.
Totally
Tight.
#inspiration would be a good place to start, and while i think there's a lot of ways you could merge punk and more 'presentable' standards of dress, users like sal, adaptation, char (sharloy) and really just browsing #waywt will help
I don't mean to be that guy but the bar really is pretty low for young dudes. Giving a shit is the best start.
dave gahan might be someone to look up too
Yeah only certain fields nowadays expect you to dress in formal wear for interviews
I wore a suit to the last pre-pandy job interview I had in person and it was overkill. But I also was clearly not comfortable in it.
True factory outlets basically don’t exist anymore. Most brands flat out make different lines of clothes for their outlet and factory stores
having been on the other side of the interview table judging, for an entry level job i'm usually grateful for someone wearing a button down, pants that fit well without holes and shoes that aren't falling apart
you can also ask around for how to dress in interviews for specific places at your school/your school's alumni organization
If your school has a career development center or similar (title changes from place to place) that’s probably the place to go asking those questions
Yeah I haven't even thought of using the school's resources yet, honestly.
It's been a rough first semester, but we made it out with 4.0 and head into Honors this coming semester, so I'll have even more access to some great advisors.
it's understandable - college is an adjustment, sobriety is an adjustment, significant weight loss is an adjustment and managing the three in tandem is an accomplishment
i will encourage you to embrace the non-academic parts of college, socializing, finding new hobbies, experiencing new things (sober); these are things that will drive your tastes and improve how you judge things, even clothes.
and to embrace the other parts of mfad - engaging with people you may not encounter at your school, asking questions, seeing people's fits or what inspires them beyond clothes - these are all things that can bolster your own views
Sorry I don't have anything new to offer the thread except to say that I'm really excited for you.
This was an awesome thread to read. Massive congrats on 2 years of sobriety. Getting sober is the best thing I ever did.