My Reasonable Wardrobe
Last updated: Aug 14, 2022
My wardrobe is extremely reasonable. I don't change clothes when seasons change, but add or remove clothes. I wear the same clothes of a different color everyday. The list of my clothes are shown below.
Why I Choose These Clothes?
Underwear
I wear AIRism underwear, made by UNIQLO, all year round. I prefer them because they absorb and disperse sweat efficiently. I could choose HEATTECH underwear, also made by UNIQLO, in winter, however, I choose AIRism one also in winter because I usually stay at warm rooms and overcoats warm me enough outside. Colors are beige and gray, which are not seen through shirts or pants easily.
I wear five-finger socks. They absorb sweat efficiently when I wear shoes. Charcoal gray is non-assertive, so it fits pants or shoes of any colors.
Casual Shirts
I always wear a dress shirt because I look a decent person when I wear it. I choose dress shirts made of "Palpar" fiber, a kind of polyester-wrapped cotton fiber, in order to omit ironing. Like 100% cotton, it avoids static electricity, which collects pollen (I am with hay fever...), and looks beautiful. Fabric is pinpoint oxford one, which looks polite and absorb/disperse sweat efficiently. "FRANCESE" collar, which is an original collar produced by Kamakura Shirts, a manufacturer providing inexpensive traditional and high-quality dress shirts, keeps smartness around neck without tie. I order made-to-measure shirts to fit them to my body.
Japanese-Style Semi-Formal Shirt
Japanese men wear the unique semi-formal clothes (black suit). I don't like it because it was designed when Japanese were poor, soon after Japan lost World War II, and is accepted only in Japan. But I have to wear it as long as I live in Japan. Traditional broadcloth and double cuff shirt is suitable for it. Kamakura Shirts doesn't provide ready-made ones so I order made-to-measure ones.
Cardigans
I wear thin cotton ones when it is relatively warm, and wear thick cotton ones when it is cold. I don't wear wool or cashmere cardigans but wear cotton ones even when it is cold because I am with hay fever and I need to remove pollen easily from clothes (hair of animals has cuticles, which make harder to remove pollen). I choose "cardigan pression" made by angés b because they are the only manufacturer producing thick cotton cardigans I could find.
Casual Jackets and Vests
I wear them when I want to dress up or I have to behave myself like a classy man. I have one made of Harris Tweed, which is very warm. Lining is made of cupro, which generates static electricity not easily. Leather covered buttons suit the fabric. Whether a jacket fits the body or not is very important, so I bought a made-to-measure one. Note that I want to have jackets tailored if possible.
Overcoats
I have two trench and one down overcoat. Polyester trench are especially good for rainy days. Down overcoat is a UNIQLO's Ultra Light Down. It is good for midwinter in Tokyo.
Belts
I have nubuck belts, which I wear with casual, and full-grain leather ones, which I wear with semi-formal. Colors are brown and black for nubuck and black for full-grain. Made by Mitaniya and Kitamura, both in Japan, respectively.
Casual Pants
Lee's American Riders Westerner Straight Pants, which is designed to be like Westerner's formal pants.
Gloves
7-eleven touchscreen gloves. I choose touchscreen ones in order to use my iPhone while I wear them. I choose ones made of nylon because of hay fever.
Mufflers
Mont-bell's down ones. I choose them because of hay fever.
Caps
I wear a cap because of hay fever. I choose flat caps, which have simple shapes, in order to remove pollen from them easily. Made of cotton or Japanese paper. I wear auth, a Japanese cap and hat manufacturer, ones which can be washed (note that Japanese paper cap/hat cannot be washed).
Casual Shoes
I don't want to make my shoes wet, so I choose shoes with GORE-TEX. I currently use MERRELL's Chameleon 5 Storm Moc GORE-TEX. They are slip-on, so I can wear them / take them off and clean them easily. Upper of them are made of synthetic fiber, so I don't have to afraid color transfer.
Informal and Semi-formal Shoes
Most traditional cap toe, Goodyear welted shoes made by REGAL, Japan. They are with GORE-TEX SURROUND, which provides both waterproofness and high-level breathability. For your information, whether shoes fit your feet or not is most important to choose shoes. You should measure your feet by professionals.
Suit
I rarely wear suit, so I have only one. Fabric is most traditional plain charcoal gray wool. I choose an English fabric because it is robust. I wear suit only in big situations, so I didn't bought ready-made one but made-to-measure one in order to fit my body as possible. I want to buy a tailor-made one the next time.
Ties
Kamakura Shirts' ones, which are inexpensive but high in quality. I have traditional navy solid, navy pin dotted, and some others.
Japanese-Style Semi-Formal Suit
I don't like this because it was designed when Japanese were poor (soon after Japan lost World War II) and it is accepted only in Japan. But I have to wear it as long as I live in Japan.
Yukata (a Kind of Japanese Traditional Clothing)
I sometimes go out wearing them. White background one and navy background one (most men's yukatas are navy).
Hakata-Obi (a Japanese Traditional Belt)
I have brown one and navy one because I don't want to be over-assertive.
Tabi (Japanese Traditional Socks)
Traditional tabis are difficult to wear, so I wear tabi-like socks. Color is non-assertive light gray.
Setta (a Kind of Japanese Traditional Shoes)
I wear ones made of PVC with rubber soles, which are more robust than traditional ones.