Developing a personal style...

[quickerNu]

I am very happy to have found this site! I hope I don't ask too many redundant questions, but I have read around in here quite a bit, and have some strange requests.....

I run the Parts Department at the local Harley-Davidson dealership. There is hardly a dress code at all! I wish to look a bit more professional than my co-workers, as I am a manager and not a huge fan of modern "biker" styling, even though I ride almost everyday. I love hats. I have worn cowboy hats on and off for most of my life but am developing a taste for fedoras and and the styling this lounge represents. I usually wear khakis and lace-up boots, but am ready to try out some more classy slacks and shoes to accommodate a fedora. I am heading toward suspenders too, much more comfortable.

Unfortunately, I am limited in my shirt choices to these "mechanic's shirts". I have several different colors and prints, but they all are cut the same.

Oh, and I am horrifically color-blind. I have yet to find a really helpful chart on matching up hat/ pant/shirt shoe color. I am really looking for pointers on integrating these type of shirts into a classy, outfit (if at all possible) that would let me pull off a fedora or other snazzy lid on a daily basis.

I really appreciate any help you all could offer a young man trying to get out of the jean and ballcap world! Thanks in advance!

 

[DC3]

QuickerNu; Welcome to the FL. Congrats on running the Parts Department. A job I held at a computer firm.
Now as to your style, and mind you I was in our local HD store today wearing a safari shirt, an oil skin fedora, jeans, and lace up jump boots, all in blues and darker greys. At 6', 250lbs it works for me.
A good look, with either the short or long sleeve shirts might be some twill pants which will be a bit more taylored than regular jeans. Add a button up vest that fits a bit loose (for part retrieval). The vests can be more of a western style rather than biker square cut, leather, dark brown and black. That way you don't look "biker" but everyone you work with will think you do. He he
Now depending on how you feel about wearing a hat while you work, then you can do one of two things. Get three nice fedoras and wear them with your outfits to and from work only. The other way is to get yourself three inexpensive fedoras and wear them all the time, or until they smell so bad that your fellow workers threaten to take them to the wash rack. You may find cotton models that are washable byt I'm not sure about that.
Finally, have a friend help with putting the shirts, pants, and vests together. Then mark the tags. Ones go together, twos go together. Always a light shirt with a darker pant which goes with the two dark vest.
Well, that's my opinion. Good luck
Capt. Redbeard

 

[indycop]

Welcome to the lounge! I would wear any of the campdraft colors with that outfit, dressy or casual. The Federations would be nice also.

 

[quickerNu]

Thanks for the input- the more the better! Twill is a good idea. As for vests, could you shoot me a link or two? I am about 6'+ and 280ish. I would love to see what you have in mind.

One of my biggest challenges is the whole color-match up deal (pant/shirt/hat). Frankly, my friends lack any sense of style so I am searching for charts on what with what. A little information overload.

Again, thanks for the Welcome and all the input you can dish out!

 

[elvisroe]

Colours (yes we spell it with a "u")

I'm no fashion guru but on the whole colour matching deal - I reckon you should just keep it simple. Boring perhaps, but if you find a colour that suits you, stick with it!

The bulk of my wardrobe consists of blue, black and grey. It all mixes and matches. The only real colour I have is in my work ties (which are pretty bright!) but with a basic set of colours it's impossible to mismatch.

The main hats I wear are grey and black and if you wear brown shoes and belt all your browns are covered too.
Too easy.
cr

 

[Geronimo]

Welcome to the Lounge, fellow Texan!

I am really looking for pointers on integrating these type of shirts into a classy, outfit (if at all possible) that would let me pull off a fedora or other snazzy lid on a daily basis.

I agree with DC3's leather vest suggestion. I'm probably going to go that route myself soon enough with a vest from these folks:
http://www.coronadoleather.com/default.aspx?n=681645
Heard very good things about their products.

Just to go over some main points:
Neutral-colored pants are great. Neutral-colored meaning (for me) pants that are very commonly seen, and they tend to be dark-colored. Among those colors are khaki, gray, black, and probably navy blue. You might want to consider dark green, as well. Make sure shirts and pants aren't the same color. By same color I mean, for example: "[lime]green shirt, [dark]green pants" - the shades may not be identical, but they're clearly in the same ballpark. It's not much more complicated than that - which is the beauty of these 'neutral colors.'

Shoes/boots are completely acceptable a wide variety of shades of brown or black. Black is always perfect, brown is usually perfect (beware brown with black pants). Please polish your shoes, if possible.

Hats probably shouldn't match your shirt, but there is a lot of leeway for hats.

Something worn over the shirt helps dress up any look. You might like the look of a bush jacket, or a leather vest, or something of the kind. Many possibilities here. A sportcoat can be worn with just about anything.

 

[Tomasso]

Oh, and I am horrifically color-blind.

This is problematic.

 

[colps]

welcome to the lounge

 

[ScionPI2005]

Welcome to the Lounge. Visit and post often; you'll learn a lot.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Welcome to the Lounge

Goethe's Theory of Colours provided the first systematic study of the physiological effects of color (1810). His observations on the effect of opposed colors led him to a symmetric arrangement of his color wheel, "for the colours diametrically opposed to each other… are those which reciprocally evoke each other in the eye.

Here is another

Primary and secondary colors that sit side-by-side on the color wheel are considered to be Analogous to one another. (Example: Blue's Analogous colors are green and violet, while orange's Analogous colors are red and yellow.) Analogous colors tend to work well with one another and often have the effect of causing each color to appear subdued.

Then

Learn How to Perfect Mens Fashion Color Coordination

http://www.mens-fashion-tips.com/color-coordination.html

Just a couple of suggestions. Also ask for suggestions when buying clothes. People enjoy helping.

 

[Spats McGee]

Welcome to the Lounge!

Like elvisroe, I'm not a fashion guru, but I will speak up on the topic of hats. Looking at those shirts & your avatar, my reaction is about the same as indycop's. My first thought was a Fed, and I think a Campdraft would also work well. Maybe an Open Road or clone. Something with a little bit of pizazz, but also with a little bit of a rugged look to it. Stick with a brown or gray for your first hat, because those are going to be very versatile colors.

Also, I'd suggest that you check out the following threads to get some ideas of what the various hats look like, as well as how they might look on you:

What Hat Are You Wearing Today?
The Open Road Guild
Akubra Overload
Akubra Campdraft
I love the Fed IV!!

There are plenty of other threads worth looking through, but these ought to get you started. If you see a few that you like, let us know and I'm sure other Loungers will stop in to offer advice.

Do you happen to know your hat size? Lots of Lounge members prefer vintage to modern hats, and ebay is a topic of much discussion around here. At 6+ & 280-ish, I'm going to guess that you may have a larger hat size. All other things being equal, a larger hat on ebay tends to be more expensive than its smaller counterpart. If you want vintage, though, don't forget to check out the Classifieds here on the Lounge. Lots of nice vintage hats go through there.

 

[quickerNu]

Thanks everyone, I will mine those threads for all I can gather. I have a bit of an oval head and wear 7 1/4, I dig the vintage stuff. I am bidding on a few on e-bay now, and just won a brown stetson:

Hope I'll like it and it works with this style!

I have been collecting vintage double-edge and straight edge razors and classic wet-shave stuff for a while now. I like quality, and something having a little history.

I know I have been guilty if wearing light khaki with a shirt close to the same color. I take it a darker pant/ lighter shirt and vice versa would be better (forgive me, it was 105 outside!). I have no brown shoes at this point, but when I do- I'll read up and incorporate them appropriately. I love the vest idea- helps with concealment- another issue that I have seen threads on. Time to do a bunch of pants shopping. So brown and gray fedoras are a bit more versatile? What would you say are the big no-no's with color?

 

[gtdean48]

I wear those style shirts almost daily, if not the actual HD mechanics shirts ( I have 3), my company's shirts are camp shirts, which are almost identical in style. I have quite a few of generic camp shirts as well. I wear them over khakis & jeans (blue or black). My footwear is 100% roper boots, Ariat predominantly. I often have a sport coat or barn/chore coat if weather is cool enough.
As proofed posted here, I top this ensemble off with Akubra Campdrafts or vintage Stetsons & Borsalinos with 2 customs. I am a thin ribbon fan with a couple of mid-ribbon (Stetson Playboy style) lids. My predominant color is Silver Belly but I have shades of gray, black, taupe, & brown hats both vintage, modern production & custom.
My hats are okay when I have to suit up or grab the serious overcoat or trenchcoat.
I do wear ballcaps because they travel better in the saddlebags of my Road King Classic!

 

[DC3]

Who are we to say what color is a no no. I have no interest in striped hats or a bright red one...but that's just me.
While you are looking at the threads you will find mentioned in some descriptions "a touch of green" or "there is a little blue in that black". These variations are not negative in any way, but show the variety of lids we can get. Yeah! Gray, Brown, and of course Black are the first three I bought and it makes me more particular in some ways when considering a new purchase. If I'm going to get another Grey, I will look at a higher quality or a different brim or crown. Then again, when I find something I like, at a great price.....well I just have to get it.

 

[quickerNu]

Who are we to say what color is a no no. I have no interest in striped hats or a bright red one...but that's just me.

Sorry, not in hats but in combinations (what color shoes with what, etc....)

 

[avedwards]

So brown and gray fedoras are a bit more versatile? What would you say are the big no-no's with color?

Grey is IMO the most versatile colour, though it depends what you predominantly wear. As it's blue, grey and black for me usually grey works brilliantly. In summer I wear beige which also works with grey. Hence brown has no place in my wardrobe. However either grey or brown is fine if you're comfortable with it. Grey looks a bit more formal usually, though brim width and ribbon width can change this.

As for no-no's I'd say wearing a black suit with a brown hat. Just don't, it looks bad. Generally too many "cold" colours will look out of place with earthtones like brown. Other than that, I think a good colour combinor can combine a lot of different colours very effectively. "Cold" colours and eartones do work together, just make sure you balance them.

The hat you bought looks very nice, 60s I'm guessing? I think it will look best with blues, browns and khaki. Don't wear too much black with it - as in black trousers or belt are fine, but I'd say a black shirt or jacket is too much.

 

[jwalls]

Welcome to FL. Being color blind myself all I can recommend is to find a wife with a great sence of color, works for me.

 

[CRH]

... but am ready to try out some more classy slacks and shoes to accommodate a fedora.

...

I agree totally on your logic here, qN. Nothing to add on the hat front that won't be covered by I'd like to suggest a steel or aluminum capped toe on your shoes if you are managing a parts department. You will find out why sooner or later :eusa_doh:. There are some decent sporty, casual styles available these days.

 

[RBH]

Welcome to the Lounge!
As to your work shirts, I think khakis and a CampDraft or even a Federation [for that matter any fedora] would look great.

Khakis and fedoras are classic workwear, both on the farm and in the factory.

 

[Goose.]

Homburg.