Dressing for a Nice Occasion: ERE Edition!

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Redsted1
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Post by Redsted1 »

I'm going out on a limb here hoping I don't get laughed out of the forums...BUT, I figured this could help many people, as well as myself if we made a collaborative effort to talk about dressing for a nicer occasion--ERE style, of course. Most of the usual talk about clothing is for everyday stuff--jeans/coats/hiking boots, etc. Whether you're retired or not there are plenty of times that would call for your best suit, or other times where you'd want nice slacks and a button down shirt.
NOTE: I will be the first to say I do not condone many activities which may require your "best suit" i.e. a nice dinner out, going to a play/show, formal and expensive weddings (yours or someone else's), etc. However, unless you retreat into a cave in Nevada somewhere you will attend the occasional funeral, wedding, business-related function, as well as other things that will require a higher level of dress.
How do/would you dress for these events on the ERE budget (and not look like a bum)? I've tried piecing things together at second hand stores and it is difficult to make it work for a full outfit. I prefer the "buying classics" method. I'm interested to see what we come up with. Thus far I've been on pace for setting money aside for one nice article of clothing each year. What do you do?


jacob
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Post by jacob »

As long as you don't change size, a suit is like an asset. Buy it once, keep it for a loooooooooong time. It's a one time expense.
If you're going to use it for everything, probably go with black.
If it's more of a business thing, get the navy blue.
Get a single-breasted three button suit. (2 buttons, if you're a short guy, 4 buttons, if you're really long ... like 6'4" or something). These are the most classical. Doublebreasted are only occasionally fashionable. Yup, suits also make subtle chances to create a form of fashion. Just look at some 1970s style suits in light color with wiiiide lapels.
Get some black oxford shoes.
White shirt.
A "non-ridiculous" tie with a pattern that looks good on you.
Life/longtime expense: $250-$500.
A tip: Mens Wearhouse likes to give away an annual gift card---I think on your birthday. If you got a lot of patience you can get new things for nothing/very little. My last scores: Black tie: $0 (funny when the clerk punched that one in), $60 Sweater for $5. Caveat: You can only buy one item per year.
So I think a main point of this is to plan WAY in advance rather than suddenly standing around needing a suit for next week. Buy on sales and clearance, etc.


movetoportugal
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Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:08 pm

Post by movetoportugal »

Dare I say it, but this is a little easier for men ;-)
I stopped buying clothes in 2009 and reduced my items to less than 30 things, ok for normal days, the only problem I can forsee is weddings; I wouldn't want to go to every wedding in the next ten years in the same outfit; perhaps this is more my problem than anyone else's!


S
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Post by S »

Yes, it is harder for the ladies. I currently have a nice dress for warm weather and a nice dress for cold weather. If I had two occasions near each other with the same people, I'd feel a little awkward wearing the same dress. So far it hasn't come up. I went to a wedding that required a cocktail dress. Fortunately I was able to borrow one from a friend for only the price of dry cleaning it. I have a few friends the same size and we trade clothes occasionally, so perhaps that would work?


Checking Carly
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Post by Checking Carly »

For guys, there are definitely good places to find deals. In LA, you can get a nice suit for less than $100 and then get it custom tailored for about $20. You need to check the quality before buying and you have to realize there can't be any returns, but otherwise, you're golden. Other cities have similar cheap areas.
For girls, it's definitely a little harder. You could go the super classy way and buy something, leaving in the tags. Then, return it after the wedding. Personally, I have two dresses I bought in high school for weddings and dances. I've worn them for multiple other occasions. I can borrow dresses from friends. Also, its fairly easy to find great deals on dresses if you go during the right time. I've gotten $100 dresses for $30. Go during annual sales and don't buy unless you love it, its versatile, and its the right price.


NYC ERE
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Post by NYC ERE »

Jacob, isn't there a link somewhere in your hundreds of blog posts to a blog by a guy who gets really amazing vintage clothes, mostly formal, and fixes them up?


jacob
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Post by jacob »

Yes, somewhere! :)


Kevin M
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Post by Kevin M »

Guys: black suit

Girls: little black dress
There's a reason marketers say "X is the new black".


Marius
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Post by Marius »




Redsted1
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Post by Redsted1 »

@ Kevin M: Well put.
@ Jacob: I'll have to look into this Men's Wearhouse birthday gift card thing...
I'm seriously toying with the idea of buying a new pair of Allen Edmonds dress shoes--I dress up often enough that it'd be worth it. They are easily repairable by almost any reputable shop, so I figure once every 8-10 years it would be worth it to lay down the extra $ to get them fixed up rather than buy a new pair.
What about a dark charcoal gray suit? I personally would think that is the best/most flexible color if you were to only own one suit.


jacob
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Post by jacob »

When I bought my last suit(s), the order I got was

1) Navy (a trustworthy color, apparently)

2) Grey (shows tenure)

3) Black (official)
Both my navy and my gray suit are so dark that I often confuse them when they're in the closet.


KevinW
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Post by KevinW »

I agree that you might as well invest in one or two timeless outfits that you can keep indefinitely. For a suit, I agree that you should patiently wait for a really good sale and buy a decent new suit. I'll add another plug for custom tailoring, it really does make suits fit better, and is justified if the plan is to keep the suit indefinitely.
Ties and belts are easy to find at thrift stores. Fitted shirts are, too, if you figure out your measurements.
Two other tips:

- belt should match shoes

- you really do need to buy dress socks to go with dress shoes


Marius
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Post by Marius »

If you want a single and inexpensive belt to wear with all your suits, a reversible one can be nice: (mine probably isn't this brand, but looks similar)


The buckle rotates so you can wear it with the black side or the brown side visible, to match your shoes or suit.
When my gf's mother gave me one, I was initially disappointed because of the cheap quality and the tackyness, but now I love this belt. Nobody notices that it's reversible and I rarely wear suits so it may last for the rest of my life.
But maybe I'm not the person you should listen to for fashion advice. I used to be a huge fan of clip-on ties.


Debbie M
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Post by Debbie M »

I also vote for the classic approach. Classics from thrift stores.
I used to have a suit for interviews, but I'm never going on another interview again. Heh.
I finally got a little black dress at age 45. It's not too slinky, so I think it's good for everything but weddings. I wear the same two dresses to weddings (one for summer, one for winter). (Actually I may wear a third dress at some point, perhaps something white-ish.) And I'm looking for something formal, too (a ballgown).
My town is fabulously casual, but I have friends who like to dress up. And I go ballroom dancing a lot, which begs for whooshy, sparkly things. Even there, I mostly go with solid whooshy skirts paired with various multiple-use tops.
If I were a guy, I'd want a tux and a dark suit plus a navy blazer to wear with khakis or grey slacks.


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