Wardrobe assistance?

[asherman13]

Hey everybody,

Alright, so I work at a local, city-run day camp. I've gone to the camp since I was six, and now I'm a counselor. Every summer, counselors have "Dinner in the City", when we all go out to San Francisco and have dinner at a casual/semi-fancy restaurant. This is my first year doing it, and I'm both not sure what to wear and a little too shy/nervous to ask my co-workers what guys are supposed to/do wear. My boss says that the event is "dressy but casual". Just so you know, I want to impress one of the girl counselors, if not all of them.

So, my question to all of you is, what should I wear?

I'm thinking something along the lines of this picture, but mostly stuff from Abercrombie (I have some clothes from there that would work fine for it). To go into more detail, I'm thinking a white undershirt, a white oxford/button-down with subtle brown stripes, a brown sweater, and light khaki pants/chinos. Would flip-flops be alright for this (they'd be brown leather)?

Anyways, what do you think and do you have any other ideas?

Thanks!

EDIT Any recommendations for hair? I have short brown hair that's gotten a little long, so I'm going to get it cut within a week or so.

EDITx2 Mods, if you could change the thread title to "What to wear?!?", that would be great.

 

[asherman13]

Anybody?

 

[asherman13]

Here are some pictures....

Again, the style that I'm going for:

Shirt possibilities:

Sweater:

and then with khaki slacks and (perhaps? you tell me) brown leather flip flops.

 

[me_94501]

Anybody?

I'm no fashion guru, but I'd assume that's what they meant too.

Alright, so I work at a local, city-run day camp. I've gone to the camp since I was six, and now I'm a counselor

Is it anything along the lines of this?
http://www.arpdeplay.com/Activities/ActivitiesDetails.asp?ProcessWait=N&aid=82

I wouldn't have asked, except that your location is in the Bay Area.

 

[CompUser]

I'm going to trust my instincts and say no to flip flops. They seem to casual compared to the rest of the outfit.

Other than that, it seems fine.

edit: Do you own that AF sweater, if so is it cashmere. on their site it costs $198. Ouch

 

[OutThere]

I really like the collared-under-sweater look. It's very in right now.

Leather flip-flops are totally fine with khakis, especially with a younger group. A must if it's hot.

Remember as well that, even if you're dressed to impress the female counselors, your clothes will only catch their eye, your words will catch their minds.

Also, could you post a link to the sweater? I like it.

 

[Tanglewood]

Well its summer so the sweater look I personally would shy away from though being in San Francisco it will be cooler with the ocean breeze.

For OutThere here's the link to the sweater. $68 from Banana Republic.

I do like the rolled up sleeve look.

Me last summer


Wearing sandals will be extremely casual. So you know your co-workers do you see them wearing sandals? If so go for it.

 

[asherman13]

Is it anything along the lines of this?

Yeah, it's like that. To be quite honest, this is what it is (Camp Wa-Tam).

Here's the link for the sweater. Yeah, it's pretty pricey, so I'm probably going to go with something from Banana Republic or whatnot. I'm mainly going for that look.

I figured the flip-flops would be alright; my co-workers and I usually wear them all the time. I might ask some of them about the flip-flops; that shouldn't be much of an embarrassment. With regards to the casual-ness of flip-flops, this is California. We wear 'em all the time.

As for catching the eye compared to catching the mind, I've already caught the mind. It's the eye I need the help with.

Keep the help coming!

 

[CompUser]

Yeah, it's like that. To be quite honest, this is what it is (Camp Wa-Tam).

Here's the link for the sweater. Yeah, it's pretty pricey, so I'm probably going to go with something from Banana Republic or whatnot. I'm mainly going for that look.

I figured the flip-flops would be alright; my co-workers and I usually wear them all the time. I might ask some of them about the flip-flops; that shouldn't be much of an embarrassment.

As for catching the eye compared to catching the mind, I've already caught the mind. It's the eye I need the help with.

Keep the help coming!

Look at J. Crew for a sweater. Their prices are usually pretty good and all the girls seem to love the J. Crew logo.

 

[asherman13]

Look at J. Crew for a sweater. Their prices are usually pretty good and all the girls seem to love the J. Crew logo.

I don't have one in my local mall; it'll be a drive. We'll see about that one.

J. Crew has a logo? Could you describe? I don't see it on their website.

 

[OutThere]

Yeah, it's like that. To be quite honest, this is what it is (Camp Wa-Tam).

Here's the link for the sweater. Yeah, it's pretty pricey, so I'm probably going to go with something from Banana Republic or whatnot. I'm mainly going for that look.

I figured the flip-flops would be alright; my co-workers and I usually wear them all the time. I might ask some of them about the flip-flops; that shouldn't be much of an embarrassment. With regards to the casual-ness of flip-flops, this is California. We wear 'em all the time.

As for catching the eye compared to catching the mind, I've already caught the mind. It's the eye I need the help with.

Keep the help coming!

Damn. $200 sweater!

Go with the BR one...their stuff is usually very nice and A&F can be very overpriced for kind of poor quality.

As for the flipflops. Definitely fine. People who say no to them don't spend enough time amidst and/or wearing the likes of young preppy types.

 

[Tanglewood]

Have you thought about polos?

 

[Tanglewood]

This would be a nice look

 

[w_parietti22]

Have you thought about polos?

polos are to casual imo.

 

[Tanglewood]

polos are to casual imo.

Of course if you wear them all the time

You could always dress up the polo with a blazer

 

[asherman13]

Damn. $200 sweater!

Go with the BR one...their stuff is usually very nice and A&F can be very overpriced for kind of poor quality.

As for the flipflops. Definitely fine. People who say no to them don't spend enough time amidst and/or wearing the likes of young preppy types.

Yeah, $200 seems a bit much for something like that. I personally haven't found that A&F stuff is of poor quality, rather, it just looks that way (I don't have any of their jeans, just some polos and shirts that were on sale.

As for polos, I don't think I'm going to wear one, or just a button down shirt, because I tend to wear them more often than not. I have a feeling that a polo shirt with a blazer, or even a button down with a blazer, is going to be done by somebody else, and I just have to have original style. (sarcasm) The jeans, as nice as they are, seem like they aren't what I'm looking for, dress-iness wise.

Does anybody have any particular color recommendations?

EDIT Another question: button-down shirt tucked in or out? Should it hang out under the sweater?

 

[OutThere]

Yeah, $200 seems a bit much for something like that. I personally haven't found that A&F stuff is of poor quality, rather, it just looks that way (I don't have any of their jeans, just some polos and shirts that were on sale.

As for polos, I don't think I'm going to wear one, or just a button down shirt, because I tend to wear them more often than not. I have a feeling that a polo shirt with a blazer, or even a button down with a blazer, is going to be done by somebody else, and I just have to have original style. (sarcasm) The jeans, as nice as they are, seem like they aren't what I'm looking for, dress-iness wise.

Does anybody have any particular color recommendations?

EDIT Another question: button-down shirt tucked in or out? Should it hang out under the sweater?

The shirt should hang out under the sweater...sleeves (unbuttoned) and tails, if you're going for the oxford+sweater 'look'.

You probably want to stay away from pastels and bright colors. If it were me, I'd do a dark grey/greyblue sweater with a white shirt and colored stripes. Jeans can look very good with this as well.

As to A&F quality...I've had a pair of pants, a pair of shorts and a shirt from them literally ripped into shreds after not a whole lot of wear. My newest pair of A&F shorts are lasting better, though. My stuff from Gap/Jcrew/BR/Old Navy has held up a lot better...

 

[Abstract]

I really like the collared-under-sweater look. It's very in right now.

Yeah, it has been in.....but for the last 3 years. It has also been in for English teachers since as far as I can remember.

I'm not saying that the look isn't ok. It is, but because everyone else is doing it as well, so you definitely won't look weird or out of place, which is good. Looking like a complete misfit would be worse.

Just dress well. If you're going for that look, wear dark blue jeans rather than khakis. Leather flip flops are alright as well, but if they go out to a bar afterwards, you may be well f***ed because of dress code or something.

Wearing clothes that just fits in is fine. No girl wants to date a guy who's more fashionable than she is anyway. Maybe you should pay more attention to what shoes you're going to wear. Nice shoes may be important if other guys in the group have a similar look.

Me last summer

Don't.

Wearing sandals will be extremely casual. So you know your co-workers do you see them wearing sandals? If so go for it.

He works at a camp, so he probably has. Maybe it's time for shoes?

Have you thought about polos?

No way. Even if you buy a brand new polo to wear, it'll look like he never even tried.

If I were you, I'd just wear jeans, cool looking shoes, some sort of t-shirt, and a blazer with some weird checker pattern and suede elbow patches. Oh, and a belt where the buckle is attached to the side rather than directly above the button. You'll look like you couldn't be bothered to try and dress well, but not necessarily a bad thing with some girls, and quite frankly, it's better than wearing a polo under there because those things never look cool unless you're built like a tank and it's skintight on you.

When you want sex, just light up a cigarette and blow smoke in her face and say, "Now."

 

[asherman13]

Yeah, it has been in.....but for the last 3 years. It has also been in for English teachers since as far as I can remember.

I'm not saying that the look isn't ok. It is, but because everyone else is doing it as well, so you definitely won't look weird or out of place, which is good. Looking like a complete misfit would be worse.

Just dress well. If you're going for that look, wear dark blue jeans rather than khakis. Leather flip flops are alright as well, but if they go out to a bar afterwards, you may be well f***ed because of dress code or something.

Wearing clothes that just fits in is fine. No girl wants to date a guy who's more fashionable than she is anyway. Maybe you should pay more attention to what shoes you're going to wear. Nice shoes may be important if other guys in the group have a similar look.

He works at a camp, so he probably has. Maybe it's time for shoes?

No way. Even if you buy a brand new polo to wear, it'll look like he never even tried.

If I were you, I'd just wear jeans, cool looking shoes, some sort of t-shirt, and a blazer with some weird checker pattern and suede elbow patches. Oh, and a belt where the buckle is attached to the side rather than directly above the button. You'll look like you couldn't be bothered to try and dress well, but not necessarily a bad thing with some girls, and quite frankly, it's better than wearing a polo under there because those things never look cool unless you're built like a tank and it's skintight on you.

I think I need to stress that this is a sort of dressy event. I mean, it's not a suit&tie event, but it most definitely isn't jeans either (I think). We wear shoes ALL THE TIME at camp, (they have to be closed-toed) and whenever we have out-of-camp gatherings we always wear flip-flops. We won't all be going to a bar afterwards, so I don't think that should be a problem.

As for the grey/dark-blue idea, are you recommending that because you think it will look better than the brown, or just because it will look good?

EDIT Should the button-down shirt be a size smaller than the sweater (meaning a size smaller than it normally would be) ?

 

[kretzy]

I like your original idea, but perhaps with a slightly more interesting jumper. Still dressy, but a bit funkier. Something like this maybe...

Also, if you go with something like that, get the plainer shirt because you don't want stripes going both ways.

As for the pants, brown/khaki is in and generally looks a bit dressier than any kind of denim.

 

[Tanglewood]

Don't.

Haha...I was in coat and tie earlier that day. So instead of changing completely I decided to go like that for punting. It was the only picture I could find of me with rolled up sleeves though I have to agree don't dress like me. I have no fashion sense. haha.

 

[eva01]

Why care about your wardrobe?

I was at a nice fancy restaurant yesterday in my puffy amiyumi Tshirt and scrub pants.

Be who you are not what you want to seem like.

 

[Applespider]

Leather flipflops are fine. I was reading an article the other day by a businessman in LA who met an old friend from London and was expecting to be teased for turning up to dinner in flipflops... only to find his friend in the same.

But if you're going to wear flipflops, make sure your toenails looks good

Aside from that, chinos and a good cotton shirt are a great idea. Perhaps lose the jumper and go for a coloured shirt?

 

[asherman13]

I like your original idea, but perhaps with a slightly more interesting jumper. Still dressy, but a bit funkier. Something like this maybe...

I like it, but I think I want to go with vertical stripes because they're more slimming (or so my mom says).

Be who you are not what you want to seem like.

But this is the kind of person I am! I like to look nice, I just need the help to do it!

Leather flipflops are fine. I was reading an article the other day by a businessman in LA who met an old friend from London and was expecting to be teased for turning up to dinner in flipflops... only to find his friend in the same.

But if you're going to wear flipflops, make sure your toenails looks good

Aside from that, chinos and a good cotton shirt are a great idea. Perhaps lose the jumper and go for a coloured shirt?

Awesome. Any recommendations for the toes? I'm assuming I shouldn't put anything on them, but I've heard that you can buff your toe/fingernails or something...

Jumper = sweater, right? As for losing that, I don't think I want to (but I'm not sure yet) because I sometimes just wear long-sleeve button-down shirts anyways (I leave the top two buttons undone and roll up the sleeves).

 

[Macky-Mac]

if the idea is to look "dressy but casual" then NO flipflops!!! no atheletic shoes either.....those are fine for "causal" but they aren't classy enough for "dressy"

and it's most likely that jeans will be too casual also

polo shirt w/ kahkis might be ok but still it's leaning towards "casual".....especiaqlly since you say you wear them all the time

the dress shirt sticking out under the sweater is trendy with teenagers but it also really makes you look like a teenager.....which is fine if you are one I suppose