Cheap Clothing (buyer beware)

Today I would like to talk about "cheap" clothing. When I say "cheap" I'm referring to stores like Forever XXI and H&M. I frequent these stores for the same reason as most. They have cheap clothes! The problem is that they are not just cheap in terms of price but also in quality. I have come up with some things to look for when shopping this type of brand.

The first thing to inspect is stitching. When you pick up an item make sure you pay close attention to the quality of the stitch and the parts of the shirt where stitching tends to have issues. I always look around the placket(opposite side from the buttons) because I have had a few shirts with poor placket stitching. Its easy to avoid if you check it out.

The next thing to look at is the quality and type of buttons. Buttons are easy to replace if they come off but you want to make sure they are all there and firmly attached. I try to stay away from snap style buttons as the fabric doesn't tend to hold up as well around the stitch for the snap. The act of pulling on a snap is much harder on cheaper fabric the simply sliding a button through a hole. Just make sure the quality looks good.

The last thing to check is the symmetry of the over all garment. I have often found that buttons don't line up with their respective holes or one shoulder could be a bit longer than the other. Its just good to make sure everything checks out before deciding to buy it. Don't talk yourself into an item that has a problem if its the only one left of its size. If this is the case just realize that it wasn't meant to be and move on.

If you follow these steps you should have pretty good luck when shopping at these "cheaper" stores.

Leave It On The Rack II

Its time for the second installment of the series I’m calling “Leave it on the rack.” A few weeks ago the topic was tattoo style tee shirts but this week I’m going to write about another pet peeve of mine. Articles of clothing sporting hoods that don’t traditionally have them. If you’ve done much shopping for clothes at Forever 21 then you know exactly what I’m talking about. I (cautiously) do quite a bit of shopping in these stores but this brand is particularly partial to adding hoods to clothing for what I can only assume is an attempt to “spice up” some dull pieces. I’ve been seeing this a lot with sweater vests and even blazers. At best its doing something different solely for the sake of being different. Heres a short list of items that should not have hoods attached that I have seen with hoods:

-Button up shirts
-Vests
-Sweater vests
-Puff vests
-Basically anything with short sleeves or no sleeves
-Blazers
-Cardigans
-Tee shirts

What it all boils down to is that hoods have a proper place. They’re perfect for sweatshirts (both zip-up and pull-over), jackets, coats, and rain gear. In fact hoods should be limited to these items because they were created to serve a purpose on these articles, not just to hang there for looks. Basically, if it traditionally wouldn’t have a hood, don’t even bother picking it up. Its a sartorial nightmare and it doesn’t belong amongst the rest of you wardrobe. Leave it on the rack.

Lets get started!

Today’s blog is going to be pretty short but its the over all theme that is important. Today is about a jump start for someone who wants to start dressing better but isn’t really sure where to start. I have come up with a few tips for the beginner who is interested in upgrading their wardrobe. The first thing I suggest doing is some good old fashioned research. Its simple to pick up a copy of GQ or surf through the pages of the sartorialist online so start there. Look at what styles are being featured and try to emulate some of the things that fit your personality. I also suggest going through your closet and dresser to purge the things that won’t fit your new style. If they aren’t available when you’re getting dressed then you can’t wear them out of laziness or bad habit. Another good tip is to check out PutThisOn.com. These guys have done an excellent job of showcasing what it means to dress like a “grown up.” There are 7 episodes from their 1st season and a highly anticipated 2nd season is in the works. These guys know their stuff so take them seriously. The last tip I have to share is about shopping. Shopping is where I believe most guys really miss. They see things on a mannequin or on another guy and automatically think its right for them. This is a rookie mistake so consider this your fair warning. First of all, not everything is made for every body type and secondly, not everything in a reasonably fashionable store is actually fashionable. The best example I have is of a girl wearing a great outfit and then throwing on a Vera Bradley back pack style purse. Its not a fashionable piece and it takes away from the better parts of the outfit. Nothing wrong with the purse but it should only be worn by grandmothers and pre-teens. That being said, just be cautious when shopping. Take the time to actually try things on and bring an unbiased party along for feedback the first few times. It will help you learn whats right for you. All the best in building your new wardrobe. Take pride in it and it will reward you with respect and accolades among friends and colleagues.

Is soap just soap?

Soap is soap right? Well, not really. Unfortunately all soaps are not created equal. This thought was sparked by a recent conversation/argument with two of my roommates. The argument started because one of my roomies was headed out to buy shampoo only. I asked if he was purchasing soap as well and he said he wasn’t. He then went on to explain that all he needed was shampoo to wash his entire body. Though his reasoning was also discussed its not actually relevant here. The question that I than began asking myself was, “just what is the difference between shampoo and regular body was or bar soap?” Never mind the hygienic nightmare that is allowing your suds from your hair to “clean” the rest of you, there had to be a reason why 2 distinct products exist. My research found that, at one point, soap was in-fact just soap. It was the realization that different chemicals and vitamins were need to clean and condition hair that spawned the idea for shampoo. That being said i can only conclude that it is important to use actual shampoo on your hair. Since it is a soap I must also concede to my roommates argument that buying only shampoo will get him just as clean as buying 2 separate products, assuming he doesn’t use dirty suds from his hair to lather the rest of his body. I do however disagree with the logic used and believe that it doesn’t really save money to only buy one product. You will most likely run through the one product twice as fast as you would the two separates. In conclusion, just get clean. You should always use shampoo for your hair but, while I prefer to use a separate product on the rest of my body, any soap should do the trick when plain cleanliness is the main objective. Here’s to smelling great and feeling clean!

Leave it on the rack

Since this blog post could possibly be taken as offensive to some parties I felt it necessary to explain myself and opinions on the matter before diving into the main topic. I started this blog with the sole purpose of relaying the importance of dressing well. It's not just about being fashionable. It's about having just enough self pride and feelings of worth to care about how you are presenting yourself on a daily basis. Like it or not, people judge books by their covers. If a book looks like a douchebag then on would assume that it reads like a douchebag. This leads me to today's topic. I have an opinion on what I will refer to as tattoo tees. You all know what I'm talking about and you may even own some. Brands such as Tap-Out and Affliction are some of the more popular ones but many brands have followed suit. Though I personally don't find this style of clothing to be sartorial in any form, it wasn't me that gave them the image they portray. You can blame it on the popular MTV show Jersey Shore if you like but when I see these tattoo tees all I can think is the guys that only care about working out, smelling up a room with over priced cologne, and treating girls like pieces of meat. I almost believe Tap-Out could be code for date-rape. Like it or not, the people who popularized this style of clothing painted a picture of the type of person who wears it. If you are wearing such clothing then you take the chance of being seen as one of “those guys.” It is your responsibility to present yourself as you want people to see you. Dressing well doesn’t mean you’re superficial, it means you take yourself and your environment seriously. So when you see tattoo tees in a store, on sale or otherwise, leave it on the rack. Stay classy.