Because money is tight does not mean that you cannot dress well. You may well know all the best names, but their prices just are out of your reach. There are ways you can still be dressed like a gentleman though, even if your budget is tight.
Find A Good Alterations Tailor
The fit of your clothes is very important. Often, when you buy things off the rack they are not quite right in some way. A good alterations tailor will be able to make them a perfect fit for your shape. People are different. You could have one arm slightly longer than the other, or one shoulder that is a bit higher. A tailor will be able to make these differences disappear as far as your clothing is concerned.
Creases and wrinkles can also be a sign that something is too tight or too lose. If you are in any doubt when buying a garment, buy a size larger than you think you need. This is to give the tailor room to work, as commercially produced clothing does not usually have much reserve cloth built into them.
Don’t Trust The Salesperson
Of course, there will always be exceptions but most salespeople just want to make a sale, so will tell you anything they need to so that you spend with them.
The salespeople in men’s fashion shops should really be there to help you and to educate you about clothing, but unfortunately, that is not always the case.
You can help yourself in this regard by knowing what it is you want to buy before you go shopping. You can do some research online about where to buy stylish tweed garments for men if you’re after that smart country gentleman look, or where to get the best brogues if you’re looking for a smart new pair of shoes to match your amazing suit. Never buy anything on impulse as that usually ends in disaster.
Consider the places you have to go before you buy anything. Does your job mean you have to wear a suit? Can you wear more casual clothes as long as they are smart? These are the types of questions you need to answer before you make a list of the things you need to buy.
When you do find a shop where you feel the workers are genuinely helpful and do want you to buy the clothes that suit you the best, go back there and foster a relationship with them. Most salespeople will be more honest with people they feel they have some knowledge of.
Avoid Outlets
Over the last few years, outlet stores have become very popular because of the discounts they offer. Many of the large brands have cottoned onto this and they produce goods just for them. They have never been on sale in the proper shops but carry a high price tag with something like 70% off as if they have. To make the clothes at this sort of price means they are generally of an inferior quality and you’ll look far less dapper than you might like. There can be some genuinely reduced items among them but beware of buying from outlet stores, as most of the goods are not.
In fact, the same applies to all sales and special deals. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. There could be loose threads or a tear that is easily repairable and then it might be worth buying. Anything with a stain should be avoided though, as there is never any guarantee that you will be able to remove it.
Quality Counts
If you want to be dressed as a fashionable gentleman, the quality of your clothes is more important than the quantity. A few good pieces that you can mix and match is a much better wardrobe than one full of clothes that look like everyone else’s. A good tip when looking for quality clothing is to see how well any buttonholes have been made.
The best ones are sewn by hand, and generally, then you know you have found something of a high quality. However, that is not always the case as more manufacturers are sewing them with machines. You can still tell by the finish of the buttonholes though. If they have pieces of thread hanging from them, for instance, that shows an item has been mass-produced and the quality will be questionable.
Care For Your Clothes
It does not matter how good a piece of clothing is if it is not looked after. You should care for your clothes in the way the label tells you to. If it says ‘dry clean only’ don’t risk putting it in water. It the instructions say you should dry it flat, make sure that you do.
Good quality clothes that are looked after will last for years. It may seem that you have to spend a little more to start with, but in the long run they can save you quite a lot of money.