has anyone ever tried to offer you fashion advice?

[gaseousclay]

If so, how did you respond? I've never had anyone offer me advice on how I dress or on what brands of clothing I should buy. I'd like to think i'm pretty well informed when it comes to my sartorial choices.

Anyway, when I was at the thrift store the other day browsing through the tie section some guy comes up to me and asks me what color suit I have? My first thought was, 'what the hell does it matter to you?' I just gave him a vague response like 'I have several different suit colors' and left it at that. He then reaches in front of me, pulls out a crappy looking Jos A. Bank tie and says, 'this is a $100 tie. I used to sell clothes for a living.' the guy didn't sound like the sharpest tool in the shed but from where I was standing the tie he showed me was a crappy $2.99 tie. It was too wide and the pattern and colors were atrocious. Did he somehow think I would scoop this tie up because he thinks it's worth $100? The only way I'd jump all over a thrift store tie is if it had the name Brioni, Kiton or Canali on the back, not Jos. A Bank. I don't know why but I walked away feeling a little irritated by this guy's unsolicited advice.

 

[Doc4]

To me, that seems a lot more like someone with a low-level mental illness seeking approval, recognition, and an audience ... basic human contact, ultimately ... all of which I suspect is in pretty short supply for him.

 

[ricardo9505]

sounds like an ignorant pr!ck if you ask me. but that may just be the NY'er in me. I mean I'll talk to anyone long as they're sane. but an arrogant SOB? at a thrift store? whatever. pay no mind. I deal with many people every day for work and I am losing faith in much of common humanity, sadly. HAHAHAHA. But was he a salesman? weird.
Assumption is the devil of all evils and assuming a man knows nothing just makes one look like a jack ***. as my old man would say
my ex girlfriend, whom I'm seeing again, asks me to update my wardrobe . I ask her for her credit card. she declines and I say "well, enjoy my taste". I'm confident with whom I am. and I like my look. there are many fish in the sea

 

[rushchairman]

he was hitting on you. #sadbuttrue

 

[johnniegold]

He's a shill for the thrift store.

 

[Jawaburger]

That is weird; I usually only get "advice" when I am in a department store and that is from a sales associate. He was right about Jos. Banks charging $100 for some of their ties though.

 

[Commander Quan]

To me, that seems a lot more like someone with a low-level mental illness seeking approval, recognition, and an audience ... basic human contact, ultimately ... all of which I suspect is in pretty short supply for him.

I agree. While I was at at Office Max recently making a couple hundred copies, a guy came up and out of no where started quizzing me on the constitution, and then proceeded to inform me, citing exact articles and sections from it, on why the Federal Reserve is illegal.

I polity listened, told him to have a nice day, and then told a bunch of other people about The Crazy I met at Office Max. Both of us got something out of it.

 

[stuart12dz]

Well, Pricilla and I wouldn't be caught dead in a thrift store shopping for clothing in the first place! Father would certainly turn over in his grave had he known, and what would our friends say?

If you are seeking proper advice on the clothing that befits a gentleman, then may I suggest something a bit more "upmarket".

 

[Doc4]

[AUSTRALIAN SARCASM] Well, Pricilla and I wouldn't be caught dead in a thrift store shopping for clothing in the first place! Father would certainly turn over in his grave had he known, and what would our friends say?

If you are seeking proper advice on the clothing that befits a gentleman, then may I suggest something a bit more "upmarket". [/AUSTRALIAN SARCASM]

ftfy.

 

[stuart12dz]

ftfy.

Thanks, mate!

 

[rockviper]

Does SWMBO count?

 

[stuart12dz]

Does SWMBO count?

Most certainly!

 

[wrinkles2]

My mother used to say that i should pull my shirt out of my pants so I don't look like a flamjack. (whatever that means.)

 

[gegarrenton]

Most certainly!

Lol. Mine thought she was going to regulate on me, until she went back to her friend that majored in fashion who basically told her "no, he is right".

Small victory, but victory nonetheless. Bewtween that and the colors I got for our kitchen remodel, I don't get questioned on color schemes much anymore! Everything else, another story...

 

[JoshuaNY]

I was wearing my mid-gray suit with cognac dress shoes and belt (something similar to the below). Which to me and many others looks pretty good.
I was standing waiting for my train and a woman (anywhere from 65-75 years old) came up next to me and said your shoes dont match your suit, you are supposed to wear black shoes. I know many gents would agree with her and that black is traditional with a gray suit. But, I smiled and thanked her for her feedback and said "As long as you wear it with confidence you can rock anything"

What I wanted to say was "Lady, you don't know me. I could be a psycho killer waiting for someone to say something negative about my style choices"

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Only my Mom and the Mrs. will attempt to give me clothes advice. Anybody else...you better look out.

"Let them see you and not the suit. That should be secondary". Cary Grant

 

[strop]

I smiled and thanked her for her feedback and said "As long as you wear it with confidence you can rock anything"

Advice frequently given here regarding hats! While I like that combo, I couldn't pull it off. Cordovan (oxblood) yes, but I couldn't pull off the cognac.

 

[Catalin]

I was wearing my mid-gray suit with cognac dress shoes and belt (something similar to the below). Which to me and many others looks pretty good.
I was standing waiting for my train and a woman (anywhere from 65-75 years old) came up next to me and said your shoes dont match your suit, you are supposed to wear black shoes. I know many gents would agree with her and that black is traditional with a gray suit. But, I smiled and thanked her for her feedback and said "As long as you wear it with confidence you can rock anything"

What I wanted to say was "Lady, you don't know me. I could be a psycho killer waiting for someone to say something negative about my style choices"

That, Sir, is a wicked combination. IMHO you can wear cognac-coloured shoes with just about any colour suit!

 

[oakeshott]

My favorite piece of wardrobe advice ever was this:

Right after getting my Bachelor's, I stayed in the smallish university town in Virginia where my college was and worked for the rest of the summer in the Men's clothing section of a department store at the local mall. About the same range as a Woodward and Lothrop's for those of you who remember that chain. One day, I'm folding up merchandise and one of my colleagues, a senior saleswoman who'd worked there for years, pointed at the rolled up sleeves (past my elbow) of my dress shirt and said:

"Son, roll your sleeves down. You look like a reporter."

My second favorite piece was from an executive at one of the first companies I worked at as a young man. It was on the topic of how well we should dress when visiting customers:

"No one's ever been insulted by a tie"

oake