Advice on trying to elevate wardrobe
I've always been shopping at Uniqlo, and I'm trying to branch out to more "interesting" and higher quality pieces. I'm no longer a student, and I feel like I can definitely dress nicer.
I've been looking at more premium brands like Alex Mill, Todd Snyder, Spier and Mackay, and some Asian brands like thisisneverthat. Any advice for how to move towards more interesting items? In the end, I end up looking a lot at chore jackets and overshirts, and I feel like my wardrobe is just my initial wardrobe but with a fancier jacket thrown on (though I also bought a few new sweaters for the winter).
How do people usually work with upgrading their wardrobe? Any advice? There's a lot of sales right now, and I kinda feel fomo for not buying some expensive pieces at decent deals.
I'm kinda lazy for pants so if anyone knows really comfy pants that I can do a squat in that would be great!
I'm also interested in buying this Todd Snyder jacket: https://www.toddsnyder.com/collections/the-cpo-overshirt/products/boiled-wool-cpo-shirt-jacket-navy?option-0=XS&variant=40952403066951 as my first wool shirt jacket (probably first wool item in general). Any thoughts?
Budget is $200 for jackets, maybe $100 for pants (not sure if this budget is suitable for the things I'm looking at). I'm also willing to splurge more for items that are worth it.
Todd Snyder
Boiled Wool CPO Shirt Jacket in Navy
A smart style with utilitarian origins, this shirt jacket takes its design cues — like clean lines, a button front and flap chest pockets — from the classic CPO jacket, which is based on a style issued to the U.S. Navy’s Chief Petty Officers in the 1930s. It’s made from an Italian boiled wool fabric that’s been washed
14 Replies
1. don't get caught by sales, it's a trap. take your time in buying something you really actually want.
2. i think upgrade piece at a time, it genuinely takes years to flesh out your wardrobe, and your tastes will change over time. don't rush this process, take your time and enjoy the ride.
What bill said, also having inspo pics of what you want to dress like is great because it can give you more direction when buying than just looking for individual items that may not slot in to a larger wardrobe as easy
thanks for the advice! yeah I guess I fall into that scarcity mindset where I get stuff only because it's really cheap (I tell myself I'm saving so much money).
what is the process for finding upgrades for pieces?
curious where do you find inspo usually? also, one thing I notice with inspo is it's not always easy finding the pieces 😐
I wish it were simple as buying from a particular brand or something lol
oh also i find i dont trust my own taste sometimes 😦
I go to #inspiration or instagram or Pinterest or runway shows. Users here are really good at IDing stuff so if you can’t find it posting here can be good
Also #waywt of course
but one thing you'll find is that it may not always be feasible looking for the exact piece that you see in some inspo, especially if it's thrifted. you will probably want to get more comfortable shopping for things that are similar enough.
people in #waywt will usually be happy to tell you where they got the piece, but the answer may be "thrifting" which goes back to the previous thing
you're not always trying to find the exact piece that someone's wearing but trying to take notes from a stylistic choice.
don't 1:1 try to copy a fit
it'll open up a lot more if you just emulate
i would emphasize taking the time to decide what you want to look like before deciding to get rid of or keep things
some of my old things from uniqlo or elsewhere frim years ago still have some value in how i want to dress
that's something that can be developed though - look at more clothes, try clothes on, ask people about their clothes, do things other than think about clothes. you'll form a set of likes and dislikes for you specifically, which will help as you try to buy things
At what point should I start buying clothes?
Id keep what u got and just try stuff out little by little. Obv you don't want this to break the bank, but if you can comfortably afford to pickup a couple of things you've been eyeballing then do it. If cost is a concern, take a look at secondhand and spent some time shopping around.
My rule of thumb is if I've been thinking about an item for longer than a couple of weeks, I'm probably actually interested in it and it would be worthwhile to grab.
when you really like something longer than briefly
Thanks for the advice!!!
What I mean is that at the beginning everything is exciting and a direction you can go in to broaden your wardrobe. It’s an overspending trap, try to actually be really excited about something longer term before committing to buying it.
Are there any brands you guys recommending looking into to get more of a sense?
start with focusing on fits
what or who do you want to look like - at work or school, going out for dinner, watching Netflix?
if you're not sure, start getting inspiration - look at people in #waywt or posts in #inspiration or some of the #topic-of-the-day questions
if not in discord, check instagram for #waywt or #ootd posts, or some of the recommendations from https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1323697180074315789
you may find that the outfits you like aren't much different from what you currently wear, which is fine.
you may otherwise find that one certain thing keeps coming up again and again, and if you feel that impulse strongly, then start thinking about brands
it's more work upfront, but it allows the brands to serve your tastes, versus you molding your tastes to a brand reactively