Comments on Isaac Likes: #879 Debate time - do New Zealand men dress badly?...

Hello friends hope you all are fine and today we s...

2009-11-18T23:02:26.169+13:00

Hello friends hope you all are fine and today we see different kind of styles and design of shoes. if u want to some attractive shoes u can visit the link that is given above.

DC Shoes UK

hey here's a snip of a response I wrought which wa...

2009-10-27T16:59:55.266+13:00

hey here's a snip of a response I wrought which was puplished in the Listener a couple of weeks later. full transcript- see my blog!

"Preoccupied with the ‘bad dress’, how would DLJ define ‘good dress’? Obviously a higher appreciation of local designer menswear is desirable, but how appropriate is this form of dress to the wider population of NZ males? Isn’t this just a closed and singular vision of elitism? What about the guy in the crusty Breton stripe T-shirt, his girlfriend’s jeans and a vintage pair of winkle pickers? Or that guy in the lava-lava down at the market on a Saturday morning? You can’t tell me they’re in fear of their masculinity or that they dress ‘badly’."

I think it is more men's view of fashion that has ...

2009-10-17T14:58:10.985+13:00

I think it is more men's view of fashion that has to change, rather than chain stores themselves. But yes, if good clothes are not affordable, how will men's fashion improve?

NZ's do-bro, binge drinking, stubby loving, dirty suntan culture doesn't really allow for smart vests and well fitted shirts (if only). That is obviously not all our culture is, many don't find anything in common with that side of life down under, but I do think that the clothes suit the life if you know what I mean.

Well tailored clothes absolutely seperate the men from the boys.

If I see one more male in faux alligator pointy WHITE shoes I'm going to rip them off his feet and spank him with them.

I work in men's clothing, and for a lot of guys th...

2009-10-15T23:04:14.469+13:00

I work in men's clothing, and for a lot of guys they can't see the point in spending big bucks on one decent shirt or suit, when they could buy several cheaper versions for the same money - they don't see clothing as an investment, whereas the fashionistas of Europe do, male or female. There's too much cheap shit available for guys to pick up, and not enough high-end quality yet classic clothing for men to really invest in. When asked why the prices of my product are so high, I usually have to explain that they're good quality, will last a lot longer and will be far better to wear - and you'll end up spending more money on replacing the cheap Hallensteins/Barkers/Tarocash shirts than buying a good quality one from the start.

That's my two cents anyhow... and in answer to the women's debate, I think it's the same philosophy - buy something cheap because it's more affordable at the time and it's an instant fix, rather than reserving your hard-earned dough for something fabulous you can wear for 10 years.

Fashion seriously who cares? 99% of people I meet ...

2009-10-15T22:46:18.389+13:00

Fashion seriously who cares? 99% of people I meet who are well dressed are absolute stuck up self-righteous snobs. I suspect the reason they care about fashion so much is because they know that if they didn't dress well they would literally have nothing going for them. Personally, so long as someone isn't dressed like a slob (e.g. - dirty, ripped, or ridiculously old clothing) and so long as they aren't dressed like a COMPLETE dork (I'd draw the line at something like jeans with running shoes) I don't really care what someone wears. I think that there are other things far more important than clothing - a nice body (muscles not some pre-pubescent borderline anorexic boy), good personality, and intelligence trumps nice clothes any day of the week. I'm not gonna hold it against anyone just because they aren't 'fashionable' enough to wear a floral print or a shirt that isn't black, grey, brown are blue. Most of the time the guy wearing the bright coloured shirt is only doing so in a hopeless attempt to distract you from his shortcomings elsewhere (the shirt usually keeps you distracted for about 30 seconds).

I think kiwi culture can be described in one simpl...

2009-10-14T13:47:43.409+13:00

I think kiwi culture can be described in one simple example my lecturer once gave to me.
I was once lost on Remuera, I asked a kiwi gentleman whether there is an "establishment'" around these parts and he replied, "We don't have establishments... but if their were I would be in it"

So for me, all has been pretty much mentioned, the...

2009-10-12T21:50:20.927+13:00

So for me, all has been pretty much mentioned, then you've also gotta come back to cost also....

The cheap, average, mass produced shit in New Zealand for most is there, affordable, a no brainer. I'd rather wear the stuff i love and is unique to death, which i do as I'd rather have it falling off me with holes than wear a printed slogan or something tee from the Steins.

Then you got the opposite end, where the shit thats nice, different, sometimes more unique is unaffordable, or is but at the cost of basic living. I'd love to have better clothes, know what I like but cant get it here, easily. So where does that leave me, people like me?? Plus I got two kids to clothe, feed, etc...

In christchurch where I live there is possible 5 stores I'd buy stuff from, but simply cannot afford, and I work full time, make an alright buck, not massive but not minimum.....

Best thing to do is buy good shoes, re-sole them suckers and they'll last forever..... Good cut jeans and the rest you can get away with, basic colour, good fitting tees, wool, jackets etc.

Then again the "brand" never means quality..
had some shit years ago from Helmet Lang, all fall apart within 3 months... bullshit..

Got a pair of costume national shoes, had 9 years, worn to death but survived.....

All I know is some things are good, some shit, some supposed good shit is crap and some cheap stuff is gold..... Variety....

Sirry for the random rant.......

good call on John's thighs. those things are outta...

2009-10-12T21:20:13.225+13:00

good call on John's thighs. those things are outta control! more jiggle than the wiggles!

I've been thinking about this. I'm from Australia,...

2009-10-12T21:20:00.066+13:00

I've been thinking about this. I'm from Australia, but I think it's safe to draw some parallels. I can look back at old family photos and see men from working class backgrounds looking quite dapper. They dressed for the occasion, in well-fitting stylish suits for say a wedding, and on the tennis court, phew! And then the seventies arrived. And I think that's when shopping changed. Products were manufactured quickly and cheaply, and they WERE cheap. But easily accessible. So rather than go to the tailors, it'd be off to Lowes for a cheap acrylic jumper. I mean, even the change in the types of fabrics available, all that synthetic stuff. Enter the age of materialism and the throwaway society. Perhaps in Europe, there is a stronger sense of the importance of class and status, and people here tend to shy away from exhibitions of wealth. But surely they could have ONE good suit for a wedding! I think women do the same as men. They might be more interested in clothing (not fashion, clothing) but they get excited about a bargain.
P.S. I bought a NOM*d jacket yesterday. Weeeeeee!

You know, I think men the world over dress poorly....

2009-10-12T20:56:54.735+13:00

You know, I think men the world over dress poorly. In fact people in general don't understand the difference between quality, style and trends. Just watch Gok Wan's show and see the difference between the High Street and the designer outfits. Men in NZ have sporting figures as their role models and they are generally not particularly well dressed as many of them are sponsored by clothing companies that can afford to dress them and want the profile creating a self perpetuating low brow style.
i am typical shape for a kiwi male (albeit a little on the shorter side) and i find it incredibly difficult to buy items of style and quality that suit my lifestyle and I work in the fashion industry. Imagine what it must be like for Steve and Grant the builder and plumber from Hamilton?

I used to care. I'd love to have at least 10 suits...

2009-10-12T20:43:25.811+13:00

I used to care. I'd love to have at least 10 suits instead of the one bespoke (Working Style) 4-button blue pinstripe I have for all purposes from job interviews to funerals.

I'd love to kick it in one of these maroon suits you blogged about today. I'm 6'6" tall and dress shoes in my size (US15) are as rare as hen's teeth or have to be ordered unseen over the Internet. C'mon, you'd only buy running shoes or skate shoes over the Internet because then it doesn't matter how they fit.

In the current NZ men's clothing market you'd be fair pushed to actually have the option in my size of getting anything off the rack, which means bespoke, which means that a wardrobe like the above would cost high five figures easily.

So I'm still wearing a $30 pair of army surplus dark khaki, a $5 fluro yellow t-shirt, a greyblue icebreaker hood, and $10 jandals from the chemist. I don't give a fuck about the "dreams & illusions" of the likes of Karl Lagerfield.

If someone paid me a wardrobe allowance to wear fashion, then I wouldn't say no. I like the spectacle of wearing something that no one else is wearing. In NZ? Not possible. Thinking of hitting some Indian tailors when I go over there in January as my clothes are all tired and the shops are uninspiring.

I do still love to look at Fashion porn, but for the life of me I can't remember the last time I saw a magazine editorial that blew me away. Rachel and Grant pointed me at Twill, and that was . . . almost there.

myhart stocks claude maus + b store + opening cere...

2009-10-12T20:42:48.248+13:00

myhart stocks claude maus + b store + opening ceremony
zambesi stocks nom*d
it's THAT easy to be a hot boy.

well at least we can say that however bad nz men d...

2009-10-12T20:41:19.961+13:00

well at least we can say that however bad nz men dress and the mainstream is pretty bad, we are no way as bad as the australians! with the trend of pink polos with collars up and cheap pointy fake euro shoes and distressed jeans still being the norm, i can safely say we kick arse, but only in this corner of the world!

yeah good one anon at 5;15 you sound like just the...

2009-10-12T20:10:08.059+13:00

yeah good one anon at 5;15 you sound like just the kind of low self esteem fishwife that guy's with a bit of artistic flare are trying to avoid, its not the guys fault if he attracts girls cos he looks like he knows how to dress himself bet you knit your boyfriends jumpers for him actually i bet you knitted him and all

There's absolutely no excuse for a so called 'lack...

2009-10-12T19:50:10.855+13:00

There's absolutely no excuse for a so called 'lack of options' in New Zealand.
It's called the internet.
It literally puts the world at your fingertips.

I've been working in retail since I was 16 and fuck, I've seen them all (well, most of them). The guy who has to check with 'the boss' (the boss, there's your first problem mate) before buying a garment is like, Jesus Christ guy, do I have to sew them back on for you?

Seriously though, the average New Zealand male couldn't give less of a shit about what he wears so you have to understand what you're dealing with. I mean him coming into my store is like me going into Westpac. We don't have a fucking clue, we don't give a shit and we want to get the fuck out as soon as possible.

Maybe its an Auckland thing, I'm from Wellington a...

2009-10-12T19:31:27.472+13:00

Maybe its an Auckland thing, I'm from Wellington and men dress very well here, myself included. Haha.

But seriously, come to Wellington and walk from Lambton Quay to Cuba Street on a good day, and you won't be dissapointed.

isn't there some sort of 'society' for stylish pe...

2009-10-12T17:41:20.362+13:00

isn't there some sort of 'society' for stylish people in auckland?
i'm quite sure you have to be invited into it. i assume the majority of the members are girls - it's much easier for them; with all this alexander wang etc at their fingertips.

sure explains a lot J - well dressed = more confid...

2009-10-12T17:38:35.735+13:00

sure explains a lot J - well dressed = more confidence and attracts more females = self obsessed womanizers

..just kidding

....sort of

Not if you've got big ol' thighs like you John.

2009-10-12T17:36:16.680+13:00

Not if you've got big ol' thighs like you John.

does the SOPC comment prove the theory that dressi...

2009-10-12T17:34:05.379+13:00

does the SOPC comment prove the theory that dressing well gives you more confidence? he he.

Anon 5:14 you are AWESOME. totally agree with the ...

2009-10-12T17:28:53.270+13:00

Anon 5:14 you are AWESOME. totally agree with the SOPC comment. i think that minority + the badly dressed majority is the reason i just never seem to date in general haha

Last anon - "I think guys that dress well are attr...

2009-10-12T17:17:52.530+13:00

Last anon - "I think guys that dress well are attractive and have dated a few and they were usually vain self obsessed philandering c*nts,"

VERY FUNNY! You just made me literally LOL. I love it.

if you go out to a gig in AK city, you will see lo...

2009-10-12T17:14:35.712+13:00

if you go out to a gig in AK city, you will see lots of young guys who dress really well, i think, not really anywhere else!

I think guys that dress well are attractive and have dated a few and they were usually vain self obsessed philandering cunts,

my current guy dresses really badly on his own, but lets me dress him to go out, that's fun and he's really nice and not vain or self-obsessed, so i think its a great compromise, most of the time he looks like a slob tho...

I saw a guy at the petrol station the other day wh...

2009-10-12T17:03:29.985+13:00

I saw a guy at the petrol station the other day who was wearing a black singlet printed with the Batman logo, no-label jeans (moderately baggy), a hard-out mullet, and black hi-tops. He was carrying a crate of beer and looked really happy.

Whatever he would have had to say about this, I think we can all take it to heart.

Zing!i indeed Isaac. I often wonder why there is a...

2009-10-12T16:54:45.331+13:00

Zing!i indeed Isaac. I often wonder why there is a massive unfilled gap between the lower tier (Hallensteins & Taro Cash) and designer? The argument can't be simply that there is no market for simple well made/cut pieces for men in NZ. My partner spends enough money on AA and Topman to keep a chain store in business.