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Original poster

what should a 37yr old man wear?

49 replies

greygirl · 01/10/2009 16:19

My husband is 37. In his 20s (and early 30s) he worse skate/snowboard tshirts and combat trousers or jeans, topped off with a hooded top. He thought he looked very fine and dandy . Now he is a bit older and doesn't wish to dress like a teenager any more. But he doesn't want to dress like his father either. So far he has decided to eschew large logos and has purchased a brown cord blazer, which works but he can't only wear that. And he doesn't really want to wear only the boden catalogue. Any thoughts on suitable attire? brands? we don't get out a lot. He is a little chunky (but not a lot) and about 5'10".

OP posts:
notnowbernard · 01/10/2009 16:23

DP is 40

He buys mainly at Gap or FatFace

He is a jeans and t-shirt kind of bloke and isn't keen on logos at all either

thighsmadeofcheddar · 01/10/2009 16:24

Is the Gant / Crew stuff too preppy?

meemarsgotabrandnewbump · 01/10/2009 16:25

I'll watch this with interest. My DH hasn't changed his style since his 20s either.

Though I have to say, 'Not dressing like dad' and ' he has purchased a brown cord blazer' sounds like a contradiction

Original poster
greygirl · 01/10/2009 16:29

his dad has a navy blue blazer. the brown cord looks ok (honestly!)
i might try and find a gap next time we go near a shop, that's the sort of thing. He doesn't want to be the dad at the school fair who still thinks he's down with the kids

OP posts:
notnowbernard · 01/10/2009 16:33

I think looks best at that age

DP looks great in decent, quality jeans and a plain, dark t-shirt (grey, navy or black usually) Gap are great for casual shirts

He wears decent footwear (Caterpillar, for example) and never wears trainers or 'proper' shoes

I wish dressing for myself took so little effort. He barely puts 2 seconds into thinking about what he's going to wear

notnowbernard · 01/10/2009 16:34

I think simple looks best

deepdarkwood · 01/10/2009 16:38

I also think that the cord blazer is sounding a bit of a scary introduction to adulthood

Jeans, subtle logos, semi smart shirts I think. I tend to think both sexes look slightly better as slightly smarter versions of themselves as they get older. Dh tends towards Gap, Esprit, and the subtle end of some of the surf brands (Joe Brown, Mambo, Quicksilver).
He also buys a smattering of charity shop vintage more designer-y stuff (Paul Smith etc)

Marne · 01/10/2009 16:45

Dh (41) lives in jeans, plain t-shirts, designer short sleeved shirts, shoes that are not quite trainers but not proper shoes and lately has been looking at cord jackets .

Original poster
greygirl · 01/10/2009 16:45

it's not really a blazer in a smart sense of the word. now i am paranoid about it, and will look very carefully next time he puts it on.
heading slightly smarter is i think where we are going.chelsea boots? yes or no?

OP posts:
Original poster
greygirl · 01/10/2009 16:46

oh and jumpers? i do not allow heating here in sunny cheshire , so he often needs to keep warm

OP posts:
MarshaBrady · 01/10/2009 16:48

A good Paul Smith shirt looks good, and nice shoes.

Dh can wear American Apparel cords and a slimfit PS shirt to work, plus a light cream jacket /blazer and he looks v good (if I say so myself!).

MarshaBrady · 01/10/2009 16:49

Jumpers - a good quality v neck.

Dh is 37 too btw.

dogstar · 01/10/2009 16:59

I think it's the word 'blazer' that frightens me tbh. Is it double breasted with gold buttons?

dp is 41 and still wears Converse plimsolls and jeans. He likes long sleeved t-shirts with sort of vintage type designs. He looks ok.

MarshaBrady · 01/10/2009 17:05

yep blazer probably wrong word - never double breasted, Can't find a pic cos it's all winter stuff now.

Just a jacket. Oh and skinny-ish jeans. I'll see if I can find a pic or what he likes....

Original poster
greygirl · 01/10/2009 17:05

no it is a jacket with ( i think) brown buttons. it made a change from hooded tops, and it makes t-shirts look a little more grown up. i think i mean blazer as opposed to 'suit jacket', rather than the navy blue double-breasted think i am an admiral variety.
marsha, are paul smith shirts not a little pricy? (i don't know but they have their own aftershave, more than can be said for mark's shirts). i do love the stripy pattern ones though.

OP posts:
MarshaBrady · 01/10/2009 17:19

Hey greygirl they are a bit. But I admit we got quite a few half price at the sale.

Not sure if you can wait that long though.

American Apparel is pretty good, and a few things at H&M are fine if you can sort bear sorting through the stuff. Simple jumpers etc

Original poster
greygirl · 01/10/2009 17:24

Marsha thank you. this is a life changing process, so i think we can check the sales out when they come. He does have SOME clothes, but they are not all him anymore (as is true of my wardrobe, but i think i have a better idea of what I want to buy). And he doesn't really have much of an idea of what to wear instead IYSWIM.Trouble is you look in newspapers (he buys camper van monthly so not much fashion in there!) and it's all 18yr old in suits. Now i think he looks great in a suit, but it's not much cop for the school curry night really.
If we can find a H&M we will look (he did once buy a terrific brown jacket/cardie thing from h&M in copenahgen, but that was before children, alas)

OP posts:
sleepsforwimps · 01/10/2009 18:53

Crikey the first bit of the OP describes my oh! he's 38 and I think it still suits him wearing combats/shorts, jeans, surfy type tshirts (especially as he's a windsurfer). Saying that, he has lately taken to wearing more shirts as well, mainly Craghopper.

Tempted now to tell him that I think he's at the age when he should purchase a blazer, oh his face would be picture.

said · 01/10/2009 18:59

My 37-year old dp lives in jeans and Uniqlo stuff

pointydoug · 01/10/2009 19:08

lol @ a good quality v neck

pointydoug · 01/10/2009 19:10

what's your budget? Have you looked at Superdry? It seems to be widening its market to the older man.

MarshaBrady · 01/10/2009 19:11

really how comes It is a bit daggy?

blazer is still the wrrooong word to describe what I am saying

Dh looks good honest, not oldish. Works in design so has to long youngish anyway.

MarshaBrady · 01/10/2009 19:11

look youngish

pointydoug · 01/10/2009 19:12

I wouldn't put a man in a v neck meself

MarshaBrady · 01/10/2009 19:15

No way really? Cripes dh lives in em. Over said shirts.

Think he's going for the preppy look.

He used to wear cardigans too! In an ironic fashion forward (snurk) way of course ..