[AMVanquish]

Like probably many people in this forum, I did not acquire all this sartorial knowledge overnight. It was a long and costly process. I started buying clothes for myself in the early 90's. Little did I know, everything sold in middle class department stores is usually done in the most cost-effective way(i.e. ventless, notch lapels, etc.) The style that was ubiquitous back then was the dreaded 6 button DB suit with only one functioning button. I bought a few of those. When I starting moving up with what I could afford, my sense of style didn't improve as quickly. I even got a dinner jacket at Nordstrom in that style with a center vent! None of these clothes ever fit to my satisfaction, yet I spent hundreds on tailoring because I didn't want to discard them.

There was no internet back then, and I had no clue where to research about dressing well.

From drabby olive suits to LSD-trip-colored ties to jackets that buttoned too low, my closet was once filled with choices that raised the inevitable question, "What the hell was I thinking?"

Anyone else with painful stories he'd like to share about his nascent as a clotheshorse?