The older I get, the less likely I am to change. Literally. In fact, I’ve found that I’ve begun to wear a uniform of sorts. It’s taken some experimenting and some time, but over the past few years I’ve developed a kind of go-to line of clothing that I wear just about every single day.
Here it is:
Vans V56 Standard AV Covina Pant: Chinos are pretty personal, but I’ve found these give me the best fit and last the longest. They also have some stretch to them which is great when contorting yourself while working on cars or computers or whatever… Usually, you can get these for around $50.
Dickies 13-inch Relaxed Shorts: If it’s too hot for chinos, I typically dawn a pair of Dickies shorts. These are made terribly… embarrassingly bad, in fact… But you can usually get them for under $20 a pair and subtly placed pockets make them pretty functional for as long as they last.
American Apparel T-shirt: If I didn’t wear my own stuff, how could I expect others to? All of my shirts are printed on American Apparel 2001 shirts… They are made in the USA and fit how I like my shirts to fit.
Vans Slip-On: These are a staple. I’m a Vans man… I can usually get about 6-months out of every pair. Not great… but I’m tough on shoes and at $50 a pair, I can afford it.
Levis Vintage 1947 Shrink To Fit: These are really expensive and even harder to find these days, but I don’t care. I only own one pair of jeans… and these fit perfect, look right, and last FOREVER. Look at it this way… If you spend $250 on a pair of jeans that last 5-years are they really that expensive?
American-Giant Premium Crew: Put simply, this is the best t-shirt in the world. I have about five or six of these in various colors. Perfection in every way.
American-Giant Classic Full-Zip: Again, the best in the world. I only own one, but it’s all I need… Mine is five years old, gets worn every single day in the winter, and still looks brand new. So good…
Redwing 1178 Boot: I’ve worn this boot since I was 16 years old. I get about 15 years out of each pair (resoling as needed), so at 41-years old I’m only on my second pair. You won’t find a better made or more comfortable boot once they are broken in. Seriously… If there is one thing on this list you need, it’s these boots.