It’s that time again, when students and parents alike consider assembling that all-important back to school/off to college wardrobe.
Of course, you want to fit in, but not too much. You want to stand out, but not too much. You want to spend money, but not too much. You want to buy style and quality, very much. You want durable and versatile garments, very much. You want to make a good impression, very much.
So what’s an OMG (Old Money Gal/Old Money Guy) to do? Just follow my suggestions as well as the tribe’s sage wisdom…and avoid fashion like the plague.
This year, I’m going to provide my top shelf, highest quality (and probably highest price) suggestions for The Old Money Book Blog’s Annual Back To School Wardrobe List. A title that probably doesn’t roll right off your tongue, but hopefully the suggestions will resonate, and the result will be that you invest in durable, timeless, and stylish garments that work for you, year after year.
What I’ll ask of The Tribe is to contribute with their suggestions on brands and garments that they’re familiar with, some of which may be at a lower price point and of comparable quality.
Between us, you’ll be able to craft a simple, solid wardrobe that supports your academic endeavors and engenders respect (and even quiet admiration) from your peers on campus. (Apology: I am listing vendors primarily for men’s garments. Some may also work for our Old Money Gals, but I do need insight and assistance on that front. Thank you.)
So without further delay, here are my top shelf suggestions for the fundamentals of a great Back To School Wardrobe…
The Dress Shirt: Mercer and Sons blue oxford cloth button down. 100% cotton. Well-made, classic, versatile, and durable, this shirt will survive late nights at the library and early mornings returning from a pub crawl. It will look just as good with casual khakis as with a dressier jacket and rep tie. Mercers are not cheap, but they do last…and only feel better with wear. And who gives a damn if you iron them or not. That’s what pullover sweaters are for, but more on that in a moment.
The Polo Shirt: Ralph Lauren navy blue, purple, dark green pullover. 100% cotton. A classic, and a definite upgrade from the pedestrian T-shirt. Solid dark colors camouflage stains and fare well at the campus laundromat.
The Wool Sweater: J Press Shaggy Dog in any color you fancy, the mid grey model being the most iconic. 100% wool. Layered with a Mercer and a tweed jacket, this sweater will keep you warm in almost any weather. For a lighter weight option, consider a merino wool pullover from Banana Republic.
The Chino Pants: Jack Donnelly in original khaki and navy blue. 100% cotton. Never look dressed up, but always appear dressed. So it is with chinos, a cut above denim jeans. Easy with a Mercer, a polo, or a sweater, and elegant enough with the blue blazer or tweed jacket, the well-constructed chino is a true friend.
The Tweed Jacket: Harris Tweed in earth tone. 100% wool. Warm, water resistant, durable, and stylish. It’s a go-to garment for colder climates. Once again, layer it with the Mercer and the Shaggy Dog, and you’re surprisingly warm and dry.
The Casual Shoe: LL Bean Rubber Mocsd (above). An odd choice, you might say initially. Until you think about how many mornings you’ll shuffle off in the rain to classes that always seem to be located all the way across campus. In these moments, function will trump fashion, and you will favor the warm and dry to the cool and trendy. A respectable option to the ubiquitous sneaker. Fine with the Mercer, chinos, Shaggy Dog, and tweed. Also consider the LL Bean ankle boots.
The Dress Shoe: Allen Edmonds Newman Penny Loafer (above). I own a half dozen pair of AEs, and all of them have worn well through the years. I’ve had them resoled and re-crafted numerous times. They are straightforward and even a little fuddy-duddy style wise to some, but they wear like iron and never go out of style. The penny loafer is probably as dressy as you’ll want to get before your senior year. After that, with job interviews and weddings on the horizon, lace-ups will be an option.
The Blue Blazer: Honestly, I am at a loss. All of the current models don’t begin to cover a man’s behind, which is just awful. The single breasted Ralph Lauren model I own was purchased a couple of decades ago (I think) and the double breasted is a hand-me-down from the widow of a local aristocrat. Both are 100% gabardine wool and classic in design. I’m open to suggestions on this essential piece that now seems so hard to find. (David…?)
As I noted, none of the above are what you’d call a bargain. In my opinion, they are all well made and their price reflects the craftsmanship. If you choose not to purchase the name brand that I’ve recommended, at least you’ll have a template to follow as you curate a workable wardrobe for school.
Of course I need and welcome the input from The Tribe. Overcoats? Socks? Purveyors of fine women’s wear?
I look forward to hearing from you all.
Thank you.
- BGT
For women, advice from my “sustainably style-conscious” daughter:
She was really not about “back to school” shopping this year at all, only asking for a few specific items to replace standbys that had worn out or weren’t quite the right size. (My son was the same, for that matter, but more so – replacing a four year old pair of Doc Marten boots was about the extent of it.) She likes the clothes she has and wants to keep wearing them.
This list is geared towards upstate New York and southern New England, where we spend most of our time. The brands that make up most of her, and my, closet, by item type:
Shirts/blouses/polos – Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Fair Indigo, Known Supply, LL Bean, Lands’ End, Universal Standard, Madewell.
Jeans/pants/shorts/skirts – Lucy & Yak, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Shiny By Nature, Madewell, Universal Standard, Lands’ End, Warp and Weft.
Sweaters – Ralph Lauren, LL Bean, Tommy Hilfiger, Shiny by Nature, Collectif. Unfortunately cannot recommend Lands’ End for sweaters anymore – both she and I have had problems with especially their cotton sweaters falling apart!
Dresses – Collectif, Unique Vintage, Tommy Hilfiger, Lands’ End, Known Supply.
Shoes – Keds, Converse, and Allbirds for sneakers. Doc Marten 8065 Mary Janes are my go-to work/dress shoe especially in icy weather as someone who has a long history of foot and ankle problems; my daughter who is more able to wear heels likes Betsey Johnson for “fancy” shoes. Bean or Sperry duck boots for rain or snow. Vivaia’s recycled-bottle flats are good if you like the idea of Rothy’s but usually find them too narrow, as we do. SAS is an excellent brand for just about any type of shoe and the customer service in-person is phenomenal.
Activewear and swim – TomboyX makes swimsuits with actual, um, coverage, which my daughter appreciates. Their activewear is also comfortable and lasts, as does Girlfriend Collective’s.
Coats and jackets – Ralph Lauren, LL Bean, Universal Standard.
Bags etc. – Kate Spade (especially a fan of their ID lanyards – they hold up really well!), LL Bean, Fjallraven, Cotopaxi.
For the polo shirts I would suggest four colors only. White, navy blue, dark green (sometimes called bottle green) and dark red (often called Burgundy). They go with almost everything and nobody notices that those are the only colors you wear.
Agreed! KISS
For a man I would say black, navy and white are the staples, maybe burgundy and dark green as “close seconds”
Rockport are excellent shoes and reasonably priced. I’ve always received compliments on mine.
I so enjoy this post each year. And in fact, I think it was the first post (several years ago) that attracted me to this blog. Mercer shirts are fabulous, but I made the mistake of sending one to the laundry with light starch and the cuffs started fraying almost immediately. I continue to look for dead stock and gently used (old style) Brooks Brothers shirts on ebay, though. So, hats off to the admonition that even ironing is not essential. As for khakis, Jack Donnelly is my go-to also, and CEO Gregg Donnelly’s customer service is amazing. There is a nice less costly option for students: All American Khakis. Both those are superior to some of the usual suspects who now only make performance, non-iron, or stretch pants. As for blazers, I share Byron’s angst. It is so hard these days, so again, perhaps ebay is a possible source. Perhaps O’Connell’s?
Excellent recommendations. I’m always a bit surprised when I see a member of the royal family wearing branded clothing such as a sweater with the RL polo logo when there are unbranded options readily available.
How is the quality of major brands these days? I was in a PRL store about 2 years ago and was disappointed by the very thin material, much thinner than before (but still at PRL prices). Here’s hoping they’ve sorted it out now.
I love your thoughts. Thank you for sharing them❤️
I would go for a polo shirt with no logos, for example the riviera polo shirt from sunspel. I’m a little tired of branded polos like RL.
Do old money women still wear stockings with formal wear or dresses, or are they also wearing dress shoes while bare legged?
Hi Mary, I’ve seen both, depending upon the season and the occasion. – BGT
Thanks Byron.
How does the list change for folks living in warm southern states? Southern women tend to like brighter colors, and the traditional old money palette is pretty neutral for the deep south.
I used to work on a University campus next to the alumni office and noticed that even the students working there dressed very differently from everyone else. (Saner for one thing) I later realized that most of them were old money. ( This is also true in universities with museum studies departments. )
The alumni photos were a dead giveaway since the current old money students were wearing the same styles as the former alumni pictured. That’s remarkable considering how much fashions have changed in just 20 years, let alone 50.
Every once in a while the guys now will sport a stylish hairstyle (that will disappear during the summer internship), but the lack of tattoos, and the understated quality clothes stand out in a good way.
How do European old money students dress?
Hi Mary, Thank you for the questions and comment.
I think Amy might be able to comment on warmer climate women’s wear, although I can’t personally envision much difference…maybe cotton sweaters instead of wool? Old Money European students dress pretty much the same as their American counterparts, but with fewer button down shirts. Penny loafers here tend to have a more pointed toe, I’ve noticed. Khakis fit tighter.
Great observation about how the dress of one generation of Old Money doesn’t really change with the next generation.
– BGT
I spied a blue blazer while shopping online at Lands End. It covered the models back side, so there’s at least one place i know of. Kind regards – RW
Oh, just one more question. Where do old money women with narrow feet find quality shoes, boots and rain/snow boots
Good question. I’d go with LL Bean for rain/snow, worn with thicker socks to compensate for a narrow foot. Otherwise, hopefully come of our other members could comment. – BGT
I have the opposite trait of needing a wide width, but I can try to help here. 🙂 For shoes that come in widths, you might try Ferragamo, Belgian Shoes, or Rancourt. I find Stubbs & Wooten also run quite narrow. Bass loafers are nowhere near their former quality and no longer come in widths, but if you search on secondhand sites, you can occasionally find new or like new pairs in narrow widths. Margaux makes beautiful shoes and offers many of their styles in wide widths, and I find their regular widths to fit somewhat narrow, as well.
Thank you, Lisa. – BGT
Byron and Lisa thank you! Your responses are so helpful.
Hi Byron,
What are your thoughts on European old money way of dress? Is it quite different to what is found mostly found in America? For example the Spanish royal family verses the Swedish royal family or even the United Kingdom. I find that they are all quite different but they seem to have an underlying principle of buying quality. In my opinion old money dresses differently across the globe or am I wrong? Kind regards from Australia,
EH
Thanks, Emma. I think the attire you might see for formal, public events and what you’ll see in daily, family life are two different things. Designer outfits for the ladies and bespoke suits for the men are standard for photo op events.
Daily life, off camera I think you’re going to see the standard Old Money fundamentals on full display. Sadly, things are becoming more and more casual, if you compare, say, past photos of the late Prince Philip, who always looked well dressed, with some of the other European royals of today.
Always interesting to watch. – BGT