Source
r/malefashionadvice•
JerichoKilo

[Discussion] Is there a style you've tried but just couldn't pull off?

Discussion

Blatantly stolen from r/femalefashionadvice...

Saw the question there and got me wondering about when that decision was made.

What was the point you were like "nah, this ain't gonna work on me" and abandoned it?

For me the extra wide Korean/Japanese workwear vibe is one.

I love it so hard but I can't ever see my face on top of those fits no matter how cool I think they are.

What was it and why'd you move on?

Posted May 26, 2020, 10:06 PM UTC

90147
IG-007•

No sure if this fits this thread, but when I first started browsing mfa some years ago I went full basic bastard. So I was all about OCBD, CDB and all those fancy acronyms that were all the rage back then. Basically I had an uniform on everyday, which made me dress "older" than my peers at the time. It didn't reflect who I was, or what I liked, and in a way I never felt truly comfortable. It was a fun experience to learn some basics, but I'm happy to have gained some personally by ditching most of those clothes.

83
JerichoKiloOP•

Do you feel that was a progression? Or do you wish you'd have skipped it altogether?

I find I learn way more from my mistakes than when I nail something right away.

26
IG-007•

Definitely progression. I had next to zero experience with clothing and it allowed me to learn the basics/essentials. It made me more aware of what I was doing and how I could improve. I also beggan to care about my image and to feel good about how I looked.

I still dress like shit most often than not. But hey, you can't win every time

20
Zoklar•

Same, I joined when MFA was pretty heavily suits and ocbd/chinos. Luckily I didn’t invest too heavily into it.

16
IG-007•

Oh... chinos definitely. I stopped wearing other kinds of pants almost completely. Now I only have a pair of khakis that I keep at the back of my closet but never wear them.

6
yellowjack•

Jeans only?

3
IG-007•

It's all about the jnco's

9
pyroblastftw•

V neck-sweater over buttoned shirt.

It doesn't seem like a difficult concept but in practice requires both garments to fit perfectly so to not appear bulky in the body area but somehow still maintaining enough room for flexibility around the armhole area.

75
OuiLoveCheese•

I hear you on this. Also, for me, this combo is too warm for me in pretty much any indoor situation.

18
BcCondor•

Preach.

5
aznology•

Yoooo same never got that one to work it kinda sucks cuz sometimes I think it'll be the perfect combo

3
crewnex•

same. also, V somehow always ends up looking gigantic and low-cut in a weird, unflattering way.

3
C38368•

This is super annoying, and for that reason I almost never wear all those nice, thin cashmere sweaters, even when it gets "cold" here.

Lately, however, I have been looking to track down a classic tennis/cricket/golf sweater, with the colored bands. It's chunky enough to not suffer quite the same fate. Also, summer and spectators, and I've recently lost enough weight to wear my white flannels again...

2
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
danhakimiConsistent Contributor•

I find that I just do a bunch of adjusting early on, and the important parts usually stay put. The collar is fine as long as I'm not moving around too much, the sleeves stay put, there might be a little extra fabric in the back if it doesn't fit well, but it's usually not too bad.

I might need to do something with the sleeves on my Ben Silver sweater, but outside of MFA fit pics, it's got too many holes to actually wear.

1
upflupchuckfckConsistent Contributor •

Tried being a nudist for a few days but I'm not cut out for all that direct sun coverage.

67
JerichoKiloOP•

Talk shit post...nvm

40
Honourably-Disagree•

Business casual made me hate myself.

50
PachymuNyet•

Polo shirts. :shudder:

17
CharmingCan7•

SLP/rocker. Was never skinny enough to make it work as a whole fit, but I still incorporate parts into other outfits (e.g. double rider, black jodhpurs, etc).

48
pzoneeConsistent Contributer•

Same but not because I was worried about not being skinny enough but because its unbearably uncomfortable and impractical. Sizing down to get the ultra slim look did not feel nice, hard to do in the summer too if you run hot. That and I couldn't do any sort of walking in heeled boots or if it was nasty out I didn't want to ruin them or bust my ass. Still have a few pieces and bust them out occasionally but it just didn't fit my lifestyle at all.

33
HalfTheGoldTreasure"Chuck"•

It’s so funny to remember that you were an SLP boy before being a WIDE prep boy

26
pzoneeConsistent Contributer•

I have succumbed to the natural flow of an MFA regular, just as god intended.....looking back though It’s not like I felt that I looked bad or anything (I felt like a god damn supermodel when I zipped up those harness boots) but it was such a chore.

13
JerichoKiloOP•

My skin tight black moto jeans got worn twice in 18 months and never outside...I'm both too thick and too old for that vibe myself.

9
CharmingCan7•

I learned an important lesson at that time in my life: just because I can fit into a pair of elastic-band 510s doesn't mean that I should.

3
teambdugz•

Faux minimalism/that euro look that included stuff like early 2010s Acne/APC/OL/Norse. That's what was hot when I first started caring about fashion so I bought a ton of that stuff. Sorta adjacent to this was elevated Basic Bastard with techy bottoms from Outlier. All very skinny/slim.

Then the slim American Workwear look from brands like 3sixteen/rogue territory. So many denim jackets, supply jackets, slim selvedge denim that all went unworn.

Now I'm stuck trying to sell it off for capital to buy kapital.

33
JerichoKiloOP•

Yep. I had a pair of Outlier Slim Dungarees for about 3 days before I turned them over.

At least with most of that minimalistic stuff it can be a solid "basic" that blend into other styles.

7
teambdugz•

Yeah I still have some outlier pants for work but not the slim dungarees. They're too slim to be comfy, even for a small Asian dude.

3
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

Yeah I have a pair of their 3-way shorts or whatever and they're actually great and I pretty much use them for what they were designed for, but damn the top block is skinny as fuck.

2
supremefun•

My 3 and a half year old SDs are pretty bagged out at this point. Never thought of them as skinny, and I'm definitely not a skinny dude. I guess it is all relative.

1
teambdugz•

I think I had 8-9 pairs of outlier bottoms at one point and my favorites we're the ones with 4 way stretch. Heavenly comfort and cut in a way that was nice but not too slim. I feel SDs are too slim in the thighs.

3
Cubazn•

Just wanted to give kudos to "Sell if off for capital to buy Kapital". Amazing. Love their stuff but so expensive :(

3
teambdugz•

Yeah, I basically only proxy their stuff used/secondhand because their prices in EU/US are like 2x their japan prices

2
1626316263•

Full techwear just doesn't seem to work for me. I love how it looks on other people, but I can't seem to be comfortable in it myself.

31
JerichoKiloOP•

Can relate. I'm still leery of any non organic textile clothing.

That said, I've been swayed a bit by a Patagonia fleece pullover I got last year. I forgot how warm they are for the weight.

12
1626316263•

Certainly! One piece here or there is pretty all right for me.

6
SegoliaFlak•

I feel like the really techy silhouettes are very difficult to pull off if you don't have the right body type. I wanna make an acronym jacket or something work but I think I need to look a lot more like Errolson Hugh to do it.

Personally I've settled on just trying to find more versatile pieces with a techy edge (like Nike tech fleece joggers and similar)

7
1626316263•

That's exactly what happened to me too. I like Veilance, but a lot of their pieces (especially the bottoms) are too slim for me. So I've just taken to wearing some tops that make sense in any other outfit as well.

3
wuzpoppinblock ass lego fits•

byborre seems to be a pretty good compromise for ya. i like the advanced textile aspect of techwear but not so much the silhouettes i think. even with byborre, the drop crotch can be a little much. but i like the idea of regular items with cool, updated fabrics

3
1626316263•

Yeah that's actually the reason I only have some tops. I think at the moment, drop crotch is still a little too far out for me.

5
Cubazn•

Same. I still browse r/techwear and love everything Acronym, but the cost was just way too high for me and I felt like lowering my budget too much would compromise quality. Plus I just felt a little too out of place when wearing it around, I still incorporate it and take some inspiration though.

2
HalfTheGoldTreasure"Chuck"•

I really want to be a guy who wears all black.

I try sometimes but never can. I recently bought a black sweater and I'm on the hunt for some black jeans/pants but I haven't found the right pair yet.

25
TehoI•

I can dig black pants but it seems impossible to wear black tops with anything except black pants. I love the Issey pants and that whole super drapey all black aesthetic, but I just don't see any crossover with the other colors and brands I like so it will probably never happen.

10
HalfTheGoldTreasure"Chuck"•

I agree big time. I kinda like blue and black a lot and I think olive and black is nice but I so rarely do it or think to do it.

Then I don’t buy black stuff cause I can’t see it fitting with my clothes and I’m back in the navy blue cycle again.

10
TehoI•

I can't remember the fit but there is an incredible Navy and Black full MHL fit floating around. EG always release black colorways but I never see them around, if I ever move to NYC I am going full black Nepenthes

3
HalfTheGoldTreasure"Chuck"•

Honestly great idea, MHL has been on my radar for a while. I bet I could know two birds with one stone with MHL black pants.

3
teambdugz•

Black tops with olive bottoms a good combo

7
CozySlum•

Lotus Woodland sneakers by Norman Walsh to tie things together. I have the Lotus Urban on the way. Recently read about this company and have heard some good things so I figured I’d try them out.

https://www.normanwalshuk.com/lifestyle

1
tPRoC•

it's incredibly easy to wear black tops with other colors of pants than black, this sub just has a bizarre relationship with the color black that i've never seen anywhere else in the fashion world. somehow it's persisted throughout the entire decade. it was perplexing in 2013 and it's perplexing now.

2
TheSharkBaitzSherlock Holmes and the Murder Hornets•

Saaame. I like the look on other people but I like navy blue too much to pull it off

7
HalfTheGoldTreasure"Chuck"•

It’s just so much easier. It’s black lite.

11
TheSharkBaitzSherlock Holmes and the Murder Hornets•

Black but it looks better with every color

11
safebrowseatwork•

All black is my speed. The vast majority of my closet is black, grey, charcoal, etc at this point and I’m very happy with it all.

5
zombiemind8•

Same, the only color I add is pink. I also wear white.

3
safebrowseatwork•

Yes, white as well. I sometimes include a maroon/burgundy, maybe a deep purple.

2
fareastern_falsafah•

When I was 15, I thought I would be the guy who wore black all the time (which was not helped by my fascination with post-hardcore/deathcore at the time).

For a while, I guess I never imagined that I would want to wear several colours together besides black, but after getting back into fashion and trying my hand at some basics, I find that I’m starving to make fits with colours. I love neutrals, but I need some variety in my life.

4
bwandtheocean•

i kind of get this. all black is cool and i'm usually fine with wearing one or two black pieces, but i stop short of full black, i have a hard time pulling it off. usually i have to pair black with something else, normally either charcoal, olive, or white/off-white depending

i also tend to just go with navy/dark grey a lot where i'd normally wear black lol, they feel easier to work with

3
93_Honda_Civic•

I’m about to give up on short sleeve button up shirts. Can’t make them work. Or maybe I need to move up a price tier, LOL.

Edit: Also slowly moving away from slim fit jeans and pants although I still make sure the pants are tapered.

19
teambdugz•

I don't think you need to go up a price tier as much as change the fit and composition. I'm not a fan of slim button up short sleeve shirts. They hug my arms too much and it makes me feel a bit constricted.

You gotta go loose/flowy with them even if you wear slim bottoms and style them more for spring/summer. Changing fabrics from oxford cloth to things like linen, seersucker, summerweight cotton, rayon, etc also gives it another dimension to play with.

19
93_Honda_Civic•

Thank you. Indeed the slim fit short sleeve look was killing me. I’ll look into your suggestions.

2
teambdugz•

Yeah at first I was self-conscious about how looser fits/flowy fabrics looked on me until I realized

  1. How comfortable it felt in warm/hot weather

  2. How many other people wear stuff like it when it's hot

  3. How it still looks good with all sorts of bottoms: shorts, skinny pants, slim pants, regular fit pants, wide pants.

8
93_Honda_Civic•

Which are some of your favorite ones?

2
WesternCancer•

I've never really worn ss button-ups, but I was thinking of dipping my toes a bit. Portuguese Flannel has some very nice ones I'm eyeing, like this one for example. Like another poster mentioned I've never gotten used to wearing baggier tops with slim/skinny pants. I might have to experiment with it some to get comfortable with it.

3
zombiemind8•

I only wear it unbuttoned under a white shirt.

1
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

Lux fashion

I kinda tried it like 5 years ago by buying a pair of SLP black skinny jeans and a pair of Balmain sneakers along with some other items. But the style never felt that comfortable on me even at the time compared to some basic Americana shit.

It just never felt right on me. Had nothing to do with my body type or anything like that. Just wasn't my thing.

Similarly though, I've found that the slim fits of yester-year on MFA don't do it for me either. It's so nice just having some goddamn space in my clothes. Even the raws in the last pic are too slim/tight for me now.

15
pzoneeConsistent Contributer•

ngl i dig those velcro GATs

12
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

They are sick as an item but I often used footwear to kind of tone down my black DR for example. Shoes like those either didn't fit with my otherwise basic style or just took an outfit too far.

12
teambdugz•

Damn that footwear collection post of yours was what got me into GATs in the first place.

5
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

Which collection? The most recent one? My Margiela GATs are one of my favorite shoes ever. They're a bit rough around the edges so I've been threatening to replace them for like a year now.

3
teambdugz•

Nah, the one from 3+ years ago with your henders, gats, OSBs, etc. That pic of triple strap GATs is saved somewhere in my old laptop. I think I went and bought OG white GATs immediately after I saw your post.

3
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

Ahh this one
Imgur tells me at least 4 years!

5
JerichoKiloOP•

Feel ya there. I still don't mind the "fitted" occasionally but I'm too pudgy all over to not stack a layer on to hide it.

I like the extra snugness sometimes as it feels like It's added support. High rise skinny jeans are just a really long back brace for me.

4
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

I just don’t like how I look in skinny jeans. I’m much happier in a straighter cut denim.

I think it’s my leg:torso proportions that I’m just not into.

2
crewnex•

i always try to make dad hats work on me, but they just make me look...like a dad, but in an earnest way, not an ironic way. it’s a real bummer.

14
macramelampshade•

Can confirm, am woman who mom trend makes look just like an actual mom, no offense to moms.

5
crewnex•

Also, maybe related: I’m a sneakerhead but I can’t pull off any running silhouettes, no matter what they are. Love Air Max 90s, Air Max 1s, lots of other runners...but on my feet, they just seem to make me look like a dad wearing running shoes, and not in a good way.

(I think the issue might be that you really need an extreme taper on your pants to make runners work, and I’m just not into that. Maybe...I am actually a dad.)

5
jprime1•

Are those hats ironic though? Or just not as structured as bro caps?

1
crewnex•

Good point, maybe not ironic, necessarily! But the point is they look...terrible on me.

2
SilverKingRouh•

Wide brim hats/ felt hats. Look up Stetson open road. It made me look like a hasidic jew (not a bad thing) but still not the look I was going for. I live in New York and bought one in black so definitely my fault. If I ever get a good deal on one in a different color I might try it again.

10
JerichoKiloOP•

Yeah context for that kind of stuff matters.

Tough in a city.

Way easier if you're in the SW or mountains or fishing or something. They're actually pretty practical if you're outdoors a lot.

6
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

I have what can only be described as an honest to goodness cowboy hat that I wear on hikes and generally when I’m doing outdoorsy stuff.

5
volac_•

I’m looking for a cowboy hat to pull of in city settings. Was thinking with a small simple black one. Should uni look at different colors instead like a light stone ? Or blue ?

2
LL-beansandriceConsistent Contributor•

My intuition would be black or something but I only ever wear mine on hikes. It's a practical choice more than anything else and I'd personally feel ridiculous wearing it in the city. Just not my style.

2
TehoI•

I thought japanese workwear looked weird, but I was really into the raw denim, lumberjack kind of "American" american workwear. Whether I did or didn't pull it off, it ended up feeling too much like cosplay while also not being that interesting.

I also love seeing the Ann D/Julius/MF-core fits but it just isn't me at all

10
volac_•

I agree. I feel the same way about Americana. But I only really like Americana and minimalist stuff and I feel like the minimalist stuff is boring and doesn’t show my personality.

2
TehoI•

FWIW I am now very into the Japanese Americana wave. It is a lot more fun and playful, but its components are still very familiar

3
bwandtheocean•

i used to like americana/workwear looks a lot but they never felt right on me in practice, it felt at odds with how i saw myself. i didn't really feel like i was expressing myself but that i was just wearing what i thought well-dressed people should wear. scandinavian minimalism was also kind of a bust for me. it looks really clean and it's cool if done right, but it doesn't really align that well with how i want to dress. i felt bored with what i was wearing most of the time

in both cases i wasn't really thinking through what i wanted. i don't even know if the styles were what i had a problem with or if i was just taking a philosophy toward fashion that didn't work for me, but in any case nothing really felt like my thing for a while. over the past couple months i've done a lot more thinking about what i want, what i think looks cool and why, and i've been going in a direction that makes me feel more satisfied with what i'm wearing

9
Py687•

What DO you go for nowadays?

2
bwandtheocean•

just stuff that i think is cool, really. designer-wise, i've been really into stephan schneider and lemaire lately. also, textured or colour-blocked knits, oversized or relaxed fitting sweaters, and patterned pants are what i've been gravitating toward lately. even just a cool piece of outerwear like this is nice. i've been liking a bit more colour lately, so i'd prob wear something like this especially in the spring or fall.

with the exception of the last piece most things here aren't too loud and tbh i don't think most things i own or like would be out of place in a minimalist wardrobe. but i guess right now i'm more interested in developing and expanding my tastes than adhering too strongly to a specific style if that makes sense. i look for things that look wearable and fun to me, and have something interesting about them.

5
teambdugz•

Good tastes friend.

3
[deleted]•

[deleted]

9
supremefun•

I've never seen anyone do that IRL to be honest. I find the concept of a denim jacket as a midlayer headscratching.

11
JerichoKiloOP•

Fine line

2
RunnyPlease•

Leather jacket with a fur collar and cuffs. Sweet Christ was it comfortable but I look like an absolute doofus in it.

8
Onikwa•

Like the dark knight rises Bane jacket? Lol

3
RunnyPlease•

No before then. More like late 90s New York hip hop style. It didn’t work out.

Edit : Example: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2c/56/d2/2c56d2b8c2d85852cb4cb786be406b67.jpg

7
[deleted]•

Most streetwear type clothes , in reality i'm a ( a little larger than average ) short indian boy .

It just doesn't fit and i tend to dress more sophisticated and in my own style and only using streetwear as a fall back

8
dirtredbulletofLight•

Most of them tbh. The beginning of my style journey involved essentially copying whatever I saw on the internet that I thought looked cool -- an incomplete list would include darkwear, SLP/rocker, very out-there Japanese style a la Edwina Horl, nautical/shipster, workwear, and minimalism -- without considering how it meshed with my lifestyle or temperament. I didn't feel comfortable with the artifice of it, and, bromidic millennial that I am, kept searching for something that felt A U T H E N T I C.

8
supremefun•

I can't really pull off straight leg jeans, they make me look shorter and / or fatter. Weirdly enough I enjoy regular fit chinos, but it's a more preppy style. For jeans I still prefer a somewhat slim fit, otherwise there's a lot of unnecessary fabric around my calves.

Trucker jackets: The only one I like is an olive type 3 from Levi's of the commuter series. But since I'm not very skinny on top, I had to wear an XL because the L could not be buttoned if I wore more than a plaid shirt underneath. Conversely a type 1 fits ok. I just find that most trucker jackets are too short and skinny, and that I have to wear really bulky ones which do not look very good in the end. Also, canadian tuxedo.

​

Also: Vans Era / Authentic. They make my feet tiny. I'm more of a chuck taylor guy.

I don't like classic running shoes like NBs either, it looks good on other people but I also find it makes my feet look small for some reason.

7
Moglee17•

Americana.

Turns out I really don't like jeans and trucker jackets accentuate the size difference between my legs and my upper body.

It felt cool and rustic when I saw pictures of people wearing it but I couldn't stop feeling like I was cosplaying as an Iron & Resin model.

6