Why'd You Come In Here Looking Like That?: Not Enough Do's and Too Many Don'ts

[merkman]

So I didn't go to Vegas this week as I'd originally planned. Couple friends had to cancel, and I decided not to go alone for the 8th or 9th time.

Instead, I decided to do some shopping in the local area. But places I don't normally take time to go. So I put together some basic plans and here are the details...

Monday - Oct. 6th

Got up about 7am, and was having a good morning until I realized AnyDVD HD required updating to watch The Forbidden Kingdom (Jackie Chan and Jet Li). Tried installing the newer version without uninstalling the old, and that led to disaster. Trying to fix things, I ran a "cleaner" I found online, and that infected my computer with spyware. 2 hours later, I left SuperAntiSpyware running and headed for Tulalip...



Definately not quite how it sounds, Seattle Premium Outlets are actually well NORTH of Seattle. Hell, they are north of Everett, which is no small jant in traffic. Going at 10 to 11am on a Monday, I had pretty clear sailings... but it was a 60 mile drive and nothing I was taking lightly in less than perfect weather. The GOOD news was they had cover over most of the outdoor spaces, and the rain was a non-issue except during the drive. Once there, I had quite the time. Burberry (had never been in one before), Coach, Cole Haan, Sony, Nike, Fossil, and MANY more have outlets here. I saw many amazing clothes, bags, and more. But in the end I didn't find anything I couldn't live without and I left empty handed. Wasn't sorry I went, as I know where it is and what to expect in the future. But I didn't find much there.

I went to Bellevue Square primarily to look for sunglasses, having heard the Sunglasses Hut in Bellevue Square was the only one in the state with Bvlgari in-store. But unfortunately, as has so often happened in the past, the selection was poor, and I really couldn't decide on them. Instead, I looked at Polo, Prada, and Versace. Versace is the current leader, as they are said to be Rx lense friendly, and while pricey I felt they looked great on my face. They had these in several different frame colors with different lenses, but THESE were my favorites.

However, like ALL Sunglasses Huts, they don't do Rx lenses in store. So instead of buying a frame and HOPING another location would make them for me, the wonderful young woman wrote down all the style numbers for me, and I brought them home. (So I got THAT going for me, which is NICE!)

Tuesday - Oct. 7th

Having no interest with more computer trouble, I got up and only checked my e-mail, cleaned up, and was out the door by 9am. I went straight to Pacific Place in downtown Seattle where the parking is about as reasonable as it gets. Then I exited the building and went STRAIGHT to Nordstrom. Besides being a great store, Nordstrom had a trick up it's sleeve for me this morning. A nice young man named Paul. Paul it seems is a fashionable guy, and new nearly EVERYTHING you could want to know about designer jeans. Whether it was what size True Religions compare to other denim, to which style of boss jeans are boot cut, Paul knew it all! I was lucky to have him show me various styles, and get me some education before heading to the Nordstrom Rack.

Armed with some info, I went to the rack and looked around. There were SO many tables LOADED with men's clothes. I ended up looking at all the jeans in wonder, not really knowing where to begin. In fact, I ended up leaving without trying anything on at the Rack. It was simply fashion overload and I went another direction... shoes!

More accurately, boots. I recently discovered Mark Nason's as a high end boot brand, and have been anxious to get a pair. But at over $300 on sale for a pair of black leather boots I'd picked out... I hadn't yet pulled the trigger. So today when I found a nice pair of brown boots for $199 + tax... I gave them a SERIOUS look over!



While quite different from the Black Boots I'd been considering, these had the luxury of not being the "Mad Max" look some had called the black style I'd been considering. I think these will be something people will just get used to, and never comment on again. But while they DO comment, it's very fun. It's a totally new thing for me, this kind of boot. I actually spent a LOT of time in-store stretching the boot a little, making sure they weren't too tight at the END of the boot where they couldn't stretch out, and in the end I took the plunge.



I actually spent enough time at Nordstrom and the Rack, that I then went to lunch. There is an AWESOME italian place at Pacific Place called Il Fornaio. These pictures do NOT do the place justice, but you might get a basic sense.
http://www.ilfornaio.com/?page=138&type=360tours&restaurant_id=3916&tour=Ma in+Dining+Room

I ate in the main dining room, very near the windows. So I saw people working out at the gym across the street, Seattle traffic on the streets below, and many people having lunch at a quality restaurant before heading back to work, etc. My personal favorite dish is:
Pennoni alla Vodka.

Back out and about, I hit some of my usual jonts. Fossil at Westlake Center for example. Now that SouthCenter has a Fossil store, Westlake isn't the only one in the State anymore. But since they took the location out of Bellevue Square, they still aren't terribly common. I looked at their watches first, and found there were a couple new models within the last month since I'd been there. But still not happy with a single sided day retrograde, I ended up looking at wallets. And in the end, I brought this one home.



It's hard to see in these pictures, but Fossil makes wallets at several price points. And to this point in time, I firmly believe their $50 wallets are worth every penny. Made of superior materials to the cheaper models (even the $40 ones), my $50 fossil wallets go more than 6 months at a time without barely a mark, let alone requireing replacement. These are very nice and highly recommended.



Next stop I remember was Banana Republic. When I first went there maybe 3 years ago now, I found this great black dress shirt. It had stripes, and had a unique blend of colors that floored me. It was about $90, and I thought to myself "I'm sure someone else makes that shirt for less!" So I went to Nordstrom, Macy's, Nord. Rack, etc... and found NOTHING like it. I went back within a few hours and bought that shirt, and have been a Banana Republic fan ever since. I own one of their suits, some of their dress pants, and several nice dress shirts, almost ALWAYS bought on sale for great prices. And besides looking nice they hold up well (everything EXCEPT their jeans).

A month or so ago, I'd found this GREAT jacket. It was $250, so I was like no way, but when I went back in today... the Seattle location had them for $50!



Knowing this was a STEAL, I quickly asked for some help. A couple salespeople calling LA later, I was giving them my credit card info. It turned out that like on the web site, LA stores were still charging $97. But at more than 1/2 off, and getting a size that should work well, I really didn't complain too much.

http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/product.do?cid=39413&pid=538921

I went back to Nordstrom Rack. I knew earlier in the day that 7's had fit me quite well, even if they were the "Levi's" of the designer jean world. Well, I found an ALL black pair that fit great (unlike the Lucky's I tried on), and I went with them.



Not the most stylish pair I'd seen all day, I just liked the look, the color was definately different from what I'm used to, and I think it's simple style to pull off wherever I might design to wear them.



Sorry the pics are so bad, but the true black just didn't seem to like my camera.

After that, it was a fairly simple drive home once I got out of downtown Seattle proper, and I've made trades in NBA 2K9, watched Pirates - Dead Man's Chest, and played a little poker in the room with Posh and Lum.

Definately a fun day and one I'll remember for a LONG time!

[SFA437]

Now, now;

You CAN rock an aloha shirt but they are not for everyone....





I love my aloha shirts but they are NOT for serious social occasions

[metricsgeek]

SFA,
Somebody has to tell you. Please tell me that the last guy doesn't have a mullet, and that he is not you.

Hawaiian shirts are very, very difficult to successfully result as a positive impression. Just no one will tell you that it's a joke. Large guns help, but still can't compensate for the obvious "I have no female influence to keep me from doing stupid man-stuff". Posh's no H-shirts is probably a good rule, because its well recognized as "bad thing". Specifically, women recognize them as a bad thing, whereas men think they show the "raw party animal" in them. Important safety tip: Men, listen to Posh. You don't have to understand it, just trust the Posh.

Make-up. Not to discredit the fair males of our race, but... damn.
Man bags, makeup, the over-the-top designer sunglasses with big designer labels, earrings, shoes with YSL prints.... Lets leave that to our friends that are more estrogen endowed.

Tattoos? I almost got one when I was in Navy. Glad my period of insecurity didn't take me there. Earrings and Tattoos are lumped in with Hawaiian shirts in my eyes. Low self esteem. One exception. If I was an olympian, I would get a tattoo of the rings. It means something.

Sharp Dressed man, yes. Killer watches. Yes. Aura of "I am comfortable, styled, smart, disciplined". Yes. Smart and on budget? Yes!

Ridiculous? No. Remotely resembling a trailer park or a COPS show? No.

My personal opinions, but it works for me. You rock, Posh!

Metrics Geek

[Posh]

Shoes are bangin'. Pants, hot. Wallet . . . don't you have two unused wallets now? Why did you need a third?

Anyway, you're smart. You got an on sale blazer and some Mark Nason's for JUST $199? Impressive. With those shoes, you MIGHT get some love.

SFA,
Somebody has to tell you. Please tell me that the last guy doesn't have a mullet, and that he is not you.

Hawaiian shirts are very, very difficult to successfully result as a positive impression. Just no one will tell you that it's a joke. Large guns help, but still can't compensate for the obvious "I have no female influence to keep me from doing stupid man-stuff". Posh's no H-shirts is probably a good rule, because its well recognized as "bad thing". Specifically, women recognize them as a bad thing, whereas men think they show the "raw party animal" in them. Important safety tip: Men, listen to Posh. You don't have to understand it, just trust the Posh.

Sharp Dressed man, yes. Killer watches. Yes. Aura of "I am comfortable, styled, smart, disciplined". Yes. Smart and on budget? Yes!

Ridiculous? No. Remotely resembling a trailer park or a COPS show? No.

My personal opinions, but it works for me. You rock, Posh!

Metrics Geek

Thank you, MG.

Someone stated further up the thread that women primarily dress for other women, which is kinda true. Judging by some of the busted women I have seen publicly with men (some hot men at that!), most don't seem to care how the woman they're with looks, as long as they have one. Which is nothing if not noble.

So if a woman cares about her appearance and the clothes she wears, it's sometimes another woman who appreciates it. At least it seems this way to me. But there are a segment of men, if not subconsciously all men, who expect us chicks to look a certain way, e.g. thin, in-shape and attractive faces. I don't necessarily find anything wrong with this at all. But what I DO find most upsetting about it is that these same men DON'T expect to have to look their best for us. I can't count how many times an unattractive guy, whether in looks or dress, is usually the first guy to talk about the way a woman looks, especially if she is less than "perfect." It's not not even that it's a double standard; it's just comical.

And again, I'm not a fashion or body fascist. I'm all for people being their best selves. That's all. Because so many people just don't care. We have made mediocrity the order of the day. If I don't accept that in myself then why should I or would I accept that in someone else?

The list is by no means comprehensive and it isn't all me who came up with these guidelines; they are universally agreed upon ideas for personal appearance. People can choose to ignore them all they want but that doesn't stop them from being accurate. It just means they're in denial.

Which brings me to Sfa. Boy, oh, boy . . . I have to tease you, you know. I thought I saw a hint of a mullet too! Here's the revised picture. I don't know anything about photo programs so this was done bootleg style in MS Paint:



This is what you are channeling:

[tomhorn]

But there are a segment of men, if not subconsciously all men, who expect us chicks to look a certain way, e.g. thin, in-shape and attractive faces. I don't necessarily find anything wrong with this at all. But what I DO find most upsetting about it is that these same men DON'T expect to have to look their best for us. I can't count how many times an unattractive guy, whether in looks or dress, is usually the first guy to talk about the way a woman looks, especially if she is less than "perfect." It's not not even that it's a double standard; it's just comical.

This actually goes both ways ... it's not just a guy thing.

Women do it all the time too and they don't just reserve their remarks for men ... they can be amazingly brutal about other women. Guys, on the other hand pretty much don't care what other guys are wearin' ...

[SFA437]

I still will cling to my aloha shirts- I love them to death. They're not serious attire though, they have their time and place. I love Posh to death for the fashion advice- she's got me to the point of modding a rep briefcase and even my wife says the clothing being delivered back home is bangin but I'll be buried in an aloha shirt; my final PI$$ OFF to the world

The hair is a result of not being able to pop out to the local Supercuts for a trim. Being stuck in the middle of nowhere for 6 months, your hair tends to get a bit long, especially when your workday is 18-20 hours and not 8. Haircuts are WAY down on the list of things to do during my time here. That plus nobody cares what you look like or what you wear where I am

The large guns are a result of being in a place where you get shot at, a lot. Being able to shoot back helps, as harsh language has not worked to dissuade those shooting from continuing in that course of action. They seem to be quite committed to cracking my melon; as committed as I am in keeping the aforementioned melon cracking from happening.

BTW The Magnum wannabe is completely incorrect. Magnum wore a 1979 red Jungle Bird, not that odd palm tree looking thing

[Posh]

This actually goes both ways ... it's not just a guy thing.

Women do it all the time too and they don't just reserve their remarks for men ... they can be amazingly brutal about other women. Guys, on the other hand pretty much don't care what other guys are wearin' ...

I know we do. That's why I had a small issue with the remake of The Women. Not every woman is my friend. Is she nice to me publicly? yes. But I know what that b*tch says behind my back. I also know she tried to sleep my boyfriend. But I won't say anything because she doesn't stand a chance. Nice try I heard though.

BTW The Magnum wannabe is completely incorrect. Magnum wore a 1979 red Jungle Bird, not that odd palm tree looking thing

Oh, well, let me revise! LOL

[Chris V.]

[painm8ker]

So if a woman cares about her appearance and the clothes she wears, it's sometimes another woman who appreciates it. At least it seems this way to me. But there are a segment of men, if not subconsciously all men, who expect us chicks to look a certain way, e.g. thin, in-shape and attractive faces. I don't necessarily find anything wrong with this at all. But what I DO find most upsetting about it is that these same men DON'T expect to have to look their best for us. I can't count how many times an unattractive guy, whether in looks or dress, is usually the first guy to talk about the way a woman looks, especially if she is less than "perfect." It's not not even that it's a double standard; it's just comical.

Posh,

I think the reason for that is that we condition each other to accentuate the things that makes us attractive to the opposite sex. Lets face it women are attracted to power and status primarily and men to youth and beauty, they say its hardwired because of the basic procreation needs. How much money a women makes or can make is very low on our priority scale and what we look like is low on yours, OK not you personally, but as a gender it is.So ugly poorly dressed guys can be attractive as long as they have means, or so the theory goes anyway.

Its a good thing too or I would be in big trouble ;-)

[Posh]

This actually goes both ways ... it's not just a guy thing.

Women do it all the time too and they don't just reserve their remarks for men ... they can be amazingly brutal about other women. Guys, on the other hand pretty much don't care what other guys are wearin' ...

I know we do. That's why I had a small issue with the remake of The Women. Not every woman is my friend. Is she nice to me publicly? yes. But I know what that b*tch says behind my back. I also know she tried to sleep my boyfriend. But I won't say anything because she doesn't stand a chance. Nice try I heard though.

BTW The Magnum wannabe is completely incorrect. Magnum wore a 1979 red Jungle Bird, not that odd palm tree looking thing

Oh, well, let me revise! LOL

[Kollektor]

SFA - love you, Bro, and appreciative of your service.

BUT, looks like Posh has a project when you get back to civilization. Total SFA makeover.

Yeah, the Hawaiian shirt is popular among CIA and security types, but it still doesn't pass fashion muster. Tucking in the Hawaiian shirt makes the offense that much worse. Adding a mullet to the mix puts you over the top. If you grow a Saddam mustache and sport some of those folding 80s Ferrari shades, then you'll complete the picture (as Posh illustrated above). Open shirt is also a no-no.

Not saying my own sh_t doesn't stink... I'm a natural born fashion mess myself, but the wife keeps me on the straight and narrow. When we got hitched, she went into my closet and torched my 2 Hawaiian shirts that I insisted looked cool. In retrospect I shudder to think I was wearing those things in public.. Trust the gang on this one. They're as garrish as it gets.

[SFA437]

SFA - love you, Bro, and appreciative of your service.

BUT, looks like Posh has a project when you get back to civilization. Total SFA makeover.

Yeah, the Hawaiian shirt is popular among CIA and security types, but it still doesn't pass fashion muster. Tucking in the Hawaiian shirt makes the offense that much worse. Adding a mullet to the mix puts you over the top. If you grow a Saddam mustache and sport some of those folding 80s Ferrari shades, then you'll complete the picture (as Posh illustrated above). Open shirt is also a no-no.

Trust me- I do have SOME fashion sense and teh Posh has expanded my horizons beyond Armani. Kind of grooving right now on some classic British suits, especially 3 piece ones. Flying through Heathrow on my way back to the world, might snag some while I am there. Still going to wear a hat with the suit though- I'm stuck in the 40's

[Posh]

Posh,

I think the reason for that is that we condition each other to accentuate the things that makes us attractive to the opposite sex. Lets face it women are attracted to power and status primarily and men to youth and beauty, they say its hardwired because of the basic procreation needs. How much money a women makes or can make is very low on our priority scale and what we look like is low on yours, OK not you personally, but as a gender it is.So ugly poorly dressed guys can be attractive as long as they have means, or so the theory goes anyway.

Its a good thing too or I would be in big trouble ;-)

I wasn't gonna elaborate but your reply pretty much forces my hand.

That WAS the way it used to be, women (or their families) looking at men with means to support them. Today, a lot of women are better educated and many times better employed than some men, which is why that old feminist standby that states "men make more money than women" bothers me and many other new style feminists. A LOT of women don't need a man to support them. Almost every single woman I know doesn't need a man for money. And if they have a man, he looks really good or is straight up hot as **** along with being gainfully employed.

Money, as ANYONE will tell you, is the greatest equalizer. And now that we have that, we can expect (and demand) more from men than money. This can be seen as a godsend (for poor, pretty men) or disruption of the male power structure. I prefer to think of it as both.

The "golddigger" term is thrown around a lot but usually the man using the term, has no money.

[SFA437]

Hey Posh-

Any suggestions on British suits beyond Sayville Row? Flying through Heathrow after the New Year and want to get a leg up on what's up & coming while still being traditional- I don't do flamboyant Eurotrash well at all

[Posh]

Hey Posh-

Any suggestions on British suits beyond Sayville Row? Flying through Heathrow after the New Year and want to get a leg up on what's up & coming while still being traditional- I don't do flamboyant Eurotrash well at all

If I made suggestions, considering the knowledge base you know I work within, would you be able to afford it? Do you have a budget? I feel like the salesgirl at Saks now . . .

[Kollektor]

Trust me- I do have SOME fashion sense and teh Posh has expanded my horizons beyond Armani. Kind of grooving right now on some classic British suits, especially 3 piece ones. Flying through Heathrow on my way back to the world, might snag some while I am there. Still going to wear a hat with the suit though- I'm stuck in the 40's

Let's hear about some of those brands. I can't tell a good shirt from bad... did Posh address this stuff in her posts? Don't recall. Most importantly, can I score any of these brands at Marshalls and TJ Max like the mid-level stuff like Calvin Klein, Boss, etc?

[SFA437]

I've got a budget of about 15K or so. I'd like pulling 3-4 suits home with me.

Not up on the latest and greatest, and want to stand out from the Armani crowd. Sayville seems to be a bit mainstream and I want off the beaten path.

Appreciate the advice, and if I get some good threads I'll burn one of my aloha shirts to appease the fashion Gods and post the video here

[Kollektor]

sfa - welcome to the aloha ash club. Fortunately, tastes become more refined with age.

Yo Posh, what brands do you recommend for button-down dress/casuals? Can any be had for less than a fortune? If I have a nice piece of clothing, it's going to get pasta sauce on it for sure.

[painm8ker]

I wasn't gonna elaborate but your reply pretty much forces my hand.

That WAS the way it used to be, women (or their families) looking at men with means to support them. Today, a lot of women are better educated and many times better employed than some men, which is why that old feminist standby that states "men make more money than women" bothers me and many other new style feminists. A LOT of women don't need a man to support them. Almost every single woman I know doesn't need a man for money. And if they have a man, he looks really good or is straight up hot as **** along with being gainfully employed.

Money, as ANYONE will tell you, is the greatest equalizer. And now that we have that, we can expect (and demand) more from men than money. This can be seen as a godsend (for poor, pretty men) or disruption of the male power structure. I prefer to think of it as both.

The "golddigger" term is thrown around a lot but usually the man using the term, has no money.

While I agree with you in principal the dynamic has shifted a little but not as much as we would like to believe and its not about needing money. I agree with you women don't need a man to support them as much anymore. You still see that in a large part of the world but not as much in the US (OK the 20% in the US below the poverty line still see it). That being said every woman I know, even the ones dragging down 6 figures, still want a guy who is more successful then them. Its basic human psychology we define success in relative terms to ourselves. For us to consider someone a success they have to be doing better then us. So why do most women need the guy to be more succesful? the basic instincts are still there, women are hard coded to look for the best provider/protector. That's not bad its just is what it is. Like I said it gives ugly guys hope. Bill Gates ain't ever gonna win $20 in a beauty contest but he is never gonna have trouble finding a date neither.

Why is a poor but good looking guy more deserving then an ugly rich one? Everything else being equal, you don't have to do anything to be good looking your just born that way to be rich you actually have to work at it (most of the time). If you ask me a "golddigger" is more equal opportunity then a someone who chases the hot guys. I think either is OK anyway as long as your honest, if you stay with someone you hate because they are really hot or really rich your a looser anyway so whats the difference?

[Posh]

I've got a budget of about 15K or so. I'd like pulling 3-4 suits home with me.

Not up on the latest and greatest, and want to stand out from the Armani crowd. Sayville seems to be a bit mainstream and I want off the beaten path.

Appreciate the advice, and if I get some good threads I'll burn one of my aloha shirts to appease the fashion Gods and post the video here

Okay, getting a custom made suit in London is NOT impossible, it's just not cheap. I just IMed one of my colleagues, a retail analyst at an affiliate of my company, and he reminded me that there's a great new company founded by this young, totally hip but traditional guy named Warren Bennett. He is bringing a Savile Row sensibility to those who want to spend slightly less. His company is VERY wired with a site that's easy to navigate BUT that's not the best part. This next part is what is astonishing to me.

You can measure yourself, being COMPLETELY honest, or go into their convenient London tailoring center and they will measure every nook and cranny of your body to ensure the best fitting suit your money can buy. Instead of getting two suits from Oxford Street or Savile Row, you can have have seven or eight of these suits. You can select everything about the suit from the color, fabric, buttons, cut, lapels, trouser cut, waistcoat cut, linings, pockets, pleats, ticket pockets and so on. They don't skimp on options. They even let you choose between regular legs and the Prince of Wales bootcut. That's virtually unheard of in inexpensive tailored suits, my colleague said.

Call their tailoring center up, make an appointment and they will treat you like a Savile Row customer. They have pictures of the suits on clients, testimonials and a site so navigable everyone should copy it. The company is called A Suit That Fits. My colleague says it makes getting a custom made suit in London affordable to people with net worths not equal to the GDP of Sierra Leone.

[SFA437]

Thanks girl- you ROCK!

Flaming aloha shirt to be posted tomorrow in your honor.

[Posh]

While I agree with you in principal the dynamic has shifted a little but not as much as we would like to believe and its not about needing money. I agree with you women don't need a man to support them as much anymore. You still see that in a large part of the world but not as much in the US (OK the 20% in the US below the poverty line still see it). That being said every woman I know, even the ones dragging down 6 figures, still want a guy who is more successful then them. Its basic human psychology we define success in relative terms to ourselves. For us to consider someone a success they have to be doing better then us. So why do most women need the guy to be more succesful? the basic instincts are still there, women are hard coded to look for the best provider/protector. That's not bad its just is what it is. Like I said it gives ugly guys hope. Bill Gates ain't ever gonna win $20 in a beauty contest but he is never gonna have trouble finding a date neither.

Why is a poor but good looking guy more deserving then an ugly rich one? Everything else being equal, you don't have to do anything to be good looking your just born that way to be rich you actually have to work at it (most of the time). If you ask me a "golddigger" is more equal opportunity then a someone who chases the hot guys. I think either is OK anyway as long as your honest, if you stay with someone you hate because they are really hot or really rich your a looser anyway so whats the difference?

I meant poor in a figurative sense, not a literal one. Besides, poor people don't even really exist, I heard. It was something cooked up by The Evil Liberal Media.

Thanks girl- you ROCK!

Flaming aloha shirt to be posted tomorrow in your honor.

Don't burn your shirt. You may need it for cutting grass or scaring children. Better hold on to it.

[painm8ker]

Okay, getting a custom made suit in London is NOT impossible, it's just not cheap. I just IMed one of my colleagues, a retail analyst at an affiliate of my company, and he reminded me that there's a great new company founded by this young, totally hip but traditional guy named Warren Bennett. He is bringing a Savile Row sensibility to those who want to spend slightly less. His company is VERY wired with a site that's easy to navigate BUT that's not the best part. This next part is what is astonishing to me.

You can measure yourself, being COMPLETELY honest, or go into their convenient London tailoring center and they will measure every nook and cranny of your body to ensure the best fitting suit your money can buy. Instead of getting two suits from Oxford Street or Savile Row, you can have have seven or eight of these suits. You can select everything about the suit from the color, fabric, buttons, cut, lapels, trouser cut, waistcoat cut, linings, pockets, pleats, ticket pockets and so on. They don't skimp on options. They even let you choose between regular legs and the Prince of Wales bootcut. That's virtually unheard of in inexpensive tailored suits, my colleague said.

Call their tailoring center up, make an appointment and they will treat you like a Savile Row customer. They have pictures of the suits on clients, testimonials and a site so navigable everyone should copy it. The company is called A Suit That Fits. My colleague says it makes getting a custom made suit in London affordable to people with net worths not equal to the GDP of Sierra Leone.

SFA,

I am not sure if your planning on any stops in the middle east on your way back but just about every country in the region has tailors called "same-same" shops. You can bring them a bolt of cloth and a picture and they will make you a suit. I was in Saudi and Qatar from late 01 until mid 03 and it was about $100 for the labor back then. They were all over the place there and in Dubai. They do shirts for around $20 too. Was the only good part about my two year deployment. If nothing else you can have the local tailor measure you and send it in to the London guy.


Good luck,

[BigWatchPilot]

Don't burn your shirt. You may need it for cutting grass or scaring children. Better hold on to it.

DON'T burn it...save it for the GTG that we have with Posh. We can all wear Hawaiian shirts.

Great info on them suits...to bad I have to wear a LAME uniform, now there is something I can burn.

BWP

[sox]

I've got a budget of about 15K or so. I'd like pulling 3-4 suits home with me.

Not up on the latest and greatest, and want to stand out from the Armani crowd. Sayville seems to be a bit mainstream and I want off the beaten path.

Appreciate the advice, and if I get some good threads I'll burn one of my aloha shirts to appease the fashion Gods and post the video here

Take a look at Thomas Mah0n - at
Englishcut and Thomasmahon

BTW Here's the blog for "A Suit That Fits" - http://a-suit-that-fits.blogspot.com/