noob question, i had two different nordstrom racks take my measurements at 16/32.5, but the shirts are ******ly blousy (had them tailored at a great/expensive place who made them look great), but basically lopped off 4" of material on each side of the shirt. Is this normal? Couldnt I save the tailor time in going to a 15/32.5?

(and of course i just started SS, so my size will be changing anyway)

15 is neck, 32.5 is the sleeve. the blousyness is the "slimness" of the cut, as talked about above in the most recent posts. you can avoid this by buying slim cut off the rack clothing or by buying made to measure clothing that is made slimmer. if you go to a 15 instead of a 16 you won't be able to button the top button, and it will not fix the blousy-ness.

If you don't actually need to button your collar, this usually works. While citanul is right that the 15 is only the collar size, manufacturers do tend to go with slimmer measurements as collar sizes decrease.

I need a size 15.5 collar, but most american-made shirts with this collar size are huge in every other dimension on me (shoulders, chest, waist, armholes).

If I'm buying a shirt where I don't need to button the collar, I'll just size-down to a 14.5 or 15 and it will fit me great. For anything that needs to be worn with a tie though, I just buy a slim-fit shirt or go the tailored route. ( I absolutely can not get the collars buttoned on those smaller shirts).

Manufacturers have to make shirts to fit the majority of people, and unfortunately, here in the US, the majority are fat asses.

ok thats about what i figured. I usually just wear jeans and a button up, so the top button is just for show anyway. I'll keep an eye out for 15/32.5 or 16/32.5 slim fits.

Thanks!

I was looking at picking up a couple of sportcoats just for casual dinners, parties, etc.

However, I have no idea about clothes and suspect I cannot shop off the rack, as I'm very large/athletic. If I try on "off the rack" jackets, Only a 50L or XL fits my shoulders/chest, but looks ridiculously too large around my waist, which is a 36-37.

Am I correct that such a jacket can't be taken in properly?

Are places like the above-mentioned Modern Tailor (online) a good option, or should I just find someone local or wait for one of those Hong Kong tailors to come through town? (Friends who have to wear suits often recommend these, but I'm not super serious about having the finest money can offer, just want something easy.)

how do cole haan shoes compare to allen edmonds?



something like the above vs. the park ave's, these are mainly for business (work)

general consensus is that CH is a good bit worse than AE

well it's about 1/3 of the cost so i guess the question is: is it 1/3 the quality/look?

my suggestion would be to be patient and find the Park Avenue's at a good price, they go on sale. or buy a pair slightly used for like $100, or a pair of seconds for a healthy discount

prob good advice, when they do go on sale, is it through their site or at a retail location or what?

No. Even a ****ty tailor should be able to do a drop this size without darts. I'd be more worried about the fact you've probably been wearing table clothes in lieu of dress shirts.

$220 for 1st quality at Nordstrom, not bad at all

That is a good price. It's pretty hard to find AE Park Avenues less than full retail.

yeah, the Strand is on sale for $200, and that is a really nice shoe as well

i bought the park ave's thanks to kneel, can't wait got the walnut 12E

Which would be better for business casual? Think maybe grey wool pants + a button up. Would also have to be occasionally worn with a suit.

I heart my Strands. So flexible and they get noticed once in a while too.

the black Park Avenue is like the quintessential interview/funeral/formal shoe

for primarily casual wear, I would think the Strand is more versatile

however, I think something like the MacNeil is even better than either for primarily business casual/occasionally with a suit

it's clunkier for sure, with a double sole, but that's by design. also the lacing being "outside" makes it more casual. I think these can go with anything from jeans to a suit, while personally I'm not sure I would wear the Strands with jeans. the Strand is certainly sleeker, is more formal, and would look better with a suit.

If anyone wants Allen Edmonds or other shoes for cheap, Bing Cashback is still good for 4 more days until it is discontinued forever.

Basically, the store Endless.com is offering 40% cashback on any purchase.

How to get it:

1. goto www.bing.com
2. search for "endless"
3. click on the link that shows 40% off ( if you don't see it be sure to turn ad bl0cking software off)
4. login to your bing cashback account or create one
5. after your purchase you will receive 40% off what you paid

Sample prices: (all are first quality, not seconds)
AE Strand - $294.95 - 40% = $176.97
AE Park Avenue - $325 - 40% = $195.00

and plenty more...

Unfortunately, AE shoes just never really fit me right. I own a pair of the AE Leeds and find them terribly uncomfortable.

Wow, sick deal. I used to to get my dad a decent watch for $270 after a $180 cash back.

Would it be considered bad form to wear something like the Strand to an interview? At this point I basically never wear black shoes. No reason in particular, I just like browns a lot better. I rarely wear a suit (like a handful of times a year) and don't currently own a black one. I've always really liked the way Strands in particular look so I'm leaning pretty hard in that direction.

I think in general you want to wear black, yes. almost the same thing for a funeral - I don't think you would want to wear walnut shoes there.

btw, I don't wear black shoes either in normal situations and wear a suit only for weddings/funerals/interviews as well. for these situations, I have a pair of black shoes like the PA's.

I would buy the Strands if I were you. you probably have something in your closet you currently wear to the above locations that you could polish up if need be.

but I mean, it also depends on the company. I doubt most people are really gonna frown on you for wearing walnut strands to an interview, or even understand "the rule" that you might not want to. most people probably wouldn't notice or care unless they happen to be a nice dresser, which they probably aren't

What are some good shoe brands similar to Allen Edmonds? I'm going to get the Strand in brown, but also need a good standard black shoe.

i bought the walnut park ave's, what's a good belt to own with these? moderately priced.

also, what's a good AE shoe in black? any of them? particularly for work. I wear alot of charcoal/black so I need something in black.

I would buy another PA in black

though, as mentioned above, charcoal pants don't require black shoes. if you are truly wearing black, ok, but I doubt you are really wearing a lot of black