The Male Fashion Thread(S?)

[Mikhail Liebenstein]

I've just bought a Tricorn Hat. Been out of fashion for 250 years, so over due a come back.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

Thanks for the tips folks. I'm taking the inexpensive but well-fitting classic route and what with my local Next, H&M, BHS, various department stores and not forgetting the local charity shops, I'm fast replenishing the wardrobe.

Speaking of which, H&M have got a bit of a sale on their very flattering easy-iron slim shirts right now including free delivery:

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/easy-iron-shirt-free-delivery-return-6-30-h-m-online-2399698

I'm now covered for smart jeans (Levis etc.), straight chinos, a selection of slim-fit shirts (H&M, Autograph, Next, Zara etc.) in classic designs/ colours, and about half a dozen jackets + some pocket hankies.

Brown and black boots, a couple of pairs of modern black formal shoes and some dressier trainers from sports-direct (also on sale):

http://www.sportsdirect.com/british-knights-demon-knit-trainers-114075?colcode=11407526

the latter were so comfortable, I bought 3 pairs in different colours.

I've also rehabilitated a nice soft brown designer leather jacket that didn't really work on my former self.

Now I just need somewhere to go.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

I've just bought a Tricorn Hat. Been out of fashion for 250 years, so over due a come back.

I'm with you. As a baldie there is always license to experiment with quirky headware. In the 90s I was sporting a variety of Eastern European fur and leather titfers.

Speaking of fashion throwbacks, i wonder when Mediaeval cowls, cloaks and tabards are going to come back.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

Browsed the F&F clobber in Tescos today - more in hope than expectation - and came away with 6 shirts and 2 pairs of jeans (all half price in a sale).

I must say their quality/price has come on in bounds: black and navy "Twill straight" jeans - proper 501 cut @ £7; slim-fit easy-iron stretch poly cotton shirts @ £6 (non stretch @ £4.50); and a slim white dress shirt and dickie combo for £6!

[Frank Hovis]

Browsed the F&F clobber in Tescos today - more in hope than expectation - and came away with 6 shirts and 2 pairs of jeans (all half price in a sale).

I must say their quality/price has come on in bounds: black and navy "Twill straight" jeans - proper 501 cut @ £7; slim-fit easy-iron stretch poly cotton shirts @ £6 (non stretch @ £4.50); and a slim white dress shirt and dickie combo for £6!

Hmmm... top marks for economy there TONA. I wasn't however aware that's what we were going for here in our pursuit of woman-attracting fashionableness.

Those £500 t-shirts as recommended above do indeed look better than the 50p ones and that one that I found in a cave at the beach.

<disappointed>

[Austin Allegro]

Once you're over 30 or so you can't go wrong with a classic combination of brogues, chinos/flannels, tweed jacket or blazer, proper shirt with optional tie.

Anything else seems to have the effect of making men look like overgrown teenagers trying to relive their youth; the sartorial equivalent of a balding man with a ponytail.

[sPinwheel]

So jeans are out then? What about T-shirts.

[LC1]

A couple of good quality polo shirts are a must, imo, as they work well with either jeans or chinos and are smarter than T-shirts but not as formal as shirts. Sunspel do good ones, for example.

Also a good quality fine merino knit, such as those by John Smedley. They wash really well and last forever.

[bendy]

Recently slimmed-down aging jeans-and-t-shirt geek seeks fashion tips; reasonably-priced, naturally! (This is HPC)

Having just chucked-out 3/4 of my wardrobe, such as it was, I'm looking to up-style a bit.

Not really a suit person; recent purchases have included a bunch of H&M slim-fit shirts, Next straight-leg chinos, a couple of jackets and some slim-cut trousers in a variety of charcoals. Haven't a clue about ties but toying with the idea of cravats and silk hankies. And possibly a beret (I'm a shaven baldie).

Think Leslie Philips/ Simon Dee.

It's one of those times I miss not having a gay mate... or a valet

I picked up about 5 of these, small of course

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YAHT8UM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Never pay over a tenner for a shirt, or much more for jeans, keep that getting in shape on track

[MrPin]

Hmmm... top marks for economy there TONA. I wasn't however aware that's what we were going for here in our pursuit of woman-attracting fashionableness.

Those £500 t-shirts as recommended above do indeed look better than the 50p ones and that one that I found in a cave at the beach.

<disappointed>

Oh dear Frank I know a I have a few Tesco shirts, Thrifty indeed but good enough to sit in front of a computer. I don't think I'll buy buying £500 shirts just yet.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

Tescos (a.k.a. F&F) are a real curate's egg. Suits, jackets and shoes are universally bad, but the jeans, shirts, ties and t-shirts are more of a lucky dip - some rubbish but others are OK like the easy-iron slim shirts which are great value for what they are - not fantastically well-made but a third-party would be hard pressed to clock that as the fit is so good.

I think the quality of jackets etc. Has plummeted in all the chains; Marks & Sparks particularly is a shadow of its former self.

[Hail the Tripod]

Hmmm... top marks for economy there TONA. I wasn't however aware that's what we were going for here in our pursuit of woman-attracting fashionableness.

Those £500 t-shirts as recommended above do indeed look better than the 50p ones and that one that I found in a cave at the beach.

<disappointed>

Just to be clear, I wasn't suggesting actually spending £500 on a t-shirt. That would be mental. You can get them £20-50 on eBay for excess run/nearly new/probably stolen.

[MrPin]

If I had a £500 shirt I would wear it with nothing else, except for some decent brogues!

[Frank Hovis]

Just to be clear, I wasn't suggesting actually spending £500 on a t-shirt. That would be mental. You can get them £20-50 on eBay for excess run/nearly new/probably stolen.

I was exaggerating for the sake of effect

As long as you know a bit about the clothes then paying a lot more makes you look a lot better. And clothes (in my experience anyway) last for decades so it's an investment.

I still have socks with name tags in them which means I must have been under 16 when I acquired them

[SirGaz]

Well, I have just purchased a black fruit of the loom tipped polo shirt from Amazon for 5.99 delivered. I shall see how it wears and washes compared to my Ralph Lauren ones (which I only purchase during a sale).

I concur about the quality of m and s stuff. I only wear m and s underwear and the ostensibly similar ones I bought last year now look more worn out than the five year old ones I have.

[juvenal]

I was exaggerating for the sake of effect

As long as you know a bit about the clothes then paying a lot more makes you look a lot better. And clothes (in my experience anyway) last for decades so it's an investment.

I still have socks with name tags in them which means I must have been under 16 when I acquired them

Anyone wearing socks with someone else's name tags sewn in them?

If so, why?

[porca misèria]

Anyone wearing socks with someone else's name tags sewn in them?

If so, why?

Don't wear socks. But I still have an old towel with my brother's name tag sewn on.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

I've been buying a bit of clobber on eBay, with mixed results . Got a couple of suits and some nice jackets. Another tweed sports jacket fitted me perfectly but had a disconcerting whiff which I twigged was the original owner's armpit sweat masked somewhat with cologne. Dry-cleaning didn't entirely shift it and I resorted to hand-washing the under-arms in the bath! While doing so, a torrent of blue ink appeared out of nowhere (I later discovered from a historic biro leak in the breast pocket mobilized by the water) leaving a florid stain on the wool which I eventually removed with swarfega and more washing.

After drying and ironing I'm happy to report that the garment is now fragrant and serviceable again.

Goes to show A/ how much mistreatment wool can take and still come up looking good; and B/ what a mostly-unnecessary rip-off is dry-cleaning.

[The XYY Man]

It saddens me that persons with penises would waste valuable thought over matters such as what clothing to wear

My mam took care of such matters during my formative years - and each of my four wives have carried that torch admirably since I left home at 16.

There is clearly far too much estrogen in the water supply these days...

XYY

[SNACR]

It saddens me that persons with penises would waste valuable thought over matters such as what clothing to wear

My mam took care of such matters during my formative years - and each of my four wives have carried that torch admirably since I left home at 16.

There is clearly far too much estrogen in the water supply these days...

XYY

Never let wives or girlfriends dress you. Their objective is not to make you look good but make you look unattractive to other women.

Although I do broadly agree with the sentiment. Only social convention and occasional bouts of food poisoning, prevent me wearing a boiler suit everywhere.

[ccc]

Never let wives or girlfriends dress you. Their objective is not to make you look good but make you look unattractive to other women.

Although I do broadly agree with the sentiment. Only social convention and occasional bouts of food poisoning, prevent me wearing a boiler suit everywhere.

Guantanamo is the place for you.

[Frank Hovis]

I've been buying a bit of clobber on eBay, with mixed results . Got a couple of suits and some nice jackets. Another tweed sports jacket fitted me perfectly but had a disconcerting whiff which I twigged was the original owner's armpit sweat masked somewhat with cologne. Dry-cleaning didn't entirely shift it and I resorted to hand-washing the under-arms in the bath! While doing so, a torrent of blue ink appeared out of nowhere (I later discovered from a historic biro leak in the breast pocket mobilized by the water) leaving a florid stain on the wool which I eventually removed with swarfega and more washing.

After drying and ironing I'm happy to report that the garment is now fragrant and serviceable again.

Goes to show A/ how much mistreatment wool can take and still come up looking good; and B/ what a mostly-unnecessary rip-off is dry-cleaning.

I have found shop dry cleaning results to be indifferent at best; what always works superbly to leave clothes smelling like new is the dry cleaning impregnated cloth put in an open weave mesh bag (supplied) in a hot tumble dryer.

I don't see these in the shops very often, they're in packets like colour catchers, so buy several packets each time I see them.

Prior to tumble drying sponge out any marks or stains.

A bonus from this far superior process is that it costs you 20p for four garments vs £20 in a dry cleaners; and it's brilliant.

[MrPin]

Frank, you are so domesticated, and thrifty. HPC Gold Star. I want a tumble dryer now.

[Frank Hovis]

Frank, you are so domesticated, and thrifty. HPC Gold Star. I want a tumble dryer now.

This isn't for reasons of thrift; the results are so good that I would happily pay £20 a packet rather than the £2 that it costs.

The clothes actually smell fresh; rather than faintly chemically over a residual stale smell that I used to get back from the professional dry cleaners.

I don't actually have a tumble dryer either (I'm not a fan as I think they vastly accelerate the wear of clothes); but can use my parents' machine on the occasional time I need it.

[justthisbloke]

I was at a school reunion, going through someone's pics of us in our shocking youth. One pic was of me having an illicit swim somewhere in a distinctive pair of boxers. At which point Mrs JTB cracked up up and shared with everyone that I was wearing those very same underpants right there and then. It was a 20 year reunion.