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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Robotting Around the World
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 Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:29 pm Post subject: Let's talk mens business casual attire in Korea |
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I'm only seeing formal suits and then very casual styles such as hoodies, t-shirts, and cargo/baggy pants too casual to wear to work not to mention in extremely odd colors and designs. When I search mens apparell on Gmarket, I find mostly very young college styles, many with a crest emblem of some sort running in small sizes intended for young guys. What about business casual for post college guys such as the Dockers and Polo or button down look for every day work wear? I'm looking for more as I need more than 2 sets. I find really cheap quality button down shirts, but no good cotton khaki trousers made to fit.
I'm looking for khakis cotton trousers in 36X31 such as Dockers in proper proportion like commonly found back home, but am finding these ultra lightweight trousers that are too long and baggy with no inseam sizes; only waist sizes. They can be cut down, but the legs would be too wide and baggy unless you cut the legs from the inner crotch to the bottoms and resize the entire pant legs to be in proper proportion. I also found that I'm a 38 inch/96 centimeter in Korean size when trying pants on in Emart, but wearing my 36 inch waist Dockers and jeans from home so I know I didn't get bigger.
I was inquiring about this pants issue with a Korean I know and an Emart sales lady and it was confirmed that laundry shop ladies typically measure your inseam, cut the pant leg down, and sew it; not cut it from the inner crotch, cut down the pant material, and resew the whole legs. This means fat baggy out of proportion pants; not custom alterations to fit from left to right; horizontal, but only vertical length. Kinda like my issue with button down shirts that perfectly fit, but are always not large enough by a half inch in the neck to button the top button for wearing a tie without cutting blood flow to my brain.
With the exception of custom tailor suits, how do you get pleated cotton pants that make sense? What about good quality business casual button down shirts?
Last edited by Robot_Teacher on Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Big Pun Lives
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: Let's talk mens business casual attire in Korea |
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| Robot_Teacher wrote: |
I'm only seeing formal suits and then very casual styles such as hoodies, t-shirts, and cargo/baggy pants too casual to wear to work not to mention in extremely odd colors and designs. What about business casual such as the Dockers and Polo or button down look for every day work wear? I'm looking for more as I need more than 2 sets. I find really cheap quality button down shirts, but no good cotton khaki trousers made to fit.
I'm looking for khakis cotton trousers in 36X31 such as Dockers in proper proportion like commonly found back home, but am finding these ultra lightweight trousers that are too long and baggy with no inseam sizes; only waist sizes. They can be cut down, but the legs would be too wide and baggy unless you cut the legs from the inner crotch to the bottoms and resize the entire pant legs to be in proper proportion. I also found that I'm a 38 inch/96 centimeter in Korean size when trying pants on in Emart, but wearing my 36 inch waist Dockers and jeans from home so I know I didn't get bigger.
I was inquiring about this pants issue with a Korean I know and an Emart sales lady and it was confirmed that laundry shop ladies typically measure your inseam, cut the pant leg down, and sew it; not cut it from the inner crotch, cut down the pant material, and resew the whole legs. This means fat baggy out of proportion pants; not custom alterations to fit from left to right; horizontal, but only vertical length.
With the exception of custom tailor suits, how do you get pleated cotton pants that make sense? What about good quality business casual button down shirts? |
Go an American online store and buy them. Have them sent to a friend or relative back in the States. They send them to you. Problem solved.
Why go the trouble of getting something custom made when you don't need to? Just my 2 Cents
- Pun |
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Goku
Joined: 10 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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Where do you live?
I don't have any problem getting casual business attire at homeplus or E-mart.
Unfortunatley I can't speak to the pleated pants issue being too horizontally big because I don't have that issue. However, I think part of the problem may be shopping at E-Mart.
I've been going to homeplus and realizing it's a mistake. All their pants and shirts are not cut or fitted well. It's like made for like old men. |
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Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:42 am Post subject: Re: Let's talk mens business casual attire in Korea |
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| Robot_Teacher wrote: |
I'm only seeing formal suits and then very casual styles such as hoodies, t-shirts, and cargo/baggy pants too casual to wear to work not to mention in extremely odd colors and designs. When I search mens apparell on Gmarket, I find mostly very young college styles, many with a crest emblem of some sort running in small sizes intended for young guys. What about business casual for post college guys such as the Dockers and Polo or button down look for every day work wear? I'm looking for more as I need more than 2 sets. I find really cheap quality button down shirts, but no good cotton khaki trousers made to fit.
I'm looking for khakis cotton trousers in 36X31 such as Dockers in proper proportion like commonly found back home, but am finding these ultra lightweight trousers that are too long and baggy with no inseam sizes; only waist sizes. They can be cut down, but the legs would be too wide and baggy unless you cut the legs from the inner crotch to the bottoms and resize the entire pant legs to be in proper proportion. I also found that I'm a 38 inch/96 centimeter in Korean size when trying pants on in Emart, but wearing my 36 inch waist Dockers and jeans from home so I know I didn't get bigger.
I was inquiring about this pants issue with a Korean I know and an Emart sales lady and it was confirmed that laundry shop ladies typically measure your inseam, cut the pant leg down, and sew it; not cut it from the inner crotch, cut down the pant material, and resew the whole legs. This means fat baggy out of proportion pants; not custom alterations to fit from left to right; horizontal, but only vertical length. Kinda like my issue with button down shirts that perfectly fit, but are always not large enough by a half inch in the neck to button the top button for wearing a tie without cutting blood flow to my brain.
With the exception of custom tailor suits, how do you get pleated cotton pants that make sense? What about good quality business casual button down shirts? |
I am 36X31 too, and pretty much gave up here. I stocked up when I went home in between contracts. I lived in a smaller city my first year, however. Maybe you would have better luck in a bigger city. |
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ldh2222
Joined: 12 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:46 am Post subject: |
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| Goku wrote: |
| I've been going to homeplus and realizing it's a mistake. All their pants and shirts are not cut or fitted well. It's like made for like old men. |
What do you expect, do you buy your office wear at Walmart back West? I think it's a major fashion faux paux, and I'm not even fashion-wary to say the least... you get what you pay for! |
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harlowethrombey
Joined: 17 Mar 2009
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:09 am Post subject: |
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I'm 32 X 32 and I've found some pants that fit at Lotte Mart, they also have several sizes up, but the legs would be too long for you. If you find something that fits just take them to one of those little corner tailers to get it hemmed to the proper length.
Other than that, I grab stuff in Myeong Dong or Itaewon.
good luck |
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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Robotting Around the World
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:10 am Post subject: |
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| ldh2222 wrote: |
| Goku wrote: |
| I've been going to homeplus and realizing it's a mistake. All their pants and shirts are not cut or fitted well. It's like made for like old men. |
What do you expect, do you buy your office wear at Walmart back West? I think it's a major fashion faux paux, and I'm not even fashion-wary to say the least... you get what you pay for! |
Yes, right. I find Emarts fashion selection and quality to be horrendous. I just simply don't see stores catering to the post college niche that Macy's, Dillard's, or other premium department stores fill at home. Of course, I'm looking in Gangwondo cities; not Seoul. In Korea, the selection consists of young funky casual styles, shiny suits, sparkly pretty neckties, and cheap older people's casuals. Since I don't like Wal*Mart clothes, I shop Macy's, Dillard's, and Bass Pro at home for clothes and left most of my wardrobe in boxes in moms spare room since I couldn't fit it all on the plane. With all these sorts of things all made in Asia, one would expect every thing is available, but it's not since catering to Asian consumers is a very different ballgame. Plenty of cheap junk of cheaper quality than Wal*Mart, minus pants with inseam sizes, but not the higher quality Macy's things like Dockers, Perry Ellis, IZOD, Lacoste, and Polo. Even in a college town of only 60,000, there's at least 1 premium outlet like Macy's or Dillard's, but that may be changing as retailers are in the process of closing stores.
Newbies preparing to come, don't expect to easily find new clothing, accessories, shoes, and personal effects to your likings or that fit your needs. They have everything resembling everything we have, but I guarantee it's not to your taste and fit as they're catering to a very different demographic. It's highly advisable to prepare an extra box to be shipped by someone once you know your new address or pay the money for an extra checkon bag on the plane. I suppose that $125 3rd bag charge is worth it to bring all the things you feel you're going to need instead of leaving all those good clothes and other things at home. It can be mailed back home or discarded when finished on the ROK. I'm not concerned about acquiring more than I can carry on a plane as it can go home surface post; I just want to buy good quality that fits my needs. |
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jsk
Joined: 31 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Uniqlo sells some business-casual clothes for 20-somethings, although I haven't checked it out in a while. The clothes tend to be cut slimmer, though. |
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freshking
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| You can pick up the Kirkland brand shirts and pants at Costco. Not talking J.Crew here, but the fabric quality is good and it'll do the job for work. |
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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Robotting Around the World
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I'm not anywhere near a Costco, but I spent hours scouring Gmarket to find a great pair of IZOD pants only to be called by the seller that the item is not actually available. Darwn.  Struck out. Try again. |
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fred zepplin
Joined: 21 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 4:10 pm Post subject: Sizes |
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| Are the sizes for mens shirts the same as western sizes or are they generally smaller? |
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nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008
Location: Marakesh
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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Have you looked into custom tailored clothes? I get most of my shirts made that way (17.5, 36/37) and they cost about the same as if I bought them off the rack back in the States, but they do fit quite a bit nicer. I'd look into it, no sense in ordering stuff to your house, having a friend/relative ship it here, have it tied up in customs, have it not fit when it gets here, etc, when you could, for the same price, get something equal or superior to what you were ordering.
Just my thoughts. |
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jonpurdy
Joined: 08 Jan 2009
Location: Ulsan
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Keep in mind that the business casual style is not popular here. Go with suit pants and a well-fitted dress shirt at a minimum instead. You'll also have better luck finding these items than khakis and such. |
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fred zepplin
Joined: 21 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:01 pm Post subject: Re: Sizes |
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| fred zepplin wrote: |
| Are the sizes for mens shirts the same as western sizes or are they generally smaller? |
Not being smart but u didnt answer my question.
Im small size in the UK should i buy mediun here? |
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Chet Wautlands
Joined: 11 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: Sizes |
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| fred zepplin wrote: |
| fred zepplin wrote: |
| Are the sizes for mens shirts the same as western sizes or are they generally smaller? |
Not being smart but u didnt answer my question.
Im small size in the UK should i buy mediun here? |
You should try on the shirt. I'm a medium back home and I've been anywhere from a small to an XL here.
As a general rule, though, I generally bump one size up from my Canadian size. So, in Korea, I wear a large. UK sizes are not the same as Canadian/American sizes from what I hear. |
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