#he's interested in fashion or at least likes to dress nicely in high quality garments

[canisalbus]

you say machete has to be closeted then why's he always wearing them little heels

Maybe he thinks he's a tiny bit nicer looking in them.

[azureaqua]

Giving the Ikesen guys modern outfits (because I can) <Pt. 2>

Yeah, we’re doing this. I've probably put way too much thought and time into this. But at this point I have to share it. Why the Ikesen guys, you ask? Because they have the most traditional clothes, especially seeing that nowadays western-style fashion is present everywhere! Let's get it!

→ PART 1 HERE, if you missed it!

How did this post even came alive? Tbh, I was just browsing Pinterest and one of my secret hobbies is that I like to thirst over fashion runways and designer stuff. Not that I would ever buy them, or have the money to buy them, but I still enjoy it for some reason haha. So one time, I was looking at an outfit and suddenly a warlord popped into my head. That's when I decided that I'll do a full detailed research on this. Inspired mainly by their armors and color palettes. (First I thought about drawing the outfits myself, but my drawing skills are questionable, so I edited them instead. My editing skills are better, I promise.)

Also, as I said; these are from fashion runways, so almost everything is from luxury brands and/or quality designers. So not the 'typical' street fashion, because I figured it would be more interesting this way. Plus since I needed a lot of jackets and blazers for the guys, I'm thanking Balmain, because most of these are from their shows XD.

Takeda Shingen

At first this wasn't quite the outfit I invisioned for him, but after I completed it... You know, it's for the better. He needed something big, something voluminous. I also got mafia boss vibes, like with Nobunaga and this time I really went for it with the coat. The one-piece suit underneath gives a nice contrast and introduces a new accent color! This isn't really in Shingen's palette, but it did good for the whole picture. I was hesitant once again about the boots, but other shoes would have looked wrong so, Shingen will slay the high lace up boots! I added a subtle accessory to his big coat and a hat as well. I feel like he would look good in it!

Uesugi Kenshin

I found a lot of big, fancy fur coats for him, but I ended up using the smallest and the least fluffy out of them haha. Kenshin is elegant and graceful. They mention it all the time when he's fighting or when they talk about his mere presence. But he's ruthless as well. So something 'painfully' beautiful was the idea. It's a mix of styles and textures with the big fur and checkered jacket, but the long satin suit with a trail underneath. Plus black dress pants. And I may or may not have given him discreet high heels. He needs to look taller next to Shingen lol. He got leather gloves as well, it was to make the outfit complete!

Akechi Mitsuhide

I know his official nickname in the game is the kitsune, but c'mon! There so many cool clothing pieces with snake designs! I. Just. Had. To. The simple shirt and long skirt-like pants underneath his green coat are to tone down the outfit, because of the pattern. He got some fancy leather dress shoes, in sleek black color as well! Then the coolest piece in my opinion is that big, bedazzled snake that is hanging around his neck! I also wanted to put something to his waist, to make a contrast, then I found these funky glasses with similar snakey design, also some resemblance to the biblical term 'serpent in paradise'.

Kicho

Well, Kicho is canonically a woman in history. So I dared to give him a more feminine silhouette and garments. His outfit is the most subtle and simplest beside Kanetsugu's. (And mostly my style, I would gladly wear this! XD) The pants' material and its color shifts slightly, so it has an elegant feeling! I also gave him discreet heels, unintentionally this time haha. The top is a shorter winter coat, made from a thicker material and I have to admit that the detail in the front wasn't there at first. I cut it out from a dress and edited it on and it was a really good idea! Plus Kicho got a small Gucci handbag, because he's THE beauty king lol.

Mori Ranmaru

I don't know why I associated him immediately with butterflies, but it's a thing now! At first I found this adorable coat/poncho and I knew I had to use it! But I needed something under it, so this simple white turtleneck seemed a good contrast. Then the slightly loose pants just looked too cute with the boots! So overall I think it's and adorable, lively outfit, just like Ranmaru! It's not as colorful but I can definitely imagine it on him!

Ishida Mitsunari

I admit, maybe I've gone a little overboard with him. Again I'm not sure why I associated these long, dangling pieces of fabric to his outfit, but Mitsunari would look absolutely precious! It's a bit chaotic over there, I made it from a lot of asymmetrical coats, dresses, suits. Also the colors are a bit random, but I think it could work? He would make it look good, any day! There's also a graceful vibe to both the outfit and Mitsunari!

Tokugawa Ieyasu

I had different plans for him at the beginning as well. I wanted a darker color palette and a 'skater-boy' theme, if it makes sense? But in the end that's how it came out. I feel funny about the printed pants, but he rocks it! I had some problems with the white turtleneck under the asymmetric coat, it still looks weird the way it's under it, but I hope it's not that disturbing! The colors are mostly muted, but that dark, wine red does good for the full picture!

Sarutobi Sasuke

I'll be honest, I feel the least accomplished and proud about this piece but I tried! I wanted to mimic his ninja outfit, but spice things up with this so-called 'tech-wear'? Tech fashion, I think that's how they call this kind of style. I had this idea because it matched him as a ninja, as an astrophysicist and a genius in general haha. I tried to put some more color into it, than the muted grays, I hope it helped!

Kennyo

I really wanted to keep the traditional feeling of his robes this time! I think I gathered good materials for it, but the top robes look a bit weird and all-over-the-place. The pants are baggy, and maybe the black is too much, but it doesn't need to be colorful, it's Kennyo we're talking about haha. Don't ask about his shoes, I just went with it, it felt right. The purple cape thing behind him was a last-minute idea, but I think it was a good decision to bring back his another main color, beside this dark yellowish shade!

Well, this was quite the work!

Especially writing the descriptions, but I definitely wanted to do them, to show what were my intentions and ideas! I hope it's understandable and not that repetitive!

Hope you enjoyed!

[segenassefa]

6: Brand Focus: Los Angeles Apparel

September – the season of changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes (those are nasty but if I speak…), and – usually – back to school shopping.

However, now that life has transitioned online, there is no reason to wear anything that is uncomfortable or at least two sizes oversized on a day-to-day basis. But – and don’t fight me on this - there is nothing more satifying than new and quality loungewear.

This is where Los Angeles Apparel comes in.

The brand formerly known as American Apparel rebranded as Los Angeles Apparel – the same basics brand, full of heavyweight cotton, styles ranging from classic to contemporary, and a wide range of colours, everything from neutrals to neon colours.

After bankrupting twice, American Apparel was purchased by Canadian manufacturer, Gildan, in 2017. Gildan went on to rebrand and remove the more notable points of the company’s marketing strategy – namely, the borderline pornographic advertising and sinfully high price range (some AA products can now be purchased on websites such as Wordans and Amazon).

Founder and Montreal native Dov Charney (who has his own demons, including accusations of sexual harassment and mismanagement of funds when he ran American Apparel in 2014*) then decided to take his ideas elsewhere, introducing Los Angeles Apparel.

Now operating out of a south Los Angeles warehouse, LAA poses itself as an ethical, basics, brand, paying workers between $15-$20 USD, as well as overtime pay and benefits, and varies from other fashion retailers in the amount of transparency to behind the scenes of their warehouse and in the production process – many of the brand’s Instagram stories include shots of models, posing outside and throughout the warehouse, and well as videos of various garment and production workers at their daily dyeing, stitching, and cutting tasks. Another plus of this brand is the composition of the garments, specifically their sweatshirts and sweatpants, tops, and bodysuits. Most places do not manufacture goods with 100% cotton - traditional brands either use a 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, or an 80/20 blend for goods in the heavyweight category. Using 100% cotton leads to a garment that looks even better with wear and tear, as well as prevents pilling, worn out elastic cuffs and hems, as well as less discolouration. Lastly, LAA is mostly devoid of branding – their clothing has no flashy logos or tags, no awkward stitching or excessive distressing, product styles, and unsavoury colour combinations – likely stemming from their roots as a wholesale blanks company. There is a bit of 90’s flavour to the styles shown on the website, included oversized sweats and t-shirts, lots and lots of pleats (pants, skirts, shorts, everything), as well as having more fresh-faced models, both men and women.

I’ve never personally been a huge American Apparel shopper – the original brand was not the most inclusive in terms of sizing as most of their items run on the smaller size (even to this day – their 2XL fits more like a very roomy XL) or were the dreaded “slim fit” (the ugliest cut of clothing to touch down on this face of the Earth, please don’t argue with me). However, since rebranding, Charney and the rest of the LAA team began to embrace more true-to-size and oversized fits. After rebuilding my wardrobe with quality basics, I can say about 80% of my wardrobe is from LAA – the pieces are good quality, minimal, and tasteful. Also, as a person who tries to be as ethical with my spending practices as possible and invest in quality clothing, I feel a bit better knowing the $40 t-shirt won’t be falling apart in the wash or after a few wears. For anyone who has considered dipping their toe into LAA or has been looking for other basics to add to their collection, here is a listed review of my favourite items from Los Angeles Apparel**.

HF09GD Unisex - Garment Dye 14oz. Heavy Fleece Hooded Pullover Sweatshirt

If I had the power to get rid of all of the hoodies in the world and replace them with only one, this would be it. This hoodie is thick as hell to the point where sometimes it feels like canvas, but not in an uncomfortable way. The colours are also super rich – my favourite one is Chocolate (one day we will talk about how brown is the supreme neutral for its ability to be and blend with both warm and cool tone colours, but I digress). Another interesting thing about these hoodies is that they don’t hold smell the way I’ve found polyester blends do and when washed, literally smell like an entirely new garment. This is also one of the products that I found is actually more of an oversized fit, and as with most cotton goods – stretch (but not unreasonably) with wear. It comes in a huge selection of colours as well and the sizing is fairly unisex, as both me and my boyfriend have worn this hoodie and have marveled at the quality. While it is an investment ($100 CAD per hoodie, about double that for the whole set), it is truly the hooded sweatshirt I’ve ever owned.

Size: XL, Colour: Chocolate, Price: $100 CAD

3380GD - Heavy 2x1 Rib Crop Tank

As our beautiful friend who was floating around Twitter not too long ago said, “Get into eeeeet!”. And she was absolutely right. This tank top is made for the people who want to get into the w*fe-beater/undershirt-as-a-shirt trend but don’t particularly enjoy the length or thinness of those traditional tops. This cropped tank is a racerback, but not to the point where it is completely unwearable without a bra, provided you have a convertible bra. This top is also 5% elastane as opposed to polyester (for those who are curious, elastane is a member of the Lycra and Spandex family, so the stretch in this top will also provide some shaping benefits). While it does only come in two colours for the time being, I’m one of those people who owns everything in my closet in both black and white, so this was perfect for me. Another thing to note, all my BBWs, this top does not roll up or require too much adjusting throughout the day, and sits just above the belly button for a cropped look without making you look like Roger the Alien (you know what I’m talking about….). This tank top is relatively affordable, considering the wearability, and the ribbing isn’t too noticeable so if you wanted a nice cropped but semi conservative top, this just might be it.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $30 CAD

1215GD - Heavy Jersey Garment Dye Casual Pants

Ok, you know when you want to wear sweatpants, but you also realize that maybe the occasion is not appropriate, or you just need a little bit of pizzazz without all of the frump? This is these pants. When I first read the reviews, I was skeptical, but after realizing all I own are jeans and sweatpants, I copped a pair. I wore these in 75-degree weather, walked a good three or four miles, and was comfortable all day. Plus, unlike most traditional womenswear pants, these pockets are DEEP. Like Mariana Trench deep, which I love because one thing about me – I’m going to use a damn pocket. I would say to avoid these if you aren’t into the straight leg look because with a t-shirt, they do give very public-school art teacher vibes, but they also come in a huge range of colours. A lot of people complain about the elastic band for a lot of their products (too tight), but personally I prefer that – it provides a longer wear time before you have to wash (since it takes longer for the garment to stretch out) and keeps everything cute and covered. These pants are also a nice alternative to jeans, and even come in the couple shades of blue to mimic the idea of dark/light wash. The price is a little obscene for some casual pants, but I think you’re someone who usually wears pants from Urban Planet, H&M, or even Zara, these will be a nice upgrade, sure to last a very, very long time.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $52 CAD

1406GD - Long Sleeve Garment Dye Mockneck T-Shirt

Another one of my favourite things about LAA is the fact that a lot of their products are unisex (while not explicitly labelled as such, you will see a lot of the same items in both the men and women tabs on their website). I love a good long sleeve shirt, but my proportions were never too forgiving to pull it off without looking like a 1960’s ghost, or like I had gotten dressed in the tent section of Home Depot. This top is more of a boxy fit, but the bottom is cropped enough to make it hit just above the thighs for a nice, slouchy look. The colours in these are also super nice, veering more towards neutrals and pastels. This shirt looks good with bike shorts and tucked into jeans, and (the best part) the white is not see-through at all, which was one of my biggest complaints when buying shirts from brands like Hanes, Gildan, Fruit of the Loom, and Keya. The neckline is a lot higher than most traditional crew necks, but I’m a fan. Plus, I feel like it looks a lot better when you layer jewelry over it. If you’re springing to get a basic colour, I’d say it’s totally worth it, at $41 a pop, considering that it’ll last damn near forever.

Size: XL, Colour: White, Price: $52 CAD

B128CF - Long Sleeve Crossfront Bodysuit

The bodysuit that started it all. Y’all. The number of compliments I get whenever I wear this top is insane, not to mention of all the bodysuits I have purchased from this brand, this one is the most flattering, the most versatile, and the most forgiving, in terms of sizing. The cross-front bodysuit is a happy medium for people who want to get into the criss-cross top look without the hassle of strings and shit like that. Not to mention, many bodysuits in this style tend to be ribbed – and not the good kind of ribbing either *retches*. I own this bodysuit in both a medium and a large, and my advice would be to size down, especially if you’re planning on wearing it without a bra (not much of a choice considering this bodysuit has a deep, deep, V neck) and will definitely add to the effortless look of the whole ensemble. This bodysuit can be dressed up and dressed down, but my favourite way to wear this is with some slouchy ass sweatpants, white sneakers (preferably a little beat up) and a small shoulder bag – ad square or transparent sunglasses for some big 90s energy, like you just left a Bikram yoga class or something. The colours on this could be better – aside from the white, black, and flesh toned colour, I really don’t see a purpose for the coral or blue shade, but I may be biased considering I do avoid bright colours like that. Now, it may seem a little overpriced for what it is, but I promise you – in my years of bodysuit research, the only brand that’s coming close to this, especially for larger chested laydeez, is Capezio, and that’s literally dancewear. Like, industrial ass dancewear. Regardless, this bodysuit is top 2 and it’s not 2.

Size: M, Colour: White, Price: $49 CAD

BD12 - Bull Denim Oversized Bag

If I had to give a name to my aesthetic – particularly when it comes to accessories – I’d say I’m somewhere in between “Bag Lady” by Erykah Badu and first year art student in the Midwest working part time at a dusty bookstore. This bag is more of the latter. For reference on size, it’s about as big, laid flat, as my large Telfar, but when on, doesn’t have the same structure, thus keeping it from looking like a burlap sack (or keeping you from looking like Santa on December 24th). The material is bull denim, which is similar in texture and style to regular denim, however, dyed to give it a rich and uniform colour. Also this bag comes in literally all of the ROYGBIV colours, plus black and white, and in a variety of styles and closures (they have one with a zipper for people who are diligent about things like that, as well as a more standard tote size and shape). This bag is perfect for literally everything – I like it when I go grocery shopping, or even getting from A to B when I have to carry a million things. Another bonus is the construction of the strap is thick without being comical, meaning that you won’t have those nasty lines in your shoulder after a long day, and you won’t have to worry about a strap busting and embarrazzzzing you (Nella Rose voice) when you’re out. In terms of pricing, you could get a little pleather number from H&M for the same price, but if you don’t take yourself seriously, then just say that (kidding!). as someone who loves the look of a good canvas tote, without wanting to look too much like a crunchy granola kinda person, this bag is lowkey one of my favourites (sorry, Mr. Clemens!).

Size: OS, Colour: Navy, Price: $58

Notes:

*= We do not condone predatory behaviour from anyone, but it is important to highlight that just because you love something doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Part of being a responsible consumer is also knowing about who you purchase from, not just what and how things are made. I am aware of this and am taking accountability for not knowing this information sooner.

**= All of these opinions are my own and not sponsored. Product codes will be listed in the title, and sizing, colour purchased, as well as CAD pricing will be listed at the end of each review.

[coolfuffles]

Wrong Number (or Accidental Sexting)

Warning: Age Gap (everyone is an adult)

Pairing: Gabriel Agreste x Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Rating: T

Wordcount: 1366

Evening and he was still at his desk. It wasn't as though he had anywhere else to be, but boring over numbers was far from his preferred pastime, and today did not want to end.

The phone buzzed on his desk, startling him from his perusal of the quarterly figures.

Unknown number: Trying to decide between the red lacy thong or the pink boyshorts. [Attached photo]

His brows furrowed in befuddlement at the text and the accompanying image of two pairs of under garments lying on a chaise somewhere. They were a decent quality but by no means high end- like the sort of thing people pick up at one of those mid range department store “boutiques”. The lace pattern was a little interesting. Most lace patterns trended toward floral but this one managed to embellish with a few ladybugs as well. That was at least interesting. The pink shorts were probably some kind of satin-like fabric but were otherwise un-inventive and would be as flattering as it could be on whomever might wear it. These definitely weren't things that Nathalie would wear (maybe the red one if she felt a silly need for ladybugs, but even that was stretching it), so to whom had she given his number for this sort of thing and why? He didn't think he'd been extraordinarily exasperating lately. He could never prove the little annoying or weird “pranks” over the years were her doing, but he strongly suspected. Why would she be doing this now?

He debated whether to respond to the text. The quarterly reports lay on his desk, staring at him.

“I need context.”

Unknown number: Seriously, G? Why else would I be sending you a pic of my underwear?

He pursed his lips.

“Humor me.”

Unknown number: !!! I have a date, you ass. Maybe you and I won't be the only ones to see these!

He was beginning to have serious flashbacks to when he and Nathalie were in university.

“I need to see them against your skin to get a better sense of coloring.”

A few moments passed before the phone vibrated again.

Unknown number: [Attached photo 2/2]

Oh thank goodness she wasn't wearing them! Shut up, Uni Gabe. The texter had laid them over her thighs while she sat to take the photos. Both colors would be flattering. Without knowing more, this could be more challenging.

“What are you wearing with them?”

Unknown number: [Attached photo]

She sent pictures of matching bras.

“That's not what I meant, but you must like them to go with matching sets.”

Unknown number: Shut up and HEEEELLLP MEEEEE

Unknown number: [Attached photo]

She sent a picture of a sleeveless little black dress with a fitted bodice, square neckline, and flirty gored circle skirt on a dress form. He couldn't see the fine details, but there seemed to be some kind of stitched floral embellishment along the hem and neckline. What kind of flowers were those? Either undergarment set would compliment it well.

“The pink ones are sweet but the red lace is obviously going to send a slightly different signal. How do you want to feel tonight? Cute or sexy?”

Unknown number: Both???

Gabriel considered for a moment. He let whimsy decide.

“Ladybugs. The red lace is sexy but the ladybugs are a cute touch and I believe they'll like the flowers on your dress.”

Unknown number: You're too adorable. Thank yooouuuu :* <3 <3<3

She stopped texting and he presumed she must be getting dressed for her date. He sighed. Well, that was mildly amusing for a little while if a bit perplexing. He'd have to ask Nathalie about it tomorrow. It had been a long time since anyone had sought his direct help for anything so personal. He didn't exactly have friendships that were so intimate either. Even his fraternal friendship with Nathalie hadn't approached anything like it in almost two decades.

“You're in fashion, Gabriel. You have to know these things.”

“I don't plan to do anything like lingerie, Nat. Can't you call your sister or one of your female friends?”

“No. It's good practice for you. You have to consider the whole outfit, and underwear is the foundation of a woman's confidence. Now, do you want to have to put up with me- your lonely, spinster friend- forever, or are you going to help me wow Celine?”

He turned back to the reports, determined to work at least a little longer before getting some dinner for himself and retiring alone with a glass of wine and maybe a book.

>!<  >!<   >!<   >!<   >!<   >!<   >!<  >!<   >!<

She sighed into her lunch while she waited for her friend. Another date gone bust. He'd been cute and even sweet, but she just wasn't feeling the chemistry. Georgette had been spot on with the ladybugs, though. It had made her smile to herself throughout the night to think that at least the ladybugs were happy even if she was disappointed. What a cute thing to suggest!

“Marinette! I'm so sorry I'm late! You don't have to rush off yet, do you?” There was Gi, harried blonde bombshell. It was worse lately because she'd had to switch phones and there had been some technical difficulties that complicated her life even more. Honestly, between the two of them- how they ever managed to be in the same place at the same time was a miracle.

“You're fine, Gi. I've got a little while.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” She hung her bag on the back of the chair and plopped down with a huff. “So, how was the date with whatshisname- Guy from the cafe?”

“You mean Guy?” Marinette tipped her head up and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. “He was nice.”

“Nice? Well, that's... nice?”

“Yeah. ...Honestly, I was more entertained by thinking about how my ladybugs were happy because of the flowers on my dress.”

Georgette raised an eyebrow and stole a croquette from Marinette's plate. “Okay. You brought ladybugs with you? Mari, that's a little weird. Maybe that's why he was just 'nice'.”

Marinette looked at her friend. “What? No. I wore the underwear that you suggested because you said they were sexy but the ladybugs were cute and would be happy because of the flowers on my dress- the new black one I've been working on?”

“I do not remember that conversation.”

“I literally sent you pictures of my bra and panties sets last night because I couldn't decide. Around six?”

“Re-wy?” she asked through her mouthful. Swallowing, she added, “Are you sure it was me?”

The bluenette's eyes were wide as saucers. “Not anymore!” she squeaked. She dug out her phone from her purse and pulled up the conversation from the previous night and showed the number to her friend. “Isn't that your new number?”

She leaned forward and looked at the number. “No? You switched a couple of the digits. Oh, those panties are cute! Whoever suggested them was right. Too bad Guy didn't make the shortlist of your panty admirers.”

Marinette groaned, dropping the phone on the table, fighting the rapid reddening of her face. Georgette picked it up and scrolled through the brief conversation.

“Well, they seem genuinely helpful. At least they weren't creepy about it. I'm a little concerned that they didn't tell you you had the wrong number.” She saw her friend's head move in the direction of a head-table connection so she grabbed the plate out of the way in time for her to make contact. She stuffed another of her friend's croquettes into her mouth. “Oh, thith ith mezine!”

“Gi, stop eating all of my croquettes. Oh my god, who did I send pics of my underwear to? I almost sent a picture of me wearing them!” She bemoaned into the table.

“Good thing you didn't.”

Marinette groaned loudly as she lifted her head from the table. “Uh-huh. You can pay for those since you're eating them. I'm going to wallow in my embarrassment as I walk back to the boutique. Text me later so I'll have your actual number?”

[imagine--drv3]

the girls going out with their s/o to try out new clothes with them?

Sure! Hope you like!

Maki Harukawa

You honestly didn’t quite expect her to be the kind to want to do this kind of thing

Hell, you don’t even know if she likes getting her clothes from stores and assumed that she preferred to order online.

But to your surprise, when she confronted you one day and hesitantly asks you to come along, you were more than happy to agree.

You imagine that it would be a nice, calming experience where she would calmly ask your opinion on a few select items of clothing, in which you would provide feedback on.

You were oh so wrong. 

As soon as you reached the store she immediately stormed inside and made her way to a select table and began to sloppily throw aside articles of clothing as she attempted to find the perfect one.

All the while she snaps at you under her breath and mutters curses to the heavens, occasionally growling in frustration.

When she finally picks out a few articles of clothing, she storms to the changing rooms to pull them on, showing you with an annoyed expression every once and a while.

She eventually just ends up throwing anything she doesn’t like into a corner of the room, which to her dismay, turns out to be everything that she had chosen.

Something’s always wrong with it in her eyes

The color is off, it’s too tight, too short, too tacky and many other complications 

She ends up sulking out of the changing room, muttering complaints complaints to you as she claims that she’ll give to store one more shot.

She goes to a table display, fishes around for a bit before commenting that she likes a certain shirt, holding it up for you to see.

To her utter dismay once more, she eventually realizes that it’s two sizes too big, and has to surpass a pure scream of frustration.

She ends up flipping the table display in her fury and sending clothes flying everywhere

Long story short, you two won’t be returning to that store.

Ever

Kirumi Toujou

You don’t expect her to be one to obsess over clothes, but when she requests that assist her in shopping, you are happy to oblige

You expect her to be into one of those high class shops with fancy, overpriced places with posh furniture and displays.

But to your surprise, she pulls you into a department store, claiming that although it may not seem like much, they have good prices for quality clothing.

She requests that you accompany her to every rack and display, showing each and every thing they have on sale to you and getting your opinion.

You would think that her taste in fashion when shopping would match her formal taste, but she surprisingly is interested in a large variety of clothing.

At one point she holds up to you a shirt with a cat face on it and asks for your honest opinion about it.

You tell her that it looks lovely, and that she’d look hella cute in it, but she eventually dismisses it as childish and stows it away.

She ends up picking out a few articles of rich-colored clothing before bowing to retreat to the dressing rooms without you.

She mostly has it covered, but will appear to ask you to zip a zipper or button a button every once in a while

At one point, she appears in a gorgeous black dress and you have to hide your face as you begin to burn up

She quickly finishes and picks out a few articles before leaving the store with you and tow, not commenting much on it afterwards.

Angie Yonaga

She loves wearing bright colors and her fashion sense is quite diverse!

She has to go shopping quite often, for she usually stains or burns her clothing when expressing heavenly will through beautiful masterpieces of art.

She loves it when you come along with her, and invites you along every time the thought crosses her mind.

She totes you along to a store one day, one she claims that God has blessed divine, and eventually tugs you into the brightly-colored boutique.

She demands that you attempt to carry her around on your back to every display, and you attempt to with full enthusiasm

She loves to go shopping for jewelry! Long necklaces and bracelets of shells are her favorite thing to buy at stores.

So of course she drags you over to the jewelry section and starts pointing out several beaded options.

She ends up scooping one of the necklaces she had her eye on and then tugging you away to go look at other departments.

She tells you that God is suggesting that she buys a new dress, one so bright that he can see her wearing it from the heavens.

She goes through so many options, trying to determine the perfect one -

You didn’t even know that one store could even have this many dresses

She eventually pulls out what could possibly be the most ugliest dress in the store

It’s so old fashioned and bright, daffodil yellow

But she way she seems so excited about it, and how she absolutely falls in love with it overpowers your wish to tell her how unfavorable it might be

The cashier gives you a strange look as you exit, but Angie is far too overjoyed to notice as she drags you out of the store

Her good mood sticks around for the rest of the day, and she thanks you endlessly for coming with her

Kaede Akamatsu

It was you who asked her to accompany you on a shopping trip

You know that she has an eye for cute things and wanted her opinion on what you should purchase

You bring her to a quaint store next to a creamery, promising her that you would get her a treat after you finish browsing

She laughs and says that you would not have to do that before grabbing your hand and leading you inside

She takes over for you and takes you around the store, pointing out shirts and accessories that she thinks would suit you best -Of course she points out a few objects that fit her taste with a subtle wink

You laugh a bit at her actions before letting her stuff a few articles of clothing into your arms before she places your hands on your shoulders and steers you over to the changing room.

She perches herself on a stool outside and begs you to give her your own version of a fashion show and show her each and every one of the outfits she picked out.

She’ll clap and cheer for each one and gush about how adorable and cute you look in each outfit.

You accidentally get a couple of looks when she cheered just a b i t too loud 

A few minutes later you get thrown out of the store

At least you still got ice cream out of the trip

Miu Iruma

She arranges to meet up with you one day and offers you a ride there.

You’re tempted to say no and that you’ll meet you there, but she begins to give you the doggy-eye look and you eventually cave in.

She is a terrible driver as she is reckless and easily angered by the ways of the road, and you fear for your life at least four times on the way to the mall.

During the trip you have to somehow convince her to not take you to a place with inappropriate clothing as it’s best seller and to a regular mall instead.

You somehow end up at the mall alive and as soon as she zooms into a parking space, she hops out and runs as fast as she can inside, completely leaving you in the dust.

You follow her inside and see that she had already rushed inside a store and began practically throwing clothes out of the way as she searched for a certain article of clothing.

You watch her for a few moments with a knowing smile on your face before you explore to pick out a shirt or two of your own.

She eventually returns with a few garments and other articles of clothing draped over her arm before she grabs your hand and drags you into the changing room with her.

She strips in front of you completely, much to your embarrassment, grinning at your flustered expression with a wink and her tongue poking between her lips.

You have to excuse yourself from the room afterwards, being a bit too flustered and having the need to cool yourself off.

You return and wait for her to finish swapping and trying on outfits, sitting down and staring at the door.

That is, until she tells you that she had picked out a special outfit to show you.

She slowly cracks open the door, revealing herself to be fully naked aside from her undergarments in which you immediately flare up in a blush, dash over and slam the door shut to protect the eyes of the innocent.

She laughs, dresses herself before returning in her normal gear and slapping a tacky hat she found on the head before walking out.

You end up ditching the clothes, except for the hat, which you pay for, and leave the store before you got in any sort of trouble.

It was a wild night

Yumeno Himiko

She doesn’t go shopping much, seeing that she spends most of her free days inside in the comfort of her sleepwear.

In fact, it is you who must remind her to go shopping for new clothing every one in a while for you know she would likely forget if you were not there to remind her.

You somehow coax her into accompanying you to your local store to buy her a new set of tights and maybe a dress of her choice.

She reluctantly agrees and you practically have to drag her there with her complaint about being low on mana the entire time.

You have to guide her to each and every rack and display and pick out the clothes for her to examine with a lazy eye

She pouted the entire time and would spend every moment there either clinging to your arm, or giving you a lazy hug as you attempted to sort through clothing.

You have to nudge her awake a few more times that you would have expected

She claims that it’s due to a low level of MP, but you suspect that she hadn’t slept well the night before.

You purchase her the tights before scooping her up and carrying her back to the car and driving her back to her house.

You then take her inside and place her on her bed as she murmured that your short shopping trip had wiped her out completely, and that she was sorry for forcing you to leave so early.

You end up laying with one another and chatting until she drifted off into a nap.

Despite having to cut your trip short, it was an overall pleasant experience

Tsumugi Shirogane

She loves visiting little boutiques and stores and admiring the of colors, designs, stitches and textures.

She also adores the friendly, cute aura that some of them seem to radiate, and it absolutely entrances her and draws her inside each and every one.

When you go shopping to one of her favorite stores one day, she practically talks your ear off about how she may want to open one herself.

Sure she specializes in cosplay, but she has been designing a few prints and outfits of her own, and she would love to have them spread throughout the fashion community!

Plus she could pour her entire heart into creating her own little heaven, which could be her own little pocket of herself.

She could paint the walls blue or light pink with white trims and have plush seating…she can’t stop talking about it!

When you actually reach the store, she’ll eagerly rush in, ditching you completely.

When you follow her inside, you find that she’s already rushed to the racks to shift through each shimmering or pristine piece of clothing.

She works fast, muttering about how either the color is too bright, the stitching is unfavorable, or the design is simply unflattering.

She picks out a hefty amount of shirts, skirts and pants before grabbing your hand and excitedly tugging you over to the changing rooms.

She, to your curiosity, sets aside a few separate outfits before whisking away into the room and pulling on an outfit at a record time.

When finishing, she’ll practically throw the door open and present herself to you, asking for your brutal opinion on each and every thing.

She’ll mix and match several outfits together and admire herself in the long mirror, cupping her face in her hands with a frown.

You see that she chose a few flashy outfits, and when confronting her, she tells you that it is to bring out her otherwise drab and plain face and go prevent her from blending into the background.

You tell her that that’s nonsense, and she’s plenty pretty enough to stand out, in which she’ll wave a hand in dismissal before picking up her separate pile of clothing and presenting it to you.

She tells you that she chose the outfits for you, and would love it if you tried them on for her.

She claps when you show each outfit to her, smiling and seeming absolutely radiant.

She ends up ditching a few clothes but buying most of them, and when you question her, she tells you that it is just a gift for her favorite person in the entire world.

You offer to take the bags for her, and she refuses in favor of splitting them between you, and you hold her hand as you walk home, eventually noticing a happy bounce in her step and a sparkle in her eyes.

It turned out to be a pretty nice time.

Tenko Chabashira

She’s rather flustered when you ask her to go out shopping with you, and she eagerly agrees, nearly stumbling over her words as she gushes about how she would adore to do so.

She makes sure to pack everything you could need when you go out, treating it as if it was more of a date with you than just simply going out for shopping.

She doesn’t do much shopping considering her fashion sense is a bit too farfetched for most stores and she can never find anything that fits.

Whether she can’t fit it around her bust or it is stiff to move in, there is always some sort of problem.

She claims that it is some sort of curse she has had for a while, for she is simply just unlucky with finding the right fitting outfit.

You browse quietly with her as she flits between rack to rack, excitedly flipping through each and every garment they had on display.

She will energetically show you each and every shirt or skirt that catches her attention, either color or design wise, with a long string of laughs.

You help her pick out a dress at one point, and send her off to change into it, and when she comes out it is like the entire world lit up for you.

It is a simple green dress, but she looks too happy in it to care about the simplicity and tells you over and over that she wanted to spend her money on it.

You can’t resist such a cute face and eventually cave into helping her afford it

She hums a song as you leave, noticeably happier than when you came in and the smile she has could outmatch the light of any star.

[healthnotion]

How to Wear a Denim Jacket

It took Levi Strauss a decade after creating the world’s first blue jeans to realize that the material that worked so well to clothe a man’s lower half, also worked brilliantly to outfit his upper half as well.

The modern man needn’t take so long to make that leap.

Denim not only makes for some of the best-looking and easy-wearin’ pants, it also makes for a handsome and rugged jacket.

140 years after first outfitting men who worked on railroads and ranches, the jean jacket continues to serve as functional, low maintenance outerwear; its durable material provides decent protection to one’s arms and torso, doesn’t wrinkle, takes a beating, and lasts for the long haul. Light in weight, it’s a great jacket for those just-a-bit-chilly days that mark the seasons of spring and fall.

With a collar and a structure that typically tapers to the waist, the denim jacket also creates a more masculine silhouette and adds to the visual appeal that arises from layering in ways that faintly echo a sports jacket, but with an entirely different vibe — casual, rebellious, oppositional-to-the-suits. Thrown over a t-shirt, it instantly adds a lot more interest to an otherwise basic get-up.

Given these assets in function and form, why are guys often hesitant to make what is really a rather simple staple of menswear part of their wardrobe?

The fact that the denim jacket is associated with miners, cowboys, truck drivers, and rockers adds to its iconoclastic appeal, but at the same time, guys may worry that its tough and cool legacy might not sit comfortably on their shoulders; they don’t want to look like a wannabe or have the jacket come off as “costumey.” They also don’t want to look like a hipster who’s trying too hard to channel the ethos of blue collar workwear. Or maybe a fella just associates the jacket with the 1980s and wonders if they’re still in style.

Well, the good news is that these hang-ups needn’t be an issue: a denim jacket can suit a man whether or not he swings a hammer or slays a guitar, can be adopted in a way that’s both natural and sharp, and when worn well, will always be, no matter the decade, perennially in style.

Choosing a Denim Jacket

No matter the era, the denim jacket remains a sweet sartorial staple.

If you’d like to add a denim jacket to your closet, choosing one comes down to thinking about two main qualities: fit and color.

Fit. As with all garments, fit is king with the jean jacket. You don’t want the jacket to either be too baggy, nor too tight. A well-fitted jacket should exhibit the following qualities:

Fits over the thickest top you plan to wear it with.

Can be buttoned up without tightness or pulling when worn over a t-shirt (denim jackets are not commonly buttoned up, but can be; if you do button up, still leave at least the top and bottom buttons undone).

Fabric hangs down in straight planes.

Bottom hem hits at about the hips; the denim jacket is a shorter jacket, and the bottom hem shouldn’t extend much past your beltline, with about the middle of your fly/upper thigh being the longest it should fall. However, the jacket shouldn’t be too short either; if it creeps up to your waistline and above, it will look too cropped, and begin to approach a more feminine style of jean jacket. 

Ends of sleeves hit a little past the bends of the wrists, but don’t extend past the creases of the thumbs.

You’re able to cross and swing your arms comfortably; if you find denim fabric feels too constricting (this can be the case with darker and raw denim; lighter washes will typically be pretty soft), look for a jacket made with a bit of stretchy material added to the cotton fabric.

Color. While denim jackets are available in a variety of colors these days, blue is the most classic and versatile. Of blue jackets, their “formality” ranges along with the washes of their denim. All jean jackets are inherently very casual, but one made with a dark wash denim will be slightly “dressier,” while one with a light wash denim will be the very most casual. A medium wash sits right in the middle and is arguably your best pick — it’s versatile, classic-looking, and soft. 

What to Wear With a Denim Jacket

Denim jackets aren’t versatile in the way sports jackets are — unlike the latter, they can’t be dressed up or down to meet the requirements of just about every dress code. While some very fashion-forward sartorialists will put a jean jacket over a dress shirt and tie (and even a waistcoat), the contrast between the more formal underlayer and the very casual outerwear is too jarring to make for a good look.

Denim jackets are versatile, however, in that they pair well with most every other garment that resides in the casual category of your wardrobe. These pairings can still be more or less ideal, however, and we’ll delineate that spectrum below.

On Bottom

The one rule you’ve probably heard about wearing a jean jacket is to never do “double denim”; that is, you shouldn’t wear a denim jacket on top of denim jeans. The result of this pairing is what’s called the “Canadian tuxedo,” named after an incident in the 1950s, when Bing Crosby was banned from a swanky Canadian hotel for wearing an all-denim get-up, and the Levi’s company responded by making him an entirely denim tuxedo to rock. 

The reason that “double denim” is considered a faux pas is that when your denim jacket and jeans are too matchy-matchy, it looks like you’re wearing a weird pseudo suit. But avoiding this combo isn’t a hard and fast rule. While it’s more difficult to pull off well, you can wear a denim jacket with jeans, as long as you make sure there’s a good amount of contrast between the two pieces. That is, instead of wearing a medium wash jacket with medium wash jeans, you wear a darker jacket with lighter jeans, or vice versa. You can also wear jeans in a color other than blue — black or charcoal can look good with a denim jacket.

And you know what, if you’re a little daring, you can even break the rule entirely and wear a jacket and jeans that are close in color. I do! I just like my so-called Canadian tuxedo, and don’t care if it’s “wrong.” I guess that’s the rebel in me, eh?

If you’re not sure if you can pull off double denim, or just don’t like the look of it yourself, it’s best to just heed the proscription against it. Below are common and safe guidelines for how to clothe your lower half while wearing a denim jacket, with options ranked from less to more ideal:

Poor:

Dress trousers (too much high low/contrast)

Jeans that closely match the color of your jacket

Alright:

Jeans in a color that contrasts with the jacket

Joggers

Best:

Chinos/khakis (in brown, tan, olive, gray, etc.)

Corduroys 

As far as your footwear goes, think casual: canvas/leather/suede sneakers, leather boots, chukkas, etc. 

On Top

When it comes to what to wear under your denim jacket, a single layer is often all you need; while additional layers can be interesting, you don’t want to or need to add much bulk under a denim jacket. A thin base layer will let the jacket hang comfortably, and without constriction. Jean jackets just lend themselves to a more simple, “spare” look too.

Below we break down your underlayer choices from unadvisable to can’t-miss:

Poor:

Button-up dress shirts (too formal)

Technical-fabric workout shirts (too casual, even for a denim jacket, with a shiny texture that doesn’t complement the jacket’s matte ruggedness)

Chambray button-downs (while chambray is technically a different fabric from denim, it looks close enough to it to make this another iteration of “double denim”)

Alright:

Sweaters (some thin and very casual sweaters can work, but many can look funny under a jean jacket)

Polos (an okay pairing, but the preppy nature of the shirt clashes a bit with the jacket’s more rough-n-ready vibe)

Button-down shirts (in a very casual workplace, a jean jacket can serve as almost a kind of sports jacket substitute when worn over a button-down; a checkered print is a nice look here)

Best:

T-shirts (of all kinds, but the plain white tee is an especially classic choice)

Long- or short-sleeve henleys

Hoodies (evinces a more “urban” look)

Flannel/plaid shirts

As you mix your bottom and top layers with your denim jacket, you can prevent your get-up from looking too “costumey” by avoiding pairing too many things from one “archetype.” For example, if you wear a flannel shirt under your jacket, don’t also wear leather work boots and a beanie. Or don’t wear a white tee under your jacket, along with black jeans, and black work boots, unless you’re a biker, or intentionally going for that look. Just let the jean jacket be a natural accompaniment to the other casual clothes you already wear.

A denim jacket makes a great addition to a man’s casual wardrobe — there’s a good chance that deep down you want one, so get one. And then start wearing the heck out of it. It only looks and feels better with age. Clothing is only as authentic as the real use you get out of it.

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