lol
What would you recommend instead? Fashionable jeans have been standard bar apparel since I became a legal drinker almost 7 years ago. Khakis generally lend a douchey, wannabe, trying-too-hard air. Anything dressier is flat-out pretentious, unless you’re a rich bastard and wear a suit or tux everywhere you go (in which case the OP wouldn’t have needed to create this thread).
From this site:
Uh…ok. No offense, but I can’t see taking any advice from those guys. A person’s sense of style, which is different than fashion, is unique to them or should be. We all have different body types and goal as to what we want to project and our clothing should represent that.
Also I think a bit of this is generational. What I wore and would consider to be ‘douchey’, was a lot different when I was 28 than when I was 50. Although I confess, I never wore jeans to bar/club when I was 28 either.
If he had to wear jeans, he could wear a colored jean which comes in the same fit and cuts as demin and would give a little ‘jazz’ to what he’s wearing and allow him to be seasonal.
Most importantly a person doesn’t have to be a ‘rich bastard’ to dress well, what they do need however is a sense of style and that is something money can’t buy.
That’s a double monk, I don’t think that’s casual enough for him. I was thinking more like this, I wore something similar back in the day.
In fact Dr. Marten has quite a few interesting styles, which may go well with a slim cut pant.
With all due respect, if you’re past 50 and you’re not, say, Simon Doonan, you may not be the right person to advise the OP on what to wear to a bar.
None taken, I assure you I don’t wear my pants up to my chest, ride a scooter or wear coke bottle bottle glasses. Though I confess I do wear linen pants.
The OP is free to ignore anything advice I provide. I promise I won’t tell Hebert Hoover, who I am personal friends with.
I’ve been looking for a nice pair of linen pants for years.
I’m a younger man going to a lot of bars and supermarkets, and I wear either some brown malboro boots, some worn down, checkered, yellow/brown things I found once that I don’t really know what is apart from being shoes, and a pair of snakeskin boots I found on sale. Hope that helps!
TL;DR: I care way too much about shoes.
Ahem… woman. I emphasize this only because you say you’re looking for women’s opinions, and specifically that you “want the people who look at my feet to not decide never to have sex with me based on what they find there.” So speaking as a woman, if I see a guy wearing either Converse or (with the right outfit, chukkas), I think something along the lines of, “Not a slob, but not a fashion victim or a narcissist, either. Has style and knows how to look put-together. Self-confident, easygoing and unpretentious. Yes, I’ll chat with this guy.”
They don’t have to be Converse; other, similarly-cut sneakers can fit the bill, for instance:
I do like a lot of Skechers, adidas, and Pumas, as mentioned above. But many of their styles look too chunky and clunky, in my opinion. What appeals to me about Converse (and their ilk) and chukkas is that they’re slim and sleek, not adding bulk to the foot, while still having structure.
Oh, I’ve got to disagree. Converse are a total classic. They go with any casual outfit. For instance, here’s Converse with:
Blazer, hoodie, and jeans
Yer basic jeans and a t-shirt (NB: I don’t think chukkas would work with this particular outfit)
Same, with a track jacket
Sweater, dress shirt, and khakis
Funky suit-ish look with t-shirt (I don’t love the super-skinny pants, but they don’t have to be)
Blazer, dress shirt, and jeans
In each case, I think the Converse really make the look. If they were wearing oxfords or loafers, they’d look a lot more staid and conservative. If they were wearing “running style” sneakers, they’d just look sloppy. Observe:
This look totally works for me
This (almost identical) look totally fails
Yes, the jeans are also a lot dumpier in the second pic, but what really jumps out at me is the shoes. The flat sole and sleek fit of the Converse make a huge difference.
You can wear chukkas with many of the same kinds outfits:
Blazer, scarf, dress shirt, and jeans
The Basic
Dress shirt and jeans
Same, with a sweater and tie
Dress shirt, tie, and casual cotton pants
The difference is that Converse give off a more quirky, casual vibe than chukkas. Compare these almost identical outfits - slim fit black sweater and classic chinos - with:
Converse
Chukkas
My conclusion, then, is that you need a pair of each. That way, you can dress your look up or down a bit just by changing your shoes. You essentially double your casual wardrobe.
As a <very casual myself> female, who doesn’t wear heels if she doesn’t have to, even I say that any kind of ‘sneakers’ with anything not jeans or sports or hiking related screams “I didn’t finish getting dressed this morning”.
Nothing wrong with that, but…there ya go.
Wait…these guys pulled it off!
(Hey, I’m an 80’s kid, I can make fun of it!)
Also, linen pants in there! Just needs some monks or somthing to go with them.
Some great pics there, Heart of Dorkness, but I still disagree about the Converses. They’re too informal and young for adult social occasions (and plus they’re pretty uncomfortable and offer no arch support, at least when I used to wear them in high school). I believe all those models would look better, all eles being equal, in Pumas.
Colored jeans. Sweet zombie cats, no. Just … no.
(Plus, the “seasonal” part made me think of bad Christmas sweaters.)
Basic colors like Tan, White, Greys and so on are more than acceptable in a jean and a good substitute for tradtional Khakis. As I noted because they come in different cuts, you can fit them to to the existing style that you wear Denim in.
Seasonal because you want to wear brighter colors in the Spring and Summer and darker in Fall and Winter and the color selection allows for that. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with going with stronger colors if you have the confidence to carry them off.
I appreciate that you have your own personal style, but WHITE JEANS? White jeans are not only never more acceptable than dark blues, they are never acceptable, period*. I mean, gag me with a spoon, 1987 called, they want their jeans back.
*Wait, are you WHAM-era George Michael and/or Boy George an/or the lead singer for Duran Duran? If you answered no to any of these questions, you cannot wear white jeans. If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can wear white jeans. If you live in the West Village with two pugs and your boyfriend, Anderson Cooper, then you can maybe wear white jeans.
I’m sure she was very beautiful.
White Jeans are perfectly acceptable and fashionable…but everyone has their own sense of fashion.
I’m a guy, but I like to stay current with what I’m wearing.
If you’re at a pretty casual bar in your jeans/t-shirt or whatever and you feel like sneakers are appropriate, you can’t go wrong with Nike Shox. And black goes with just about everything.
If you want to step it up a bit, the Aldos linked below are a nice choice. They make quality shoes.
I personally avoid Chuck Taylors and Sketchers.
My continued thanks, everyone. The conversation about whether or not sneakers are appropriate or childish is getting right at the dilemma I have. It’s just occurring to me now that last summer I got kicked out of a jazz bar in the ghetto while wearing suede New Balances because “no tennis shoes.” Maybe all my shame and confusion stems from that incident. It wasn’t a nice place, mind you - there was a guy wearing a basketball jersey.
HoD, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you a man. I recall your series of pregnancy threads. Over time, based on those, I formulated an opinion that you are not male. Two things: one, a pair of falling-apart Sambas is what I need to replace, so you’re already the best for inadvertently congratulating me, and two, I think you have mostly convinced me that your way of thinking is correct, which is to say instead of just getting chukkas like I was probably always going to do, I’m probably going to do that and get some lowtops, too. Still unsure about all that white rubber, but I’m attempting to come around. I might be a shoe racist. I really think in every one of your pictures the guy in the boots looks better, but it’s great to hear other points of view. So thanks for that and for all the time you must have spent. Bro dog.
I appreciate the advice. When the Eagles get an interception and some portly local sloshes wing sauce on the imaginary Canali I’m going to start wearing to bars from now on, you’re getting the bill.
As it happens, I own as many as or more than two pairs of shoes. I just want to buy a new pair to be my default shoes in non-dressy social situations. Incidentally, I’ve heard red jeans are the new thing. Your thoughts?
[QUOTE=Plumpudding]
I’m a younger man going to a lot of bars and supermarkets, and I wear either some brown malboro boots, some worn down, checkered, yellow/brown things I found once that I don’t really know what is apart from being shoes, and a pair of snakeskin boots I found on sale. Hope that helps!
[/QUOTE]
It obviously did not, but it’s my favorite thing I’ve read or heard today.
Is this shoe acceptable, in the brown “rust” color?