business wardrobe reccomendation one

2 pair charcoal slacks @ $160/2 pr
2 pair navy slacks @ $160/2 pr
2 pair black slacks @ $160/2 pr
[You can add additional trousers in these colors, depending on your willingness to wear trousers more than one day without cleaning. These appear to be "all season" weight, wool/poly blend "survival wear" slacks, meaning that they are going to be inexpensively made, with standard interior trim (waistband, pocketing, interlining) and "all season" wool/poly blend fabric. You'll probably get a season or two of wear out of them, at best. For 2x to 4x times the price, you can get far nicer fabrics, better construction, and trim. Most business travelers will pack 3 pair of slacks for a 5 day trip, perhaps supplemented by a pair of wash pants or jeans to wear in the evening]

10 spread collar dress shirts (white, blue colors) @ $30/ea [Button down collars are not dress shirts. Short sleeves are not dress shirts. All that said, you may want to augment this with additional short sleeve seasonal shirts, considering your longitude, and Texas summers.]

1 navy blazer @ $120 [Note: At this price point, this is "survival wear," and it is going to be a machine made sack coat, with fused interlining construction, and minimal tailoring. It will hang on you like a borrowed schoolboy jersey. For 2x to 4x the price, you can get a much nicer blazer, which will make you look like a man whose mommy didn't dress him in hand me downs.]

2 pair black dress shoes @ $100/ea [Note: Men's Wearhouse isn't the place to shop for shoes. You can do better, if you look around, but you'll spend 2x. Try to find quality footwear from better domestic manufacturers (Florshiem, Johnson & Murphy, etc. Better yet, treat your feet to Allen Edmonds.) Good dress shoes, in good repair, polished, are one thing that still "define" a man's overall level of taste. Don't scrimp. At least one pair lace up oxfords, maybe a pair of dress slip-ons, in classic styles. No boots, no rubber soles.]

10 - 15 pair socks, charcoal or dark blue [Over the calf dress stockings would be preferable, so as to avoid "droopy sock blues." Crew socks do not go well with dress shoes.)

Belt(s)

Tie(s) [If you take a blazer or jacket, take a tie. You may be "business casual" in most of your travels, but sooner or later you will go to some function in the evening, where a coat and tie is still expected.]

Underwear, handkerchiefs, and accessories as needed. [Full crew neck tee shirts are recommended for wear with dress shirts. No commando option on the boxers/briefs decision.]
posted by paulsc at 5:36 AM on July 23 [2 favorites