Affordable Style, Part I: Buying New

Perhaps you've seen some style tips or ideas on this blog or somewhere else and would like to put them into practice. Perhaps you make a decent living, but don't exactly have a huge clothing budget. What's the best way to improve one's style without breaking the bank? We'll cover that in a two-part series, and today we'll cover the first part: buying new.

There are three cardinal rules we have for buying new. We've found that sticking to these rules gets us a lot more clothing for the money. What are they?

1. Stick to the classics. If you base your wardrobe on the classics, instead of following the latest trends, you'll save money because you won't be dropping the cash to follow the trends each season. The classics stay in style year-in and year-out, so instead of permanently storing last year's acquisition, you can bring it back out when the appropriate season rolls around again. Adopting this strategy also makes it possible to follow the second strategy, which is:

2. Think a full season ahead. What happens when a store starts getting its shipments of clothes for the upcoming season? It has to clear space by putting the outgoing season's clothing on sale. And that's when you want to be thinking about making purchases for next year. Since you're buying the classics, you won't have to worry about the trend going out of style if you buy the item and save it for 6 months. Instead, you'll save 50%-75% (and sometimes more) off the regular price of the item. So when a store puts out its fall/winter selections and puts the spring/summer items on clearance, you'll want to be thinking ahead to what you might need, or want, for next summer.

3.  Never pay full price. With only a couple of limited exceptions, you should never be paying full retail price for clothing. Even if you're not shopping clearance at the end of a season, e-mail and the internet are awash in sale codes these days, so if you're buying something without getting at least 20-30% off, you're paying too much. It's not difficult to find a code through Google or through forum threads dedicated to the topic.

With those rules in mind, let's take a look at some specific retailer categories and retailers that we've found useful.

Internet. Practically every major brand or retailer has an online shopping presence these days. The advantage of using their websites to shop is that it is usually more convenient, prices are often lower or special coupon codes are available, and inventory is usually better than at a brick-and-mortar store. One of our favorite places to find deals is LandsEnd.com. They offer quality, classic clothing and run frequent clearance sales and coupon codes. It's easy to get free shipping at Lands End, and if you have a retail store close to you, it's easy to return items bought over the internet at the store.

Outlet/Factory Stores. Outlet stores used to be a place to find regular merchandise at better prices. Then companies began branding their outlet-mall stores as "factory stores," which may still carry some regular merchandise but usually sell mostly merchandise specially made for the factory store. This merchandise tends to be lower quality than what you'd find in the regular store, but it may still be acceptable quality. Just make sure you don't buy anything that's not on sale, unless you have a coupon. Most of the time you can stack coupons onto sale prices for even greater discounts. Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic, Gap, and J. Crew all have factory store locations, and some of them have factory items available on their websites.

Discount Stores. These are stores that sell regular merchandise from a variety of labels at a lower price, serving as sort of a centralized, multi-brand clearance sale. They include Marshalls, TJ Maxx (owned by the same parent company), and Nordstrom Rack. Shopping can be kind of hit-or-miss at these places, but they tend to always be a solid place to at least find affordable dress socks and ties.

Flash Sale Websites. These are the "deal-a-day" type websites like Gilt, Rue La La, and MyHabit. The only one of these three that we've found to regularly have well-priced, useful offerings (for our style pursuits) is MyHabit (run by Amazon).

Department / Regular Stores. No problem if you want to shop at your local Dillards or J. Crew, but we like to focus on the clearance racks at these stores. We've found that Macy's, in particular, tends to have a useful clearance selection of dress shirts.

One final point to remember: you're looking for good value, not just what's cheapest. You may find a $5 shirt, but if it's uncomfortable or wears out after a few days, your money will not have been well-spent. That's why we like to find brands that make quality products and then shop them on sale or clearance. We may still spend a little more than we could on a similar item from a different maker, but in the long run, we'll spend less because the higher-quality product will last longer.

That's our summary of how to save money when buying new. In our second article in this series, we'll take a look at ways to save money by buying used.

Socks

Happy Socks

When it comes to socks, there are several "right" answers with regard to the rules, with only a couple of pitfalls to avoid. Sockwear is easily matched to the personality of the man and is one of the easiest ways (along with ties) to show a little personal flair.

First, the things to avoid. Never wear white socks with your non-athletic shoes. It is also a good idea to avoid wearing socks that are the same color as your shoes, as this combination can make it look like you're wearing booties.(Black socks with black shoes and black slacks would be an exception to this guideline.)

There is a continuum of allowable sockwear. At the most basic level, there are a couple of muted colors (charcoal gray and navy blue) that you can wear with most combinations of slacks and shoes. If you want to get a little more advanced, match the color of your socks to the color of your slacks. This will help emphasize your height a bit by visually extending your leg. These are the more conservative options and thus usually the better choices for a formal business environment or interview.

The next option is to use your socks to echo an element in your shirt or tie, such as a color or pattern. However, be careful that you don't match these too exactly: you don't want it to look like you purchased a matching tie/sock set. Argyles and polka dot patterns can be a good way to carry out this option.

The "most advanced" option is to go with brightly-colored or patterned socks that don't match any other color or pattern you are wearing but that nevertheless harmonize with your outfit. This means you have to use your style eye to evaluate whether the pair of socks contributes to or detracts from the overall look you want to achieve. Here's an example we recently ran across:

Admittedly, we can't see the shirt in this photo. However, a blue OCBD or gingham shirt, among other options, would be a good look with what we can see. (Also, note how the marled look of the socks helps mute the bold style choice of pink.)

If going with a bolder sock choice, you'll probably want to avoid a bold tie or other element. Such style accents are generally best limited to one per outfit.

Remember also that the break in your trouser leg will determine how much of your sock will actually show. In a similar vein, the other sock rule you'll want to always keep in mind is that you never want to show bare leg above your socks. So be sure to wear long enough socks (usually over-the-calf length) to keep your leg covered even when it's crossed and is thereby shortening the length of your trousers.

Off the Cuff: Brooks Brothers; Breaking the Rules

A new post category for miscellaneous items not worth a full post each.

• Looking for some fall style inspiration? You could do worse than browsing Brooks Brothers' Back to Campus catalog online (the unfortunate quilted blazer on page 38 notwithstanding).

• We discussed the rules for jacket buttons recently. Because we like to also feature examples of how someone might break such rules and get away with it, here's a jacket button example. As usual, when you're going to break a rule so blatantly, your overall outfit better say that you're a man who knows what he's doing. (And it doesn't hurt if you're a gray-haired style icon whom many consider to be one of the best-dressed men in the world, if not in history.) Bottom line: almost all of us are best served keeping those jackets buttoned properly.

             

• Finally, speaking of the rules and how to break them, here are a couple of lines we recently ran across that put the matter well: "Personally, I would certainly not wear it like that but it is a different approach of someone who clearly thought about it." -- Gentleman's Gazette. "Regardless of the shirt or the style these are always good guidelines. If you're going to break one, have a very clear stylistic goal in mind, and double-check the look in the mirror." --  Antonio Centeno at the Art of Manliness.

Peeved: They're called "under"shirts for a reason.

As we stated at the beginning of this blog, wearing a polo shirt to work is not wrong; it's just not distinguished or interesting. However, there is an unfortunately common variation when wearing a polo that stands out for the wrong reason:  the white crew-neck undershirt showing at the neck of the polo. And this problem isn't limited to the polo shirt, as we see guys showing the undershirt at the open neck of their dress shirts much more often than we should.

Please don't.

We're not sure how this look escaped its acceptable confines at the end of the day when a guy took off his tie to kick back and drink a cold one, but it's now a premeditated part of work wardrobes. Perhaps the advent of "business casual" as standard workwear is to blame: "this dress shirt says business, but the t-shirt I'm going to let show underneath will say casual. Boom."

As we see it, there are two major issues with showing your undershirt. The first is that an undershirt is underwear, and people in a professional environment should not be publicly displaying anything in that category. The second issue is aesthetic: the bright patch of white at the base of your neck instantly draws attention to itself as it contrasts with the color of your shirt, drawing attention away from anything else you're wearing and focusing it on the most boring piece of your outfit. Still skeptical that this is an issue? Don't just take our word for it.

If you're wearing a polo or dress shirt with the top button undone, wear a v-neck undershirt with a deep enough v to stay hidden. Ideally, the v will lay just below the collar line of your outer shirt. If you get a v that's too deep, it may show underneath your shirt, which is also a look you want to avoid.

Another option is to skip the undershirt altogether. This makes sense for fabrics like linen or seersucker that are used to stay cool during the summer. Wearing an undershirt negates most of the cooling effect you would otherwise get from these materials.

That being said, there are several good reasons to wear an undershirt, including protecting and prolonging the life of your dress shirt by absorbing perspiration and deodorant. On a warm day, it's better (and less noticeable) to change to a spare undershirt than to a different dress shirt. Undershirts are also good to wear with dress shirts that are more translucent, especially for hirsute gentlemen.

Speaking of chest hair, some guys insist on wearing a crew-neck undershirt to help keep hair from appearing at the neckline. If you think you have to wear a visible crew-neck, then a better alternative to white would be wearing a gray, black, or other color of t-shirt that complements your outfit or stands out less than white. However, know that some hirsute gents, including GQ's Style Guy, recommend a little trimming to resolve the issue in favor of a v-neck or no undershirt.

Under thinner fabrics or on well-tanned guys, a white undershirt will sometimes be pretty visible underneath a dress shirt, especially where the short sleeves end and the bare skin of your arm begins. If you want to minimize this effect, a light-heather-gray undershirt will often be much less visible in such situations.

When should you wear a crew-neck undershirt? When you're wearing a tie, so that the v-neck doesn't show underneath your dress shirt. Note also that the more you wear a jacket with your tie (or without), the less you'll have to worry about the undershirt's short sleeves showing under your dress shirt, which will help minimize the issue described in the previous paragraph.

Finally, when buying undershirts, buy on the small side. You don't want a bunch of extra fabric under your outer shirt, and a snug undershirt can help you look just a bit trimmer.

Jacket Buttons

"Which buttons do I button on my suit jacket/sportscoat?" may be the all-time most-asked men's style question. It's also one of the easiest to answer.

One-button jacket: classic tuxedo jackets feature one button, which is to be buttoned.

Two-button jackets: button the top button, leave the bottom undone.

Three-button jackets: this one is just a little more complicated. First, always leave the bottom button undone and button the middle button. Whether to button the top button on a three-button jacket depends on the style of the lapel. In a "3-roll-2" jacket, the roll of the lapel covers the top button, essentially turning the jacket into a two-button jacket.

A 3-roll-2 jacket.

However, some three-button jackets do not have this type of lapel roll, and with these you can choose whether or not to button the top button. With these, take a look in the mirror and determine which is the better look for your particular jacket.

This jacket may maintain cleaner lines with the top button buttoned.

Four-button (or more) single-breasted jackets: buy yourself a 2- or 3-button jacket.

Double-breasted jackets: with these, the bottom button is optional, with all other buttons buttoned.

When should your jacket be buttoned? As often as possible, but always while standing. Your jacket was designed to be buttoned and, if properly tailored, is more flattering (i.e., slimming) when buttoned. Some single-breasted jackets will not present as well if buttoned while sitting, though, so you may want to unbutton it to sit. (Double-breasted jackets generally look better buttoned at all times, including while sitting.)

Addendum [8/15]: a wise reader writes to suggest we mention the royal origins behind the bottom-button rule. The Art of Manliness has a good description:

Historically, in the early years of the suit as everyday menswear, it appears there were no formal buttoning rules. Look to trade magazines and illustrations from the earlier part of the 20^th century, and one sees jackets with between one and five buttons, each buttoned in a manner that suited the personality of the wearer or the cut of the garment.

But much of this changed with a king who was too fat to button his jacket. Or at least, that’s what legend says.

According to the lore of menswear, in the early 1900s King Edward VII started the trend of leaving the bottom button of a suit undone.

Apparently, he grew so rotund that he was unable to fasten the bottom button of his waistcoat and jacket. To not offend the king, those associated with him started doing the same. The custom then gradually spread the world round (as England was still largely an imperial power with great influence across the globe).

For today's purposes, the most important reason to follow these rules is that nearly all modern men's jackets are designed with the intent that the bottom button will remain unbuttoned. Thus, buttoning the bottom button will likely negatively affect the lines and drape of the jacket and may cause unsightly bunching.

Building your wardrobe: the essential pants.

We started this series with shirt advice, so now let's move down to the pants. We'll assume you already have serviceable chinos/khakis in your wardrobe. Those are great for everyday casual or dressed-down office wear, but it's time to add another basic that can be dressed-up more than chinos: gray wool trousers.

A Brooks Brothers offering.

Like chinos, gray wool slacks are highly versatile. While there are many situations where chinos or gray wool slacks could be worn equally well, chinos also occupy the more casual end of the spectrum (t-shirts) while gray wool serves the more formal end (coat and tie). Thus, with these two types of pants in your closet you will have every situation short of "suit required" covered.

Now, there are some US climates where one medium-weight pair of gray wool slacks will suffice. The Midwest is not one of those places. Our extremes of heat and cold mean that you will actually want to obtain two pairs of gray wool slacks: a lighter summer-weight pair (look for "tropical weight" wool) and a heavier winter-weight pair (flannel is good here). Color-wise, we would recommend a deeper charcoal shade of gray for the winter pair and a lighter shade for the summer pair.

While we're on the topic of pants, here are a few pointers to keep in mind when shopping for them. Plain-front trousers are the standard these days. If you really want to go with pleats, try to stick with a single pleat and as trim a look as you can find. Pleated slacks should be worn higher than plain-front pants: this is how pleated slacks are designed and will help keep the pleats from puffing out. The general rule of thumb is cuffs with pleats and plain hems with plain front trousers, although the weight of cuffs can help maintain a good line on any pair of pants. When you're having your slacks cuffed or hemmed, you'll need to tell the tailor how much break you want, which determines how much of your shoe is covered by the slacks and how much extra fabric bunches at the bottom. You'll probably want to ask for a slight (quarter) or medium (half) break.   No break is a popular look in some quarters these days, but will definitely attract attention in the Midwest. Whatever you do, avoid the full break, which can look sloppy. (Remember this when selecting the length of pre-finished pants, as well.)

American Men's Style

On this Fourth of July, why not check out Esquire's 12 Styles of American Man, a tongue-in-cheek survey of 12 common American men's style categories? It may give you some ideas as you declare independence from a t-shirt-and-polo-heavy wardrobe and work on finding your own style.