By the end of this week, we will create together the basic fall wardrobe. The process is simplicity itself: I’ve provided a starter list from which to work. You’ll offer critiques, personal anecdotes, and suggestions. By Friday, we’ll have assembled a checklist from which we can continue to tweak and modify as we see fit.
The Basics
• 10 pairs of socks: 5 dark and 5 light.
• 10 pairs of underwear, boxers.
• 1 suit, dark.
• 5 dress shirts.
• 5 ties.
• 1 pair of jeans.
• 1 pair of casual pants.
• 1 belt, black or brown, with a simple buckle.
• 10 t-shirts.
• 1 pair of dress of shoes.
• 1 pair of sneakers.
The Fall Accessories
• 1 light jacket.
• 1 sweater.
• 1 scarf.
• 1 long coat.
Alright, so the first thing that presents itself to me is that we haven’t really talked about colors. Should the go-to suit be brown? Grey? Black? What about the color of the dress shoes?
Post in the comments with your ideas, as well as any more specific suggestions. Some things like “sneakers” are pretty nebulous and once we can nail down the basic list, we can delve into specific brands, styles, etc. (And just to really over-think it, wouldn’t it be cool if in the future one could just send in measurements and get a custom-tailored basic wardrobe back in the mail a few weeks later? Cheap Hong Kong garment laborers say it’s more likely than you think. But first things first.)
So, what’s with the one pair of jeans, casual pants, etc? Are you expected to wash after each use? Cause I do. I have at least six of each. Not that I’m a fashionista or anything, but I do think about what I wear.
Same here, if not so many. I have 3 pairs of jeans (black and indigo) and three pairs of biz-casual pants (black and khaki) for work. A simple wardrobe isn’t so simple if it makes more work on the back end (and I can’t afford the cleaners).
As for sending your measurements and getting back a finished set, you can. You just have to “send” your measurements by hand-delivering them to Hong Kong. :)
Agreed there should at least be 2 each of tan, black, and green, with maybe a brown and blue thrown in. Grey is also a good one.
For Jeans 2-3 pairs should be enough though.
You start coming to work with only one pair of pants all the time, and people will notice.
Also if you get a brown belt, wear brown shoes, and vise versa. And try to stay away from the Air Jordans, get NICE sneakers, not ones that look like they came from NASA, especially if your wearing them to work.
Most certainly add a black belt and a brown belt to that list.
This is my first visit to the site and I must say I am intrigued so far. I can only hope that the trends/advice on this page are focused on what the average person can afford. Nothing pisses me off more than reading a men’s fashion article where a t-shirt costs $150 and one outfit can cost in the thousands of dollars.
Y’know, one time I read in some magazine that you weren’t supposed to wash Jeans too often or they’d lose their structure or something? I can’t remember why it was or how valid it was, but any excuse to only wash my Jeans once a week was good enough for me.
I have two pairs of Jeans that I wear regularly, one is more shredded, and the other is slightly more acceptable at nice restaurants and such. I suppose if I worked in an industry where I could wear Jeans to work I’d need more, but as it is, I only wear them on weekends and occassionally after work, so 2 pairs is fine.
I’m with the other guys on upping the number and color variety of pants, whether casual or dressy. Also for upping the number of jeans – equal numbers of lighter casual jeans and darker jeans for going out.
And, in that case, I’d go for two pairs of dress shoes, one in black and one in brown. Mixing browns with blacks and greys can get dicey if the colors aren’t exactly right.
If cost is an issue, that probably means you could drop a shirt and a tie or two and be able to make them look new with different pant/shoe combos.
A few retailers are making reversible belts nowadays. I’m wearing one from Banana Republic – simple plaque buckle that twists around depending on if you want brown or black showing. Solves having to buy two belts to match the two pairs of shoes.
Sneakers are a taste thing, but they are essential. There are the classics – Jack Pucells, Sambas, etc. The key is to find something neutral or in white or black so they can be dressed up a tad but still look fine with jeans on a Saturday morning.
I think quantities need to be increased:
If you wear dark socks to work then that’s 5 pairs worn in a week, then add evenings and weekends on top of that
Boxers, need more – if you wear more than one pair a day to keep fresh then 10 pairs isn’t gonna last too long
I think with basic stuff like that you don’t want to have to worry about keeping your washing in check, worrying if you have enough in the draw all the time
On the fall accessories list should be a good pair of gloves, perhaps leather. black.
You could also go with a black/brown reversible belt if you’re cheap like me. And I’ve always thought you needed two pairs of nice/dress shoes, one black one brown. I’ve only really used the black ones when I needed to wear a suit because the browns match almost everyone, but you still gotta have them.
Kevin:
You can buy perfectly acceptable clothes that look nice at Target, Kohl’s or similar places. Just shop carefully.
I will say this, though…if you can ever afford a custom-made shirt from The Custom Shop or similar, buy it. Even if it’s just one. You’ll never, ever regret it. Though you may spend the following month eating beans and rice.
Re: the jeans question, jeans usually don’t feel nice until their 2nd or third post-wash wearing. Unless you are going commando or trudging through sewers, it’s totally acceptible to re-wear them. Think about this: how many times have you washed your jacket? You wear that every day.
As far as work pants goes, it’s widely known by fashionistas (read: the folks at those magazines where $150 tshirts abound) that no one notices your pants at work, unless of course they are imagining what lies beneath. It’s the shirt that makes the statement, and as such it’s the shirt that should be changed the most, you can get away with just 3-4 different pairs of work pants if they look good, are tailored properly and you maintain them well.
Either way I think the point of the article is about the basics, meaning a foundation, not a comprehensive wardrobe.
What? No navy blazer? It goes with the jeans and a t-shirt. It goes with the dress pants and a shirt and tie. It even fits over a light sweater for a layered look.
And about the jeans: at least 3 pair of basic 501’s and something trendy to wear out.
Congratulations on the mention over in Gizmodo. Are you going to be affiliated with Gawker media? Are you going to approach the subject matter with a little more erudition and finesse than the folks at Uncrate?
ditto the reviersible belt. Also think you need to start with 2 pairs of shoes. One black, one brown. Wear mine every day, annd they need at least a day of rest to “get the funk out” Although you could go get some of those cedar shoe horns…
Khaki’s good. Also look at navy and charcoal pants. Stick with basic colors for the shirts. Simple, you want to blend, not stand out. If you wear loud shirts, but you only have five, then everyone will notice when you recycle them each week.
Blue, White, Yellow, Tan, Dark blue, Cream, Soft green (not puke green), red, light red (not pink yet – it will stand out). Good starting point.
The idea of a basic wardrobe is implicitly founded on the idea of a basic man, two equally fuzzy ideas. An attempt to find something hard and certain at the center is a fool’s errand. But if playing with fuzz is your thing, blog on.
Ooh. There’s some smart thinkin’ here, Ray. Keep it coming and I’ll compile the next version of the list tomorrow.
Socks: at least 15 pairs, since they’ll fade in the washing after a while you’ll need to sort them out. Great for polishin’ them dress shoes! NO light socks in dark shoes, never!
White socks are for the court, the sports court, that is.
Dress shoes need 24 hrs of rest, at least, before getting back to action. It helps the leather not to widen too much around your feet. And it gets the funk out.
Brown shoes- brown belt. Black shoes- black belt. Easy. Reversible works just fine.
my 2cents
Good list o’ basics, but then it gets tricky. For example: buttoned collar, or not? I hate ‘em, but it’s often difficult to find anything but.
Regarding shoes, I’ll echo the requisite dress black and dress brown, but a pair of semi-dress (or is it semi-casual?) in each is remarkably versatile. Born has several sweet models of such, and I’ve always had a pair of black lace-up Vans to fall back on (kinda the west coast Converse chuckies).
Next philsophical question: is the whole let the dress-shirt hang out thing all played out?
It is my understanding that the basic wardrobe begins with a Navy Blue suit. I’ve also heard you can start with gray, but I think navy is generally regarded as the color if you’re only going to have one suit.
I’m a little confused. . .five dress shirts and five ties but only one suit? And no navy blazer?
Granted, not everybody wears a suit (or blazer) everyday, but then you probably won’t need five ties either.
If you must restrict yourself to one suit (unthinkable!), I’d go with a charcoal gray or navy. Can’t go wrong there. But stay away from black, unless you’re a butler. Or you only plan on wearing it at night.
(Full Disclosure: I’ve got at least 30 suits in my closet, more than 80 shirts and hundreds of ties. Ummmm, I *may* have an opinion on clothing issues.)
Joey,
I think the difference is that your butt isn’t going around passing gas into your jacket all day. (If it is I can recommend a therapist… or a chiropracter).
Button-down collars are less formal than shirts that require collars stays. Sport collars (the kind that flop around with nothing but–hopefully–starch to keep their shape) are suited for golfing or going to the betting parlor or wearing half-buttoned over an ironic tshirt as you try to pick up sorority girls. Spread collars are less formal than point collars; but they do look better with the collar unbuttoned with a pair of jeans. As for cuffs, well, French cuffs are very nice, especially if you can cobble together a nice collection of cuff links. (That’s a topic for accessories, though!) Spread collars also look best with a Windsor knot, but generally speaking, you want a smaller tie knot than that. Unless one is a dandy, a bigger tie knot just means you’re trying hard to impress people. Gauche. (As an aside: ties should have a dimple when tied! I’ll see if I can find a link to an online how-to, but for the love of the Tie Gods, don’t tie it so it’s like a cylinder dangling out of the bottom of the knot!)
Regular button-cuffs work just fine for most people and are considerably less flashy.
Depending on your job you may of course need more than one suit. Depending on your tastes and your complection, certain colors may work better for you. In the fal and winter, darker coliors seem to be the wardrobe rule. For a first suit it’s hard to go wrong with navy. The jacket can go with jeans, or khakis, or grey pants. Charcoal is also a good color. After that you can expand a bit. Black is versatile as a suit color. Pinstripes are a truly great pattern, and can make for a very impressive suit. Chalkstripes, which are like pinstripes but composed of wider lines instead of columns of little dots, also fit the bill. A truly “basic” suit is 2 or 3 buttons, single-vent (that’s the “line” cut down the back. Suits are either ventless–no line–single vent–one line–or double-vented–two lines, and a what feels like a little cape for butt built into the jacket) or ventless, with a notch lapel. Double-breasted suits should be avoided until you have more suits in the wardrobe.
The advantage to buying suits is that it gives you both pants and a jacket, which can be mixed and matched. Versatility kicks ass, especially when you’re on a tight budget.
If you live in warm climes like SoCal, I’d add sandals, as it will still be warm for the first several weekends of fall.
Caffiend: Why wash your jeans every wear? Unless you sweat a lot, or somehow get them dirty, it seems excessive. I was mine once every 3 – 4 wears. But maybe I’m just gross, like my fiancee says.
spinguru and full disclosure- i think we are moving a little beyond “basic” wardrobe here? infact i think we are talking about a whole separate ROOM!
derek’s philosphy question- dress shirt in or out? in. unless you are fat or drunk. or both. standard attire down the dog n bollox, plus tats. and shaved head. different story for the “casual” shirt/layering thing. but then it’s not a dress shirt.
Dress Shoes:
If you are only going for one pair of dress shoes get them the same color as your belt, and if you can’t decide get black. Otherwise two pairs, black and brown with belts to match. Make sure they are dressy but not limiting. You should be able to wear them with jeans or your suit.
Sneakers:
Get functional sneakers, not just over-priced casual shows that look like sneakers. Something you can run and go to the gym in. If you’re doing it just to dress up jeans on Saturday night then go with your black dress shoes instead. I’d say this can either be a good pair of sneakers or hikers.
Shorts:
1 pair of casual yet nice shorts for hitting the Tiki party at your bosses house. Another pair, one being a basic cargo, utility short for helping your buddy move.
Socks:
Agree with 10 pair, but please, make sure your dark socks match your shoes. Seriously, brown socks with black shoes *will* get noticed and not usually for the better.
Jeans:
Two pair, don’t wash them every wear. Get basics instead of off-color dying or weird designer wear marks.
Underpants:
10 pair but mix it up with at least a few pairs of boxer briefs. 5 boxers, 5 boxer briefs.
T-Shirts:
Make sure the t-shirts are high-quality and can double as under-shirts, yet work by themselves. Banana Republic makes good ones. Wash those puppies every time. 5 dark colored, 5 light colored. Colors that go well with your dress shoes (so no brown t-shirts if you only have black dress shoes).
Suit:
A color that would be approprate at a funeral. This doesn’t mean sober black, though that’s a good pick, but just don’t make your first or only suit a flash, trendy, piece because if you’re not a suit guy the only times you’ll probably be wearing it are weddings and funerals.
Blazer:
Navy or even a brown one. The navy blazer is usually more an old school thing but a brown one works just as well as navy, as long as you have dress shoes that can match it.
Dress Shirts + Ties:
5 seems excessive unless you like/have to wear dress shirts. A lot of professional jobs don’t need dress shirts so I’d change this to 5 job appropriate shirts. For some that is shirt + tie, for others that is 5 polos, 5 t-shirts, 5 casual button ups, etc.
Winter:
(this obviously varies by region)
- Leather driving gloves so those mitts don’t cause you to mis-shift
- Heavy gloves for pushing people out, scrapping off your wind-shield, etc.
- The long coat should be *nice*. The cheap cotton trench coat that you wore in high school thinking you were a super hero or misunderstood doesn’t count. Something that looks great over a suit.
I’d also say remember this is the “Basic” wardrobe, not your seasonal one. Spend your money on high quality basics and then you can spiff them up with quirky t-shirts, funky shoes, sweet blazers, watches, hats, etc. Usually whatever is “in” will be out just as quickly and no use dumping a ton of coin on something that you’ll only wear for a season.
As a femme, I can’t argue with these guys.
But you forgot one important thing:
You can build your wardrobe through birthday gift specification and Christmas gift specification.
If you need it, and it’s pricey, ask for it as a gift.
Never underestimate the power of people who love/adore/suck-up/work/desire/loathe/sympathize/are a relative/are a next door neighbor/are a chick you try to impress/are a neighbor you think is cute/co-worker/best friend/cousin/brother/sister/in laws/significant other’s…need to please you for being so wonderful.
In real life, that’s how a new wardrobe is won.
It’s not selfish…it’s just…WORKIN’ it!
—-A femme
Yeah…sorry…i wasn’t done!
From other eyes:
The Basics
• 10 pairs of socks: 5 dark and 5 light.
MY EYES: 8 DARK FOR WINTER, 8 LIGHT FOR SUMMER.
• 10 pairs of underwear, boxers.
YOU NEED TIGHTIE WHITIES TOO.
• 1 suit, dark.
MAKE IT GREY.
• 5 dress shirts.
UNLESS YOU LUNCH WITH BIG WIGS, 3 ARE SUFFICIENT.
• 5 ties.
*I* HAVE 12 TIES..AND I’M FEMALE! GET MORE TIES…JUST DON’T BUY THEM AT GUCCIS!
• 1 pair of jeans.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, JEANS CAN WAIT. SOFT COTTON IS BETTER; JEANS ARE HOT IN THE SUMMER, COLD IN THE WINTER
• 1 pair of casual pants.
NUH UH! THREE PAIRS. ONE BLACK, ONE BROWN, ONE TAN.
• 1 belt, black or brown, with a simple buckle.
TWO BELTS, FIRST BLACK, THEN BROWN.
• 10 t-shirts.
WTF IS THE DEAL WITH MEN AND TEE SHIRTS?
THERE AREN’T 10 DAYS IN A WEEK; BUY 7.
• 1 pair of dress of shoes.
TWO PAIR OF DRESS SHOES, ONE BLACK ONE BROWN.
• 1 pair of sneakers.
OKAY…I AGREE.
The Fall Accessories
• 1 light jacket.
2 JACKETS, BECAUSE IF ONE GETS SOAKING WET ONE IS STILL DRY.
• 1 sweater.
C’MON…5 FOR A WORK WEEK.
• 1 scarf.
2 SCARVES: 1 THICK, ONE THIN AND STYLISH.
• 1 long coat.
AGREE.
Good going, Dethroner.
But remember, femmes have about 2000 years on ya for fashion and about 38 years on ya for fashion mags.
Cheers!
After reading the entries, why is it you need to wear more than one pair of underwear a day to stay fresh but it’s perfectly fine to wear the same suit all week?
Maybe you should call this a starter kit for the newly employed, not a basic wardrobe.
Yes, there’s a hint of (lazy) jealousy at the getting away with one outfit all week but I think I’d still prefer having several well-chosen cheaper suits and then add in better quality as able.
Boy Cat,
If anyone needs to wear more than one pair of undies a day…they need to take a bath.
Every day.
Maybe twice a day.
Jeebus.
And I say this having sweat myself this hotter than hell summer.
Unless you’re in construction.
Then it’s…well…understandable.
It’s too early and before my cornflakes to be discussin men’s drawers.
I shoulda eaten FIRST.
*snicker*
Good point Brian, but one could argue the jacket passes through the gas of a lot more people than I’d like to think about. Not to mention being on subway seats, draped over restaurant chairs, hung up in men’s room stalls, etc.
Incidentally, somewhat related, I decided to try a bit of a fashion experiment myself. I work for a mobile media company (think ringtones and wallpapers and artists complaining that their bling doesn’t look right on the cell phone screen) so it’s a pretty hip/urban meets corporate environment. There are lots of jeans/hanging out button down shirt combos, as well as the graphic T/blazer set walking around.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, I myself sport both outfits regularly (jeans and a Ben Sherman shirt have been my staple for a while) but I was realizing that my shirt collection was getting out of control, not to mention I was trying to match shirt to t-shirt to belt to shoes to socks, etc every morning.
In an effort to simplify my life, I went out in search of some basics. I picked colors that I thought looked good on me (I’m Italian, olive complexion so black, grey, white are pretty much all that looks good on me, despite my rainbow of choices currently in my closet). I purchased 4 shirts and 3 pairs of pants, all in the aforementioned colors, each with a minor detail. I spent the extra $2 and had the pants altered (yep $2 was all they charged) and had the guy at the store measure me and suggest the right shirt fit.
Everything matches each other, so the past two days have been a cinch getting dressed. Yesterday Ashley, a very cute associate from the 1st floor said “Hey Joey, look at you Mr. Sharp Dresser” and today I got a “are you always this put together? You always look so nice” from the new office manager.
Long story short–the right basics just work right.