derek guy Profile picture
Sep 8, 2023 10 tweets 6 min read Read on X
BUILD A WARDROBE; DONT BUY OUTFITS

sometimes i dont know if im saying things are too obvious, but you should buy clothes that easily mix and match. that way, you can buy a handful of items to create an infinite number of outfits 🧵 Image
an easy way to do this is to build a wardrobe around one or two aesthetics that easily play with each other. for instance, rugged workwear items draw from the same design language, so they work together.


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similarly, if you normally wear things like suits and sport coats, you can get certain casual jackets that pair well with tailored trousers (pic 1, 2, and 3). but something too avant-garde (pic 4) requires different types of shirts and pants to create the right silhouette/ look


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it also helps to stay within a tight color family. in menswear, blues, greys, browns, and olives play well with each other. if you like tailoring, get a wardrobe full of grey and tan pants, solid or striped blue shirts, and then a couple of sport coats. coordinating is then easy
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my friend @DavidLaneDesign, who i mention often on here, mostly wears tailoring and workwear. dark jeans go with sport coats (blue hopsack or brown tweed) or casualwear (brown suede chore coat or olive field jacket). even light blue chambray transfers.


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in this way, you can see how two adjacent aesthetics (tailoring and workwear) play well with each other. and by staying within some basic colors (e.g., blues, browns, olives), it's easy to coordinate. same pants, shirts, and sometimes shoes, but different jackets and thus outfits
about ten years ago, i interviewed a young guy in paris named brian. like most homes around the world, parisian apartments are small—tiny compared to US homes—so they have limited storage space. yet parisians are among the best dressed in the world.
when i interviewed Brian, he had two pairs of jeans, one pair of trousers, two sweaters, two pairs of boots, one pair of sneakers, some shirts, and a handful of coats. yet, everything could be mixed and matched, so he could create an infinite number of outfits


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sorry if all this is very obvious. but i get this sort of reply often ("are you seriously recommending a $200 outfit?"). you do not buy outfits. you slowly build a wardrobe over a long period of time, and from that wardrobe, you mix and match things to create outfits. Image
fighters during the communist revolution: does your outfit cost $200? up against the wall, capitalist!

me: no no, I've built my wardrobe so these items can be easily mixed and matched

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More from @dieworkwear

Apr 25
Here's some basic info that you may not have considered if you're just starting to buy tailored clothing, such as suits, sport coats, and overcoats. 🧵
When you buy ready-made tailoring, the pockets and vents are often tacked down with stitching—usually white, but not always. This stitching, known as basting, is done so that the garment moves from the factory to your closet while holding its shape. Image
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Before wearing the garment, you'll want to remove this stitching. Especially if there's a label on the sleeve. This label is only there so that people working in the distribution and sales process can easily identify the garment. It's not meant to be worn. Image
Read 5 tweets
Apr 21
Rumors are going around that Pete Hegseth might be on his way out. I don’t know if that’s true, but just in case, I want to do a thread on his style. To me, Hegseth’s wardrobe reflects a common pitfall guys fall into when they first start caring about clothes. 🧵 Image
When men start dressing with more intention, they often fall into the trap of cranking every knob to 11—volume, gain, treble, bass. The thinking is: more = better. But like in music, maxing out every setting doesn’t lead to clarity—it leads to noise. Image
We see this in how Hegseth dresses. His belt buckle is USA. Pocket square is USA. Socks are USA. Open up his jacket and what do you see? USA. Image
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Read 21 tweets
Apr 20
Someone asked me why there aren't any high-end Chinese clothing brands. They are many! In this thread, I'll name a few, as well as answer the question why you may not have heard of them. 🧵 Image
This thread will cover a wide range of aesthetics and business sizes, so that there's something for everyone. The first is Zhu Chongyun, a chic womenswear label that combines traditional Chinese aesthetics with contemporary design. Image
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Their ad campaigns are highly stylized for marketing purposes, but when you look at their runway presentations, you can see how their clothes are very wearable. A bit minimalist in tone and sculptural in terms of silhouette. Very refined and chic.
Read 25 tweets
Apr 20
I try to live by the rule that what may be obvious to one person may not be obvious to another, as people are getting into hobbies at different points. So for those who are just starting to build a better wardrobe, here's how to shop for clothes online. 🧵
Go to your closet and pull out your best fitting clothes—best button-up shirt, best sweater, best pair of tailored trousers, and best pair of jeans. Lay these flat on a hard surface and measure them with a flexible measuring tape (available online or local craft stores) Image
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For button-up shirts and sweaters, you'll want to take four basic measurements:

— Chest: measure across the front from armpit to armpit. Make sure shirt is buttoned

— Shoulder: measure across the back from shoulder joint to shoulder joint. Use the shoulder seam to guide you. Image
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Read 15 tweets
Apr 16
Not true. There are skilled craftspeople of every ethnic background (also hucksters who pose as real craftsman, but are not). Here are some artisans of Vietnamese and Filipino heritage. 🧵 Image
I'll start with one I named in an earlier thread. Bellanie Salcedo is a Vietnamese-American and one-half of Chester Mox, based in the US. She trained for years under a former Hermès artisan, learning the skill of saddle stitching. Everything she makes is completely handmade. Image
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Over the last 15 years, I've gotten all sorts of things from her: folios, belts, coat wallets, and card cases. The stitching is fine and precise; the edge finishing is immaculate. She sources leather from Hermès-owned tanneries. I think her work is world-class. Image
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Read 17 tweets
Apr 15
The thing about the Chinese fashion manufacturing TikTok discourse is that people haven't seen what it takes to build a reputable business. Look at what independent craftspeople go through: years of training, selling to discerning buyers, building a reputation, and expansion. 🧵 Image
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This has nothing to do with French vs Asian hands. In my thread, I highlighted many Asian makers. But I've also seen fraudsters (of every ethnic background). People who start up companies, sell shoddy products to uneducated buyers, and then disappear.

What does it take to get someone to fork $1k over the internet for a bag? Hopefully more than a punchy TikTok video! Ideally you read about the craftsmanship from informed buyers, see close up images of the workmanship, and understand how something was made. Image
Read 15 tweets

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