Where to start...

[Johnny]

I don't mean at all to be disrepsectul to ML, Av or M-M, all of whom have provided helpful responses, but isn't the point blindingly obvious!

PS Endorfinz, the mild-insults-disguised-as-fake-self-depcrication is a bit tiresome.

Are you really saying that you do not associate any sort of connotation, apart from looking neat, with clothing?

[lowrey]

I'm sorry. I think I'm too simplistic for this forum. I believe that a garment is merely body covering that needs to be worn and since it needs to be worn, it might as well be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. I don't attach any pattern of values to it other than it makes me feel good when I wear it.

A label doesn't affect how in look in the garment and shouldn't affect how I feel in it. However, I realize that sometimes wearing certain labels will affect my emotional state. It shouldn't but it does because I'm human and it's human nature.

Yes, it is snobbery. I realize that but at least I'm up front about it

well it obviously seems like you have a very different view on the entire concept of fashion and clothing. if you can't understand an alternate viewpoint, which imo was made as clear as possible, then you just need to live with that. I don't see a point in arguing about it nor apologizing for it.

[gerry]

I'm sorry. I think I'm too simplistic for this forum. I believe that a garment is merely body covering that needs to be worn and since it needs to be worn, it might as well be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. I don't attach any pattern of values to it other than it makes me feel good when I wear it.

A label doesn't affect how in look in the garment and shouldn't affect how I feel in it. However, I realize that sometimes wearing certain labels will affect my emotional state. It shouldn't but it does because I'm human and it's human nature.

I think you're confusing clothes with fashion, darling. They have their parallels but aren't the same thing.

Formula for masses:
Shirt from K-Mart: clothing
Shirt from K-Mart that band member wore ironically: Hipster fashion
Shirt from K-Mart that SJP wore in SATC with $800 heels: Mixing high and low a.k.a. "fashion"

Formula for designer meets masses:
Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt: "fashion"
Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt five years from now: "vintage"
Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt once no one knows who Marc Jacobs is (unlikely, but whatever): clothing

Formula for SZ:
Rick Owens hightops pre-recession: fashion
Rick Owens hightops post-recession: capital for new purchase
Rick Owens hightops post-John Mayer: fodder for SZ signature

Fashion = social construct
Clothing = garment

Don't quote me on this as I will probably get embarrassed and need to edit.

[endorphinz]

Are you really saying that you do not associate any sort of connotation, apart from looking neat, with clothing?

ahhh, basically no I don't. t's just something that makes me feel good.no more and no less.

I didn't mean any disrespect to the forum. it's quite obvious that you attach a deeper meaniong to what you wear than I do, and, that's cool. It's just not something I'm willing or wanting to do, at least not yet, not now.

[endorphinz]

I think you're confusing clothes with fashion, darling. They have their parallels but aren't the same thing.

Formula for masses:
Shirt from K-Mart: clothing
Shirt from K-Mart that band member wore ironically: Hipster fashion
Shirt from K-Mart that SJP wore in SATC with $800 heels: Mixing high and low a.k.a. "fashion"

Formula for designer meets masses:
Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt: "fashion"
Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt five years from now: "vintage"
Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt once no one knows who Marc Jacobs is (unlikely, but whatever): clothing

Formula for SZ:
Rick Owens hightops pre-recession: fashion
Rick Owens hightops post-recession: capital for new purchase
Rick Owens hightops post-John Mayer: fodder for SZ signature

Fashion = social construct
Clothing = garment

Don't quote me on this as I will probably get embarrassed and need to edit.

so it's sort of like a caste system?

[gerry]

^ Not really because... who's to say fashion is better?

[Fuuma]

so it's sort of like a caste system?

In what way? In addition to pure aesthetic value (still socially determined) and signification/associations garments operate on the two levers of distinction and conformity.

[endorphinz]

so it is all subjective and no one group is more enlightened than another?

[Johnny]

well i think gerry was being mainly humerous. her classifications are quite funny, not necessarily empirically accurate, but of course it's a caste system!

[cjbreed]

Oh for fuck's sake...

[Faust]

Gerry, you don't call me darling! I'm upset.

[alimanu]

Interesting reading...Thank you very much Faust, Fuuma and all the other contributors.

[deius]

haha interesting thread.

As for the original Q: I'd say stick to monochrome basics as people have said, nice sweaters and base t-shirts, indigo jeans etc.

Personally being poorer I tend to wear the hell out of shirts and things, especially shoes and update my wardrobe in dribs and drabs meaning I have a constant lack in some area. Had I an unexpected windfall I would buy a "capsule" as another poster mentioned and I would really be set for 6 months.

Make sure you have some good button ups for heading out and on the street, my latest purchase is a plain grey placket button up from Wrath Arcane, goes down well everywhere.

[Faust]

you are welcome, alimanu.

deius, funny you should say this about jeans - these days i feel like i can't wear anything but black or gray jeans.

[RSR]

At this point I can't see non-grey or non-black denim fitting into your wardrobe (or into the wardrobe of a majority of the members here).

This was a very interesting, informative, and entertaining thread.