Things to Do Before You Buy Any More Clothes
The battle against Sisyphus’ EBay Saved Searches
Maintaining a hobby which depends upon material possessions can result in a sort of consumption hamster-wheel. Taking a step back, the nature of buying and re-selling clothes, even when doing so ethically, begins to look a little Sisyphean.
The challenge, I feel, is at least in part a feeling that consumption is the only way to engage with fashion as a hobby, the media we consume around it only serving to inform us of more things to buy, and so the hamster wheel continues to spin. There are, though, a few minor bits and pieces that fall to the wayside as this cycle takes over one’s entire engagement with this pastime, these I hope today to uncover. Some still cost money, though most likely the same or less than a new acquisition, and they ought to leave you better off, in some capacity, than you would have been if you’d just bought something new.
Welcome to this week’s meeting of The Prep Club, last week’s issue of THE RADAR is available here, and as always The Directory is available as a comprehensive list of labels, new this week:
GANT - Stalwart shirtmakers, pioneers of the locker loop. 60s GANT shirts are for many the ideal OCBD. For modern era, secondhand will be the best deals but keep a watchful eye out for poly-blends and slim fit. There is a lot of product floating around though, which makes it affordable and easy to track down.
Loopwheeler - Prohibitive Japanese sweatshirts/pants, some of the most beautiful examples presented as a simple and satisfying collection, the same designs in two weights. Sweatpants are currently exclusive to their Brick and Mortar locations in Shibuya.
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Develop Styling Skills
A rather obvious place to start, get better at styling the clothes you already have. Part of this is soft skills, understanding colour, proportion; knowing history and provenance, but there’s another side that are hard skills, physical skills that can be trained.
Take the four-in-hand tie knot, in today’s world few people wear a tie every day, without the muscle memory from repetition you might find yourself having to take a couple stabs at getting a tie right at the waistline. Make no mistake, the four-in-hand is the only tie knot you will ever need, but having it dialled, with a dimple and the point falling at the bottom of the belt, is going to make tie wearing more enjoyable, and then you’ll wear ties more, which is great because ties are cool.
The French tuck would be another example, simple in appearance but consistently infuriating to execute. It’ll differ with every garment too. The power of the french tuck has been intensified by the return to the high-waisted trouser, it offers a chic alternative to replacing all your sweaters for the same thing with a crop. Old Ralph posters french tuck everything, it just communicates that care-free prep thing in swathes.
There’s plenty of little bits like this: folding a pocket square, tying a bow tie, lacing boots, rolling sleeves, cuffing jeans. There’ll be plenty specific to any given style.
I’m not suggesting you put reps on these like some sort of bizarre sartorial version of Whiplash or Rocky, but a bit of practice isn’t going to kill you, and until you’ve got those hard skills down your ability to have that shit on is going to suffer.
Replace, Re-lace
If that urge for something new is brewing from a feeling of boredom with what’s already in your wardrobe, there’s plenty to be done with your existing garms to give ‘em a new lease of life, before you turn back to the saved searches, consider:
Fresh laces or even just a new lacing method [this fellow has sixty-two to show to you]. Let’s face it the laces on at least one of your pairs are probably in need of some TLC. As of late with vintage hiking boots getting some time in the limelight we’re also seeing a return to coloured laces. I’m in favour of keeping a couple of your most worn colours on hand, especially with boots it offers the same flash of colour you might otherwise get from a sock.
Buttons would also be a port-of-call, affordable and easy to DIY. Swap plastics for some genuine vintage horn or MOP. Old Polo or modern J. Crew OCBDs are good candidates. Likewise replacing football buttons for horn four-holes will give a thrifted tweed jacket more of an Ivy feel, if you’ve got non-functional cuffs there’s the option of adding or taking away buttons too.
Essential Garm Maintenance
I’d wager that there’s at least one piece in your wardrobe in need of some professional attention, or failing that some DIY care. This is especially true for those with a primarily vintage wardrobe, those garms that are fussy or thrashed.
First stop, the dry cleaners, whatever it is that needs it, down jacket, wool blazer, stained shirt, it’s going. Hand wash your knitwear, as the weather gets warmer [check this guide here]. After that, repairs, holes patched, maybe some sashiko if you’re so inclined, hems mended, missing buttons relpaced (as per above). Alterations, get that waist taken-in or let out, get the break perfect, sleeves shortened, shoulder padding removed.
Whatever it is that’s getting put off, and once again I’d bet there’s something, let that be where the money goes this month.
Sell, donate
A final, brief word on the most obvious option, get rid of some shit. Take time though, make some damned good listings, take good photos, write good descriptions (for the love of f*ck please do not use ChatGPT to write secondhand listings, it’s unbearable), include measurements. You might be able to get away with charging a little bit more.
Buying clothes is fun, that’s why we do it, but it has the capacity to get relentless when it’s a hobby. It’s easy to lose sight of longevity and quality as cornerstones of heritage fashion, happens to the best of us. My hope is, should you wish to escape the Sisyphean garm acquisition matrix for a little while, some of the above might keep you entertained in the interim.
I reckon we’d all do well to have less sh*t and appreciate our stalwarts more, take better care of our favourite pieces so they stick around for longer.
Prep Club adjourned, catch you soon.
Quality, Boat Shoes, Shetlands, MLB Merch
Hello! Welcome back to THE RADAR, The Prep Clubs’s new fortnightly digest for interesting bits and pieces in the sphere of collegiate threads. You can attend last week’s meeting here, for the rugged ivy classics.
Excellent tips! Love a French tuck.