Here we are.
This is the hundredth episode of Readers' Mail.
3-digit , as the Americans say.
I have also been answering all the questions you ask us for three years.
So to mark the event, I took a step back from all the messages that you and I may have exchanged.
Three thoughts emerged. Here they are.
1. A more open mind
We all have a certain vision of clothing , of what is stylish and what is not, of what is a good and bad cut , etc.
I can't escape it. I too come with a certain vision of fashion.
And what's interesting is being confronted with people who have different opinions.
The goal is not to argue to prove to our interlocutor that we are right and that they are wrong, but rather to try to understand their point of view.
Being exposed to all these diverse ideas opened my mind a lot.
Here is a recent example from YouTube:
A little digging reveals more about this reader's opinion on white jeans .
There are reasons that lead him to spontaneously say “yuck” when he sees this item of clothing. And it's interesting to know them.
So, you may be wondering what the relationship is between open-mindedness and style?
I'm coming.
In your quest for style, it seems important to me to go beyond the stage of a simple “I like / I don’t like” opinion .
It is particularly in this category that we find the rather peremptory clothing stereotypes. For example: “corduroy looks grandpa”.
Let's say that this spontaneous appreciation, which is important, is only step number 1.
If you are in a process or want to understand the style and develop your own , it is in your best interest to go a little further.
So, step number 2 is to ask yourself:
"Why do I like it? Why don't I like it?"
Here it starts to become more interesting because it is sometimes difficult to put words to a simple feeling.
But by digging into this why, you will know more about your vision of clothing.
Massimo Alba
“I like it because the brown/green color palette is very harmonious, because I see here a more relaxed vision of the suit which I like.”
"I don't like it because I find the sole of these shoes too imposing and these white socks contrast too much with the rest. I prefer more discreet shoes, darker socks."
After having successfully analyzed why we like something or not, step number 3 is to manage to say to ourselves:
“I don’t like it but I can understand the point.”
It's accepting that we can not like a piece of clothing or a silhouette but also conceive that other people appreciate it , see an interest in it.
For example, I don't really like the silhouettes offered by the English brand Albert Clothing , which we are sometimes asked about. I find the lines very aggressive with lapels that are too wide and colors that are too saturated:
But over time, I learned to put water in my wine : I accept that it is a fairly strong, assertive form of tailoring, which does not correspond to my tastes but which corresponds to the other people's tastes.
Having this neutral look even allows you to go a little further. Digging into the brand's collection, I found certain references that I liked a little more.
The drawstring and neutral color soften the style of these joggers.
2. You don’t necessarily have to reject trends
After three years evolving in fashion, I saw a few trends emerge that I highlighted through brand selections in Readers' Mail.
I am thinking for example of wide pants , the bandana or the noragi .
This little accessory densifies the top of your outfit. A Piece of Chic
It can be tempting to point the finger at these trends , saying that they are ephemeral or artificial.
I don't agree with that.
The main reason is that currently, the supply of basics is very rich . If you are looking for and valuing clothing with a relatively simple and neutral style, you will find many brands that will satisfy you:
Are you looking for a simple round neck sweater? You are spoiled for choice. Paris Yorker
Having clothes that are a little more differentiated, able to respond to a form of trend, allows you to provide variety. This avoids having an overly standardized market.
For example, I think the current renewed interest in pants is a good thing . As Nicolò says in the introduction to his Compendium on trouser fasteners :
[In 2015], I found it a bit of a shame that there were a whole bunch of shirt collars and types of jackets, while all our pants looked the same, apart from the color and the material.
Fortunately, more than five years later, times have changed, and the men's market has since grown enormously in terms of pants options !
Whether we like it or not, I find it cool to be able to choose pants with such an original and elaborate closure today. Claudio Mariani
Whatever your camp, there is currently an offer on the market that will suit you.
3. Too many choices = overdose
The question I get asked the most is:
“Where can I find X clothing on Y budget?”
The expected response is therefore a list of brands.
I see that some of you are looking for a form of completeness, wanting to know as many brands as possible that can match your search.
It's not quite a good example here because the clutch remains a no-brainer accessory, but you get the idea
It's interesting because it demonstrates passion, curiosity, and a certain form of demand too.
And since the market is currently rich, we can provide lists that are quite extensive. But this is not always beneficial. It can even be counterproductive.
When there are too many choices, you can no longer choose
If you have too many options, you may have difficulty settling on a specific model.
How to do ?
To avoid being drowned in brands, it seems interesting to me to start from a relatively large list, maximum 5 to 6 brands, then to proceed by elimination by removing:
- What comes from very far away
- What is difficult to find
- What is outside your budget
- Which doesn't quite have the look or color you're looking for
- What is not in stock in your size
With such filtering, there should not be much left.
To take a concrete case, the range of sneakers from 100 to 200€ is quite well stocked: Garconne and Chérubin .
Here, there is no need to add a brand like Oliver Cabell for example. The products look rather interesting... but it's American and not distributed here.
When ordering from them, you may have to pay additional import taxes. The offer available in France and Europe for mid-range sneakers is sufficient.
This Oliver Cabell model is quite pretty...
...but Artisan Lab does the same thing, just as good quality, more easily accessible to us and less expensive
And if after all this, you are hesitating between two or three models, ask us , we can give you a little help to help you make your choice:
The final word
The numbering of Readers' Mail stops at this number 100, but rest assured: there will always be new content on Fridays.
So be there!
And to go further
Purchasing: how to choose between several very similar items of clothing – CDL#46
