Help a fashion newbie

College Life
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<p>Thanks for the suggestions, I particularly liked the list of "what not" to wear. </p>

<p>One thing everyone seems to agree on is Jeans and polos/tees. I'm still surprised at how casual that is. That is basically what everyone where I live wears (of all ages) - jeans, usually with tees. I know someone mentioned the Midwest as Kansas City, but the Midwest where I live is probably closer to the cows on the farm era near a city about 1/20th the size of there. What clothes would you say is a 'step up' from that combo for college wear?</p>

<p>I suppose i'm looking for clothes that will make me look the best. That probably sounds a bit cheesy, but if nothing else, it would add a bit to self confidence. I always hear from my mother and sister-in-laws (all much older than my generation) that a suit really makes a guy look good, though that might be more to get my brothers to wear them on formal occassions than anything else. Now, I'd probably sooner show up to a party or to class wearing my "birthday suit" than a suit and tie (meaning never), but I figured there should be some slightly more casual clothing styles out there that would bring out the best for looks on a guy.</p>

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<p>well if your going out you could try a striped button down under a v-neck sweater and dark jeans or khakis.
but really, for everyday, the jeans and t-shirt/polo combo is best. for cold days, layer with sweatshirts/hoodies or a northface fleece/something similar. </p>

<p>if you want an alternative to tees, shirts like these worn open over a plain coordinating crewneck are good:
<a href="http://www.ae.com/web/browse/category_feature_item.jsp?rcid=mens&scid=cat40005&navroot=mens%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ae.com/web/browse/category_feature_item.jsp?rcid=mens&scid=cat40005&navroot=mens&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>I didn't say that. What I said was college is not high school. No one gives a crap what you're wearing as long as it's clean, orderly, matches, and fits. The only people who treat college as if it is a fashion show are freshmen who don't any better. Upperclassmen laugh and shake their heads at people who come to lectures dressed like they're going to a nightclub because usually that means they're freshmen. Seriously, considering books and supplies needed to pass your classes cost 100's of dollars per semester, expensive clothing becomes secondary.</p>

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<p>MarcJC, </p>

<p>Building a wardrobe is a lot like assembling a football or soccer roster. You need certain pieces to build around, various role players, a few ‘stars,’ etc...As a fashion novice, you should stick mostly to basic, classic styles that are hard to mess up. From there, you’ll be able to develop your own personal style and expand into trendier clothes. </p>

<p>Here is what I would recommend you buy: </p>

<p>2 pairs of high quality jeans. You’ll be wearing these more than any other items of clothing, so make sure you buy good ones. GAP, AE, and Levis Red Tab all have decent jeans for around $40—just get straight leg or bootcut in a dark wash and you’ll be fine. If you are willing to spend more, I recommend Diesel jeans. They last much longer, look better, and can be found for around $100 online. </p>

<p>1 pair khaki pants, 1 pair khaki shorts. Get straight leg, basic color, no cargo pockets. You can dress the pants up if you need to. J Crew is a good place to look for these. </p>

<p>5 Plain t-shirts. These are base shirts. You can layer them under other clothes, or wear them alone for a more simple look. Get 100% cotton, no pockets, no logos, medium fit. Go with white, white, black, gray, blue. This are the one item that you can buy at Target/Wal-Mart if you so choose. </p>

<p>2 long sleeve, button up, striped shirts. A bit more dressy than the t-shirts. Stripes are the hardest to mess up, but you can also do checks, or solid colors. These are good to wear to parties or other times when you want to look a bit more presentable. J Crew and Banana Republic are best for these. </p>

<p>2 Polo shirts. Not everyone likes polo shirts...they’re kind of preppy. Personally though, I’m a big fan. Get no pockets, medium fit, and wear the collar down. Choose a solid color, but don’t be afraid of pastels with these. RL makes the best polo shirts, but they are a bit expensive. </p>

<p>2 Sweaters. You can wear these by themselves, or over pretty much any of your shirts. Get 100% wool. Get one crewneck and one v neck. The first two should be navy blue and gray. </p>

<p>Shoes – You want a minimum of 2 pairs of shoes. First, get a pair of leather flip flops. The brand doesn’t matter, AE, GAP, Banana Republic all sell them. Second, get a pair of classic tennis shoes. Make sure you get white, black, or gray so they will match anything. Look into Adidas Sambas and New Balance classics. </p>

<p>Everything else –Here is where your personal style comes out. Get t-shirts that say something about you. Personally, I like t-shirts that ‘tell a story’ about somewhere I’ve been or something I’ve done. If you are in a colder climate, you should get some regular and zip-up hoodies. Also, get stuff that has your school’s name on it…always a safe choice. Beyond that, you need to find what makes you feel confident…blazers, ski jackets, warm-ups, beanies, sunglasses, whatever really. The most important thing with clothes is that they make you feel confident.</p>

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<p>Impressive list, samonite. </p>

<p>Only - going along with the kind of stuff you suggested - you left out a pair of shoes he could dress up or down...like brown Docs or something similar.</p>

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<p>copy celebs with similar features as you.
they have stylists so its like youre borrowing theirs'
people who'll always dress BOMB are Kate Moss, Cory Kennedy and Micha Barton.</p>