Category: Personal Reflections and Diary

HOW A NERD THINKS ABOUT A WARDROBE

I’ve lost something like 40 lbs, although I feel like I’ve gained a bit back staying here in Bellevue, typing all day. So I’ve had to slowly rebuild my wardrobe over the summer so that I’m not swimming in sacks like Alice after she imbibes the Drink Me potion.

I didn’t change the style at all. Still stayed with the jeans/jacket theme that I’ve always had, and the pretty stock Ralph Lauren for casual.

— WARDROBE UPGRADES —

2 Suits (Charcoal, Navy Pinstripe)

3 Sports Jackets (2 blk, 1 blk/grn)

12 Dress Shirts (8 white, 4 black)

4 Smart Casual Dress Shirts (3 Blues, 1 rust)

2 Ties (Robert Talbot) Yellow, Charcoal (Short 4)

3 Pocket squares (short one)

1 RL Long sleeve cotton shirt (pink)

3 RL Polos (Black, Grey, Blue)

1 RL Long Sleeve Polo Heavy (Green and Blue with leather)

1 RL Long Sleeve ‘Sweatshirt’ (red)

1 RL Long Sleeve ‘hoodie’ (Brown)

6 Jeans (Seven for All Mankind – 4 blue, 2 grey, 1 brown)

1 Black Dress Shoes (cole haan)

3 Driving Shoes blk ( 2 cole haan, 1 Diesel)

1 Running Shoes (nike free)

1 Sweats (grey, eddie bauer)

1 RL cargo shorts

— HOLD OVERS —

3 sports jackets – retailored (Abboud, RL, Custom Made)

5 Belts 2 blk/br, 3 blk decorated, 1 RL braided Br.

1 blk loafers (cole haan)

1 brown loafers (santoni)

2 smart casual city shoes (Geoxx)

1 driving shoes (cole haan)

1 RL heavy winter hoodie

1 Jones NY Black Car Coat

1 North Face ‘Fleece’

1 (?) Rain Jacket

2 Grey Seven jeans (really need to go)

1 RL Swim (white)

2 RL Shorts (cargo, white)

2 Watches (Baum Mercier, Hamilton) (can’t find the Raymond Weil)

3 sets cufflinks

— STILL NEEDED —

1 Narrow Lapel Tux

2 pleated tux shirts

2 watch bands (br/blk)

1 proper raincoat

— LOSSES —

4 RL polos (xl/custom fit)

20 various shirts

15 various jeans, mostly Seven brand.

2 Abboud tuxes (wide lapel, narrow lapel)

6 sports jackets

4 suits

6 shoes

TIPS:

– Wash your expensive jeans inside out. That’s where most of the wear comes from.

– Wash your clothes in cold water using Woolite or some other mild detergent unless you work with dirt and sweat for a living. Hang dry your shirts on plastic hangers. They’ll last longer. (The water at the cabin ruined my clothes. Its one of the reasons I didn’t want to live there any longer.)

– The cleaners damage your clothes. Especially the seams. You are better off doing them at home. I see all these guys with freshly pressed clothes that are falling apart.

– Learn how to iron. Iron in front of the TV in the morning with your coffee. I do it before the shower, and lay my clothes out for the day on the bed. I love ironing. Because it’s become part of my ritual. And because my grandmother taught me how. And it reminds me of her.