I need new clothes but every time I go out 95% of what I see on offer is so bog-standard male. Solid earth tones, baggy one-size-fits-all, muted colors, work-wear adjacent, etc.
It’s so hard to find stuff that’s more, I dunno, “playful?” I’d like to have some clothes are that more of an expression of my personality but almost never do I see more unusual, expressive, colorful stuff in the brick-and-mortar stores.
To compound this, I’d also like it to:
- not cost me an arm and a leg
- be interesting but not clownish/overly ironic/jokey
This has mostly led me to buying floral shirts but a man cannot live on floral shirts alone! Does anyone know of retailers that might fit the bill?
Go to the Latino or black neighborhoods and shop there :)
There’s stuff out there, but it is harder to find. It’s going to be especially hard to find right now. If you want more colorful clothes look again when the Spring and Summer looks come out. The Winter styles are going to be more muted and less colorful.
I like Bonobos and Todd Snyder for when I want something more interesting. Although Todd Snyder is definitely caught in the muted colors for winter thing.
I know this doesn’t answer your question, sorry, but where are you trying to shop (or what country is this in)?
I’m having the opposite problem (in the UK).
For example, for the last couple of years, I’ve been looking for a dull nondescript standard jacket, in olive, black, grey, brown - but nowhere is selling them. I can only buy brightly coloured or shiny “inflatable” type coats, looking like a woodlouse made from a binbag, or things with words written all over them.
Someone else mentioned thrift stores, I’d amend that to vintage clothing stores. Similar, but a thrift store will have all kinds of stuff and it won’t be as vetted for style as a vintage shop. Also look at maker’s marts/farmer’s markets/art fairs/etc, if you live somewhere with those kinds of things. There are a lot of people who collect vintage clothes or even salvage vintage materials and make their own clothes out of them.
Having never heard the term “bog-standard” myself, I imagine it has to look something like this:
It’s mostly British.
https://www.grammar-monster.com/sayings_proverbs/bog_standard.htm
Might very well look like that.