Black Friday (and Digital Monday with it) has come and gone, and you probably bagged yourself a couple of bargains in the process. There's really nothing like the Thanksgiving weekend for the fashion-conscious man. Yet you probably swiped your plastic for an item or two that you weren't completely happy about when you got back home. But don't give them to the Salvation Army just yet; there's hope for those clothes too.
Return It
Hopefully, you didn't remove the tag and chuck the piece in the wash before realizing that it just wasn't to your l women's jackets iking. Practices vary especially when deep discounts are involved, but many retailers will accept returns on buyer's remorse. Should you be lucky enough to have bought the item at a store that takes returns, you better have a replacement in mind; they're usually less fussy about giving store credit than they are about cold cash back.
Alter It
You bought it but can't (or don't want to) return it. Most post-Black Friday men fall into this category, especially when fashion is involved. Perhaps you really like the print on the tie, or you can't find the same shirt design in your size. Whatever the reason, you want to hang on to whatever you bought.
Hemming pants and shorts should already be common sense by now. If it isn't, it's about time you educated yourself on sensible men's fashion. But did you know that you can have more than just your trousers altered? Everything from your coat to your necktie can come under the tailoring scissors - and come out the better for it.
Ask the retailer first if they offer alteration services. Some do for a small added charge, but this usually turns out better because the makers know exactly where the darts and the seams go. If that option isn't available, ask your tailor. He should know where to go next, if he's not able to do the job himself. Note that most of these craftsmen specialize, so it's likely that you're going to a separate place for your pants, your jacket and your necktie.
When having something altered, it's a good idea to prepare a template item beforehand - a favorite pair of pants, for example - from which they can just copy the size. This saves time, as you won't have to keep coming back for fittings. At the same time, it also opens up the option of mail-in alterations. Keep in mind, though, that these people have limits. They can only cut to a certain extent, and none of them can stretch or expand clothing.
For first time alterations, you may want to try a sample item that you won't miss much, like Auntie Muriel's gift tie from last Christmas. That way, even if the alter job doesn't go as well as expected, it's not going to be such a big loss for you.
Style It
Mis-sized clothing can become a really unique fashion statement, as the shows of D&G featuring overly shrunken pieces have shown. If you have a regrettable purchase from last shopping season in your closet, you can try throwing it on with a few accessories - if you have the style sense and requisite under-40 age, of course.
Try throwing that oversize shirt over a pair of regular trousers a la Jil Sander, or wear a baggy pair of pants with a deconstructed blazer like they once did at Bottega Veneta. Turn your slightly too-thick tie into a retro statement with a pinstripe DB. There's really a lot that can be done if you've got the creativity and guts to try them out - in private at first.
Is it inevitable that you end up with purchases you regret? Yes, especially during Black Friday when you have to make such impromptu fashion choices at the men's shops. But this doesn't mean you have to regret spending those dollars forever. With a little work (and maybe a couple of snips here and there), it might just be the best money you ever spent on your clothes.
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