Wardrobe Revamp
Hi guys! I am trying to create a capsule wardrobe. I am located in the US. I prefer to buy online but I am okay with buying items in person. I would like to buy items within the next few months. I am mainly searching for basics from $30-$50. My measurements for pants are 34 x 32; for shirts, I can wear 25 inches from pit to pit and 27 inches for sweaters. Does anyone have any suggestions for brands or items to get?
34 Replies
Christina Mychas has a YouTube video about creating capsule wardrobes out of the clothes you already own, which I would recommend to anybody trying to build a capsule wardrobe: first identify what you already own that works and then come at it from a "filling in the gaps" mentality, rather than starting new from nothing
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5j5jhvZl9G0
Christina Mychas
YouTube
this is the EASIEST way to find your style (no shopping required!)
In today's video I share the exact decluttering system I used to declutter my way down to my "perfect" capsule wardrobe. The truth is, most of us open our wardrobes and think "Ughhhh...I've got a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear...", and the next thing we do to solve this problem is go out to buy more clothes. In my experience, this us...
i know im probably never going to be able to downsize enough to get to 'capsule wardrobe' level, but i do pack for trips this way and try to make sure everything pretty much goes with everything. that way i can mix/match for maximum variety while packing as few items as possible. basically a lot of neutrals - blacks, greys, whites, denim - and subtle or no visible or super in-your-face branding or prints. that way it isnt as obvious that youre wearing the same stuff over and over. 2 pairs of pants, 3-4 shirts, and a couple of outer layers can easily get you a couple of weeks' worth of outfit combinations
Uniqlo
What are your needs in terms of activities, formality, etc?
Im a college student and I need formal clothes for my job
looking over https://malefashionadvice.substack.com/p/how-i-built-an-academic-wardrobe might be helpful
Building a secondhand academic wardrobe
Those of you who know my posts here know I'm all about buying secondhand, so, I wanted to share my progress on building an academic wardrobe completely secondhand. I work in academia, and like to play into that a bit with some loafers and tweedy sport coats, especially at professional events like conferences.
How formal - what do coworkers wear? (Industry and geographic location can help too).
The above link for the academic wardrobe is probably the cheapest way of putting together a consistent, reasonably formal (read: upper levels of business casual) set of clothes that mix and match well. But depending on your coworkers and clients it might not be the right strategy.
It’s not super formal, just work in a clinic where business casual is expected
I would like to gear my wardrobe towards more casual outfits though
Can you please describe roughly what your coworkers wear. Shoes, pants, shirts, jackets if any, ties if any. Business casual means different things to different people and it's easier to help when you are precise.
Dress shirts and polo shirts, chinos, khakis, loafers, belts
Im also interested in this aesthetic for casual clothing https://onpointfresh.com/soft-boy-aesthetic/
i don't like "lookmaxing" sites like those tbh
do u have any other recommendations for sites ?
your idea of getting sweaters is a very good idea for the workplace i think btw.
let me gather some decent articles on stuff that's business casual but not bleh/boring
ok thanks lmao i wasn’t sure where to look for inspiration
Put This On
How To Do Business Casual Without Looking Like a Schmuck
It’s never been harder to figure out how to dress for work. A generation ago, the average office uniform was...
i think the above article is very helpful even if some of the advice may be too formal or trad for your needs
as you're a college student, i'd think you want outfits that fit both on campus and at work.
pants wise: uniqlo has potentially some good options in your price range. do you live near one?
those are from the uniqlo x jw anderson collab that just came out today ^
UNIQLO
Wide-Fit Chino Pants | UNIQLO US
The soft feel of cotton twill. Wide cut ideal for relaxed styles.
these are the uniqlo u collab but they are mainly out of stock currently ^
i haven't tried either of these on but design wise they look very nice at least and they're 100% cotton. i'd recommend j crew for chinos (they're classic relaxed cut is a great place to start and they're giant fit chinos get great reviews) but they don't like discounting them and full price is outside your range ($98 but maybe you can get the 15% student discount off of that). i did manage to snag a pair of the classic relaxed chinos in a really nice camel color that's out of stock for $25 final sale. the jcrew classic relaxed one's have a lot of heft and look hardy which is nice (they also have cool flap pockets)
you can also find chinos (and other pants) secondhand (ebay/other resell websites or thrift or resell stores) in your price range.
what's on trend currently for young people is a more relaxed fit and that's what I personally like as well, so keep that in mind when looking at pants (as long as you like a relaxed fit)
you could potentially also wear jeans to the workplace and you could definitely wear them to school. i'd look at levi's 550s, 505s, and 501s for a new option (keep an eye out for sales). 550s are a slightly relaxed fit, and 505s and 501s are a straight fit. there are also excellent levi's jeans being sold secondhand (may actually be preferable if you find something that fits, look for made in USA)
whoa thank u so much this is super helpful, i don’t live near a uniqlo but im okay with online shopping since i know my measurements
pants options beyond chinos and jeans start getting more complicated. i'll start with workwear as that's still p simple: some obvious options that come to mind are dickies work pants, painter pants, carpenter pants and jeans, carhartt double knees, and military surplus (or military inspired) fatigues
in terms of what's appropiate to wear to your business casual office, i'd say dickies work pants are and they're very affordable. i'm planning on getting a pair myself
Original 874 Work Pants | Mens Pants | Dickies - Dickies US
Iconic since 1967. Crafted from our signature workwear twill, the Original 874® Work Pants wear in comfortably without wearing out. They have a high rise, relaxed fit, and slightly tapered leg for a timeless look. Trusted on and off the job—for hard work and classic style—the icon is dedicated to those committed to making their mark.
many places will have a mom & pop store that is a dickies and/or carhartt retailer
olive fatigues may also work in an biz casual office. i'd get a pair from a local military surplus store or thrift
the other types of workwear pants may not be appropriate for going to work in an ofice (or they may depending on how casual your office is) but they're definitely appropriate for going to school and have really integrated into streetwear nowadays
some options for those: https://www.dickies.com/painter-pants/relaxed-fit-straight-leg-painters-pants/1953.html
Painter's Pants | Men's Pants | Dickies - Dickies US
Super comfortable and packed with storage, the classic Dickies Painter's Pants deliver all the fit and function you need to finish any painting job. A loose fit gives you plenty of room to move, and the heavyweight cotton fabric is crafted for extra strength so you don't have to worry about wear and tear on the job.
Men’s 100% Cotton Carpenter Jean | Men's Jeans | Lee®
Shop the Men’s 100% Cotton Carpenter Jean on Lee.com, the ultimate destination for the latest Lee men's Jeans styles.
i'd keep in mind whether you actually like the workwear aesthetic but i'm recommending it as I personally like it and it's very popular right now. all of these pants you can also get secondhand
i'd say the basic dickies work pants are your best bet if you're not sure as they seem quite timeless to me!
I will go back to pants but in terms of sweaters, at your price range i'd look at secondhand wool sweaters. if you're on tiktok, i'm sure you've noticed people hawking cheap sweaters. those are garbage, don't get them. i think chunkier knits are better like a wool shetland sweater for example
i want to circle back to sweaters but that reminded me of a simple basic that's important: sweatshirts. from what i've gathered i'd look for a vintage heather gray russell athletic crewneck sweatshirt! otherwise, check out j. crew's heritage fleece crewneck sweatshirt. a crewneck sweatshirt can be worn casually as well as to an office like yours i'd think. in terms of hoodies which can be part of casual school outfits, i'd also take a look at vintage/secondhand like russell athletic but i also really like my levi's gold tab french terry hoodie that I got on sale. there's also a brand called camber that makes really thick fleece hoodies mainly for other brands including streetwear brands like supreme (as well as a whole bunch of others).
the most basic color for all sweatshirts is heather gray
i should have kept what you linked more in mind instead of going into a whole tangent on workwear pants.
but yeah before i keep going on with different options, what do you currently have?
i currently have light washed denim jeans, a few quality sweaters, north face jacket and tons of t shirts
i also have more formal pants and a few button downs
how thick are the sweaters, and what cut are the pants + jeans?
the sweaters aren’t super thick, but still warm and the jeans are wide leg while the pants are slim and tapered
ok that's a good place to start! sounds like your covered on jeans but not pants
what colors are the sweaters?
light blue, lavender and black