I was thinking today about how I’ve been very pleased with my most recent set of work boots today and thought it could be interesting if anyone else had any particular favorite clothing items that they have really been enjoying.
Clothes are a very personal choice, as we’re all built differently and do different things, but I’m curious to see if any trends show up in what we like.
I got the Keen Braddock Low Tops almost a year ago. I had a previous pair of Keen’s imported boots a while back, and my new job makes us go through their provider instead of me getting reimbursed for buying my own boot of choice, and I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of buying safety toes without getting to try them on first, as some can be pretty uncomfortable. I saw they had the US made Braddock though, which I had been wanting to try to see if it was an upgrade from the now discontinued boots I had from them.
I like Keen’s because my old ones held up tremendously well. The thick rubber toe may look a little odd, but it doesn’t scuff up like a leather cap boot, and it’s asymmetrical so it fits my big foot better than many safety toes where both caps are the same shape. They feel very sneaker like, which is nice since my feet don’t need serious protection from a super stiff and tall boot. I like the design is enough to be interesting, but nothing too wild.
These have been holding up very well, though I have 3 pairs in my rotation now, I also have a pair of leather CAT steel toe low tops and a pair of Carhartt composite toe fabric low tops. They each have their ups and downs, but the Keen is my all-arounder. It’s not as light as the comp toe, it’s a little bulkier than the leather boot, but it’s the most comfy and feels to be the best built of the 3.
I have an old light green neck Buff made from bamboo fiber. It’s like three times the normal size so you have to wrap it multiple times around your neck which is great in cold weather.
And it’s so soft! I love wearing it the moment autumn turns cooler.
It’s getting a few holes so I hope it’ll still last a couple more years. They don’t sell this design anymore 😞Are you able to darn it to fix up the holes? I learned to darn my socks, and I just do it while I watch tv since it doesn’t need to be pretty since no one will see it. I do it in random colors for some fancy wabi-sabi and it reminds me of how long the items have been with me. I’m a person of simple pleasure… 😜
I don’t know if this can be darned, the threads are very very thin. I might give it a try if one of those holes becomes too big.
When I do, I’ll definitely use different colors. I like your idea :)The distinct colors make anything look intentional, so it’s a good way to pass off imperfect repairs and uneven stitches as intentional if anyone asks. 😅
Pajama pants. I have many pairs, but only 3-4 have characteristics that make them a pleasure to put on. Cuddl Duds makes some really nice pjs.
I have Cuddl Duds flannel sheets, and they really surpassed my expectations, considering how inexpensive they were. If the PJs are as comfy, I may have to get the girlfriend some for Christmas this year!
I needed a white karate gi for a Street Fighter Halloween costume, so I went to the local school and bought one, and while I was at it I bought a black one too, in case I ever wanted to be a ninja. Then I started wearing the black karate pants as pajamas.
That was over twenty years ago. Those same black karate pants are still my favorite pajamas. In-fucking-credible.
I guess my hair bandanna because it keeps my auburn hair from getting too neon red.
I prefer to be nude as much as possible, but when I’m forced to wear clothing, my favorite is definitely a nice sarong, as it’s as loose as possible while also being secure.
Our skin is the only covering we have coming into the world, and it’s with us the whole time, so we may as well enjoy it!
It covered us screaming on the way in, and will cover us screaming on the way out.
I’ve bought several fake-leather jackets. The last one was probably the cheapest but it has lasted a lot more than the others and is the most comfortable by far. Pockets with zippers, waterproof and light enough to carry around. Living in a warm country I’ve gotten away with wearing it throughout winter without using a warmer coat.
Fake leather seems to have such a wide range of quality levels and it’s hard to tell what you’re going to get, especially when you can’t feel it ahead of time. I’m somewhat surprised no brands of leather have emerged so people can say an item is made out of such-and-such and not just any old pleather material.
I had a grey pocket t-shirt I wore regularly for almost a decade, until it was finally too threadbare to go on.
It was comfortable like it was a size too big, but it actually fit pretty well. It was just the right length so it wasn’t too long but also I could raise my arms straight up without exposing any my belly and causing sinful thoughts in others. The neck was loose and comfortable but didn’t sag in the front. It never really shrank or altered shape despite hundreds of trips through the drier. And somehow, in all that time, I never got any food on it I couldn’t get out.
It was the perfect t-shirt.
I always dread when it’s finally time to say goodbye to a cherished item like that. It never feels right putting them in the bin after all they’ve been through. Especially something where you can’t get a brand new one of the same type!
My frill strap tiered aquamarine dress. I’ve had it for years. It’s very comfortable and fits great for larger cup sizes!
I have gray stretchy cargo joggers from athleta that I like so much I found a pair on their resale site (they sell off returned items cheaper) when mine wore out and I am babying this pair.
Also bought almost every color of Unbound Merino V neck T shirt, became my work uniform because they are so ridiculously good and comfortable in many temperatures, so walking to work then sitting in the FL air conditioned office is reasonably comfortable. They are cool when it’s warm, warm when it’s cool, and never stink. Sweat wicking fabrics don’t work here (humidity), these come the closest though and dry right away once indoors.
I’ve been rediscovering wool as a year round material recently. Haven’t gotten to try any merino yet.
I’m so thankful the wicking stuff still works up here, I am always hot all year, and being able to be significantly dryer than with most other clothing and it’s made such a difference!
My cashmere sweater from Nadaam. I have several and they’re comfy, stylish, and super warm. Their OG sweater (of which I own 3) are under $100, but the one I’m talking about is a recycled cashmere (made from leftovers of other products) which is thick and soft and fuckin amazing
Those look nice! I’m surprised the OG one is in the somewhat reasonable splurge price range. I was expecting closer to the price of the recycled one.
When I saw you say it was made of the leftovers, I was picturing something like the Cotopaxi Del Dia stuff, but it probably makes more sense what it actually is where it’s normal colors. 🤪
I made the mistake of taking on a DIY construction project when the outside air temperature was 105℉ (40 C) and the UV index was incredibly high (no cloud cover, very direct sunlight, and an elevation of 4200 ft (1.2 km)). This meant that I was sweating like fucking crazy, which is bad for sunscreen. I got this moisture wicking UV blocking hoodie and it fucking saved my ass. I didn’t wear sunscreen once but never got sunburned, even though I was doing 12 hours days of digging 36" (91 cm) deep foundation footings, mixing and pouring concrete, digging out a shitload of turf and dirt for a gravel foundation, or moving 3 tons (2.7 metric tons) of gravel into that foundation.
I fucking love that shirt. I bought two more of them since I was washing the one I had multiple times a week.
Honorable mentions go to my work pants and Red Wing boots. I don’t know the brand of the pants rn, but they were so good. They’re really thin but didn’t get damaged when I scraped the shit out of them on rocks, and they had lots of useful pockets. The boots were also fucking great. They’re expensive and are made from leather, but I got some that can be resoled so I should be able to wear them for decades. As a bonus, the soles are oil resistant so they won’t get all weird and fucked up out in my machine shop.
Oh wow, the hoodie is much less expensive than I was expecting. My brother is a concrete precaster, so this might be something nice to get him. I think I have a couple REI bucks to spend anyway.
I really love mine. It’s probably not the hardest wearing material out there, but my shirt held up well. My only gripe is that you’re not supposed to use any form of bleach (even non-chlorine) which can make stains a bit hard to remove. Stains on a work shirt don’t really matter, but I try to keep my shit looking clean if possible. No oxiclean makes that tough sometimes.
EDIT: and yeah, the price really isn’t too bad. There are also frequent sales. Lemme look up what I paid for mine.
EDIT: Looks like I paid $35 for the two shirts I got later on. I paid the full $50 for the first shirt I bought.
Thick wool socks are pretty great, very comfy when it gets cold out (so like a month or two from now for me)
I want to pick up more pairs than just the Walmart cheapies I’ve had. I’ve really started loving wool the last few years. I have a thin wool blanket on my bed all year now on top of the top sheet, and it keeps me the perfect temp all year. I toss a second one on top in the winter. I’m typically very hot all the time, and the wool keeps me at that just right point.
Carhartt makes really good wool socks if you want recommendations
My combat boots were the first thing to come to mind, along with the socks. Bought both 3-years ago and none show any real wear.
I’ve abused hell out of the boots, and they’re stained with oil and god knows what else, but they fit perfectly and don’t have any “mechanical” wear, only cosmetic. I was a little leary of the low price, but damn, they’re a steal. I’d buy them again but I’d have to drop the original pair in a wood chipper to fuck them up.
The socks are still elastic and warm, cushiony, never popped a hole. Wish I could afford another set and I wish I hadn’t looked that up. Just too broke ATM, and will be for some time.
Lately I’ve been on a kick wearing stretch pants. Like yoga pants for men? What are those called? Got a pair at TJ Maxx, went back the next day for another.
I bought a massively oversized NASA t-shirt the last time I had to go to JCPenney’s and it’s so fucking comfortable that I’ve literally worn holes into it.
My ex-girlfriend complained that so many of the pictures that we had taken together had me in this shirt. It was just a comfy shirt and I still have it but it’s probably time for me to find a new one.
My ex-girlfriend complained that so many of the pictures that we had taken together had me in this shirt.
I always got told by my ex it looked like we did everything in one huge vacation since all our travel photos had me in the same few comfy shirts! 😁
ItemLabel Big Shirt.
Simple. Roomy. Big. Comfy. Has fantastic embroidered fish on the pocket.
10/10.
Oh, I have seen this somewhere before! I remember the fish very clearly! It is indeed fantastic.
I found the nerdfighter!
Rude.
Bought an old navy denim jacket when I was 8, I desperately wanted one but they only had men’s large and I decided I’d grow into it. I did, 6 years later. Now is 22 years later and it still my favorite jacket. I’ve dyed it every 10 years to a match my current style and it still fits me like a glove. Doesn’t even look a year old, I guess old navy used to be a lot better quality.
You know, I came into this thinking I didn’t particularly like clothes, but now I think it’s just clothes shopping I don’t enjoy.
I got a Starter windbreaker type jacket around 98-00 and I still wear it every spring and fall. I got a new and upgraded zipper on it a few years back and I just rewaterproofed it last year and it’s still awesome. That is probably the oldest clothing item I have and it’s something I enjoy at least as much, if not more, than when I bought it since it’s been through so much of my life with me.
