Thursday, March 11, 2010

Christopher's 5 Fashion Rules

Rule #1: Be Yourself

“For the apparel oft proclaims the man.” -Hamlet, Act 1, Scene iii


    Photo Credit weheartit-maedchenmitherz
Like many things there are many “rules” to appropriate dress, some written in the form of faculty dress code, some unwritten, like what to wear to a conference or when giving a paper. The tricky part is learning what some of these written and unwritten codes are and then learning how to stand out within them. Just the same, following the latest trend does not distinguish you as a “hipster,” “different,” or “fashionable.” On the contrary, simply following trends only makes just that—a follower.

Rule # 2: The Stephanie Rule aka Never Pay Full Price



Photo Credit weheartit-haleycakes
This rule was one that I learned from my beloved cousin Stephanie; I can assure you she will come up again as she has patiently guided me through many of my own questions on attire.

There is no reason to pay full or retail price for anything. With the availability of outlet malls, clearance stores, such as Nordstrom’s Rack, Marshall’s, Ross, etc. and thrift stores such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, the DAV there is NO REASON YOU SHOULD PAY FULL PRICE FOR ANYTHING. With that being said, you will want to find a good tailor since you can’t always guarantee the proper fit of something that you buy at those places. Moreover, you may also choose to get creative with some of your finds.

Think of it this way: violation of rule #2 will lead to less money, something most graduate students either 1) don’t have or 2) know how to handle; either way, this is something that will help keep some of the green in your pocket—and that kind of green goes with anything.

Rule #3: Shop for Outfits Not Just for Articles
















Photo Credit weheartit-martingreenfield
This rule is especially true when looking for something that you will want to wear to functions such as conferences, job fairs, interviews, search committees, etc. This rule is not to be broken when buying a suit.

Mike Moon, owner of Dallas based Exclusively Tailored, suggests that you stock your wardrobe with complete outfits:

It only makes sense. In the long run, it is more economical to purchase everything at the same time. By coordinating colors, fabrics, and accessories, you can eliminate most buying mistakes. Also, you will find that you save time getting dressed in the morning! If you buy clothing this way, you can shop twice or three times a year, instead of six or seven, and still end up with a closet full of properly fitted and coordinated garments, making it easy to always look your best.

-Mike Moon, Owner, Exclusively Tailored
www.exclusivelytailored.com

It has been my own experience that the more outfits you construct the easier it is to match them with other articles from other outfits, thereby getting the most miles out of fewer clothes. We will go over this in more detail later dear reader.

Rule #4: Do Your Homework



Photo Credit weheartit-dimm
Always, do research. Know where you are going and what appropriate dress is. For example, is the event casual, business casual, business attire, formal, or black tie? Always ask questions, I heard it said once “Ask the right people the right questions and you get the right answers.” The same is true here, but also be yourself (see Rule #1).

Another important point on doing your homework is always know what size you wear. I carry a card with me that has all of my sizes that I get updated usually twice a year or when I notice a significant change in my weight. You can usually go anywhere to get these such as a tailor shop or men’s clothing store.

Rule #5: No Skinny Jeans























Photo Credit weheartit-blackout

This rule really only applies to the gentlemen and I will go over jeans later, but for now—really? Does this rule need an explanation?

1 comment:

  1. Chris, are those your hard and fast rules to live by?

    Rules are meant to be broken right? :)

    ReplyDelete