Personal Stylist (Male)

Grumpy_chap

Emmia said:

I can't speak for the Mens service, but the Women's personal shopping service in John Lewis Oxford Street is excellent - I wanted a workwear makeover a few years ago as I felt stuck in a rut, and booked a session - basically they help you pick you pick stuff out, and then you're in a massive changing room whilst they run around getting different sizes / accessories/options etc and give you advice. 

It's great that you found a good service.  Not great that a national chain only offers the service in one store. 

I totally get your comment about being stuck in a rut - I tend to buy what I'm comfortable with so therefore have 5 pairs of stone chinos which is OK, but also probably rather a bit 90's fashion wise.  As I have aged, I find that headwear is a challenge - what to wear that is stylish and protects the elder male crown?  I feel the baseball cap is rather William Hague.

Given the poor selection of stuff in the local John Lewis, I would not want to travel further for a JL only to find the same type of stock.  Really, our local JL menswear really looks like they never swapped the stock since my Grandad was shopping - quite remarkable since Grandad passed away early 80's and the local JL did not open until the 90's.  

Emmia said:

I've also used a paid for service (it was a gift) for the purposes of buying a party outfit for my 30th which was awful (outfit purchase was also covered by the person who bought the session) we went from shop to shop,  but the shopper didn't listen to my feedback, and kept putting me in outfits that didn't suit me and I'd never wear...  I eventually  bought something that I picked up and insisted on trying but which the shopper didn't like - it looked fantastic.

I guess the paid for services sometimes get commission?  Do they also fall into a trap of thinking that their clients say they want "stylish" but that is interpreted to mean "pricey labels"?  A perfect recipe for ending up a fashion victim.  The good thing about the guy at work was the jacket was £90 Zara, trousers £30 M&S, not all "designer", it was really the details and accessories that made the outfit move from "average Joe" to "Vogue".

Deleted_User said:

You're not looking in the right places. Various stores offer personal styling for free, in the hope you'll buy the clothes they recommend.

Clearly - this is never a service I've seen from any shop.  Most shops, even finding an assistant can be challenging.  So, I have found that John Lewis offer this in Oxford Street (only) and Debenhams offered it as well (but that boat just sailed).  Trouble with JL (apart from location) is the very dated menswear.  Maybe JL are targetting my parents generation, same as M&S.  I remember always being dragged around M&S as a child and just thinking they only had stuff for "old people".  I still think that about M&S clothing, except the "old people" are the same individuals and now "seniors" and I am older than the "old people" that were targeted when I was a child.

My MSE and green approach also does not help I suppose as I have sometimes taken a view that if clothes perform the function required then they are fine.  Function for clothes is decency, warm and dry.

Emmia

@Grumpy_chap I'm not sure about commission, but given the session with the paid for stylist was £300 + clothes cost for about 6 hours I really hope not...

The shops we went to were not high end, Topshop, Zara, JL, Debenhams all featured that day.

I actually think you're doing John Lewis a disservice in it's mens clothing ranges, there is plenty of great stuff in there (and similarly with M&S) but perhaps you've not been in for a while, or your particular branch happens to be poor. 

Edit: Having said that I think that the best menswear on the high street at the moment is from Cos or Arket - which are both part of the H&M Group, and (spendier) Massimo Dutti which is part of the same group as Zara (Pull & Bear can also be worth a look at a lower price point, depending on what you're after)

Have you thought about using a service like Stitch Fix?
https://www.stitchfix.co.uk/

Grumpy_chap

Emmia said:

I actually think you're doing John Lewis a disservice in it's mens clothing ranges, there is plenty of great stuff in there (and similarly with M&S) but perhaps you've not been in for a while, or your particular branch happens to be poor. 

Have you thought about using a service like Stitch Fix?
https://www.stitchfix.co.uk/

I last visited the local JL in March 2020, it was a few days before the lockdown came into force - obviously not been since because everything is closed.  As I mentioned upthread, the floor area for menswear is less than the same store has just selling  Apple iPads.  It was a very poor selection - a few jeans, some shirts and John Major grey suits.  I'd actually gone in with the purpose to get an outfit for my niece's wedding and thought I'd like a blue suit, maybe patterned and though JL would be a place to at least get a complete outfit given that I needed something before the shops were all closed and the wedding scheduled later last summer (now this summer).  Maybe, if the local JL does not have sufficient floor for a menswear department that flatters, they'd be better with no menswear?

I have never heard of stitchfit, but they look to be online only, similar to Thread ( https://www.thread.com/ ) which I have signed up to, but how does a robot online actually assess what looks good on you?  All the thread service does is bombard the e-mail box with stuff and ignores whether you click you like or dislike something.  Very frustratingly, they will send a picture on e-mail with the line "like what you see?", so you think "I like that shirt" and click yes, then it takes you to listings for similar, but not the same, shirt as in the picture.

There is also a real thing about colours and suiting an individual - one colour may look great on person A, but not suit person B because of profile, skin tone, hair colour etc.

Emmia

I think Stitch Fix differs from Thread, in that it sends you a box of clothes to try, and you then return that which you don't want - there is a £10 charge though if you don't buy any of it, but this is knocked off the price of anything you keep. 

Thread looks a bit like instagram - which you could use in the same way by following people / shops which do things you like and then see how things are put together... and then buy if you like it... 

helensbiggestfan

Why don't you make a start by googling some of the best dressed men lists.  Also buy yourself a good style book......look on Amazon.  My son did this when he decided it was time to "adult" and kick the grungy student look into the kerb.  He was in his early 30s when he finally saw the light and smartened himself up.  Also take a look at GQ magazine. 

The more you learn, the fewer mistakes you will make, with or without the services of a stylist.   Mistakes cost money and a bit of knowledge will give you more confidence, not only to work with a stylist but also to be your own stylist.  

I know style is a very personal matter but I honestly don't think you can go far wrong with sticking to the classics - good quality tailoring, in quality fabrics, whatever your age.  Forget bling, forget gimmicks.  Stick with the classics and you can't go wrong.  Fashion is fleeting, style is timeless.  Think conservative (with a small c, nothing to do with politcs😂think "old money". 

A lot will depend on your body shape, height, weight etc but a good suit can knock 1 stone off.   Same with smart casual, a good jacket (tweed is great) and decent trousers rather than ill fitting jeans and a bum freezer jacket.  Why tailored jackets.  Because they accentuate the male form by highlighting the shoulders and drawing attention away from the waist.  And please........no builders bum, make sure trousers fit properly.  

 Smart Casual is probably the most difficult look to get right, but again go with the classics.  Your chinos sound perfect......team with either a classic Oxford button down shirt, or a lovely fine knit sweater and top off with a nice jacket.  In winter a good wool overcoat or a nice leather longer line jacket.  

I think you mentioned you were around 50ish.....take a good look at people like Bill Nighy, Piers Brosnan, Brian Ferry, and the late great David Bowie.  They are (were) really stylish men who can rock a classic look with a twist and they always looked good, even as they aged.  In fact some of them look even better now than they did back in 80s.  Bowie was such a style icon the V&A had an exhibition of some of his clothes, not just the stage costumes but some of his less flamboyant suits and casual looks too. 

Hats.....if you are tall enough, a fedora looks fab.  Or maybe the traditional flat cap, as sported by Guy Ritchie.  Or even a Sinatra style trilby.  

Shoes ......go for leather. You can't go wrong with a classic Oxford brogue or Chelsea boot.  Trainers are for the gym or the track. Sorry. For something a bit more robust something like desert boots.  Slip ons are for lounge lizards and flash ne'er do wells.  

Laces are said to denote reliability and being trustworthy.  (You can't make a quick getaway when caught inflagrante when you have to tie shoelaces). 😂🤣

Accessories......keep to a minimum.  A nice watch doesn't have to be expensive. A ring if you like them and that's it.  No bling.  No bracelets, necklaces, medallions 😱😂. Maybe a nice pair of cufflinks.  You can add splashes  of colour with a scarves and ties. Real silk ties are best.  They can be quite inexpensive.  If you fancy one a really smart leather man bag or satchel/rucksack.  If you need to dress for the office, then a really nice briefcase.  They can cost a bit but there are a real statement.  (See Robert De Niro in "The Intern"). 

Finally you don't have to spend a fortune to look good. In fact "classic dressing" tends to work out cheaper than following the fashion crowd.  And of course a classic look won't date or need to be replaced or updated every season.  

My son, now 35, tends to buy a lot of stuff from Next or M&S and often picks up really good bargains, recently £11 for pure wool tweed jacket.  

If you are adventurous - try charity shops. You might be amazed at what you can find.  I would love to hear how you get on.  

Ps.  Just noticed your comments about wedding attire.  Honestly you can't go wrong with Moss Bross.  They don't just hire out morning suits, they also sell a good range of lounge suits, jackets, overcoats, shirts etc.  

Gers

https://www.johnlewis.com/our-services/personal-styling

Personal styling services are now open again at more than Oxford Street JL. 

My DM had a session with them about four years ago in the Glasgow store.  There was a room in the middle of the shop, coffee / tea / water in the room.  The personal stylist wasn't one of the assistants on the floor, she was very knowledgeable about the stock, listened closely to what was wanted (even down to brands)and worked well to bring a series of clothes. DM was delighted with the service and bought four items which suited her perfectly. A free service with no pressure to buy anything.

Grumpy_chap

Well, it is my niece's wedding coming up in August so I visited the local John Lewis this afternoon. 

While the menswear department floor area is still smaller than the screen size many of the TV's in stock and there was nothing that caught my eye as I strolled around, there were signs up with an offer for customers who book a Personal Styling appointment in the Menswear or Womenswear departments.  So, I asked about how to book such a session only to be told it was not a service they had in the store, but if I purchased anything they would honour the JL-wide offer of 15% off for purchases within a Personal Styling session.

Based upon the fact the store was crammed full with stuff packed in cardboard boxes, I do wonder whether the local JL is closing down.  It rather looked more like pound-shop than aspirational department store.

After that I wandered around some other stores, did see a suit in one store that was OKish.  It was an outrageous price - more than my car is worth - fit was a bit weird (smallest I could get into was size 48", no idea what dimension that was referring to) and the sales assistant really could not care less.  When I spoke about the suit and wanting the accessories to make a full outfit, she simply said I was welcome to look round the rest of the store and pick what I liked.  At the price-point, I feel it was an unacceptably poor level of service coupled with unacceptably high prices for what are simply bits of material poorly shaped and sewn into a body-covering.  At this kind of price-point, I'd want the product to be a fantastic fit and, if it needs adjustment, for the sales assistant to have the skills to correctly measure and chalk / pin the adjustments for the store-linked tailor to provide me a 100% perfect suit the following week.

Feeling down-hearted right now.

Floss

Not sure about nowadays, but certainly pre-Covid it was possible to book a stylist at the Trafford Centre, so probably was available at Bluewater, Westfield etc too.

https://uk.westfield.com/london/service-detail/Personal-Styling

It's also possible to do this as a virtual service, with online shopping enabling trying on at home & returning anything not suitable. 

helensbiggestfan

Not sure where you live......but have a look at Slaters Suits. They have 26 stores, so you should find one relatively near you.  They do a full fitting and alterations service and sell shirts, ties etc.  

You can check them out online first.  

Grumpy_chap

helensbiggestfan said:

Not sure where you live......but have a look at Slaters Suits. They have 26 stores, so you should find one relatively near you.  They do a full fitting and alterations service and sell shirts, ties etc.  

You can check them out online first.  

I like that idea of proper measure and fit and alterations.

I was disillusioned at last shopping trip with a suit off-the-peg at silly money and the sales assistant entirely indifferent.

It strikes me a lower cost suit that fits well will be look streets ahead of a higher cost suit with brand but ill-fitting.