Help me look fly on the fly.

July 25, 2016 3:54 AM

I have a date tonight in NYC. I want to look dapper as hell. Please help a non-New-Yorker figure out how to make this happen a) today and b) ideally on the cheap.

This is more or less the look I'm going for. Assume I'm starting from scratch. Where should I shop? I'm roughly the same body type as the person in the photo, though perhaps a bit more hourglassy.

posted by coppermoss to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

Looking at the examples I would say that it would be pretty easy to construct by going to J.Crew.
posted by alchemist at 4:02 AM on July 25, 2016 [3 favorites]

What is your budget? jcrew will have everything you need, and will fit better than say H&M gear but will probably run you $350-400.

One challenge you may run into is that stores are still stocked with full on summer gear, and I haven't seen jeans and blazers on sale anywhere yet. Shopping boutiques would be fun, but again, wrong season for this type of inventory.

Are you sure you want to wear jeans, a long sleeved shirt and a blazer today? Its going to be high 90's and 100% humidity in NYC today...
posted by larthegreat at 4:56 AM on July 25, 2016 [7 favorites]

Have you tried looking in thrift stores? http://www.yelp.com/c/manhattan/thrift_stores
posted by travellingincognito at 5:13 AM on July 25, 2016

I agree with larthegreat regarding temp. Looking dapper can also include seersucker and/or linen (or linen/cotton if you worry about wrinkles - which you shouldn't).
posted by alchemist at 6:06 AM on July 25, 2016 [2 favorites]

For one date & cheap - I'd say H&M
I like the linen shirts they have in multiple departments.
Dapper & not too hot.

Don't expect to be able to wear it for much more than 1 date before it starts to look like shit though

edit: and enjoy your date!
posted by Thisandthat at 6:24 AM on July 25, 2016

Uniqlo may also have good, cheap options.
posted by ourobouros at 6:41 AM on July 25, 2016 [4 favorites]

Century 21!
posted by cyndigo at 9:14 AM on July 25, 2016

If you end up going the thrift store route, I've had good luck finding blazers at the Goodwill on 23rd Street, and the City Opera Thrift Store is near there too which is worth a look.

If you need to get the shoes too, I would go to a cheap trendy shoe store like Shoegasm (ugh, I know) or Steve Madden.
posted by LeeLanded at 10:25 AM on July 25, 2016

I'll second Century21. It's like TJ Maxx or whatever but huge and more impressively varied. I was in NYC on a project about 8 years ago and had to attend a suit and tie event when I'd only brought shorts and tees. Century21 set me up with a $1200 Ted Baker suit + shirt, tie and shoes for less than $400. Fresh. To. Death.
posted by putzface_dickman at 11:32 AM on July 25, 2016 [1 favorite]