Has anyone “outgrown” Dappered?

[LesserBlackDog]

Also, as others mentioned I do miss the comment section - it was helpful for those of us that aren't Joe sized to be able to find others of a similar size to get info on fits. I'm stuck between small and medium in most brands and found the comments to be very helpful in deciding whether to go small, or medium, to get the best fit on a particular item. The forum works for that to some degree but the comments were a much more convenient way to get that type of advice.

Lul, I used to be exactly one size smaller than Joe and would routinely get 36R when he got 38R, S when he got M, etc....

Doesn't work so well anymore but I'm trying to catch up with the gainz….

[Slubby Linen]

...repetitive because I get the same company emails letting me know about the sales.

Valid point although in my case it's kind of flipped the other way. I've unsubscribed from nearly all clothing vendor emails and just stop by here to see what sales are going on. There's value added since the Dappered staff goes through the various sale items and highlights the good stuff and the good bargains. You get a curated or filtered view of the sales from the Dappered perspective, which to me is useful.

[ModifiedMind]

I've only been following the site for a few years now and didn't start reading it till my late thirties. I was coming to a big transition in my life -- I had been with the same woman for 18 years, including about 11 years of marriage, but we were about to be divorced -- and I wanted to start dressing better and in a way that would make me feel more confident and maybe more attractive as I became single again. I was moving away from baggy clothes, lots of graphic tshirts and, in terms of more "adult-y" clothes, stuff that was restricting/uncomfortable. At the same time, I couldn't afford to go crazy and buy super high-end stuff. Dappered fit my needs perfectly for this... not just with sales, but for the fact that the site isn't just about style in terms of looks. Joe also focuses on comfort. Instead of liking something, buying it and then realizing it was a fabric that made me overheat or that it was something prone to be full of static, I got to where I was finding stuff that actually felt good when I wore it. The site put me on the right track to finding wool, cotton, linen items instead of some crappy material. I've always mixed in a lot of other style sites too, including many mentioned in previous comments, but they rarely hit on things that interest me in the same way Dappered does. I mostly use those other sites for occasional color/pattern inspirations when matching clothing.

That said, I think the earlier comment about a man's journey on style is true. When I first started reading, I was buying a lot of stuff. My whole wardrobe needed an overhaul, and I'd go a little overboard to get it there in a hurry. Now, though, I mostly have the stuff I want. My "wishlist" doesn't receive almost daily additions from what I see on Dappered like it did when I first started reading. I still buy from the same places that Dappered tends to feature, but now I'm more in the mode of maintaining rather than overhauling or building the wardrobe. That type of evolution isn't really "outgrowing" the site so much as it is "ascending" to the level where you use the site more for occasional finds or inspiration instead of as a daily driving force to make a constant stream of purchases.

Also, to the point of more expensive stuff. Jesus, some of the sites out there! I'll make my daily cruise around to style sites and some, such as Valet and GQ's style section, will have lists of "clothes to buy this week" that include $800 cardigans and $5,000 coats. Too many of these sites seem to think we're all in the same income bracket as Warren Buffett or Kanye West, rather than being on a more modest budget. Dappered gets that while quality>quantity, quality != absurd prices. I like that about the site.

[mark4]

Also, to the point of more expensive stuff. Jesus, some of the sites out there! I'll make my daily cruise around to style sites and some, such as Valet and GQ's style section, will have lists of "clothes to buy this week" that include $800 cardigans and $5,000 coats. Too many of these sites seem to think we're all in the same income bracket as Warren Buffett or Kanye West, rather than being on a more modest budget. Dappered gets that while quality>quantity, quality != absurd prices. I like that about the site.

Yeah some of the prices are kind of outrageous out there. I read Valet pretty regularly and they post a lot of affordable options too but on the pricier end you're like "no way a sweatshirt is worth $600. I don't care what label it bears." Dappered is one of the few places that doesn't go in at all on that stuff and it's nice.

One newer fashion designer I discovered about a year ago (maybe late to the party on him) that I'm surprised never gets a mention here is Alex Mill. His stuff is more affordable than Todd Syder (who does get featured here regularly) and while it's not all win, there's a lot to like in his collection. The stuff is not at quite J Crew price levels but honestly it's pretty close to there.

[batkins9]

Writing style is unparalleled too. StyleForum, and even Put This On and Die Workwear can get insufferably pretentious, Dappered brings it down to earth and I actually find myself using some of the vernacular from the site when I'm shopping myself (like from today's post, I'll remember to avoid the "crusty old blanket" feel in my next tweed sportcoat).

This. I lurk the Spier Mackay thread on Style Forum because that's where the owner is most active in terms of sharing product information. Some of the members post some real life pics that are helpful. However, I would never actively participate in that thread. 90% of the posts there are unbearable examples of begging, bragging, bitching, or butt-kissing.

[Sideswipe]

Have not outgrown, but I get different things from it. I'm no longer the beginner looking for outfit help, I'm five years in. But I do still value the down to earth style, the reminders that clothes are not more important than the humans wearing them (some other sites are so pretentious that it appears those values are flipped).

"different things" sums it up for me too. I'm more in maintenance/upgrade rather than acquisition mode these days, so while I'm less likely to check out the sales-related topics, it's great to be able to come here and find stuff like detailed reviews of newer vendors (e.g. Spier), the latest on developments with AE, etc.

And I've been meaning to say for a while that I've been enjoying the Dappered Space series, which has been a fun complement to the clothing-focused content.

[Sideswipe]

This. I lurk the Spier Mackay thread on Style Forum because that's where the owner is most active in terms of sharing product information. Some of the members post some real life pics that are helpful. However, I would never actively participate in that thread. 90% of the posts there are unbearable examples of begging, bragging, bitching, or butt-kissing.

I lurk there as well, and while that thread is great for previews of their new products, and provides a pretty interesting perspective on managing a small-but-rapidly-growing menswear business, man the "can you provide an update on order 12345 that I placed yesterday?" posts would drive me nuts.

[whereismurder]

Bonus points: 200lb Joe is probably the only jacked style guy in the world right now.

The dude from art of manliness is kinda yolked now, but I don't know if he counts...

[DocDave]

What the heck is 'yolked'?

[LesserBlackDog]

Presumably he meant yoked and not yolked.

[Greek Trojan]

The dude from art of manliness is kinda yolked now, but I don't know if he counts...

Yeah Brett is basically an amateur powerlifter now, even having competed (though not competitive per se). He's really not a style guy though, he just gets the basics out, much like Dappered tends to.

As for this topic, I agree with the idea that people miss the excitement of discovery, transformation, growth and consumerism that happens when you first start the journey. The mens fashion scene burst on the scene and a bunch of guys could finally get good, real advice on how to dress properly that wasn't from a fashion first, show off perspective. Problem is that after a while, you've mastered the fundamentals and you lose the sense of progress, the thrill of novelty, the buying sprees and discovery and the new attention from others, which is now all normal. Its quite right that Dappered as "The Power of Boring, and the Danger of Boredom" as a featured post right now. Dappered is one of the only sites I still visit occasionally because its easier to thumb through the curation rather than shop through dozens of sites online. Style was always a means to an end for me and sense then I've moved on to bodybuilding/fitness/diet myself, while working on my social skills (which are still a work in progress). "Upgrading" from Dappered reads to me as a transition to style as a hobby more than some more advanced level of haberdashery.

There is value in higher end brands but I don't think its some upgraded form of style or sophistication. The Buy it for Life justification often fails to me because the people who make it tend to buy clothes more often than ones who stick with "mall-brands." I can see buying a few high end pieces you know you'll use the hell out of but I don't think Dappered need to nessessarily pivot to it.

[Pesape]

I wouldn't say I've outgrown it, but I'm probably in a similar boat to a lot of guys on here now - mid/late 30's with a bit more money to spend than my younger years. As such, I tend to lean towards a bit more higher end quality that I think will last. I've never been into JCF or Banana, but I do like the posts on Nordstrom and other stuff on that level.
I wouldn't mind seeing the site diversify a bit but starting to look at stuff that might cost a bit more but also worth it. Or heck - even posts about something that might cost a lot but a comparison to something that costs less. I've asked for help with things like tennis shoes and swimsuits on the forums before, and end up getting a good discussion around brands that I didn't even know existed. In some cases, that leads me to buying $200+ Oliver Cabell tennis shoes. Other times, I end up purchasing some expensive swimshits (Orlebar Brown) only to not really like the next year and then 'settle' on Chubbies 7 inch boardshorts this year and really liking them a lot. You never know without getting other opinions.
It'd be cool to see a multi-tiered comparison post. Ex pants - Pants 1 - Amazon Goodthreads, Pants 2 - Banana, Pants 3 - Bonobos, Pants 4 - Something more expensive than Bonobos, etc.

[TheManJournals]

There is value in higher end brands but I don't think its some upgraded form of style or sophistication. The Buy it for Life justification often fails to me because the people who make it tend to buy clothes more often than ones who stick with "mall-brands."

That's the best representation of my opinion, better than I could have expressed it.

[julius12]

Style was always a means to an end for me and sense then I've moved on to bodybuilding/fitness/diet myself, while working on my social skills (which are still a work in progress). "Upgrading" from Dappered reads to me as a transition to style as a hobby more than some more advanced level of haberdashery.

I'm on a similar path. Though I've been into fitness/lifting and martial arts before I started my style journey 10 years ago, now that I'm at the end of that journey I've refocused on fitness and realize that no matter how well I dress, an unfit body will ruin my look. I also agree about how leveling up to more expensive items doesn't seem worth it. Clothes will still wear out regardless of the cost. Leathers get scuffed, stitching gets loose/frayed, areas of fabric that get rubbed on get discolored and/or pill, etc. It just sucks less if it's not expensive.

As for the topic, I guess the question is, why aren't there any new guys who are just discovering or starting their style journey? I'm guessing this was all started by the menswear boom at the height of Mad Men's popularity, but it seems like athleisure and street wear has taken over again.

[hockeysc23]

I'm on a similar path. Though I've been into fitness/lifting and martial arts before I started my style journey 10 years ago, now that I'm at the end of that journey I've refocused on fitness and realize that no matter how well I dress, an unfit body will ruin my look. I also agree about how leveling up to more expensive items doesn't seem worth it. Clothes will still wear out regardless of the cost. Leathers get scuffed, stitching gets loose/frayed, areas of fabric that get rubbed on get discolored and/or pill, etc. It just sucks less if it's not expensive.

As for the topic, I guess the question is, why aren't there any new guys who are just discovering or starting their style journey? I'm guessing this was all started by the menswear boom at the height of Mad Men's popularity, but it seems like athleisure and street wear has taken over again.

This is a good post and I agree. I think the dumbing down of overall formality has also led to a lack of new individuals. While my office is business formal over the past year it’s significantly declined. Not officially. But unofficially people are more comfortable wearing jeans. Then it stretches to poor fitting shirts. Not tucking in etc. I see that a lot recently where people think a certain level of presenting a put together look is too much work.