So what was on my list for the jeans?  Shoes (very high heels) and a blazer.  So as we hit the street to shop, we head into Banana Republic, lots of sale shoes.  I pick a few and request to try them on:

More Banana Republic…

While he goes off to get them, I realize the store is closing and this may be the only store I get to shop in. So we rush off to find a blazer too. The one I love has a bad fit so I settle for a grey cardigan.

The sales guy comes back with only one pair. The last ones above and in grey (honestly, my least favorite pair). I try them on and they look but not as high as I wanted. So I get them anyway and walk out $127.58 poorer.

We walk around and find a few more open stores including Nordstrom. We spend a ton of time in Nordstrom and I find a couple of pair of shoes to try on but my client says to me, “Kim they aren’t fabulous. Why aren’t you buying fabulous shoes like these?” (Note: the last shoes in the line below.)

More Sam Edelman…

I say “NO WAY! I am on a budget.” Then this is when the teacher becomes the student. She gives me a litany of responses that I would typically give to her, other clients AND YOU! It goes like this:

1. “You should only buy what you love. What is the point of having mediocre clothes in your closet.”
2. “When you only buy what you love and fits you well, you will always look great because you won’t have any bad items in your closet.”
3. “It isn’t about absolute cost, it is the cost per wear. You will get much more wear out of things you love than mediocre items.”

“Ah!” I scream, “You can never shop with me again!” So I try on the fabulous shoes too. Unfortunately, they looked better on the display and the other shoes didn’t look great so I left them all there with plans to just keep my Banana Republic shoes.

As I drove home, she stayed in my head…”Why aren’t you buying fabulous shoes?  Why aren’t you buying fabulous shoes?  Why aren’t you buying fabulous shoes?  Why aren’t you buying fabulous shoes?”

She’s right!  So, I decided to take back the Banana Republic shoes, which I liked, not loved and they were not fabulous.  But what to wear with my jeans?  I wanted to wear them the next day.  How about what I already own?  I decided on my favorite, FABULOUS pair of wedges from my Puerto Rico trip.

I paired it with a white tank and a neutral wrap.  I got tons of compliments. But the best part is I got my $127.48 back.

Moral of the story:  Shop your own closet first and save time and money.  (Note:  Make sure your closet is full of fabulous pieces!)

Trendy Looks by famuee99 featuring Banana Republic

 

Trendy Looks by famuee99 featuring Banana Republic

 

 

As I look at both categories and my wardrobe, I have a few trendy looks but I try to purchase as many timeless pieces as possible.  For me, it just makes more sense.  I have highlighted four staples this week that you could purchase in a timeless or trendy version — outerwear, footwear, shirts, and jeans.  You decide what makes sense for you.

Outerwear

For overcoats I always suggest a simple dark colored garment.  The one piece that I am most proud of is my favorite winter peacoat.  It is a simple navy blue double-breasted peacoat with high lapels.  I wear it almost daily and continue to get compliments on it.  I bought it from Banana Republic on clearance some eight years ago.  I think this is the ultimate example of a truly timeless piece.  If there is one thing to remember it is that your outerwear is not the place for you to be flashy or to take too many chances.  It is one of the most expensive pieces you will buy and it also will be something that you will wear most often.  With both of these factors being considered I have highlighted the charcoal double-breasted peacoat as the timeless look and the camel-colored high-lapel moleskin topcoat as the trendy look.  Before you decide to go trendy vs. timeless on the coat, consider the investment.  If you can get it at a good deal, go for it but would you want to spend the same amount on one item you can only wear for one year versus one you can wear for eight?

Footwear

Shoes are near and dear to my heart.  I used to pride myself on having literally 20 pairs of black shoes.  Now I understand that it’s not the quantity but the quality of the shoes you have.  Black lace-ups are always a safe bet but they can be trendy as well as timeless.  The trendy look is an attractive shoe but because of the stretched front and four eyelets it looks very casual and you would primarily wear this with jeans.  The timeless look is your basic black oxford lace up.  The beauty of this shoe is that you can wear this with jeans but you can also wear it with shirts and slacks.  With shoes you want to consider the number of outfits you can wear with them.  If I had to choose one over the other I would again choose the timeless lace up oxford.

Shirts

Regarding shirts, I think that most guys would say that it doesn’t matter what type of shirt they buy.  I think that everything you buy should and does matter.  Guys own more shirts than any other wardrobe item.  Shirts offer wardrobe variety and are an easy way to add in a trend but you can still make smart timeless choices with your shirts too.  This season’s trendy look is the much-seen military shirt — two pockets and shoulder epaulets make for a “hot” but I feel temporarily stylish look.  I have fought the urge to buy more than “just one” of these shirts.  I have seen numerous guys wearing them and they are one of the must haves of the season.  But instead of stocking up on a variety of military shirts, I instead have solidified my button-down collection with additional shirts. You may say that the timeless look of the button-down shirt is boring but I refer to it as a staple for guys.  Boredom in style or color for this classic shirt can easily be remedied by a print or striped tie.  You can go for it with either the shirt or the tie but not both.  The great thing that a lot of shirtmakers are doing now is actually shortening the length of the shirt’s hem.  Some are going the extra mile and actually cutting the hem so that it is straight across.  This allows for the shirt to be worn out.  This minor feature allows this to be a corporate or casual look.  Versatility is usually a bi-product of a timeless look.

Jeans

Finally I felt the need to address jeans.  I have done my fair share of trendy look jeans — destroyed and dirty-wash denim.  What I found is that after awhile these end up being pushed towards the back of my closet.  So those styles have since been replaced by the more timeless look of dark washed, slim fit jeans.  I can assure you that the dark washed choice will spend many years in the front of your closet and will be worn with blazers as well as your favorite vintage t-shirt. 

As I say it’s less about what you wear and more about how you wear it.  The timeless choices can not only be worn for many years but their versatility will assure that you get the most value for your dollar. 

Fashionably Yours,

Mason

This wash and wear item has so much versatility that you can wear it with slacks or chinos.  Try a darker washed version that you can wash and wear until it’s broken in just the way you’d like.  The darker look will go great with trim gray wool trousers.  Or try a lighter shade that looks like the washing and wearing has already been done for you. Try pairing this version with slim chinos. 

So this fall go ahead and give the jean jacket some space in your closet.  Properly paired it can become a staple for your fall wardrobe. Just don’t pair the jean jacket with jeans, remember Kim told you a long time ago “a jean jacket and jeans does not make a suit“.

Fashionably Yours,

Mason

The striped shirt featured in this set allows you to be edgy from a pattern standpoint but very conservative color wise.  You effectively have the best of both worlds.  Since this is a patterned gray shirt you will want to stick with a navy color for the pants.  You can finish off the look with the solid gray tie in this set.  That will keep the conservative look and feel to your outfit. 

If you want to go with the solid gray shirt feel free to wear the diagonally-striped gray tie.  Consistency is the key to gray. The dark gray chinos in this set are easily complemented by a white shirt or a pale blue oxford. 

Finally the navy/gray suede penny loafers are an edgy take on a conservative color. I love the look of suede and the classic penny loafer style creates a perfect fashion blend. 

Gray has been the cause of many a yawn.  This season turn that yawn into an eyebrow raising fashion statement.

Fashionably Yours,

Mason