What Not to Wear?

What not to wear if you are a man over 50, notes from an article on Guardian.com. There are two types of men: those who have given up, and those who don't know when to give up. Advice from a middle-aged fashion editor. As I approach sixty I need to start moving more in this direction.

Perhaps this article is over my head. At first I thought these photos were what shouldn't be worn. Took me a while to figure out the opposite was true. Still, a little something can be gleaned from it. 

He says: get rid of combat pants: those with too many pockets and zippers, oversized, too much surface decoration. Also all camouflage. Instead keep it plain and simple with a casual/formal edge - more laid back than a suit trouser but more presentable than pajamas - chinos more careworn than preppy or box-fresh.

Converse All Stars or Jack Purcells are a warning sign of someone trying to hang on to their youth. Trade up to non-branded shoes from a make like Common Projects, Harrys of London, or Grenson, all of whom have mastered the smart-shoe-to-sneaker hybrid. Or adidas Stan Smiths (a sneaker I've been looking to buy).

Adopt a philosophy of less is more. The time to follow trends has come to an end. Don't hold on to items hoping they'll come back into fashion - those revivals are meant for younger generations. Don't wear bucket hats, anoraks, or fleece track tops. No baseball caps, according to this fashion editor. No skinny jeans, parkas, or Hawaiian shirts.

Instead: rollneck knits, Harrington-style jackets, pea coats, and tweed coats. Some I will have to Google. Avoid items with a "dad" prefix. "The impression you should be giving is a man of the world who has lived and made intelligent and experienced choices: a man who doesn't need to jump on to every bandwagon, but is in control, happy with his lot, and confident."

Navy blazers. Comfortable shoes balancing casual and formal, with leather uppers and rubber soles. Be cautious with colors. Garment-dyed chinos. Waltham jacket.

Too often I am all over the place with my outfits. I need to stick to my style: dark pants, not oversized. Simple shoes or sneakers. Dress shirts: white, blue, subtle striped, or check. Solid colored quarter zip golf pullovers. Darkly-colored crew or V neck sweaters. Socks can sometimes be crazy, but most often dark. I love caps but rarely wear them, at games in the sun or cold.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.theguardian.com_fashion_2019_mar_16_what-2Dnot-2Dto-2Dwear-2Dif-2Dyou-2Dare-2Da-2Dman-2Dover-2D50-3FCMP-3Dshare-5Fbtn-5Flink&d=DwIFAg&c=UXihhqr7vvdA-hrKyTiC1Q&r=wMWwaEbn9nr4zXI4p6CDP7FGwn1DrBd77MJElrWsP6U&m=5q53bPjkMRi27QPCK_VoFjM9YMcYOs2zrODyASX2xqI&s=I2dspf3VrzbLod1Fm6JzZi3NHvvFWPMgTkSpIvndIgE&e=

Right now a simple sneaker I loved is for sale on eBay, at a relatively inexpensive $27.00 delivered. Dark blue Jordan RCVRs. I need to pass. Two guys in my office wear sneakers in the office that are overboard: both high-tech black Nikes. They're not yet 50 but for our office the shoes are over the top. Some of the younger guys can better get away with it.