Quality Casual Clothes

[fats]

Hello, everyone!

I'm going overseas soon, and I need to assemble a wardrobe (or in this case, a.. suitcase?). I will be packing very light (one bag).

Virtually everything I bring will match everything else, and I just need very basic things. For casual wear, I will bring trousers (grey-ish) and white T's. For slightly less casual wear, said trousers and white button downs. I have ties (all 50's-60's) and scarves (though I would like to find a few in silk).

I know this sounds easy, and probably mundane, but I'm on the verge of hurling myself in front of a bus..

The problem is -- I don't have a huge amount of money to spend, but I simply cannot bring myself to buy any more cheap Chinese clothes that disintegrate in Huxley-an fashion.

Also, vintage, the obvious choice, is unfortunately impractical. Over the years, I have wasted thousands of dollars on clothes that I cannot comfortably wear. I was an athlete and my XL-XXL build is incompatable with 'off the rack/off ebay' vintage cuts/sizes.

So, I come to you for advice, virtual hat in hand. I think this is a suitable topic for 'the lounge' as the goal of my search is to find items that, while not vintage, are classic, well made and 'vintage in spirit' and hopefully not too expensive.

Here is a short list of items I am looking for:
White T-shirts, cotton
White Cotton Dress Shirts (no silly 'wrinkle-free' chemical treatments that eliminate the benefits of natural fibers)
Grey/Blue Cotton Trousers (wool too dressy?)
All Black Canvas Sneakers (just returned a pair of PF Flyers, and a pair of Keds -- both PRC now)

Any advice/direction is very much appreciated!
-fats

 

[Edward]

There are a lot of sellers of reasonably price WW2 era military repro uniforms around - don't discount them. I've found with care (and working around the obivous colour limitations) you can find some great civilian looks much more cheaply by accommodating those.

 

[John in Covina]

Look for some well made chinos, they can be relatively dressy or casual. i like Cabelas for them but don't know the origin.

So much is made in China it may be difficult to locate anything that is reasonably priced and made in USA.

 

[Chasseur]

In your situation when I want decent quality casual clothes I tend to look Sierra Trading Post, they tend to carry many of the nicer off the rack clothes makers at discounted prices. The problem is that in many sizes they run out very quickly. You can also register your email address and get many additional sale coupons as well. I've had some good finds from them over the years.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/

 

[fats]

Thank you, everyone, for the advice. I've been scouring the internet, and the archives here. I've found a few nice things so far.

 

[Edward]

Just taken delivery of a pair of these, well pleased:

http://www.whatpriceglory.com/shopexd.asp?id=147&bc=no

 

[J.W.]

Question #1: What do you mean by "overseas", as you are based in Hollywood. Australia? Europe? Africa?
Question #2: Have you got a picture of yourself showing your current personal casual style?
Question #3: What do you intend to do overseas?
Question #4: How old are you?

 

[J.W.]

Just taken delivery of a pair of these, well pleased:

http://www.whatpriceglory.com/shopexd.asp?id=147&bc=no

They are pretty high rise, aren' they? Can you post a picture of you wearing them?

 

[svennex]

Just taken delivery of a pair of these, well pleased:

http://www.whatpriceglory.com/shopexd.asp?id=147&bc=no

Must be very different than their regular US khakis. I bought a pair and they were total garbage. Loose threads, incorrect seams, super stiff lining, and they cant handle being washed beckause the lining shrinks more than the rest.

 

[fats]

Hello
I should have been more specific in the first post -- but I didn't want it to be too long..
I'm about 30. I don't have any pictures right now, unfortunately. What I wear now is mainly grey or blue Dockers and Izod slacks (chinos?). I can't imagine that I paid more than 20$ US for a pair. I usually wear white T's, or white dress shirts often with vintage ties and/scarves. I was wearing a pair of all-black Converse low rise sneakers/trainers that fell apart in an alarmingly short time.
Nothing that I have fits me very well. I rarely feel cool and comfortable in these clothes, although this may just be a result of living in a very casual environment, and having run around in shorts for too long..

When I watch mid-century films, the clothes seem extremely comfortable, as well as fantastic looking.
I wonder if this is partly due to the high-waisted trousers, with deep pleats and soft wool? My slacks are thin, stiff, harsh cotton, and flat front. I think that by the time they become comfortable they will be unraveling and full of holes..

I'll keep up my search for The Classic White T. This is probably going to be the easiest item to find. Dress shirts I can probably find on my own as well. The ones I have now make me feel a bit restricted. And short sleeve dress shirts never fit me. They always have tiny 'hipster-cut' sleeves that I can't even get my arms through.

I thought the black canvas sneakers was a good choice for footwear because, although casual, they look much better than modern athletic shoes with slacks, while still being suitable for walking/ running/ traveling. Should I just get another pair of Chucks? any other suggestions?

 

[J.W.]

So we still don't where you're going or what you want to do there, that makes giving advice difficult. But here's my two cents:

You want to pack light, so:

- 4 white dress shirts, wear one (they can look both, casual and dressy)
- 2 pairs of chinos/khaki pants, wear one
- 1 pair of really dark blue, dressy-looking jeans (I'd always go with 501s, they're a classic)
- 1 nice black or grey turtleneck sweater
- 1 sportscoat
- some sturdy boots, something like the russest U.S. service shoe. I wouldn't t choose sneakers. There are fine dressy boots that would fit your wardrobe much better than any Chuck's would. Redwing's Gentelman Traveler/Beckham might also be an option.

Go with what you have and pick up new stuff along the way. Forget the idea of "blending in with the locals", they'll notice that you're a foreigner anyway. First thing I'd get new is the pair of boots. They really need to fit your feet and be comfortable. The rest can be cheap, but pay more attention to the way the clothes fit you.
What kind of jacket do you want to wear?

 

[Edward]

Must be very different than their regular US khakis. I bought a pair and they were total garbage. Loose threads, incorrect seams, super stiff lining, and they cant handle being washed beckause the lining shrinks more than the rest.

Well, I can't really comment on the comparison as I've not handled a pair of the regular ones: didn't think they were lined, though? The wool ones are, I believe, but you wouldn't be putting those in the washer, so.... [huh] These I'm very pleased with - we'll see how they wear over time. Not yet worn them out as I've yet to have them hemmed. I'll be having them done with a cuff, as I prefer that and I'm wearing them as civilian wardrobe rather than military repro.

So we still don't where you're going or what you want to do there, that makes giving advice difficult. But here's my two cents:

You want to pack light, so:

- 4 white dress shirts, wear one (they can look both, casual and dressy)
- 2 pairs of chinos/khaki pants, wear one
- 1 pair of really dark blue, dressy-looking jeans (I'd always go with 501s, they're a classic)
- 1 nice black or grey turtleneck sweater
- 1 sportscoat
- some sturdy boots, something like the russest U.S. service shoe. I wouldn't t choose sneakers. There are fine dressy boots that would fit your wardrobe much better than any Chuck's would. Redwing's Gentelman Traveler/Beckham might also be an option.

Go with what you have and pick up new stuff along the way. Forget the idea of "blending in with the locals", they'll notice that you're a foreigner anyway. First thing I'd get new is the pair of boots. They really need to fit your feet and be comfortable. The rest can be cheap, but pay more attention to the way the clothes fit you.
What kind of jacket do you want to wear?

Blending in can depend where you are, too. A dozen years ago when I went backpacking in Eastern Europe, I was often taken for local, but then I kept my head down, didn't converse loudly (when I did - I spent a lot of that holiday travelling alone), and didn't do any of the normal traveller things that draw attention to onesself (all of the above, plus blue hair or whatever). China is a whole different matter. Ain't no blending in with the locals for me there!

One thing I'd suggest normally - probably unnecessary here - is to avoid printed T shirts, obvious logos and whatever that can mark you out as an outsider, or depending upon where you travel might be downright offensive to a lot of people. Nothing wrong with wearing an A2 if climate suits, but I'd certainly shy away from wearing one all patched up with art and whatever. Draws attention, and may not be appropriate. It would be a major faux pas, for instance, to wear an AVG jacket bearing the Chinese Nationalist flag in present day Beijing.

Excellent suggestion re the Service Shoes. I've not yet actually bought a pair, but have considered them ideal for taking on a combined work trip / holiday. As an academic I have sufficient leeway that I could easily wear them with a suit, then pair them with something more casual for wearing on holiday. I would suggest, though, that a pair of cotton Chuck-style shoes could be well worth sticking in the case, just in case. They weigh very little, and if it did get ridiculously hot, you might be glad of them for a day. Or even just as a dry pair of shoes.... I once got caught in the worst rainstorms in Hong Kong in over a century, and spent a few hours regretting my not having packed a second pair of shoes....

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Read The Perfect Plain White T-shirt I can't say much about this. I buy T-shirts cheap and don't care that much about them. Ribbed T-shirts that are meant as undershirts often fit better on me but some people hate them.^^

I agree on a pair of chinos. They are washable and versatile.

The perfect wool pants that can be both dressy and casual are Grey Flannels. Great with sportscoat, sweater, dress shirt, casual flannel shirt...everything. I wear them all the time.


Famous wearers of the grey flannel trousers:

 

[svennex]

Well, I can't really comment on the comparison as I've not handled a pair of the regular ones: didn't think they were lined, though? The wool ones are, I believe, but you wouldn't be putting those in the washer, so.... [huh] These I'm very pleased with - we'll see how they wear over time. Not yet worn them out as I've yet to have them hemmed. I'll be having them done with a cuff, as I prefer that and I'm wearing them as civilian wardrobe rather than military repro.

When i say lining i mean the fabric used for the waistband and pockets. For some reason it was stiff like a starched shirt when new and after the first wash, it shrunk and caused the pants to deform like crazy.

Funny enough, their wool pants CAN handle the washer.

 

[Edward]

When i say lining i mean the fabric used for the waistband and pockets. For some reason it was stiff like a starched shirt when new and after the first wash, it shrunk and caused the pants to deform like crazy.

Funny enough, their wool pants CAN handle the washer.

Ah, gotcha. Interesting to know re the wool option.... one of the reasons I like cotton and rayon trews so much is that it's a pain to have to dry clean all the time. I did once launder a pair of the Wested Indy trews at a low temperature, handwash cycle, but they shrunk an inch and a half in length!

 

[svennex]

Ah, gotcha. Interesting to know re the wool option.... one of the reasons I like cotton and rayon trews so much is that it's a pain to have to dry clean all the time. I did once launder a pair of the Wested Indy trews at a low temperature, handwash cycle, but they shrunk an inch and a half in length!

I not sure about all of their pants but i know that the officer pinks can handle a wool cycle. Their regular GI wool trousers did not shrink but they did bleed dye onto the lining.

 

[fats]

Hello, everyone
Those grey flannels look fantastic. That's just what I'm looking for. I think they could be very 'Brando' dressed down with a white T, or very 'Grant' with a dress shirt and square scarf. I also think that the reason Grant and other old Hollywood figures look so good relaxing, is that they were very comfortable in their clothes. Don't most people nowadays strip off their cheap suits as soon as they're in the door and change into sweats? Either modern clothes are uncomfortable or we're just sloppy bastards..

The reason I think chucks/ pf's/ keds are a good idea, is the light weight and versatility (can run or walk in them, but look decent as well). I wonder if there is a better made alternative though.

The A2 suggestion is great. That was my original idea for the perfect jacket (well the A1 actually). The problem is the weight, relative lack of warmth, and their lack of 'compressibility.'


-fats
Is it possible to upload images directly. It doesn't seem to be working..

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

It isn't possible to upload photos directly. Use imageshack.us or photobucket.com and link them.

Glad you like the idea with the flannel pants. I hope you can find a well made pair. Do you know your size for ready-to-wear clothes?

 

[J.W.]

Depending on where you want go and what you want to do, Chuck's or any other kind of sneakers won't get you through the door. Pack them, but wear a good pair of boots/shoes instead.
If grey flannels are what you are looking for, go for them. The I'd alter my list as follows:

- 4 white dress shirts (wear 1)
- 4 grey flannel trousers (wear 1)
- black or green or navy turtleneck sweater (or whatever color looks best on you, apart from grey)
- navy sportscoat
- ties
- Chuck's
- good pair of shoes/boots (wear them)

Leaves open the question of a coat: A1/2 might be worth looking into nonetheless. Worn over a shirt and a crew or v-neck pullover, it might be warm enough after all. Depends on where you are going.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Ok. Why 5 flannel trousers? I am all for mix and match

-2 grey Flannels, 2 Chinos, 1 dark blue Jeans
-3 White dress shirts
-2 patterned or colored dress shirts (maybe blue stripes on white or other classic pattern)
-1 or 2 sweaters (V-Neck can be worn with ties, crew neck with open collar or turtleneck without)
-navy sportcoat and/or tweed jacket depending where you are (town, beach or countryside)
-vintage ties (they are so cheap there is no reason to buy modern)
-chucks or other


But to be honest: It all depends on your taste. Having both wool and cotton trousers seems versatile in term of warmth, cleaning and formality.
Making lists is also easier than finding the best place to buy all this stuff. American made products are even harder to find.