Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 40 total)
  • Casual shirts
  • willard
    Full Member

    I need to smarten up a bit, forgoing the normal IT Engineer issue T-Shirts and crappy jeans and was looking for recommendations for smart/casual shirts that are not going to look out of place with smart jeans, but are not going to make me feel like I’m dressing up smart every damned day.

    They will need to take an iron to look pressed and I really don’t want anything too showy or ‘estate agent’ (you know what I mean).

    I’ve already had a look at Charles Tyrwhitt (my normal go to for shirts) and they look good, but where else should I be looking?

    binners
    Full Member

    What would Alan do….?

    As someone who’s recently experienced something similarly growy-uppy, my default is now Debenhams, for decent quality shirts (that don’t cost a fortune) – Jeff Banks, John Roscha and Jasper Conran are all a perfect mix of smart(ish) but not formal

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    As someone who’s recently experienced something similarly growy-uppy, my default is now Debenhams, for decent quality shirts (that don’t cost a fortune) – Jeff Banks, John Roscha and Jasper Conran are all a perfect mix of smart(ish) but not formal

    +1

    Rohan is another tip, if you ever need to be anywhere near outdoors as I do.

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    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Rohan?

    😉

    I just wear formal shirts with sleeves up a little (below the elbow, of course) or Orvis stuff.

    sillysilly
    Free Member

    Startup or corporate tech? What is your budget?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    That is about right captain – staff uniform is a blue fleece with patch and logo on arm… 😯

    mark90
    Free Member

    deadlydarcy
    Free Member

    *pictures binners in Debenhams changing roon*

    #strangest

    joshvegas
    Free Member

    Shirt and jeans?

    Have you tried the topgear forum?

    doris5000
    Full Member

    hmm. best bet is to try a load and see what cut suits you. TK Maxx is quite a good place to start.

    personally (as a skinny 6-foot bloke) i like Ted Baker (which is annoying because ££, wait for the sales) and Farah.

    I find chambray, twill cotton, and button-down collars give a suitable level of dressed-downness if going with jeans.

    And yeah, on the jeans front, go for darkish, slim fit, not faded 80’s Clarkson specials. And avoid the Jeans and Sheux look! https://twitter.com/JeansAndSheux

    😉

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    I’ll send you the video, DD.

    HansRey
    Full Member

    +1 for ted baker and farah for skinny blokes. Sales can be good.

    Ted Baker quality isn’t as good as farah, but the designs are better.

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    oh goody a single track fashion thread , my favourite!

    dave_rudabar
    Free Member

    Debenhams’ “Hammond & Co” range by “Patrick Grant” is nice, as is the John Rocha range. They’re ok for a couple of work casual shorts IMO.

    binners
    Full Member

    Its not just the shirt you have to get right. It has to be the whole ensemble….

    lunge
    Full Member

    H&M is pretty good if you’re prepared to wade through some rubbish first, as is Reiss. Different ends of the price spectrum mind you.

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    ****.

    I’ve just clicked on this to offer some advice on clothes, only to find that all that advice has already been imparted.

    By men I’m pretty sure are around 10 or more years my senior.

    **** **** ****

    *continues muttering*

    PMK2060
    Full Member

    Next Oxford Shirts are decent quality for the money and look well with dark jeans. imo shirts should not be tucked in when wearing jeans unless you are a farmer or a traveller

    onewheelgood
    Full Member

    Gap, Joules, White Stuff, Crew.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    I have a few Crew shirts; quality is a bit poor to be honest esp given their price (twice the cost of M&S and don’t last anything like as long).

    Gunz
    Free Member

    T M Lewin.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    Just make sure it’s fitted well and doesn’t do the billowing muffin top thing. If you want to go un tucked make sure the shirt has a level hem and is designed to be worn that way.
    And buttons not double cuff if worn without a suit.

    LeeW
    Full Member

    Another vote for TM Lewin, good quality but the sizing can be vary between styles.

    They come in Small, Medium, Large sizes rather than chest size. I wear mostly Small with a 41″ chest, some are pretty generous others are more snug.

    As always with TML etc. don’t buy full price, just wait for the sales.

    Digby
    Full Member

    Farah?

    Is your name Jim Bowen? If I remember he made Farah ‘sta-prest’ slacks a fashion ‘statement’ in the ’80s 😉

    DezB
    Free Member

    Obv –

    willard
    Full Member

    As much as I would love to habitually wear Hawaiian shirts (and I did find a load of mine the other day), I think that would be a bit too much for work! The ‘tache would probably be a bit too much for the rest of society.

    Work is corporate rather than startup, so has to be a bit more responsible. Mind you, no one seems to care what I wear here as long as the logos are not insulting/rude.

    The main problem I have is one of size; I’m about 6′ 7″ with a 42/44″ chest and longish arms, so generic shirts never seem to be either long enough or have long enough arms. I can get by with the Charles Tyrwhitt ‘long’ shirts in their ‘fitted’ range most days, but none of the casual ones really set me alight. I’ll give some more places a look in this weekend and see what is what.

    Shoes are another matter completely. I’d normally go for a pair of casual brogues, but have been told that something like a Chelsea boot would be better given a) my height and b) the way that a lot of trousers are a little too short for me. A shame I don’t like that style of shoe (he said wearing a pair of Reebok Nanos…)

    torsoinalake
    Free Member

    Got to be the branded polo shirt (bonus points if it is from a conference you went to three years ago) and pleated chino then? Some of those weird safety shoes in a boat shoe style and you are away.

    DezB
    Free Member

    Those TM Lewin shirts, as mentioned by LeeW, are bloody long. Sounds like they’d be ideal for you.

    willard
    Full Member

    I got rid of all of my branded polo shirts (aka booth wear) last year. I had hundreds of the damn things in all the colours of the corporate rainbow! Never again.

    I’ll see what TM Lewin have to offer at the weekend after I have finished re-setting the flag on my front steps.

    DrJ
    Full Member

    Farah?

    Is your name Jim Bowen? If I remember he made Farah ‘sta-prest’ slacks a fashion ‘statement’ in the ’80s

    Weird, isn’t it? They have a trendy shop in Covent Garden.

    BillOddie
    Full Member

    Step 14…

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/TKJeUj]Flannel[/url] by Dan and Claire Lees, on Flickr

    Digby
    Full Member

    Weird, isn’t it? They have a trendy shop in Covent Garden.

    Well clearly, that just goes to show how much my finger is on the pulse of ‘fashion’ … 😉

    I do remember some ‘mods’ & ‘casuals’ in the ’80s sporting that crisp & clean style – I always thought it was one step away from middle-aged beige … but then I spent the ’80s wearing black, so I’m hardly Gok Wan.

    Seemingly, if you work in Middle Management (aspiring Directorship) in the Technology sector, the current fashion does indeed seem to be the ‘Jeans & Sheux’ look. Shoes ideally brown with long square box toes that curl up more than a pair of ’80s Italian Winklepickers from Rebina shoes in Sheffield. The ‘look’ should be completed with a white cotton shirt with ‘Harry Hill’ collars and an optional ‘Sports Jacket’

    nerd
    Free Member

    I work in software development / data science stuff for one of the national labs and I usually wear khakis / chinos or wool mix trousers, desert boots, an Oxford / button down shirt and v-neck sweater if its cold. Mostly bought from Next and Gap. I’m skinny and other shops size small shirts are still like billowing sails.

    Smart enough without wearing a suit and avoids the dreaded jeans and sheux look. Avoid middle age beige by not buying anything in beige.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    but where else should I be looking?

    Nowhere.

    Tyrrwhit non-iron shirts. Never iron again. Not only do you get a choice of fit, and (iirc) collar and chest size independent, but you also get a choice of arm length.

    There are loads of clearance ones on Amazon too.

    willard
    Full Member

    nerd, that would fit with my situation (apart from being private sector), but my dessies are issue and so would look rubbish.

    I’m slowly realising that I need to change most of my wardrobe. Damn this growing up lark! I’ve avoided it so far, but having more notice would have been better!

    nerd
    Free Member

    I mean Clark’s desert boots, rather than army issue ones! 🙂

    brassneck
    Full Member

    John Rocha and Hollister and my go to ‘not smart but not how I’d actually like to dress’ for work. Also in Debenhams the mantaray stuff is often a fair bit cheaper than Rocha and not dissimilar.

    onlysteel
    Free Member

    I’ve often bought from Jaegers casual range – still fine for (tieless) office wear imho. Bit expensive rrp but always bought in sales. Might be worth keeping an eye out given recent sad news.

    superjohn71
    Free Member

    I admit? to being a massive clothes tart. Used to be a mod in the 80’s, and although I’ve left the scooters and scrapping well behind, and my musical tastes have expanded, I still have a compulsive desire to get dressed up to the nines just to pop out for a pint of milk. Agree that the new Farrah stuff is nice; Baker has always been nice and fits skinny blokes well, but if you have a Saintsbury’s near you that does clothes, have a look at their Oxford shirts, they are surprisingly good. However, when it comes to long sleeved Oxfords, you have to mention Brooks brothers.

    choppersquad
    Free Member

    Zara man make quite nice stuff.

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