Do you dress "old"?

horseless carriage said:
Dressing "old" might be defined as dressing frumpy. Whatever the attire, it really doesn't matter. My love of clothes and vintage style comes from my wife's talent of making most of what we wear. In our teens and twenties we were forever on the dance floor, dance clothes, or maybe that should be dance costumes were worn, they could get expensive, but my skillful lady made all ours and that's where the passion for vintage probably came from. We always looked different from other dancers, we certainly got regularly asked: "Where did you get your...."

One of the traders at yesterday's festival had this jacket for sale.
View attachment 288773
Much as I like the wide lapels, the belted back and the classic look, I cannot get a liking for corduroy. However, that style will look perfect on a striped sports blazer. Something like this:
View attachment 288778
Looking old is often associated with hat wearing, that's hats, not caps and especially not caps worn with the peak at the back. It's curious that it should be so. I wear spectator shoes, two-tone with an imprinted pattern, they get many a compliment, but apart from festivals, I can't remember ever seeing anyone else wear them, yet, unlike hats, they are not seen as old.
Today, we will be off to church and then on to a classic car meeting and then end up at a rather good gastro-pub where we shall enjoy a traditional Sunday lunch. So, it's the fedora hat, removed in church, of course. Sports blazer, high waist trousers with wide hems and a turned up cuff, finished off with a pair of spectator shoes, naturally.
Old man, me? I take that as a compliment!
View attachment 288775
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That outfit is very smart @horseless carriage - I love both you and your lady's style.

Looking at the brown corduroy jacket you saw recently reminded me of two corduroy suits I use to have, years ago. I am not a big fan of corduroy but they were both well made and in warm Autumn colours.

I could see that brown corduroy jacket (or something similar) looking great in rich colours, like this beautiful Hackett jacket and waistcoat:

hacket jacket and waiscoat.jpg

I think that might be a knitted tie?
 

I hope I don't dress old because. the idea, sounds pretty dowdy.

Like my music tastes, my clothes are varied. I like to change my style depending on the weather.

BTW I read earlier today that flares are back! I have jeans/trousers ranging from skinny to baggy but, I don't think I have any flares. :)
 
feywon said:
Describe 'dressing old'?

I don't know or really care unless going to a wedding or funeral not concerned with what anyone else thinks is 'appropriate'. I dress for functionality and comfort, which includes taking weather into consideration.
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That fits my approach to wardrobe choices too. I do try to set a few things aside to wear to appointments and for visits which aren’t all beat up. Everything I wear regularly gets worn looking quickly enough from mucking around in my garden and walking and playing with my dog.
 

No way. I wore a uniform for most of my career and a suit for part of my career when I became an Investigator. Speaking of which, I only stayed on as an Investigator for 5 years. I had to get back to patrol work. Much more interesting and busier.

As for how I dress now, no, I don't dress old. I dress according to my mood and the weather. I have been out in -30 weather and +110 weather. Neither one ever bothered me. I do take the weather into consideration when dressing for the day. If I am wearing trousers, they will probably be Dockers. If I am wearing a shirt, I like the designer names. Otherwise, shorts and a T-shirt will do just to be around the house. I am a Penney's and Kohl's shopper. If my wife is shopping and sees a shirt she really likes, she buys it for me to wear.
 
debodun said:
I have no fashion sense.
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I wouldn't say I have no fashion sense but I don't have much. Fortunately my wife won't let me out the house if I have chosen a horribly mixed outfit. As for suits, I have one and only wear it to weddings and funerals. The shirt and tie combination alone makes me suffer enough, never mind the rest of the "dress up" stuff that goes with it.

Jeans, open neck shirts and sneakers make up 95% of my wardrobe. They always have and always will. Aussie style "bush hats" and/or baseball caps cover my balding head.

Not a pretty picture but that's me!
 
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DaveA said:
I wouldn't say I have no fashion sense but I don't have much. Fortunately my wife won't let me out the house if I have chosen a horribly mixed outfit. As for suits, I have one and only wear it to weddings and funerals. The shirt and tie combination alone makes me suffer enough, never mind the rest of the "dress up" stuff that goes with it.

Jeans, open neck shirts and sneakers make up 95% of my wardrobe. They always have and always will. Aussie style "bush hats" and/or baseball caps cover my balding head.

Not a pretty picture but that's me!
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Anatomic casual shoes,

Meyer Jeans

Franco Ponti Jumpers

And anything with a snobby badge like "North Face" and "Rab"

All that worries me is thinking old and posting old.
 
If suspenders make you look old, then I've been there a long time. Years ago I sunburned my vertical smile putting a new roof on my house. Never again. My britches don't keep sliding down when my hands are full. When bending over, I don't hear a "gasp" from behind me. If I didn't wear them, I would look like the young fellows that don't know what a belt is for. I wear the trucker style that clip on the sides. A few guys out here bought the same kind. They don't unclip sliding out of a vehicle.
 
stretch5881 said:
If suspenders make you look old, then I've been there a long time. Years ago I sunburned my vertical smile putting a new roof on my house. Never again. My britches don't keep sliding down when my hands are full. When bending over, I don't hear a "gasp" from behind me. If I didn't wear them, I would look like the young fellows that don't know what a belt is for. I wear the trucker style that clip on the sides. A few guys out here bought the same kind. They don't unclip sliding out of a vehicle.
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If ever there was a word that is ambiguous in American/English and British/English, it's got to be the suspender.
Over here, a suspender holds up a stocking, as shown here by Frank:
frank.jpg
In the UK men support their trousers with braces,
braces.jpg
Note the button fastening, but that's just me, clip on are more common.
There again you won't find a zipper on my trousers.
button fly.jpg
 
Trish said:
That outfit is very smart @horseless carriage - I love both you and your lady's style.

Looking at the brown corduroy jacket you saw recently reminded me of two corduroy suits I use to have, years ago. I am not a big fan of corduroy but they were both well made and in warm Autumn colours.

I could see that brown corduroy jacket (or something similar) looking great in rich colours, like this beautiful Hackett jacket and waistcoat:
Click to expand...
hacket jacket and waistcoat.jpg
How I love that jacket & waistcoat.
 
horseless carriage said:
If ever there was a word that is ambiguous in American/English and British/English, it's got to be the suspender.
Over here, a suspender holds up a stocking, as shown here by Frank:
View attachment 288855
In the UK men support their trousers with braces,
View attachment 288857
Note the button fastening, but that's just me, clip on are more common.
There again you won't find a zipper on my trousers.
View attachment 288856
Click to expand...
Great example. Now I think I'll go throw up.
 
Around the house I am usually in jeans, shorts, sweats, tee shirts, sweaters. When going out it's nicer shirts to go with the jeans or shorts. Went to a baby shower this weekend and hadn't been to one in so long I wasn't sure what to wear. Ended up in Capris, which was a good choice since a couple of the young girls (20 or 30ish young) had on Capris also. I lean a little bit toward boho. Wore pants to the last funeral I went to but will wear a dress to weddings.
 
I am on the search for photos of older guys who look great. I found one of Sean Connery. I try to duplicate that look. I think it is very distinguished yet not fussy. It's the hat that makes it great. No, I have no delusions about looking as good as Mr. Connery. I have a more professorial look about me. Not as rugged as Sean. But, the right clothing still helps. It's better than a guy I now who used to go everywhere in bib overalls. Ugh!

Sean connerty with hat.jpg
 
shirts and co 019.JPG
Well if you ever plan to motor west
Travel my way, take the highway that's the best
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than two thousand miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well it goes to St. Louis, down to Missouri
Oklahoma City looks so, so pretty
You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Wynonna
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino
You get hip to this kind of tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66

Hawaiian, or Aloha shirts, if you prefer, depict a myriad of floral patterns and I might just have a few of those, but I do like the patterns that depict travel in the era.

shirts and co 007.JPGshirts and co 010.JPGshirts and co 014.JPG
the first shirt shows the cruise liners. The second has all the travel trunks. The third, a mixed bag of the first two.
 
I dress for comfort. I am pretty basic, and I am a minimalist, so I don't own a lot of clothes, most I get at the thrift store or Goodwill. I don't care what others think. I dress for myself.
 

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