Dressing the part

[LateAntique]

I'm weeks away from moving up to South Bend to begin my program and I'm very excited. However, when I visited in May, I noticed something I had never seen before: all of the grad students in my program and related departments were dressed up. By 'dressed up' I mean that most were wearing at least nice slacks/khakis, a button-up shirt, and a jacket and/or sweater and sometimes a tie. I'm not sure how to describe the style - it was academic without being too stuffy (you could tell these were humanities people and not finance people, if that makes any sense).

I do not own a lot of dress clothes and I realize I'm going to have to buy some, but I need advice on where I can get inexpensive jackets and slacks as I'm on a budget.

I know about Good Wills and thrift stores and I'm looking into those. Also, if anyone has any suggestions on how to mix/match things so that I can buy the least amount of stuff but have the most amount of possibilities, that would be great. I spent my entire undergrad going to class in jeans and t-shirts or golf shirts.

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

Check out all your local thrift/consignment stores when you get into town. After 2 or so visits to each, you'll figure out which usually has the best selection (hint: they'll be in the better sections of town).

The basics: one white button-up, 2 colored button-ups, khakis, black slacks, dress jeans (IMO, I'm fond of a man who can dress up jeans), a black blazer, a blue blazer...okay, so maybe I don't know the basics for men, but this is just what I gather. Polos would be good, too, and I'd bet you could find some real nice ones at thrift stores. Neutral colors are the easiest to mix and match, and colored polos would make you look less like a stiff. Ties are easy to find at thrift stores, too, but if you don't have much luck there, maybe splurge on 1-2 good ones somewhere else.

Check out some department stores like Marshalls, Bonton, Macy's, etc. The stores you'd find in a mall that wouldn't have a J. Crew, if that makes sense. A lot of summer clearance is going on now, buying out of season is always a good idea, and never buy regular priced items. It always goes on sale eventually.

[VictorianTess]

I'm weeks away from moving up to South Bend to begin my program and I'm very excited. However, when I visited in May, I noticed something I had never seen before: all of the grad students in my program and related departments were dressed up. By 'dressed up' I mean that most were wearing at least nice slacks/khakis, a button-up shirt, and a jacket and/or sweater and sometimes a tie. I'm not sure how to describe the style - it was academic without being too stuffy (you could tell these were humanities people and not finance people, if that makes any sense).

I do not own a lot of dress clothes and I realize I'm going to have to buy some, but I need advice on where I can get inexpensive jackets and slacks as I'm on a budget.

I know about Good Wills and thrift stores and I'm looking into those. Also, if anyone has any suggestions on how to mix/match things so that I can buy the least amount of stuff but have the most amount of possibilities, that would be great. I spent my entire undergrad going to class in jeans and t-shirts or golf shirts.

You might also try discount stores like Marshall's, Ross, and TJ Maxx. If you're lucky, you may also have a Nordstrom Rack around.

[poco_puffs]

Agreeing with Armadillo on most points. Is there a way you could contact some graduate students at the program to ask where they recommend picking up some of those basics? If that seems a little too personal or embarrassing, you could always track down the emails of students who are in a similar program but NOT your department, and the chances of them recognizing you on campus later are very slim. Ask them what they're wearing, general prices, good locations etc.

Also, I'd argue that some people's coloring doesn't lend itself to the "one black one blue" argument for basic dress stuff. I've been helping my boyfriend build up a wardrobe that bounces between brown and black, because it fits his style. Grey blazers/slacks also can be very versatile, which is code for "worth the investment." Is there anyone you can take shopping with you? It speeds up the process because you have another set of eyes and hands looking for finds in the store, and they can tell you more about the fit and appearance of an outfit than the mirror can.

If you're going for academic but not formal, avoid the matchy-matchy look with jackets and pants. You'll have to try a lot of stuff on, but eventually you should get a feel for what color/texture combinations work together. There are a lot of different colors of khaki, and brown, and grey, and they all look different when combined with your basic black or navy. It may sound daunting, but I suppose my point is this: Don't be discouraged, keep trying things on until something looks right.

For the non-neutral basics, find the 2-4 colors that look the absolute best on you (For my guy that's a few particular shades of blue, plus some muted gray-greens) and the colors that just will never work in a million years (For him: anything red), and then REMEMBER those when you're buying. A shirt is only a good investment when you know that you'll wear it and you know that you'll look like a million bucks. Even if something is a great deal, or you think it's so cool that you just need to try something new, remember the colors that you should avoid-- it makes shopping faster, because you can walk straight to the colors (and eventually fabrics and fits) that you know will work and that will be worth your money.

I know that store chains vary across the country, but Kohl's is all over the place from Chicago to here on the West Coast, and they have good prices in general and GREAT sale prices right now. Buy one get one free suit separates, and a lot of their button-ups and polos are on sale.

If you do end up going retail, try your best to find a non-busy time at that particular store (in my experience, that's before 6 on weekdays). If you find a salesperson who seems bored and eager to help, they might be able to give you a good opinion on the stuff you're going for. Of course, they're salespeople, so they might love everything on you, but more often than not you can find at least one person who will give you an honest opinion and say "This one, not that one." Also, salespeople know the stock of their store, and if you're getting overwhelmed by selection, they can help you find the sections and sizes you need.

[DrOrpheus]

I'm a chick. I used to work at a department store, in the men's suiting section. Let me help you dress. LOL

1) Two words: Outlet. Mall. I have picked up $75 Ralph Lauren shirts for $12. I bought 3 BIG bags of dress shirts, pants, etc. for my husband for less than $200. Name brand -- Kenneth Cole, Oscar de la Renta, and the like. You don't have to go name brand, but the quality is nice to have.

2) The term 'neutral' is very broad. Most people think only of khaki, brown, black, white, gray. Believe it or not, navy and olive green can also be treated like neutrals.

3) I agree -- 3 button-downs, minimum. White, a crisp blue (I personally like French blue, it's bolder), and another color that looks good with your skintone...even if it's pink.

4) NO PLEATS.

5) Your look will be BUSTED if you wear shabby shoes. You don't have to get a pair that's expensive, but do make sure they're not scuffed, ratty, etc.

6) No matter how cheap your clothes are, you can make them look more upscale by making sure they fit. Go to a department store and get fitted. You don't have to buy anything, just make sure you know your true measurements. If you score a great blazer at a thrift store, take it to a tailor. For an extra $5-$15, they can make it fit you perfectly. That's the key to looking put together.

Now, this new dress code doesn't mean you can't have fun. You can get ties with really cool patterns on them now. My hubby's a doctor, so I got him a tie with the influenza virus as a pattern. You can also do the layered thing and put a fun t-shirt under your button-down...for example, you can wear your Metallica (or whatever) shirt under a button-down, and throw a blazer over it. The more of your personality you can mix in, the happier and more confident you'll be. This is all just basic stuff, if you have any other questions, let me know. I'm glad to help.

[joro]

If you're male, then you should check out dappered.com or gilt.com (also for females). Dappered is a good site for fashion tips and for deals on good fashion. Gilt is good for expensive fashion, but at discounted prices.

[Riotbeard]

I'm weeks away from moving up to South Bend to begin my program and I'm very excited. However, when I visited in May, I noticed something I had never seen before: all of the grad students in my program and related departments were dressed up. By 'dressed up' I mean that most were wearing at least nice slacks/khakis, a button-up shirt, and a jacket and/or sweater and sometimes a tie. I'm not sure how to describe the style - it was academic without being too stuffy (you could tell these were humanities people and not finance people, if that makes any sense).

I do not own a lot of dress clothes and I realize I'm going to have to buy some, but I need advice on where I can get inexpensive jackets and slacks as I'm on a budget.

I know about Good Wills and thrift stores and I'm looking into those. Also, if anyone has any suggestions on how to mix/match things so that I can buy the least amount of stuff but have the most amount of possibilities, that would be great. I spent my entire undergrad going to class in jeans and t-shirts or golf shirts.

My rule is, if it looked good on Happy Days it will good on me. So what I am saring is cardigans. As a dude, Thriftstore is a great place for blazers of the nerdy humanities sort (I.e. Courduroy/Tweed,), and if stuff a little to big chip in 15-20 bucks to get it altered, it will be worth the savings. Also I liked striped stirts a lot , but I don't wear ties. There is nothing more boring than kaki pants, white buttondown and a navy blazer... I am glad I don't have wear slacks but I wear old blazers (they don't look old, because my dad was meticulous about his crap. A couple are older than me!) and button downs with skinny jeans and beat up dress shoes all the time (Punk on bottom, history nerd on top, haha. I also like to call it the hobo professor look), that along with the cardigan is my go to look. Cheers!

[zilch]

generally any department store will carry decent slacks for relatively cheap. personally, I'd go with the Dockers, a pair in each color (navy, khaki, black and some other stuffy color). Gilt-man sometimes has very nice shirts for pretty cheap, but it is kind of hit and miss (saw a sale a few weeks ago for thousand dollar cuff-links). Express also has some nice stuff with the added bonus of being able to shop online, they are a bit expensive but run a lot of promotions so if you happen across a good coupon it might be worth it.

[edit] also, if you visited during an official visit day it could be that everyone was told to dress well because they had visitors. wouldn't hurt to shoot one of the current students an email asking about the general mode of dress.

Edited July 14, 2010 by zilch

[matcha]

Okay, this is a random pieces of advice, but in my world most moms and grandmas love to see their little darlings dress-up and look adult. They might be willing to help with some cash for a wardrobe face-life.

Also, go through your closet and sell the clothes (and books, moves, etc) you don't want to be sporting during grad school to a second-hand store. They usually will give you a bit of cash or a bigger chunk of store credit.

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

All this talk about clothes is not helping my addiction! I haven't bought clothes in 3 weeks...

[TheDude]

Eh, I am kind of into men's fashion... I think it makes me more manly for admitting it! Also, the only moments of bonding I could ever find with my sister was when she'd help me with my wardrobe so something rubbed off. I'm going to go for it here.

Here goes:

• A pair of black shoes and brown shoes.
• A black belt and a brown belt- match your shoes and your belt!
• A blue oxford will go with any tie as well as a nice white oxford.
• if you aren't wearing ties I like plaids and Gingrahams- buy blues deep earthy reds, purple/maroons --> mix colors that are earthly tones so you don't look depressing in spring or out of place in winter. Add color. You need a wardrobe that can cross through seasons if you are going to be near broke.
• Ties- University ties are easy enough (the one's with horizontal stripes) these along with solid ties are essential. A nice wool or cotton charcoal grey tie will kill with plaids and other patterned shirts. Yes, you can mix patterned ties and patterned shirts as long as they are different patterns- even Micro striped shirts will go with striped ties if the the size of the stripe on each is clearly different. The only large patterned shirts I like to buy are plaids and gingrahams. Unless you get micro stripe shirts I always feel like a candy-cane. Before I leave this one- You are going to want to learn how to match ties and shirts. Most men look like their tie and shirt combos were bought in one of those cheesy shirt/tie sets you find a JC Penny's. Find a color wheel online and learn how complimentary colors work unless you want the "shades" of whatever your shirt color is look. I'd get bored looking at that every day. Getting ties in your primary colors is a good start for a wardrobe...but a good grey tie will go with a great deal of clothing
• Dark denim. Straight up black or blue with no cheesy washes. The darker the more professional...they'll looked washed out a bit with age. You can avoid looking old by wearing jeans with a nice blazer and button up. Just make sure these are classic or slim fit for this to work.
• Blazers/sport coat. I like Browns and Grays. I find these go with nearly everything and look more contemporary than the traditional blue or black. For material I recommend tweed (a nice tweed), corduroy or a light wool. Technically there is a difference between sport jackets and blazers but- that aside just make sure your jacket has 2 buttons and not 3. It should fall slightly below your waist but not drape over your backside.
• Chinos: Blue, dark gray, brown to play it safe.
• A nice cardigan or two can be dressed up or down with ties or without ties.

My favorite look: Dark blue jeans with Clark's desert boots a nice dark brown sport coat worn over a sharp plaid. I can fit in with older crowds without looking aged or ridiculous and I can easily hit up a cool trendy bar with my friends who are in their 20's and stand out just enough from the rest as to not fade to the backdrop.

The biggest rule is make sure your clothes fit!!! Jackets should not look like tents, pants should fit your legs and waist without needing a belt to hold them up and shirts should be able to be tucked in without yards of excess fabric draped behind you. Expenses aside, you will never look decent in clothes that don't fit!

For fun:

Don't wear shinny shirts- It isn't 2000.

For Pete's sake don't wear a yellow tie and a blue shirt. It is business school attire 101 or the garb of middle aged overweight men.

Don't wear pink. Most guys can't pull it off. Even if you can it is cliche. Check out purple if you want the same vibe without looking tired.

Pink ties and black shirts are for frat guys.

Don't match everything you are wearing with different shades of the same color. Most guys do this because it is brainless.

Not a huge fan of slacks if you want the the look that strays between proper casual and professional. They just look too dressed up and old IMO.

Repeat above: No pleats- They never looked flattering on anyone other than larger men.

You can buy cool colored socks to look a little more fashionable.

DON'T BUTTON UP YOUR JACKET ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!

Grab a couple handkerchiefs to put in your sport coat/blazer pocket when situations call for you to be dressed up a little more than normal.

You don't have to spend a lot of money on clothes for them to be nice. YOu just have to know what to look for quality wise when you are buying on a budget.

I've seen 200$ shirts that were horrible and some of my favorite shirts were total steals at 20$

Cute ties are a no no and should be saved for when you are a father and your kid doesn't know what to get you for father's day. They always look messy and out of place.

I like Gilt.com for the net if you have a couple months to shop. They do flash sales daily with some really great deals on some top products. Even if you don't buy there it is worth signing up (free) to at the very least see how outfits are put together.

Outlet malls are great. If you are looking for one store to hit, if you had to do it this way, J.Crew is pretty solid in the last few years. The retail spots can be pricey, but the outlet stores are often a steal.

I'll conclude with two things. First, if you have women in your life trust them (mothers, grandmas, sisters, girlfriends or friends) as they will always help you look sharp. Lastly, a good goal for men's wardrobe should be versatility. You are going to drop some money on clothes no matter what and you want to make sure you have shirts you can dress up or dress down, same with pants and sweaters, jackets, etc.

FYI: I could do all of the above, either on Gilt.com alone, or with summer sales for 600$...maybe 5. This is all provided you have none of the above. If you are going to do the Gilt.com thing PM and I'll send you and invite to the site. I think it is still invite only.

Edited July 14, 2010 by musicforfun

[joro]

FYI: I could do all of the above, either on Gilt.com alone, or with summer sales for 600$...maybe 5. This is all provided you have none of the above. If you are going to do the Gilt.com thing PM and I'll send you and invite to the site. I think it is still invite only.

Not invite only...unless you mean by giving your referral link so you can score $25 to use on the site.

[TheDude]

Nothing sinister here. The site was invite only when I joined a long while ago. I'm always logged in so I never see the main screen anymore. The referral deal has been there and having thought it was invite only it didn't matter.

Anyways, regardless of if I invite the poster or you just go there...it is worth the visit overtime.

Not invite only...unless you mean by giving your referral link so you can score $25 to use on the site.

[Riotbeard]

I'll conclude with two things. First, if you have women in your life trust them (mothers, grandmas, sisters, girlfriends or friends) as they will always help you look sharp. Lastly, a good goal for men's wardrobe should be versatility. You are going to drop some money on clothes no matter what and you want to make sure you have shirts you can dress up or dress down, same with pants and sweaters, jackets, etc.

FYI: I could do all of the above, either on Gilt.com alone, or with summer sales for 600$...maybe 5. This is all provided you have none of the above. If you are going to do the Gilt.com thing PM and I'll send you and invite to the site. I think it is still invite only.

This whole post just blew my mind. Nicely done.

[TheDude]

This whole post just blew my mind. Nicely done.

Glad you enjoyed it.

I know I probably come off as the most superficial person on here, but I came to accept when I was younger that, despite how much I'd like everyone to be cool with each other in every situation despite their appearances, that we are simply biased. Looking put together always will get you further than looking frumpy no matter how much you fight the system of personal biases. Not to mention clothes are something you have to wear everyday, well most of us, and I might as well like them and try to use them as a means for expressing something about my personality.

Don't get me wrong I love Jimi Hendrix and can play all his solos verbatim while wearing my really comfy birkenstocks with a beaten up tshirts with his face inscribed all over it, but there is a time and a place.

Same goes for tenured professors. Casual is great when you are in your 50's and 60's, but it says something about a teacher when he/she shoes up to class in old running shoes, athletic shorts and an oversized tshirt. To me it says: "Hey, I am really casual and I might even be brilliant. However, I don't respect you enough to give a heck about your feedback or input and I'll probably loose your essays on the floor of my unorganized office in between calisthenics. Oh, and I'm definitely tenured so I don't publish anymore so don't approach me about research. And that quest of yours for personal knowledge fulfillment won't be satiated by a quick visit to my office hours for inquiry analysis because I don't read email or check my voice messages."

You don't have to look like you grace the cover of magazines, and none of my old post will get you there, but you should look neat. One man's humble opinion born out of countless quixotic glances and scornful statements from the important ladies in my life... "You're really going to wear that!??"

Edited July 15, 2010 by musicforfun

[Riotbeard]

Glad you enjoyed it.

I know I probably come off as the most superficial person on here, but I came to accept when I was younger that, despite how much I'd like everyone to be cool with each other in every situation despite their appearances, that we are simply biased. Looking put together always will get you further than looking frumpy no matter how much you fight the system of personal biases. Not to mention clothes are something you have to wear everyday, well most of us, and I might as well like them and try to use them as a means for expressing something about my personality.

Don't get me wrong I love Jimi Hendrix and can play all his solos verbatim while wearing my really comfy birkenstocks with a beaten up tshirts with his face inscribed all over it, but there is a time and a place.

Same goes for tenured professors. Casual is great when you are in your 50's and 60's, but it says something about a teacher when he/she shoes up to class in old running shoes, athletic shorts and an oversized tshirt. To me it says: "Hey, I am really casual and I might even be brilliant. However, I don't respect you enough to give a heck about your feedback or input and I'll probably loose your essays on the floor of my unorganized office in between calisthenics. Oh, and I'm definitely tenured so I don't publish anymore so don't approach me about research. And that quest of yours for personal knowledge fulfillment won't be satiated by a quick visit to my office hours for inquiry analysis because I don't read email or check my voice messages."

You don't have to look like you grace the cover of magazines, and none of my old post will get you there, but you should look neat. One man's humble opinion born out of countless quixotic glances and scornful statements from the important ladies in my life... "You're really going to wear that!??"

I agree. I have an intentional look that I go for that functions in the social circles I run in, but it is by no means applicable to everyone. It is important to have a look, but also one that fits your personality and you feel comfortable in. As for the stacks of paper on the floor, look me up in 30 years, because that's just my hermit-esque style.

[UnlikelyGrad]

Looking put together always will get you further than looking frumpy no matter how much you fight the system of personal biases. Not to mention clothes are something you have to wear everyday, well most of us, and I might as well like them and try to use them as a means for expressing something about my personality.

Agreed! I think it took me almost 30 years to learn this...

I think it was the author of Color Me Beautiful who said (paraphrasing): "Even your casual, lounge-about-the-house clothes should flatter you." I've definitely taken this to heart, so even though I usually wear jeans to work I always make sure I'm wearing clothes that fit, colors that flatter me, etc.

I would advise you to go with a few pairs of Dockers, 2-3 polo shirts (can be worn w/ blazers), 3-4 button downs, a few ties (stop by garage sales for these, you can probably get them super cheap, as many men have way too many ties), and a nice pair of shoes. Shoes make or break an outfit. Start with one blazer in a neutral tone that flatters your coloring, and a nice sweater or two. This would be a good start.

Accessorizing: most people won't notice your belt. What I think makes a man look snazzy is a nice hat, like a beret. And nice shoes. Did I mention shoes before? Yeah, get nice shoes. And another pair of nice shoes, if you can afford it.

I agree with the posters who advised you to ask the women in your life for help. Most women love to see a well-dressed man. Most women also cringe to see a man who wears sneakers with his suit.

[LateAntique]

Thanks for all of the great advice. I'm going to hit up some Good Wills and stores tomorrow now that I have a good idea of the things I'm looking for. I checked out gilt.com, but it seems like they just take clothes that were 900 dollars (clothes cost that much?!?!) and make them 400. Percentage-wise, I'm sure that's great - but it doesn't really seem like there are any 'deals'.

[joro]

Thanks for all of the great advice. I'm going to hit up some Good Wills and stores tomorrow now that I have a good idea of the things I'm looking for. I checked out gilt.com, but it seems like they just take clothes that were 900 dollars (clothes cost that much?!?!) and make them 400. Percentage-wise, I'm sure that's great - but it doesn't really seem like there are any 'deals'.

Dappered.com has some good deals from time to time.

[TheDude]

The sales on Gilt have to be watched. For instance Monday there is a sale "Just a Cheap Shirt" that will have really nice button ups for 18-38$. They change sales everyday and some weeks are better than others. They all only last for a short period of time and the really great affordable ones sell out by about 12:10 and the sales start at 12:00. Last week was pretty terrible but this coming week looks better.

I'm definitely not dropping 100's on items! I usually top out at 40 for shirts I like. Tons of deals. However, yes some of the stuff on that site is nutty and left for the Trumps of the world.

I'll check out dappered.

Can't go wrong with Goodwills.

Edited July 17, 2010 by musicforfun

[natsteel]

I'm beginning my last year of undergrad but am much older than the average ug (early 30s)... I usually wear dark blue jeans, white or striped button-up, and either a blue or gray cardigan or v-neck sweater of the same color with a pair of black or blue Converse. I know it's boring, but it's enough to keep me looking not like a wannabe 20 year old but also not like I'm 45. I'm hoping to be able to carry that over to grad school...

[1Q84]

Here's my dilemma: it's going to be 33 degrees out today (91 F) so how am I supposed to remain professional-grad-student-looking by not wearing shorts and not melt into a puddle?

[danieleWrites]

I dressed the part the first day so students would have a visual cue, but after that? Nah. Everyone and every department has a different idea about how to dress. I wouldn't show up in speedos, but a decent pair of khaki shorts topped with a summer-weight button down? Why not? As long as you are still able to project confident authority and the department has no dress code. go for it, I say. Of course, my permission is worth less than the paper it's printed on.

[Swagato]

Here's my dilemma: it's going to be 33 degrees out today (91 F) so how am I supposed to remain professional-grad-student-looking by not wearing shorts and not melt into a puddle?

Linen shirt, lightweight chinos, linen blazer. Or add in seersucker somewhere. It's magical. 

[1Q84]

Linen shirt, lightweight chinos, linen blazer. Or add in seersucker somewhere. It's magical. 

 

But so very wrinkly...  At least that'd make me look like a brilliant eccentric though, right?