Fashion quick Q&A

[Gill]

Hi there,

since I will write with my team some articles for Mark, I will like to hear out and understand what kind of stuffs you guys want to know about the fashion subject. Since we usually write for parisian / french people / europe in general, I do also understand there's a clear difference in the US.

Basically, is it about :

- how to shop efficiently with a budget ?
- how to wear casual / formal clothes ?
- how to dress to impress ?
- How to determine if it's a right size ?
- How to handle salesperson from bothering you ?
etc...

What do you want to read on the subject ?

You can also ask some small questions there and I will gladly answer them.



Gonna chill for winter.

[Halo Effect]

I want to buy a nice coat for the winter. What is a nice coat for the winter?

How to choose colors or combinations of colors in shirts etc?

What are good shoes, both casual and formal? (if possible on a budget)

[Gill]

Oups, forgot to ask also for your age and social context...

COAT :

A nice coat is basically made in 100 % wool. Color in black or grey, or dark marine because these are the best color to match with everything. You can of course choose to wear beige, brown or even green one, but it will be pretty difficult to match your shirt / jean / shoes and get something substantial.

I'm personally pretty fond of the coat Givenchy made this year. To give you an idea, here it is : http://www.farfetch.com/shopping/men/giv...09008.aspx

In my opinion this is how you should wear a coat. Not long on sleeves, perfectly shaped on your shoulders + back, and the length should just stop above your knees. Pay attention to these details because that's how you distinguish a good cut.

If you're short, go for a caban (short version of a coat)

A bad cut is basically : http://s.stpost.com/eccStoreFront/produc...9877_1.jpg
there's many details to underline. First of all, it's one/two size too big. The fit is poor and should be taken in at the waist. The sleeves are too large and long. The shoulders have no edges. The color makes it older as it looks in real life.

A good cut is basically : http://www.fashionstyleyou.co.uk/details/link/40641/5
Even though it's worn by a woman, everything is corrected here. It's almost perfect (probably photoshopped) but it gives an idea of a great fit and shape.

All Saints is also a good choice for this. The fuse coat is perfect in terms of cut and design : http://www.allsaints.com/men/outerwear/a...tegory=116

Now if you want something more casual and easy to wear, just go for Uniqlo and their J+ collection. It's pretty affordable (around 200-300 USD max, which means sales will get it even cheaper).


SHIRT :

Color ?

You should check this great website, pretty nice to test some color there : http://www.colorcombos.com/combolibrary.html

Basically, here's a few combo that always work :

- blue or red / grey
- black with gold
- white (a little bit milk texture) with anything (except black, unless your clothes's cut is good)
- brown / blue / green
- magenta/purple can go with everything (exception of white and black = too much contrast)

For your info, besides color, the texture, and subtle details also play a huge part in the color's role. For a color like blue for example, you have an almost infinite possibility starting from "deep blue" to turquoise... Thus having a real large panel and choice.

GQ made a selection a while ago, the shirts there are all pretty great and you can search for something close to their models :

http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/2009...2009#intro

Just avoid the full pink one and full red one. They are impossible to wear.


SHOES :

A good pair of shoes ? Unfortunately, is the only item it will be difficult to cheat on. The best one are pricey (for both formal and casual). But that also means you can keep them for a good 10 years if you also know how to take care.

The easy way to go is to know what to NOT wear.

Shoes are like cars. Extra space kills the design. A beautiful pair of shoes fit your feet like a glove. You feel comfortable and yet, it's stylish enough to be worn.

Ugly shoes : http://www.helenmidgley.com/mephistomens...0Brown.bmp

beautiful shoes : http://www.highsnobiety.com/uploads/pics...hoes-1.png

Pay attention to the "slim down effect" done to the outsole, the number of laces, and the general aspect design to "fit". It's plain minimalistic and yet very stylish.


Sneakers (casual ones) have the same rules but can be a little bit more roomy. Running shoes are made for running. Not to be worn.

Ugly sneakers : http://www.69sneakers.com/images/blanch-...eakers.JPG

Beautiful sneakers : http://asecondsglance.com/wp-content/upl...es-Raw.jpg

Affordable sneakers are Nike, (Dunk and Vandal, SB models), Adidas Stan Smith, German Army Trainers (GAT) you can find in second hand clothes shops.

More expensive ones would be Common Projects, Lanvin, Raf Simons.

Also, it's pretty important to know how to take care so they can live longer :

how to take care of your formal shoes : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_rFXZ1oNSY
how to take care of your casual shoes (sneakers) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23u96O8O_...re=related

[Halo Effect]

Thanks!

I'm going to look for a coat with good fit.

Fwiw, I'm 24, a student, tall and slender (1,94m/6'4"). I live in Amsterdam. 800 euros is too much for me. If you can recommend any other brands, please do.

[Gill]

I putted it on, Uniqlo, COS, ZARA and All Saint for lower budget.

And yes, coat will be perfect for you (due to your height).

[8_Ball]

Which brand can you recommend for pullovers/sweaters or shirts?

I used to buy pullovers from Tommy Hilfiger and shirts from Hugo Boss. I liked their design, since I find it classy without being to boring or conservative for a 25 year old. Unfortunetly both have a problem with quality, thus I am not buying them anymore. Btw, almost all shirts I buy are slimfitted, since I am tall (6`2) and skinny.

[bwong]

What do you suggest for scarfs? If I am looking to be a little bit more formal/dressy looking I like to wear my black overcoat (which covers my pants pocket but is above my knees) and is well fitting for me. In terms of the scarf tho, what material, color, or brand would you suggest that will just add that "little bit" to the set?

Also, do you think nice sneakers would go well with the overcoat or only formal looking footwear? And if so to the sneakers what would you recommend.

[Gill]

8_Ball Wrote:Which brand can you recommend for pullovers/sweaters or shirts?

I used to buy pullovers from Tommy Hilfiger and shirts from Hugo Boss. I liked their design, since I find it classy without being to boring or conservative for a 25 year old. Unfortunetly both have a problem with quality, thus I am not buying them anymore. Btw, almost all shirts I buy are slimfitted, since I am tall (6`2) and skinny.

Tommy Hilfiger ? Never buy from them ! Very bad quality for preppy clothes and awful logo... Just like Ralph Lauren. They're "fake tradition label" and price their items higher with low cost industrial production. Hugo Boss has changed their methods, but the brand itself has many different quality depending where and what you're buying (Orange Hugo Boss, Boss, Hugo Boss, etc...).

I have suggested B.scott, it's a little bit original, but there's a real quality in their clothes. A little bit pricey.

RVCA and Shades of grey are pretty good too. I will also recommend Comune for their easy-to-wear / daily style collection :

http://www.80spurple.com/shop/category/6029/comune

Anything in cashmere from Uniqlo, which is the standard for basics (in terms of price, quality and cut).

Don't buy from Zara though. Good sweater also means 100 % wool. Don't compromise on it. Even if there's 10 % polyester. And never buy sweater with pictures / symbols / logos in general (unless it's really worth it).

Since you're tall and slim, sweaters are a good choice. It gives extra volume (if you're a bit muscular it's even better), goes with everything and the sleeves can be rolled to add a street wear attitude. Choose them slim (measure your pit-to-pit + shoulder to shoulder to know if it's your size).

[Gill]

bwong Wrote:What do you suggest for scarfs? If I am looking to be a little bit more formal/dressy looking I like to wear my black overcoat (which covers my pants pocket but is above my knees) and is well fitting for me. In terms of the scarf tho, what material, color, or brand would you suggest that will just add that "little bit" to the set?

Also, do you think nice sneakers would go well with the overcoat or only formal looking footwear? And if so to the sneakers what would you recommend.

For your scarf, Zara women has surprisingly very good scarf you can snatch. In fact any scarf coming from any brand will do. The difference would be how you wear it around your neck + fabrics composition (cotton or wool or cashmere).

There's the GQ way which is not too bad : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWgMDhZwOuk

I personally do it this way : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq5dlc7t8...re=related

The best scarfs in the world are from Faliero Sarti. Just google it and see the colour, how it's worn in general etc...

As a quick reference, very cool kicks can be like these : http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploa...h-tops.jpg

And yes, coat and sneakers can go together, Lanvin proved it and even put streetwear back to the scene : http://www.masculin.com/style/424-lanvin...uin-7.html

There's no clear rule, you can dress like you want, only to go formal if your context ask you by. You put formal shoes, add a shirt + cardigans. If you go via sneakers, you have more freedom in your choice (you can put tee shirts, jeans, etc...)

Lower budget : Nike : Vandal model + SB model + Dunk model only, creative recreation, and Clae shoes (Strayhorn model)
Higher budget : Common Project, Lanvin, Martin Margiela...

If you're tied the alternative between sneakers and formal shoes would be desert boot. It's casual, yet stylish enough for you coat :

Opening ceremony (the best), Red Wings (a little bit more workwear oriented though).

[8_Ball]

Thanks a lot for the very detailed and helpful advice!

One thing I like about Tommy H. though are their jeans. They are not too expensive, look nice, and quality wise I never had problem with them. Above all, they fit me very good.

[Oli]

Hey Gill,

- Yes, I think how to shop well on a budget is a really important topic
- For your casual/formal question, I would be interested in knowing how far you can stray in each extremes. As in, if your style is usually rather formal (or casual), how far can you go in the other direction without appearing clueless.
-Other subjects that would interest me: Are there any stores/items which you can bargain in/for, brands/stores to stay away from and vice versa, how formal is too formal (same for casual) at my age.

Also, can you tell me which jean brands are good bang for your buck and where you can get them? I'm 20, tall and built, and in Germany going to university. I'm guessing France has a lot of the same stores. I'm looking for a jacket as well at the moment, something like what the guy on the right has on, in the first picture of your last post on the blog. The coats you posted in this thread are a little too preppy for me. Don't have a lot of money to spend on it. Which places should I check out first? Oh, and I find it really difficult to find shirts that fit. It seems like the only shirts I can find are too tight in the armpits and very loose in the back/bottom. Are there any clothes out there for people with V-shaped torsoes?

[Gill]

gabe Wrote:Hey Gill,

- Yes, I think how to shop well on a budget is a really important topic
- For your casual/formal question, I would be interested in knowing how far you can stray in each extremes. As in, if your style is usually rather formal (or casual), how far can you go in the other direction without appearing clueless.
-Other subjects that would interest me: Are there any stores/items which you can bargain in/for, brands/stores to stay away from and vice versa, how formal is too formal (same for casual) at my age.

Also, can you tell me which jean brands are good bang for your buck and where you can get them? I'm 20, tall and built, and in Germany going to university. I'm guessing France has a lot of the same stores. I'm looking for a jacket as well at the moment, something like what the guy on the right has on, in the first picture of your last post on the blog. The coats you posted in this thread are a little too preppy for me. Don't have a lot of money to spend on it. Which places should I check out first? Oh, and I find it really difficult to find shirts that fit. It seems like the only shirts I can find are too tight in the armpits and very loose in the back/bottom. Are there any clothes out there for people with V-shaped torsoes?

Interesting questions !

- OK, I will take note about the budget / clothes articles. Even though the prices may vary from a country to another (for example, buying french brand in US is always going to be more expensive than buying them directly in Paris / tax-customs problems), the principles are the same (some clothes deserve to be bought, some others, don't). Also, private sales, buying groups like Gilt are a must for shopping at 1/6 of the retail prices.

- the formal / casual opposition is actually not that much. The real extreme is when you start edgy things like this :



the experimental aspect in clothes (exploring cut, proportions, styles)

or :



the fluokids mouvement, which are the ancestors of today's hipster movement (group like LFMAO are just copy-paste of this sub-culture movement), exploring colors, culture and "party tonight" spirit embodiment.

and from you question, I see what you mean. To add casual look to your formal look, just go for casual primary outfit. Trade any blazers, long jackets or traditional shoes for :

- casual bomber jacket (leather or not)
- short / sport jacket like Lanvin
- sneakers (or desert boots if you do not like cool kicks)
- t-shirts vs shirts / raw fitted jeans instead of pants

what you can keep :
- shirts
- pants
- cardigans / sweater

Here's some examples :



shirts X round neck sweater X caban / outerwear

http://www.enmodefashion.com/images/2011...2012-2.jpg

casual bomber jacket.


http://cache.materialiste.com/8033B4/mat...2010-5.jpg

duffle coat.

http://cache.materialiste.com/8033B4/mat...2010-6.jpg

short lenght jacket = sporty feeling.

Basically, toning down to casual simply means to add more everyday / comfortable, but still, fitted clothes in your look, while retaining the essential basics (shirts + pants).

- OK noted. I will say, things that are too formal are the sartorial style. Meaning, "the art of tailoring" with difficult association between shirts color, socks, shoes, jacket cuts, patterns, etc... It's more for the prince Charles so leave it.

- best jeans for your bucks :
Nudies jean - Acne jeans - APC standard. The average is 110 euros, which can be a lot, I lot, but the required minimum for a very good jeans. You can get 50 euros raw selvedge jean at Uniqlo too, the again, the quality is not the same

- best coat for not too much :
Zara for men, Uniqlo J+ collection and All Saints. They are the only one I will recommend for the quality and cut. Do not buy anything else, as the minimum would be at least 400 euros.

- for your shirts, fitted one are from Zara (again, I'm taking into account you want something not too expensive), but again, good shirts are very expensive. There's also a scandinavian brand called wood wood and french label called Melinda Gloss which are pretty nice.

[Oli]

Thanks a bunch for the long answer man. Yeah, for the jacket I was going to check out Zara first. Don't think we have Uniqlo. Never heard of All Saints but I'll check it out. The Nudie jeans look pretty badass. I'll give that a go. A lot of what you posted is definitely way to flamboyant or feminine for me, though . I think your idea of casual is still very formal for me haha

[Mark]

I was in a Zara a week ago in Singapore. They've got a number of very nice coats this season. Zara has always been very hit/miss for me, but I liked what I saw of their line this Fall.

Gabe: you got to keep in mind that "casual" in Europe is pretty classy by American standards. Everyone dresses much better over there. "Casual" in America is like street urchin in Europe. Also, from my observations, what's popular in Europe is usually 6-12 months ahead of what's popular in the US. It takes a little while to work its way over. Seen this a few times now over the years.

Thanks for the awesome thread Gill.

[Matty]

I've definitely noticed in East Asia as well that what passes for casual in America isn't even worn when going to buy groceries here. My friend and I were out the other night in a casual bar, and we got shot down by a table of girls. My friend, being the inquisitive soul that he is, decided to get our bilingual Korean buddy to go over and ask the girls what it was that made them shoot us down. The answer; our outfits lol. I was wearing a decent pair of jeans and a v-neck t-shirt. Gotta remind myself that i'm not in butt fuck calgary anymore

This thread is great Gill, you really know your shit. I was wondering if you could recommend any affordable brands for mens dress wear. Specifically, i'm looking for dress pants that are actually fitted and don't look like MC Hammer pants? I really have no idea wear to start, as every pair I try on seem to resemble a clown outfit.

[Gill]

To Mark :

you welcome, it's really a pleasure to be able to do so. And yes, this difference in the "casual" clothing is also true in Europe. What's casual for a guy in Paris (seeking elegance) is different from an Italian (dress to impress). Especially for men from Milan (which are told how to button up their jacket / choose their clothes), Stockholm (very minimalistic but yet avant-garde and stylish trends nobody have heard of). I would say Paris is the greatest place for women fashion, and Antwerp / Milan is the best for men's.

Matty Wrote:I've definitely noticed in East Asia as well that what passes for casual in America isn't even worn when going to buy groceries here. My friend and I were out the other night in a casual bar, and we got shot down by a table of girls. My friend, being the inquisitive soul that he is, decided to get our bilingual Korean buddy to go over and ask the girls what it was that made them shoot us down. The answer; our outfits lol. I was wearing a decent pair of jeans and a v-neck t-shirt. Gotta remind myself that i'm not in butt fuck calgary anymore

This thread is great Gill, you really know your shit. I was wondering if you could recommend any affordable brands for mens dress wear. Specifically, i'm looking for dress pants that are actually fitted and don't look like MC Hammer pants? I really have no idea wear to start, as every pair I try on seem to resemble a clown outfit.

- Thank you very much for your encouragements.

If you're talking about Korea (I assume you're in SEOUL/Korea), well, there's truth in what happened to you that night because Korean guys are quite stylish in general (the mainstream korean fashion is actually quite huge, they have no name brand / fake brand which copies big labels). You can check their site like yesstyle.com, trendyoutfitter.com, gmarket.co.kr/(chose english as the language) etc...

I generally do not really recommend their clothes even if it may be stylish, because the quality is very poor, and those sites, although practicing interesting prices, are actually proxy from factories leftover / fake extra items. The only OK items are shirts / pants / basics like garments you can buy at cheap price. And the sizing is quite tight as it's mostly geared toward asian market.

Koreas has a few brands really worth of, and some are even doing fashion catwalk in Paris like : WOO YOUNG MI, JUUN.J, which are pretty stylish and worth checking out (but at the same time pricy). The recent movie call "the good the bad and the weird", also "a bittersweet life" and "the man from nowhere" (which I recommend you to check out) are packed with stylish clothes design and give you a good idea of how great it looks like when a guy is well dressed (good fit, good color, and more importantly : coolness factor haha).

The only shopping site I really find worth of in asia style is Zozotown (a japanese only clothing site which went global a few months ago). Because the brand price there are alright and have good quality (japanese labels are mostly good, even not very famous one) here : http://zozotown.com/en/_news/lp/lp.html

- V-neck are generally a good choice, but have mostly a very feminine connotation. U-neck t-shirt, (elongated round neck) is also a good compromise between the V-neck and roundneck and is a great alternative.

examples :

good U-neck : http://s6.thisnext.com/media/largest_dim...14410E.jpg
horrible round-neck (looks like the shirt is strangling you) : http://www.manufacturer.com/cimages/prod..._Shirt.jpg

It also add a real touch of coolness when paired with a jacket / even coat.

What you could have done to step up your outfit easily was either :
- change your V-neck into a plain / one color shirt like this one for a better aggressive look (with rolled sleeves to enhance the cut and make it less formal = not wearing shirts like you're going to assist a corporate seminar) : http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2RZ7ERP8m40/Tl...0Shirt.jpg
- change your V-neck for a pattern / like shirt like this one, also with rolled sleeves, for a more casual look : http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2RZ7ERP8m40/Tl...0Shirt.jpg
- change the V-neck for a designer stylish shirt (brand like Dolce Gabbana, Givenchy, Dior, etc...), which also means you'll need to have a good pair of jeans as back-up to harmonize your outfit and not create quality gap between them

You should find some a-like shirt at GAP (very good place for basics, but the rest like outerwear and expensives ones really sucks), Uniqlo, Zara, but mostly on internet stores (measure your pit to pit and shoulder to shoulder and sleeves lenght for the perfect size on you) like :

ASOS : http://www.asos.com/Men/Shirts/Cat/pgeca...x?cid=3602 (from cheap label to not that cheap one)
APC : http://www.apc.fr/frfr/homme/chemises_c28.html (most of their shirts are just perfect for wearing, it's expensive, but again, APC are just too good. You can buy when it's on sale)
MUJI : http://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?V=1&Sec=1&Sub=2 (surprisingly, the low prices are paired with very high quality clothes. I was really amazed by it the first time I tried).

- Dress pants ? Well, first of all, just be sure you only get these colors : blue & grey. You can also add beige if you like, but I will mostly recommend to buy grey dress pant in wool fabrics or cotton (for summer, but wool is OK too, just a matter in taste).

Have a least one blue trouser, one grey, and one beige.

The one you'll be wearing the most would be the grey one because the grey color goes with everything. Everything, really. The other two colors are reserved for white / pale / one color oriented shirts, to add a bit punch and visual, and level up your outfit.

for the trouser, choose a slightly relaxed fit. You waist should be a little tight, but you should feel comfortable when you're sitting. Bear in mind pants don't strech out. Otherwise they crack. So the most important criteria to choose one is to feel comfortable inside. But at the same time, having a nice cut to look great and the bottom leg = gives a great emphasis on your shoes and don't make you look fat.

A bad fit trouser is like this : http://img.alibaba.com/wsphoto/v0/471345...s-1084.jpg

also : http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid...=772337012

a good fit is like this : http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid...pid=851157

or http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid...pid=851148

The simple answer to all of this is because relaxed fit make you look like a 40 years old guy, while a better cut pant in grey wool, not only make your outfit look terrific, but can also either be used for a casual or formal outfit.

So to sum up :
- choose a grey / wool pant
- look for the cut at the legs + leg opening. The more relaxed fit it is, the older you'll look.
- but don't wear it too slim. Pants crack, they don't stretch, and slim is not equal to fit
- pay attention to the inseam. You don't want to feel uncomfortable. And short inseams = it's a real pain when you sit down = people can see your underwear from behind
- but don't wear drop crotch pants like MC Hammer = pyjamas = too relaxed fit.
- cheap stores to check out pant : Zara, Uniqlo -> best quality/price ratio, GAP, H&M.

That's all.

[nonsense]

First, thanks Gill, your advice and articles are incredibly good!
I was wondering if you could give us some advice on choosing and buying suits without spending a ton of money. I'd need a couple for work and was wondering how to get the most for my money. Thanks again!

[Gill]

nonsense Wrote:First, thanks Gill, your advice and articles are incredibly good!
I was wondering if you could give us some advice on choosing and buying suits without spending a ton of money. I'd need a couple for work and was wondering how to get the most for my money. Thanks again!

Hi, first of all, thanks for your kind support.

So if I understood correctly your question, it's about getting the best ratio in quality / money spent ?

Well, there's some good news and bad news about that.

Good news : of course you can buy suit without spending a ton of money.
Bad news : you'll need to work out a bit and watch out for sales, private sales or wholesales to get it.

The problem here is actually simple : good suits are expensive. The reason behind it is because there's a huge amount of wool / fabrics (just google Dormeuil's wool for example, like this one : http://www.hst.com.sg/acatalog/3113.html, since you need about 4 meters in average to produce one suit, things can get really expensive...) and not that much offer (men's fashion offer is poor, compared to what women's fashion can offer in the same area). Now yes, there's cheap offer you can find on internet like this one : http://www.megasuits.com/mens-3-button-c...it/id_2449

Pay attention to the wool color and quality, and also to the small wrinkles on the closed buttons suit. These are the signs that :
1 - the wool is so thin and cheap it will probably look worst after one entire day wearing it
2 - the flashy color shows that the wool fabrics has been mixed with another unknown, probably synthetic / plastic fabrics to reduce the cost

Which means you can probably buy 2-3 suits, and then have to re-change them 6 months later.

I unfortunately don't know any US local suit brand which can produce correct suits at good price but let me give you some advices to figure out :

- first of all go to your local store and try on some high priced brand like Gucci / Givenchy / Dior suit. The point for you is to distinguish how it fits on you and try to memorize it. Once you get to know (and believe me, you'll remember it), go to Sears and Wall-Mart and try on the cheap ones. Now you'll feel a real difference in quality and cut. Once you write down the details, you can go and try on what I will call "mid-tiers" suit which will suit your needs.

- Go check buying groupe like Gilt / Myhabit.com and register to their newsletter, they often pop-out discount sales for designer suits from past seasons, and you can make some good deal on them.

- Wait for Christmas sales / new year sales when your local stores need to clean their stock and wait for the new ones to arrive. It's often the best time to make good deals.

- You can also buy this one, if quality / or your firm policy is not too strict about suit : http://www.megasuits.com/slim-fit-suit--...el/id_1176
Measure your pit to pit + length from top to bottom + shoulder to shoulder to have a good idea of fit.

Now, choosing your suit is pretty specific because it really depends on the firm you're in + corporate dress code, but here's some tips :

- you can watch GQ's video on the subject, they pretty much covered the basics in it :
link : (choose a suit) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWkbwEDXlUs
link : (details on a suit) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awGtOyN1R...re=related

- your suit's lapel cut (a bit thin, not too large), shoulder + waist cut, and fabrics are the most important things to look on. You can use Ozwald boateng, Dior suit (Kris Van Assche's design), Richard James, Tom Ford example to get some reference and see how a good suit should look like.

- the best color to choose when buying a suit is navy in my opinion, because the color is perfect. Black or Grey are a little bit more difficult to pair with a good shirt / tie, and needs to be in very good quality to be able to do so.

- the usual mistake people make in buying suit is buying it too large (your shoulder should be perfect), too loose (you looks tired and old, besides giving the impression you stole someone else's suit), and bad quality (again, 100 % wool or nothing).

- you can easily upgrade your look with quality shoes, a great tie and a perfectly cut shirt, like here : link : http://www.high-toned.fr/en/?p=10667

- always go for a 2 buttons suit. 1 button is too casual in a corporate environment. 3 button is awful (unless you're short) and have horrible cut. 2 buttons is the best compromise between style and corporate dressing rules.

- Go for the double vent. Simply because it's the condition to make a great cut, and slim fit... Single vent have almost awful cut...

- Good size :
** Jacket : perfect shoulder, the length has to stop at you bottom, below your waist, your sleeves cover your watch and not touch your palm (this is the modern version but some traditional tailor will suggest you to lengthen it and cover it completely and stop at the beginning of your thumb because when you move your arms the sleeves will not be long enough. It's entirely up to you to choose what you like).
** Pant : a bit loose because you'll sit and move a lot. Usually, the best way to see if the waist size is correct, just sit on a chair. If it's too tight, size up. Put your thumb in your pocket, if it's too large, you'll feel the extra space because you can probably move your entire hand inside. Try to find good pants with a great cut at your leg area, and get it semi-slim, to emphasize your shoes. The fold at this point should be 2-3.
good fit example : link : http://static.fashionbeans.com/wp-conten...Suits1.jpg (guy on the left, not Zac Efron...)
another good fit : link : http://imageshack.us/f/379/295360429a4259b2226as5.jpg/
bad fit example : link : http://www.emoda.com/blog/wp-content/upl.../shoes.jpg (jacket is too big, no shoulder, no waist, bad color, trousers are too big. Guy look like he's been fired).

So to sum up :
- money is linked to quality when you talk about suits (either for cut or even lifespan). The average price should be 400 $ for a correct one. Of course, you can get cheaper one at sales / private sales.
- you can cheat a little bit if money is an issue (but quality will be poor) by finding good suit ripped off from 1000 $ suit models. Just respect the rules in proportion (shoulder / pit to pit / length), choose navy or black, and it will be ok.
- here's a picture which also sums everything I just said : http://freshlyeducatedmen.files.wordpres...7/9257.jpg

[nonsense]

Thanks a lot for another detailed and useful answer!

Thanks!

[Schmechti]

Hey Gill,

I want to change my wardrobe and need some advice from you. I am blonde with blue eyes and pale skin in winter (a bit darker in summer). My height is 1,72 meters. I guess blue and grey colors suit me well.

Here's what I'm looking for:

- Casual look (elegant but with jeans) + shoes
- Party outfit + shoes
- Sports outfit for the gym + shoes
- Business outfit + shoes
- and accessoires (scarf, hat, leather bracelets, etc.)

I am currently wearing a black leather jacket. You think this is ok? You wrote that black colors are not so good for pale people.

Thank you for your help

[Camal]

I hope this thread is still alive.

So I just wanna know if Mustang jeans are okay ? Currently I am only wearing Diesel Jeans. So I want change

Thank