Correct Clothing for the occasion - a plea for saving my sanity.

[msulinski]

I'm not sure why everyone thinks that I said men can't dress themselves. Certainly there are those who can. What I said (or at least what I intended to say), is that I don't believe that men whose wives/girlfriends/mothers dress them end up looking very good. I realize that a lot of the time this happens out of necessity, when some men (as in the OPs case) refuse to put any effort in their appearance.

Yeah, here's the thing - that's just as offensive a generalization.

I'm not sure how - it is hard to look good when you don't care how you look. When someone else dresses you, that person is doing his/her best to understand what you might like and look good in. Chances are, without your input, that person will miss the mark. You could very well end up being uncomfortable in your clothes, which can lower confidence.

I'm not saying that a person can't put together something passable or even decent for someone else, but it will almost never be great.

[stargazer]

This thread is a case in point. I am the only one speaking out against black. I know saying that black doesn't look good in most situations sounds shocking to many when they first hear it. I can assure you however, that this is an established rule in the realm of classic menswear, at least in the Western world.

It clearly is not an established "rule" when so many of us see men in black suits on a daily basis, and most of them look darn good.  Men can wear any color with black (except for brown although it can be done) and I don't see them looking "washed out".  But the men in my life do prefer black b/c they KNOW that any color works with it.

[Goosey]

Maybe it's a "classic" rule - aka an outdated one.

[cass2591]

msulinski you have made your point about, or rather in this case, against black and I think everyone reading this thread gets it. Just because people disagree with you doesn't mean they are wrong. They disagree and there's really no reason to belabor the issue.

In other words, move on.

[*inviteseller]

I was married to a fashion challenged man but after a few shopping trips (thankfully I worked in management at a Department store so re outfitting him with a discount helped!) he had his work clothes, casual clothes, and a few dressier pieces.  I did not just go and buy them on my own, I made him go with me (oh what fun  ) so I could steer him towards the correct pieces for occasions, but he picked what he liked.  I did not 'dress' my husband..I find it off to think men can only look good if a woman dresses them.  For the majority of his adult life he worked in a field that was a jeans and t shirt type job, but he had been put into more of a management position where, while not suit & tie due to working in a warehouse, he had to bring up the wardrobe a few notches and he wasn't sure what was the correct clothes for what his new position would call for.

As an aside re: black clothes - Macy's Department stores requires it's employees to wear all black dress clothes, men and women alike, and they have to be dressed very smart.

[Marbles]

OP, if you'd like a reference for your DH, I'd suggest the Art of Manliness website. Its dress and grooming section has a lot of helpful information.

[White Lotus]

Muslinski has one very valid point about black, though.  Just because pieces are black doesn't mean they will go together.  There are shades and shades of black.  When black wears out, or is cheap, it can take on a very unpleasant greenish cast. However, I think the use of colored shirts and ties can distance the black from the skin so that black can flatter everyone.  Anything goes with black, even brown, if done properly -- and no brown shoes with black or variations, please!  A lot of black fabrics pick up lint dreadfully, though.  The Professor, who dresses himself, prefers a pin stripe for that reason, for his suit, which he wears seldom. He has a dinner jacket, so those do him. If he bought a second suit, it would probably be a summer weight light grey pinstripe, from recent mutterings.  He is a slacks and sport coat fellow mostly, tending towards tweedy things, or linen in summer, with collared shirts and usually ties, sometimes turtlenecks. Jeans or khakis with polos or turtlenecks seem to do him for casual wear.  I wish my clothes were that easy!

[artk2002]

To clarify, I am speaking from a menswear perspective, and it may have nothing to do with what women wear. I mentioned it because this thread is about what a man should wear in various environments. I am trying to provide some guidance about what looks good. I truly don't mean any offense by this, but I think a man can only look so good when he is dressed by his wife/girlfriend/mother.

OP, I would urge you to seek men's style advice outside of this forum, as you are not likely to get any adivce from well-dressed men. The previously-mentioend askandyaboutclothes.com and styleforum.net are good places to go.

Please think twice before criticizing the residents of this forum. Even with the modifying 'so', you managed to denigrate pretty much everyone's advice. Would you care to share your qualifications to do so?

Just to contribute to the topic: Although I normally dress very casually, I just left a 2-day business conference. Today I was wearing black pleat-front pants, a royal blue silk band collar shirt and a black linen sport coat. Yesterday was similar except that the shirt was black. I got some compliments on the outfit. It's a specific "look" that I'm going for; I know I look good in predominately black and jewel tones.

[White Lotus]

Art, it sounds like you looked great -- and are a pretty snappy dresser!  Prof's getting some band collared shirts pretty soon, I think.

[katycoo]

To clarify, I am speaking from a menswear perspective, and it may have nothing to do with what women wear. I mentioned it because this thread is about what a man should wear in various environments.

IME professionally, black remains an extremely common choice for many men, although I must admit that for business-wear it is often a textured or pinstriped choice, rather than solid black.

[katycoo]

I missed this one. I agree that navy looks good with just about anything. A navy suit with a white, light blue, mid-blue, pink etc shirt looks great. I don't think the same can be said for black. Also, navy suits allow more versatility in terms of shoe color. Black, brown and burgundy shoes all look good with navy. For black suits, you are pretty much stuck with black shoes.

My brain just exploded.  I disagree vehemently.  The only shoes that look good with navy, are navy.  Or cream/white, but on men this can look a bit pimp.

[squeakers]

I missed this one. I agree that navy looks good with just about anything. A navy suit with a white, light blue, mid-blue, pink etc shirt looks great. I don't think the same can be said for black. Also, navy suits allow more versatility in terms of shoe color. Black, brown and burgundy shoes all look good with navy. For black suits, you are pretty much stuck with black shoes.

My brain just exploded.  I disagree vehemently.  The only shoes that look good with navy, are navy.  Or cream/white, but on men this can look a bit pimp.

This guy disagrees with you: http://www.theshoesnobblog.com/2010/02/shoe-color-vs-suit-color.html

Me? I seldom look at people's feet if I can help it. 

[katycoo]

I missed this one. I agree that navy looks good with just about anything. A navy suit with a white, light blue, mid-blue, pink etc shirt looks great. I don't think the same can be said for black. Also, navy suits allow more versatility in terms of shoe color. Black, brown and burgundy shoes all look good with navy. For black suits, you are pretty much stuck with black shoes.

My brain just exploded.  I disagree vehemently.  The only shoes that look good with navy, are navy.  Or cream/white, but on men this can look a bit pimp.

This guy disagrees with you: http://www.theshoesnobblog.com/2010/02/shoe-color-vs-suit-color.html

Me? I seldom look at people's feet if I can help it.

That guy can disagree if he wants to - he's just comfortable in his wrongness

The men pictured on that blog were also wearing their pants too short.  Particularly the second man.  Admittedly in those pics those shoes didn't look awful, but they were also quite light tones.  I remain of the opionon that navy with black shoes is the devil's pairing.

[doodlemor]

Here is a lighthearted article from the Mail. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2399341/Would-YOU-let-man-pack-holiday-cases-We-did--ended-gardening-clothes-make-knickers.html

Husbands were asked to pack themselves and their wives for a week's trip to a sunny destination.  The men seemed very thoughtful, but didn't know exactly which clothes their wives actually would wear.  One guy didn't pack any knickers for his wife, another packed a years old maternity dress because it had been an evening dress, and one packed his wife's hair straighteners "because they looked important."

The article does stereotype gender roles a bit, but I thought the guys really tried to do a good job in a sweet way. 

[PurpleFrog]

FFirstly I'd like to thank everyone for their contributions, I'm going to reply to some points indiviually, as my phone isn't playing ball.