Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/696195
The Art of Manliness Continued JOBS for TEAMS | 12 www.jobsfor teams.com But to really make thrift stores work, you've got to be a habitual browser. The odds of walking out with something that fits and looks good on any one trip are vanishingly small. It takes multiple trips and an open mind to start building a ward- robe from thrift stores. Ideally, you should get to know the selection and staff at the closest thrift stores, checking in several times a week for a while until you get a sense for when the new stuff comes out and who to ask about any goodies hidden away in the corners. If you can't make that many trips, get as many as you can in, and shop with an eye for anything that could look good on you, not just whatever your need of the moment happens to be. Finally, if you can travel, take an occasional trip out to more distant thrift stores. Ones close to well- heeled suburbs often have a much better selection of upscale clothes than urban stores, and are less picked over as well. 2. Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance Do the little things. They matter. Shoes get polished. Frayed cuffs get hemmed. Little rips get stitched up or patched before they turn into big rips. Make it a habit to brush your suit jacket after wearing. This doesn't build your wardrobe or expand your style, of course, but it keeps your wardrobe from shrink- ing while you're on the lookout for new pieces. Good storage counts too — a suit or sports jacket will last a lot longer if you've got it on a proper wooden hanger and store it in a garment bag for long periods of disuse. Shoes should be stored with shoe trees inserted (or at least gen- tly stuffed with rolled- up newspa- pers — the poor man's shoe tree). 3. Find a Skilled Tailor Just like shoe repairs, a profes- sional tailor's adjustments can turn lightly-used clothing into something resembling a brand new garment fitted just for you. The trick is finding someone who actually specializes in adjustments, and is willing to take the time to get