What are the essentials?

[Nick Charles]

If you were just starting out and wanted to put together a wardrobe and accessories what would be the essentials?

 

[jamespowers]

LOL LOL LOL
Stay away from these.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I would say you need at least a navy and a gray double-breasted suit, at the very minimum. A brown suit works well. Wingtips. I really think a navy blazer is nice, though I'd like to find a double-breasted one.

I could go on and on, but these are some staples for the wardrobe.

Brad

 

[Matt Deckard]

Alot of people out there suggest getting a navy suit as a starter then building around that. If you had to start somewhere and could only start with one suit, blue is great for mixing and matching with other colors, though I think it gets very boring after a while.
I suggest starting with a solid grey suit. you can buy navy and black pants to mix with the jacket, patterned shirts in varius blues, and if the jacket is the right shade of grey, even brown pants will work.

Second in the closet would be a solid navy suit.

Another adition every man should have is at least one good sport coat in a pattern. Something that works on a casual level which can go with khakis or odd trousers in a pinch.


Bare minimum if you are on a budget and dressing up daily:

1 Grey suit
1 Navy suit
1 Patterned Sport coat
3 Pair odd trousers/other than suit trousers
2 Pair black shoes
1 Grey or brown hat--fedora
5 Shirts
5 Ties solid and patterned
1 suspenders or black belt

Then skies the limit.

Patterned suits
Brown shoes
Brown belt/Various suspenders
Various hats

 

[havershaw]

Matt is right about starting out with blue or grey...but if you're buying vinatge, and you're doing it on eBay, you should probably take what you can find that's in your size and price range. I have ten suits, three sportcoats, and two tuxes...and I still don't have a grey one! I have three blue, one black, one black-and-white houndstooth, and the rest are brown, tan, or in that neighborhood. If I had seen a grey one, I would have been happy to buy it...but I haven't seen one come up yet. On eBay, that is. But anyway, I just pretty much bought 'em as they came up.

I started out with brown suits...in fact, I only just got my first all-blue (no pattern) suit the other day. But then, earthy colors look good on me.

Having five shirts would be a good way to go too...I only have three vintage dress shirts, and that means I do laundry every three days. It's a pain.

However, it took quite a while for me to build up to wearing suits every day. Before that, a good pair of high-waisted pants and a sport shirt (in other words, a button-up long-sleeve or short sleeved shirt with a collar loop), maybe some brown spectators. That's me (like I said, I'm big on the earthtones). I wore clothes like that for about four or five years, and this year I've made the move up to suits - for work, anyway.

 

[Matt Deckard]

You can take my recomendations as those for a person who is not going straight for vintage. Like Havershaw stated, if it's vintage and it fits and you like it... go for it.

 

[Nick Charles]

Vintage look

I'm trying to accomplish the vintage look on a budget, So far I have 6 fedoras and 1 short fat tie. A bunch of vests and shoes.

I've been noting all the suggestions on other threads, like the Ediie Bauer pants. Thanks for all the help.

how about little stuff like ties, pins, tie bars, wathces and rings.

 

[Wild Root]

Vintage look.

Well, if you want my two cents, for a convincing vintage look, one needs vintage clothing. So much modern pants are cut way to low for a good vintage look.

My first suit was a black double breasted from Penny’s. Then, I moved to vintage! I bought a few coats that were from the 40’s, then I found some pants that looked good with them.

When I had my black suit, it looked old, but it didn’t at the same time. I would watch movies and wish my clothes looked that good! So, I went to a vintage shop and found two coats that fit and were the real deal! I still have one of them! A early 40’s double breasted coat with tan and brown striped pattern! Soon as I wore that with a pair of dark brown vintage high wasted pants, oh my! It was the look I wanted!!! I even had bought a real 40’s tie to wear with it. I almost cried I was so happy. So, ever since, I have only bought vintage.

Although, if you can’t find a suit in your size from the era, then get the ties! You can find 30’s and 40’s ties very easily! That in its self makes a lot of difference! I have seen some men in really nice vintage suits, but have a modern tie. Yuck! Not cool.

What I recommend for the beginner is go to a few vintage stores and start looking. I would get a suit first, then a vintage tie or two, they can be cheap. Then go to a good department store and buy some socks and shoes that look good with your suit. This will do the trick for you! Trying to find a suit to go with your accessories will drive you nuts!

Shirts are very important! I would recommend for a beginner to get a few nice white dress shirts. Then, buy a few striped shirts that have some colors that are in the suit. The collars Shouldn’t be the oxford button down type! Should be long, sharp, and pointed.

So, in closing, suit first, then accessories.

Root.

 

[Wild Root]

Stay away from these.

JP, I will!LOL LOL LOL

 

[flat-top]

If you have to wear a tie everyday like I do, get some 1940's ones--you can get them in lots on Ebay for not a lot of dough. Also vintage or vintage style shoes are important. 90% of my wardrobe is vintage, but even when I'm wearing something new, the right accessories make everything fall into place! flat-top

 

[Wild Root]

True true!

 

[LetterJ]

one needs vintage clothing

What do you suggest for those of us who fall outside the range of clothing that's available vintage.

I'm 6'4", wear a 52L jacket, 46/34 trousers, 19/37 shirt and require tall ties.

What I've been doing since my office's change to more business dress is to buy online looking at more classic cuts and styles. What I have is adequate, but I'm looking to gradually up the ante and progress to a more vintage look.

I am planning on giving some of the Thai tailors a try to see if I can get made to measure in a vintage look. For instance:

http://www.mysuitshop.com/fabrics.php?styleID=2196

Are there places that sell "vintage" style stuff in larger sizes?

 

[Wild Root]

Well, if you are having size issues then, custom is the way to go! Those Thai tailors are very good and could copy an original vintage suit if you had one in a small size to go off of. I recommend that you buy one or borrow a vintage suit from a friend and have it copied. Choose fabric wisely if you want an authentic look. Choose heaver wools and worsted wool fabric. Stripes, checks, windowpane and tweeds are always a good choice. Colors should be dark browns, greens, blues, grays and the famous black. Most vintage colors were very worm and rich. Stay way from olive greens because those were used by the military and I have never seen any vintage in those colors other then uniforms. For more info, just go to the suit section and click on Vintage Bible and see the illustrations I’m posting from a 1936 Sears catalog.

I’m happy to help any way I can for you to get the right look!

Root.

 

[Wild Root]

require tall ties

Well, this may shock you, but there were guys your size back then as well! They would have bought custom made clothes and as for ties, they would have bought ties that were off the rack. The reason that ties of the 1930's to 1940's seem short, it's not because men were all short! It's because men wore their pants higher and vests were worn with suits. So, all you would see is just a little bit of the tie. I have seen photos of larger men wearing just pants, shirt and a tie. The tie is dangling from the collar! Ties rarely hit the belt and NEVER passed it! When thinking of dressing in a vintage look, you should think as they did then. Coats were kept buttoned, shirts were tucked in, ties were short, pants were high wasted and cuffs were deep.

So, buy those fab vintage ties and wear them how ever long you can tie them!

Root.

 

[Matt Deckard]

As for tie length.

The front end should be a smidge longer than the back. I have some 40's ties that when tied, have the same pattern on the front and back so when they are dangling and seperate, it sometimes looks like I have one tie behind another.

They were as long as they were, and modern ties are too long.
Most modern pants too low.
Most modern shirts too baggy.
Most modern jackets too ill fitted.

 

[Wild Root]

Tell it like it is man!

Root.

 

[LetterJ]

Actually, it doesn't shock me about sizing (after all, Howard Taft was big enough to need a new bathtub at the White House). However, then, as now, my sizing puts me outside the normal bell curve. That's OK, but it does mean that if looking for vintage, I'm shopping through a much smaller percentage of the available clothing from a given era than someone who wears a 40R.

I actually usually do wear regular ties as I just don't like what's available in tall. I also usually wear my pants (everything but jeans) at or above the belly button.

The affirmation to just wear them shorter (because they used to) helps.

 

[Wild Root]

Cool! All I'm trying to do is help you get the right look. I have seen what works, and what doesn't and just want to share with others. But, if you end up getting a suit made, and you want it done right, find a vintage suit in any size and have the tailor copy it. It will make all the difference! They will look at the way it was put together and just make a bigger model of it.

So, that’s my advice take it for all it's worth.

Root.

 

[Mr. Sable]

I absently wander in, read a few tomes, and stagger back flabbergasted; almost dropping my mickey flask, all I can say in my first post here is...

"This must be the place!"

Somewhere, I have an old Buckaroo Banzai fan club (paper) newsletter that describes in words and pictures how to tie a bow tie from a regular skinny necktie. I'll hunt that down and tack it up here for you all. It could come in handy.

 

[LetterJ]

All I'm trying to do is help you get the right look.

Absolutely. Thank you for the advice. I hadn't thought of having them copy a smaller suit. I'll definitely keep it in mind for a future suit.

I'm going to order one this week because I need another suit soon, and am just going to use a old photograph as an example until I can find a "suitable" donor.