Thanks again all
I’ve drifted to Rohan stuff over the years. I usually wait for the sales.
Thanks - they did crop up when I was looking at stuff a while ago but I couldn't find a lot of info on them so was a bit skeptical. I agree with some of the other posts in that it appear to be courting the grey pound; however some of their gear does look good and potentially quite "covertly technical" / crossing over into the smart / casual market.
I'll certainly pay more attention to Rohan stuff in future, but hopefully I'm set with the outdoors gear I have currently (Scarpa boots, some aged but cockroach-tough Craghoppers trousers, the battered old Rab baselayer (that's been great for years but is now bobbled, covered in pulled-threads and sun-bleached after its intensive use on the bike for 3k miles of 'rona-sponsored cycling utopia last year), my ME fleeces and waterproof shell.
I feel like I've found my feet a bit at least with outdoor gear as I've gone off North Face (too yank and commercial), have gone off Rab a bit too since I found out they're no longer independent / couldn't find much of their gear that looked good on me, and have always found Berghaus a bit "meh" (although have liked some of their fleeces in the past). I've also learned an amount about the technologies involved (difference between DWR and multi-layer waterproof fabrics for example) so feel like I can make a bit more of an informed choice now.
I've also found it really rewarding learning about other types of clothes - fabrics, fits, styles, brand histories etc. I've been getting a lot from the
Gentleman's Gazette on youtube - these guys dress up far more than I'd ever feel comfortable doing; however despite the eye-watering costs of some of the gear they like, they're not pretentious while a lot of their content (such as guides on fit, style, convention, buying etc) can be applied to a lot more frugal gear... and of course as they frequently point out, buying used vintage gear can often save you a lot of money as well as getting much, much more for your money
It’s always worth making the effort.
I guarantee any of your wife/ girlfriend/ significant others, will be out, see a well turned out gent and think, “I wish my one would put in a bit of effort more regularly.” Same goes for when you see a well turned out woman.
Nothing wrong with fleece, cargos, trainers, outdoor gear and the like, but nothing beats sticking on some decent clothes, even if you’re just going out for coffee or popping in to town to buy a few bits.
Thanks - as it happens there is no significant other (which, along with the perpetual march of time is no doubt one of the driving forces behind my new-found interest in my appearance) however I can completely appreciate where you're coming from.
I hear where you're saying and tbh I just find it difficult where to draw the line as I don't want to over-dress and find it difficult to pull away from the old-favourites!
The last few days have been pretty rewarding on the wardrobe front - I've now sorted through, tried on and catalogued nearly all of my clothes; and as a result feel more comfortable both with what I have and what I want / need. I've also managed to push my mother into doing the same and yesterday saw a trip to the charity shop with half a car load of stuff to be disposed of; which felt like a big achievement and has freed up a fair amount of physical space - as well as decluttering my head somewhat too
I still have a load more stuff to sell (including some of my late father's clothes if I can bring myself to do so, as they're all too big for me) but this feels like a bit of a milestone and I hope to be able to stay on top of / get more pleasure from my wardrobe in future.
