The all inclusive manly makeover thread?

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Barbour on November 22, 2009 at 9:11pm

Clothing:

-Avoid fashion. Buy things that looked good twenty years ago and still look good today. These include Levi's jeans, oxford shirts, and shoes from LL Bean.
-Avoid "communicative" clothes. If you're wearing text or pictures, it should be in tattoo form. Otherwise, no t-shirts with brand names emblazoned across the chest.
-Underwear: That's between you and your clothing. Literally. This is too important for style to be a concern. It's all about comfort. Boxers/briefs/bikini/gladiator... that's up to you.
-Shoes: Should be shoes in all cases unless you're exercising or wearing shorts. If you're wearing shorts, you may wear sandals or sneakers with LOW rise socks. Sandals only get socks if you are seeking universal derision and scorn.
-Socks: Should be white unless you're wearing shoes, in which case they should never be white.
-Belt: Should match your shoes.

Cleanliness: I'm only going to plug one item:
-Antiperspirant: Certain Dry (a.k.a. Driclor).

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Permalink Reply by Will on November 22, 2009 at 9:22pm

Good to find a style. Outdoorsy? Classic? Urban? A lot of these categories depend on the style. If you're outdoorsy like me, flannel shirts and jeans.

Socks: I want 3 colors of socks -- black, tan, white -- and lots of each kind. I refuse to spend time sorting through socks to find a matching pair.

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Permalink Reply by Liam S. on November 22, 2009 at 9:37pm

Clothing - think classics.

Basic black suit. Blue suit. Grey suit. - that covers 90% of situations. Spend a bit more to get one that fits properly. Made to measure isn't much more than what you find at Men's wearhouse.
A Blue blazer - no brass buttons unless you went to yale, or captain a sailboat.
Dress shirts - white, blue, and a few stripes. I like no button collars, and the occasional french cuff - but keep it simple.
A few pairs of slacks - blue, black, tan
Two belts. not too skinny - 1 dark brown, 1 black. Simple no patterns, I prefer silver buckles.
Dress shoes - Brown brogues. Black cap toes. Then anything else that strikes your fancy.
Ties - start simple. Black, burgundy and some muted stripes or patterns. Don't go nuts if that doesn't suit your personality.
Pocketsquare - DO NOT directly match your tie. I recommend an ivory one, and a navy one to start with.
Socks - black, over the calf.
t-shirts - I prefer v-neck, so when you undo your top shirt button on more casual days, nobody is staring at your t-shirt collar.
underwear - whatever is comfortable - I don't want to hear about it.

Hats - totally up to the man. I look best in stingy brim fedoras and porkpies. Start with one in black or dark brown. They don't need to match whatever else you are wearing. A good hat shop will help you find a hat that works for your style, face, etc.

Gloves - no ski gloves unless you are going skiing. Basic black leather - lined if it's cold in your clime. I like cashmere lined, but thinsulate works better when it gets nippy.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Posey on November 22, 2009 at 11:13pm

You know what would be really helpful for organizing this.. a wiki. Should I start one?

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Permalink Reply by Liam S. on November 23, 2009 at 12:20am

I'm not sure a separate wiki is necessary. There are several groups devoted to similar topics within AoM already as well - maybe just putting together a thread within one of those?

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Permalink Reply by Will on November 23, 2009 at 12:38am

A wiki might be cool. It seems like a complicated subject.

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