The sartorial thread

[stuffedsuperdud]

Thanks Savs! I think while you were away, there are a bunch of overview posts in the waywt thread at the old site, but they're scattered within the 100+ pages of posts. There was also a thread called "clothing advice" in the QA about buying a first suit. On the side, I've actually been writing up content specific to the types that frequent this page but who knows when I'll have enough to post in a coherent manner, e.g. in a blog.

In the meantime, for starters I'll again recommend www.dappered.com as the best place to start. Click on the "start here" tab up top to start falling down the rabbit hole. It was specifically started as a guide for slobs, and specializes on helping guys move from dirty t-shirt and Lee jeans to the fitted jeans + chinos + button down + occasional suit range of formality, which is where most of us belong. The blogger is a guy known only as Joe, who seems to scour the internet daily for deals, and every few days will post some style suggestions relevant to the current weather, season, special event coming up, etc. So sensible blend-in style on the cheap, i.e. most guys' wheelhouse.

I also like Sabir Peele, Men's Style Pro (http://mensstylepro.com), for edgier, but less practical, recommendations, and Effortless Gent (effortlessgent.com), where the formality is about on par with Dappered's, but the articles are written in greater detail, albeit at a much lower frequency.

I'm actually not a huge fan of the old stalwarts Real Men Real Style or Art of Manliness: RMRS has moved too far into the lifestyle/self-help range for my taste, though the old content is good, while AoM always came across as fake, wallowing in the trappings of masculinity in a wildly inauthentic manner, and I couldn't understand its popularity in E&P or the QA.

And yea about the whole race to the bottom mentality. Are you still in academia/research, btw? If so, I kind of get the total-dedication-to-work charade. We had a guy here who had a baby and didn't tell anyone except by accident after it was born, because he didn't want to be seen as having a life outside of research. It sucks the way we are forced to eat each other. So that said, peacocking is obviously frowned upon, but you can still make the nerd uniform of blue shirt + khakis + brown shoes look tidy. When you look good you feel good, amirite?

I also don't use Nobel laureates as examples for anything in my life because those guys are fucking weird.

[cgeorg]

Shorts socks vans etc. I wonder how long it takes models to get comfortable in their own skin, or if it's just a personality type.

[bugbomb]

My conundrum is what to wear with shorts.

IMO, you wear what you'd wear with pants of the same level of polish/formality. The shoes aren't an issue so much as the socks.

But boots.

[fishwife]

IMO, you wear what you'd wear with pants of the same level of polish/formality. The shoes aren't an issue so much as the socks.

But boots.

What's the objection? Is there an issue with boots and shorts of which I'm unaware?

[bugbomb]

IMO, you wear what you'd wear with pants of the same level of polish/formality. The shoes aren't an issue so much as the socks.

But boots.

What's the objection? Is there an issue with boots and shorts of which I'm unaware?

Unless I decide to change careers from "software dude" to "tomb raider", I'm pretty sure this isn't a good look for me.

[tersh]

Also, Savs, I read Put This On, as well as Permanent Style.
PS is very much about high-end bespoke, but the website has excellent material about cloth, cut, the "rules" around men's clothing, and so on.
Put This On often has suggestions for very affordable versions of the clothes they discuss.

[fishwife]

What's the objection? Is there an issue with boots and shorts of which I'm unaware?

Unless I decide to change careers from "software dude" to "tomb raider", I'm pretty sure this isn't a good look for me.

How short are your shorts?!

[Savs]

Thanks Savs! I think while you were away, there are a bunch of overview posts in the waywt thread at the old site, but they're scattered within the 100+ pages of posts. There was also a thread called "clothing advice" in the QA about buying a first suit. On the side, I've actually been writing up content specific to the types that frequent this page but who knows when I'll have enough to post in a coherent manner, e.g. in a blog.

In the meantime, for starters I'll again recommend www.dappered.com as the best place to start. Click on the "start here" tab up top to start falling down the rabbit hole. [...]

Thanks for the links, ssd! I'll bookmark the "dappered" one and start learning. Also, thanks for not linking the old site. I don't like giving them clicks. By the way, even though it's none of my business, maybe folks who post a lot of content there should be mindful of that site's terms and copyright (down at the bottle of the Forums page). Maybe the lawyers here will want to weigh in and tell me/us it isn't an issue, but until then I have no idea what they own and what, inlcuding all posts (?), they'd be willing to let others "publish" elsewhere.

And yea about the whole race to the bottom mentality. Are you still in academia/research, btw? If so, I kind of get the total-dedication-to-work charade. We had a guy here who had a baby and didn't tell anyone except by accident after it was born, because he didn't want to be seen as having a life outside of research. It sucks the way we are forced to eat each other. So that said, peacocking is obviously frowned upon, but you can still make the nerd uniform of blue shirt + khakis + brown shoes look tidy. When you look good you feel good, amirite?

Yup, still doing research. I think I'll never stop that as long as I'm breathing; however, I started a company and that's sucking up lots of time. We're growing. As for the work ethic, it took me a long tme before I allowed myself to take Sundays off guilt free. Yup...

Anyway, you nailed the dress code. It's surprising to me that an institution (science in general) that is supposed to be non-conformist has so many people who conform at least in this way. Imagine the looks at a guy who has some traps*. If I were a newcomer, I wouldn't be accepted, I think.

* Nothing near as bad as those directed toward a woman in physics or math, though.

ETA: Thanks, tersh. I didn't see your post earlier.

[Idlehands]

Damn something else I need to learn

https://www.ties.com/how-to-fold-a-pocket-square

[simonrest]

Damn something else I need to learn

https://www.ties.com/how-to-fold-a-pocket-square

I tend to use a more flamboyant material in a simple fold. Eg, blue Paisley, but just folded square peaking slightly out. If you wanted to go full on yacht rock you could do a red satin with a triple peak fold

[bugbomb]

What's the objection? Is there an issue with boots and shorts of which I'm unaware?

Unless I decide to change careers from "software dude" to "tomb raider", I'm pretty sure this isn't a good look for me.

How short are your shorts?!

9" inseam, otherwise women can't stop staring at my abnormally developed vastus medialis.

[fishwife]

9" inseam, otherwise women can't stop staring at my abnormally developed vastus medialis.

IMO, boots are best worn with shorts that go at least to the top of the knee. That doesn't produce a Tomb Raider look.

I think a 9" inseam + boots would make you look like a PNW hiker or something. That could be a perfectly acceptable look for a computer guy.

[Murelli]

9" inseam, otherwise women can't stop staring at my abnormally developed vastus medialis.

IMO, boots are best worn with shorts that go at least to the top of the knee. That doesn't produce a Tomb Raider look.

I think a 9" inseam + boots would make you look like a PNW hiker or something. That could be a perfectly acceptable look for a computer guy.

No Tomb Raider, yes 90s Vedder.

[bugbomb]

9" inseam, otherwise women can't stop staring at my abnormally developed vastus medialis.

IMO, boots are best worn with shorts that go at least to the top of the knee. That doesn't produce a Tomb Raider look.

I think a 9" inseam + boots would make you look like a PNW hiker or something. That could be a perfectly acceptable look for a computer guy.

Will consider.

[Allentown]

OK, I need new shoes. Besides a pair of yellow Adidas Gazelle's that are too small, and some assorted junk and Chacos/flip-flops, I am basically cycling through a smelly pair of Salewa Capsico (green ones here), a pair of grey canvas Kennith Cole chuccas, Black Merrell Moab 2, and my AE Long Branch. I'm thinking a pair of AE Strandmok cap-toe Oxford and those Red Wing Blacksmiths in (ugh) Rough and Tough that I've coveted for a while. The Strandmoks seem casual enough to wear with jeans or canvas pants, but probably wouldn't work with the hiking pants I wear probably 3/4 of the year? The trick will be convincing my wife I should drop $500 on shoes. She's more a "just buy 5 new pair a year" kind of person.

Also, the tread on my Long Branches are already on their way out, after... well my post in Egypt where I bought them is gone so I don't know how long I've had them. A year?

[Root]

Also, the tread on my Long Branches are already on their way out, after... well my post in Egypt where I bought them is gone so I don't know how long I've had them. A year?

Dude.

[DoctorWho]

OK, I need new shoes. Besides a pair of yellow Adidas Gazelle's that are too small, and some assorted junk and Chacos/flip-flops, I am basically cycling through a smelly pair of Salewa Capsico (green ones here), a pair of grey canvas Kennith Cole chuccas, Black Merrell Moab 2, and my AE Long Branch. I'm thinking a pair of AE Strandmok cap-toe Oxford and those Red Wing Blacksmiths in (ugh) Rough and Tough that I've coveted for a while. The Strandmoks seem casual enough to wear with jeans or canvas pants, but probably wouldn't work with the hiking pants I wear probably 3/4 of the year? The trick will be convincing my wife I should drop $500 on shoes. She's more a "just buy 5 new pair a year" kind of person.

Also, the tread on my Long Branches are already on their way out, after... well my post in Egypt where I bought them is gone so I don't know how long I've had them. A year?

Why were you banned?

[OCG]

9" inseam, otherwise women can't stop staring at my abnormally developed vastus medialis.

IMO, boots are best worn with shorts that go at least to the top of the knee. That doesn't produce a Tomb Raider look.

I think a 9" inseam + boots would make you look like a PNW hiker or something. That could be a perfectly acceptable look for a computer guy.

But what if I want to look like a tomb raider?

[Allentown]

Also, the tread on my Long Branches are already on their way out, after... well my post in Egypt where I bought them is gone so I don't know how long I've had them. A year?

Dude.

Has it been longer than that? I thought I got them shortly before last years Fall Classic, because I wore them there.
Vibram Gumlite is super soft. I can compress the sole by about 1/4" with my thumb. I'd wager the lugs will be worn down within the next year, perhaps less. I don't know what kind of life is expected for the soles of these- is re-soling in under 2 years unusual, with once or twice a week wear? Hanley?
Ideally, when I get them re-soled, I think it's be kind of cool to get a layer of Robus or something between the cork and rubber outsole, to stiffen up the shoe (or, however you would do that with a goodyear welted boot). Something between the flex it has now and the full plastic shank of a hiking boot.

Why were you banned?

I think we go over this in the "Rippened" thread, but on short- no explanation, but I assume it had something to do with a combination of participating in laughing at them resorting to air-humps to press an alright weight and claiming it was impossible to press >200lbs any other way, and being in the know about potatoes.

[Root]

I guess I'd just expect more life from that boot. Seems strange. I know it's resoleable, but jeez.