Fashion thread: updating classics

[Xray the Enforcer]

 

I'm very pleased with them and I am thinking of another pair for casual wear with jeans.  I need some input here: is this color too light for navy jeans? Picture

I think those would look great with navy jeans. The key will be to choose shirts wisely.

Lily -- that's a drag, but some people are just not cut out to do creative color. 

[Angalin]

Yes, you do.  I'm sorry.

If you go with a skirt / blouse combination you can change the blouse and jacket and probably get away with the same skirt, but I'd make sure I had a completely different outfit.  Sucks.  

 

My best friend has also had trouble with our hairstylist and we are looking for a new colorist.    We love her and her cuts are excellent.  Her take on my new color was, "You look like a wizard."  She's not one of us.  This was NOT a compliment.

:( (How does anyone say "you look like a wizard" and not mean it in a good way?)

Boooo to the need for another outfit, as there are another four or five formal dinners coming up before summer. I have two possible dresses in the wardrobe, but one has a very V-neck and the other might be too funky for staid academia. When it comes to buying full-on ballgown for the beginning of July (10 hours of nonstop festivities! Hipflask of espresso), I am going to need virtual shopping help, people.

I think those would look great with navy jeans. The key will be to choose shirts wisely.

Lily -- that's a drag, but some people are just not cut out to do creative color. 

Go with Mme X's call, Iskaral. I'm still working through formalwear issues, so my judgement is not where it needs to be.

[Iskaral Pust]

Thanks Angalin and Xray for input, although I'm still torn.  My wife took a look last night and she also thinks they are too light for navy jeans.  So I'm looking at some darker options too, and not just in that style.  The color tone of those shoes looks great in person (photos don't capture it), but it might be too limiting in what can be worn with it. (apologies for horrific grammar in that sentence)

Angalin - for your formal events, I'll offer a dissenting view: if you are wearing a relatively neutral dress, e.g. black or a very dark color, then it might be OK to re-wear the dress with some big variation in your accessories.  That's easier to do if it's knee length rather than a formal full length, and if the attendees aren't too attentive to these things *cough*academics*cough*.  But my wife would never wear the same dress with the same people -- she would be paranoid all night about catty judgment.

[Filippa Eilhart]

if princess Kate can wear a dress more than once then so can you

[Inigima]

Isk, the Carlyles look great. I personally think the color of the second pair is fine with navy jeans, but if you're not into it then whether it's a "good match" matters not at all. I'd look at something else. If you get them on our say-so, but you don't like them together, it will bother you. Those are expensive shoes. You want to love them.

[Angalin]

Thanks Angalin and Xray for input, although I'm still torn.  My wife took a look last night and she also thinks they are too light for navy jeans.  So I'm looking at some darker options too, and not just in that style.  The color tone of those shoes looks great in person (photos don't capture it), but it might be too limiting in what can be worn with it. (apologies for horrific grammar in that sentence)

Angalin - for your formal events, I'll offer a dissenting view: if you are wearing a relatively neutral dress, e.g. black or a very dark color, then it might be OK to re-wear the dress with some big variation in your accessories.  That's easier to do if it's knee length rather than a formal full length, and if the attendees aren't too attentive to these things *cough*academics*cough*.  But my wife would never wear the same dress with the same people -- she would be paranoid all night about catty judgment.

It's black with an interesting cut, not full length, and I do have different accessories... go me. That saves some effort and money. Thanks!

if princess Kate can wear a dress more than once then so can you

It's cool when princesses are thrifty, because they don't have to be.

Isk, the Carlyles look great. I personally think the color of the second pair is fine with navy jeans, but if you're not into it then whether it's a "good match" matters not at all. I'd look at something else. If you get them on our say-so, but you don't like them together, it will bother you. Those are expensive shoes. You want to love them.

Good point. I bought a pair of boots which I don't love, because I really needed a pair. Regretting it now, as they're not as comfortable as they needed to be (seriously, how long does it take for boot leather to soften up?). Buy those shoes only if you love them.

[Lily Valley]

(How does anyone say "you look like a wizard" and not mean it in a good way?)

Boooo to the need for another outfit, as there are another four or five formal dinners coming up before summer. I have two possible dresses in the wardrobe, but one has a very V-neck and the other might be too funky for staid academia. When it comes to buying full-on ballgown for the beginning of July (10 hours of nonstop festivities! Hipflask of espresso), I am going to need virtual shopping help, people.

Go with Mme X's call, Iskaral. I'm still working through formalwear issues, so my judgement is not where it needs to be.

"Staid Academia?"  If I wear clothes that match my co-workers are really impressed.  God I'm glad I'm in science.

Just bought a new gown.  Will post photos once I get it tailored.

[Fragile Bird]

Ever since I read the last pages, I've been getting Allen Edmonds ads on my Facebook page.

<cue spooky music>

[Angalin]

"Staid Academia?"  If I wear clothes that match my co-workers are really impressed.  God I'm glad I'm in science.

Just bought a new gown.  Will post photos once I get it tailored.

Some of them wear tweed non-ironically.

Yes please to gown photos! Did you buy it for a particular event?

[Iskaral Pust]

Ever since I read the last pages, I've been getting Allen Edmonds ads on my Facebook page.

<cue spooky music>

You're welcome.

But it is kind of creepy how ad software tracks your usage and haunts you all over the internet.  I got some disturbing political ads after a trip to the "gold standard drivel" thread.

 

My wife received her custom jacket from my tailor.  She loves it, although I think you don't allow yourself any alternative when you spend so much and wait so long to receive it.  The charcoal color looks a little darker than expected when it's an entire jacket, but the cut, size, fit, embellishments are all exactly what she asked for.  And cashmere with a flannel lining is ridiculously warm, apparently.

[Fragile Bird]

I have a relatively inexpensive cashmere sweater that I bought specifically to wear during cold winter days as a lightweight way to stay warm.  As I get older I find I want to wear less bulky items than I had in the past.  It makes finding a winter coat a real pain, because so many warm winter coats are quite heavy.  I noticed as my parents aged they also wanted to go less bulky, even in bed.  The wool blankets my dad once loved became too heavy, and then the comforter my dad loved next became too heavy, and then I bought them a down duvet.  It got too heavy as well and I replaced it with a lighter one.  I myself now have a silk stuffed duvet that's very light, purchased at Costco, that's great.

Anyway I digress.  A couple of years ago I bought a very lightweight (single ply) navy blue BCBG Maxazria cardigan to wear to events in winter, when it's very cold outside and one is wearing something flimsy and fancy.  But it is soooooooooo warm even though it's so thin, it's amazing.

[lady narcissa]

I'm very pleased with them and I am thinking of another pair for casual wear with jeans.  I need some input here: is this color too light for navy jeans? Picture

I love Allen Edmonds shoes.  They know me by name at the branch on LaSalle.  Next thing you know you'll be going up to Wisconsin to the factory in Port Washington to get custom shoes made.

I'm more of a matchy matchy person so I always wear navy shoes with navy pants.  But I saw a woman wearing boots in that color today with blue jeans and they worked.

Question re formal dinners: do I have to wear a different dress every time? Same location, some of the same people, maybe a month or so apart.

You absolutely do not need to wear a different dress every time.  You are in a foreign country for school with probably only a fraction of your wardrobe with you...wear what you have that is appropriate for the function even if it is the same outfit every time.  I have a black suit (winter) and a black dress (summer) that I wear to pretty much every formal function I go to these days.  I do occasionally switch out the jewelry but not always.

[Lily Valley]

Some of them wear tweed non-ironically.

Yes please to gown photos! Did you buy it for a particular event?

Yes.  I have a date New Year's Eve and it's New Orleans.  So FUCK IT!  I went gown.

[Jace, Extat]

Bought a new pair of Puma's today. I'm now happy to announce that I can wear a different sneaker for each day of the week.

[Iskaral Pust]

I wore the Allen Edmonds shoes all week around the office to break them in (no outside wear until their polish arrives to protect them).   But so far they're not as comfortable as I would hope.  A very far cry from Magli, which were so comfortable on their very first wearing.  

I really like how this AE pair looks, but I don't expect to suffer for my vanity.  That's women's shoes.   I'll keep wearing the AE when we get back from our Christmas trip but I'm not going to buy another pair until I see this pair get a lot more comfortable. 

I may look for some Magli or Magnanni in adventurous colors instead. 

[Liffguard]

By any chance does anyone know of any companies in the UK that make decent black leather men's shoes (suitable to wear with a suit) that are also extra wide? I really need a pair to wear for careers shows and job interviews and such like, and I cannot for the life of me find a pair that fits. I want to find the people who design men's formal shoes and ask them what the fuck they think human feet look like, because I think they have a very warped idea.

[Iskaral Pust]

Liff - Somewhere like Church's would have a big range of sizes but very, very pricey.

Try browsing on Zappo's for some brands that offer EEE width sizes and then search for those brands in your department store websites. It's a bit painstaking but I rarely find that web listings at the department store describe the width available.

How wide do you need? I wear EEE but those haven't been too hard to find over the years.

[Liffguard]

I might possibly get away with EEE in a make that trends wide normally, but normally I need a 4E at a minimum. It's not just the size that frustrates me when shoe shopping either, it's the shape. Pretty much all modern shoes (and especially formal shoes) seem to have the widest part at the ball of the foot with the toes then going inwards. My toes splay out and so simply don't fit into most shoes regardless of size. My feet are already wide generally but the widest part of them is from big toe to little toe.

I'll have a look at Zappos. Cheers.

[Iskaral Pust]

Clarks and Kenneth Cole have/had some square-toe dress shoes. They are considered style abominations but pretty comfortable.

[Liffguard]

I already am a style abomination so one more brick in the wall won't hurt. I'll check them out, cheers.