Where Should I Buy My Clothes?
At my retail job, I get massive compliments for the clothes I wear.
People ask where I get my clothes from.
I excitedly share them the brand's name.
The response?
Head scratches.
"I never heard of them before."
My mouth drops...
So, in order to solve this problem, I don't want to be a gatekeeper.
I will be sharing:
- What inspires my fashion sense
- What brand I get 90% of my clothes from
- How I style my clothes
- The real cheat code to styling your clothes
(Although I do not have photographic evidence of this supposed 'fashion sense' I have, you gotta see it in order to believe it)
My Fashion Inspiration: East Asian
Before I reveal the brand, I want to say I take a lot of my inspiration and fashion sense from their fashion trends.
Whether it's the Koreans, the Japanese or the Chinese, they dress extremely well.
Also, if you don't know, I'm part Asian.
As a general rule of thumb, you want to try wearing stuff from people that look similar to you.
So, it's what's going to suit my season.
"Art begins in imitation and ends in innovation." – Mason Cooley"
UNIQLO
The main fashion brand that consist of 90% of my wardrobe is from a Japanese fashion brand called UNIQLO
Their main selling point is being relatively cheap and good quality.
As the town I reside in doesn't have a UNIQLO, whenever I visit Brisbane or Japan I'd let it be my chance to grab clothes.
I will sort of breakdown the two kind of
Plain
I classify any article of clothing that is meant to be casual and only consist of one colour as plain.
I usually go with white, black, navy-blue crew neck t-shirts to pair with either black, grey, green, or khaki shorts.
An article of clothing I've been matching with the plain clothes is parachute pants that fit my body's frame.
I find this style clean.
There's no crazy patterns or anything outlandish that would make you stand out.
But from the simplicity and cleanness of the style, you tend to do better than most.
Business
As I go to church, attend networking/formal events, and work in an office space, I will have a couple of business shirts.
I have two business shirts I bought from UNIQLO Japan that I like wearing as it fits me well.
As for pants, I stick with black business pants. You can almost match it with any kind of business shirt.
Graphics
I like to have personality with some of the clothes I wear.
UNIQLO I find do the best graphic tees as they collaborate with other brands and pop culture.
Some of my favourite shirts are from
- Chainsaw Man
- Elden Ring (Not from UNIQLO, but Torch Torch)
- Dandadan
- Studio Ghibli
- Metal Gear Solid
The reason I lean into Graphic T-Shirts as it contrasts my sometimes serious personality.
And I regard UNIQLO as a reliable brand for doing these Graphic design T-shirts that last me a while.
Also, I find them personally cool to wear.
Invites other people to share the love of pop culture.
Japanese Op Shops
When I was visiting Japan, I did a lot op shopping with my Australian who was travelling by herself.
We'd go to 2nd Street and random op shops trying out different clothes and buying it for cheap.
You never know what you walk out at those places.
My favourite peace is a black and white pleated pants that match well with a black shirt.
As Malkemore once said,
"One man's trash is another one's treasure"
How To Style
I'm not too sure the 'why' to something looks good.
Possibly due to composition, proportions, colours, layering, etc.
What I will say is,
Pay attention to when people give you a compliment.
If someone thinks it looks good, then someone else will.
But I will say is make sure you like the style first.
Again, fashion is ultimately for other people.
I want you to present the most authentic and best version of yourself in the clothes that you wear.
Because like it or not, people judge upon how you look.
If you cannot present yourself in a way that communicates an ability to put some effort into how you dress, what else will it convey to people?
That your lack of effort towards articles of clothing will be reflected upon the effort you will put towards a relationship?
I supposed this is more important upon first impression.
But, it's better learn how to dress by finding out what suits you rather than continuing to fumble at the missed opportunities due to people's poor judgement of you.
The Real Cheat Code To Styling
To throw you another curveball.
The clothes you wear are probably less important than the mannequin who wears it.
There's no amount of clothes styling that will hide the fact if you are overweight, unhygienic, or don't take care of your skin.
In saying the mannequin is more important, you want to communicate that you know how to play the game of social interaction.
Look your best and be your best.
People will like you for that.
BONUS: What About Shoes?
I've only worn pretty much one pair of shoes with all my outfits.
It's a pair of Nike Air Force Ones '07
They were my first pair of white shoes. Ever.
The versatility of white shoes allow for a casual look with almost every outfit.