Middle-aged man, I want update image/clothing, where do I start?.

[lazythursday]

This is me. I mostly wear hoodies.

Anyway today I went to M&S and bought a casual linen shirt, which I think is like those shirts you wear with suits, only you don't have to tuck it in.

Today I just bought myself two new hoodies... I did try a linen shirt thing a couple of years ago. It just didn't feel right...
I don't mind the odd shirt if it's not too smart and doesn't need tucking in but I think I will probably be buried in jeans / t shirt / hoodie / beanie hat. Perhaps I should be more adventurous but just varying the colour of my hoodie from black gives me weeks of anxiety.

 

[IC3D]

Anyway today I went to M&S and bought a casual linen shirt

Hope you like ironing

 

[Fez909]

Fucking hell, but that all sounds like hard work!

Depends, I guess. It's defo not easy, but I don't see it as work. It can be...fun?

 

[bi0boy]

Hope you like ironing

I am wearing it now in town. I didn't iron it because I didn't think it needed ironing but looking down at I'm not so sure. Starting to feel a bit self-conscious - what will people think of me?

 

[bimble]

The crinkly thing is the whole point of linen .. isn't it?

 

[IC3D]

Is it maybe. I had a cream linen jacket but it always looked like I'd just pulled it out of a carrier bag. It's even hard to get disheveled right

 

[kabbes]

Depends, I guess. It's defo not easy, but I don't see it as work. It can be...fun?

Tell me more about your human... "fun"

 

[Sea Star]

My clothing is a ragtag of charity shop stuff, got too many rubbish T-shirts and slightly out of fashion trousers. I wear leather trainers which are very shabby.

I'm a sort of hippie/ex-raver, I don't like to look totally square. Basically I just look a bit down at heel.

I know little about buying clothes new, can I just walk into Primark and get kitted out from head to toe. Or should I go more upmarket. Thanks

you sound like me before i transitioned.

Seriously though - i just (gradually) threw my old stuff away and went out and bought new stuff from proper shops, that I tried on first. Be adventurous.

I suppose it will depend on your budget where you shop and what you buy, but try avoiding getting everything form one place or just buying same sort of stuff over and over, be prepared to make mistakes. I've since got rid of most of the clothes i bought through 2013 because, in hindsight, they didn't really suit me or I didn't feel comfortable wearing it. But i have found myself a new style that i like.

Look in magazines to see what sort of styles there are out there too.

 

[marty21]

Middle aged you say?

Chinos!

I went through a phase of wearing them in my 20s , at 52 ,I wouldn't be seen dead in them , my hoodies just don't go with them .

 

[marty21]

They do a good linen suit at M&S tbf

 

[lefteri]

Middle aged you say?

Chinos!

I know some trendy men in their late 20s/early 30s who wear nothing but chinos

 

[Dr. Furface]

All depends on what you want, how much you want to spend and how much effort you can be bothered to put in. If you don't like the high street there are online options like thread.com that will send you stuff that you can try on at home and send back if you don't like em ( I've never used them myself so can't say if they're any good). Personally I think you're better off sticking to charity shops than cheap n nasty Primark though.

 

[existentialist]

Is it maybe. I had a cream linen jacket but it always looked like I'd just pulled it out of a carrier bag. It's even hard to get disheveled right

It helps if you're an already slightly dishevelled person. I tend to rather like the crumpled linen look on me, although it does make me look like something out of a Grahame Greene novel...

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Decent pair of jeans. A couple of nice tailored shirts. Pair of quality brogues.

Sorted.

 

[bimble]

It helps if you're an already slightly dishevelled person. I tend to rather like the crumpled linen look on me, although it does tend to make me look like something out of a Grahame Greene novel...

Perfect. That means you're doing it right (thinking Our Man In Havana)

 

[editor]

I've had an unexpected resurgence in interest in fashion in the last couple of years and actually enjoy wearing clothes that aren't always jeans/hoodies.

 

[fishfinger]

Perfect. That means you're doing it right (thinking Our Man In Havana)

It's more like "Our man in Haverfordwest".

 

[existentialist]

It's more like "Our man in Haverfordwest".

That would involve a sou'wester!

 

[kabbes]

Right, I have just been through thread.com's process. My personal stylist is called Freddy, so that's nice. Let's see what Freddy comes back with.

 

[Geri]

Don't be wearing clothes from Primark, it really isn't a good look. Get yourself to TK Maxx.

 

[weltweit]

Doubledown do you know any women who you would describe as having good taste? Most of my nicer clothes were either bought for me by women with good taste, or they helped me chose them! Never underestimate the usefulness of a woman with good taste

 

[bimble]

Right, I have just been through thread.com's process. My personal stylist is called Freddy, so that's nice. Let's see what Freddy comes back with.

They really do exist I promise, human stylists working at thread. (Mr bimble works there but isn't one of them, he's a computerer).

 

[chilango]

Right, I have just been through thread.com's process. My personal stylist is called Freddy, so that's nice. Let's see what Freddy comes back with.

I did too.

I also got Freddie.

 

[bimble]

 

[kabbes]

I did too.

I also got Freddie.

I bet Freddie cares more about me than you. I feel we have a connection.

 

[chilango]

I bet Freddie cares more about me than you. I feel we have a connection.

Let's see what he suggests for us.

 

[bi0boy]

It helps if you're an already slightly dishevelled person. I tend to rather like the crumpled linen look on me, although it does make me look like something out of a Grahame Greene novel...

I just googled crumpled linen shirt looks. Careful you don't end up in the sidebar of shame!

 

[mx wcfc]

Decent shoes - you can get away with almost anything with a decent pair of shoes on. Tatty jeans, old band t-shirt - all look good with a decent pair of boots/shoes . I'd go for docs, but anything "proper" will do. Try charity shops for nice brogues? get new leather trainers?

 

[kabbes]

Freddie has responded. I am slightly overwhelmed. There are lots of pictures of trousers.

 

[Sirena]

I suppose the first step is to figure out what you like. Maybe look around at other people or browse online until you think 'I want one of those!'

This is what I do. I go out places and see what others are wearing and what looks cool and what doesn't.

Then i usually go to Primark.