My first lounge post - can a pasty white guy carry off a dashiki set?

[dmallind]

I am a fat pasty white guy with tattoos and a short beard. I am also very bothered by hot weather (and was before I was fat so nope not a causal link) and very much a fan of easy to care for clothing that is loose and comfortable without looking too slobby. I'm no fashion plate by any stretch, but prefer not to go the shorts and T shirt look. Just doesn't work for me.

So to get something cooler than khakis and a button down shirt something like this would seem ideal. I am not too worried about getting weird looks, nor am I trying to get them. My concern is more whether it would appear I was trying to make some racial or political point rather than keep cool, and whether it may somehow cause offense not intended.

So could a guy who looks like a Sons of Anarchy extra carry off this ensemble - minus the hat?

/220px-

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. why don't you mix and match...

put the pants with a polo shirt

and put the shirt with some khaki shorts

:shrug:

the whole outfit could be for special occasions....

[dmallind]

2. Hmm - seems a bit incongruous to me. Def not a shorts person either.

I did not think that a ste like this was all that formal really, but again I am no expert in West African couture.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

are you saying you are going to live in it 24/7?

:shrug:

[dmallind]

4. Good god no - would just be another option for normal wear though

Going to work, shopping, eating out etc.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. I think it would be fine to wear it anytime/anywhere.

:thumbsup:

I am just saying that it looks formal to me. A more casual look would be to break up the pieces.

[dmallind]

5. Good god no - would just be another option for normal wear though

Going to work, shopping, eating out etc.

[Heidi]

3. Why not?

If my (extremely cute) pasty Swiss white husband can get away with a bright pink Hawai'ian shirt with ukulele and palm tree print (yes, Call Me Wesley fans, I'll post a photo in the next few days), linen trousers and TUKs sneakers, you can do this with ease. Be prepared for compliments, and go for it! :thumbsup:

[JCMach1]

7. Dude, they'll think you are a muslin!

:sarcasm:

[Kali]

8. also try Mexican Guayabera Shirt (still button down but different)

aka Mexican or Cuban Wedding shirt look for 100% cotton or linen - combine with linen trousers

[old mark]

9. Oh. When you said "carry it off", I thought you were going to steal it...

hell, if it appeals to you, why not?


mark

[qb]

10. From the way you describe yourself, I think you'd look positively adorable in an outfit like that.

:hi:

[rug]

11. No.

[zonkers]

22. Ding. ding. ding.

[Fire Walk With Me]

12. Pasty white men can do anything and claim it as a cultural imperative.

I say this as a pasty white male who needs an excuse for what I do.

[The Midway Rebel]

13. Naw. In this heat, I'd stick witht he jock strap and straw hat ensemble.

Loin cloths are too passe'.

And wear those shoes...you know the ones.

:9

[MilesColtrane]

14. I couldn't find a picture of one, but...

I used to have this Indian shirt. It was a white pullover, very light material.

The sleeves flare slightly and stop mid-forearm. It was collarless and had a notch down the front to about the mid sternum.

John McLaughlin used to wear one like it during his early days playing with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Anyway, it was very comfortable and I always thought it looked sharp. Wish I still had it.

[marzipanni]

16. They are called kurtas (kurti?)

http://store.naturalnirvana.com/whkhloslcoku.html

Look around that website and you'll find more.


more:
http://www.aimcraft.com/apparel/menShkurta.asp

[MilesColtrane]

17. Hey, that's it!

Thanks for the link. I'll have to get one when I can come up with the scratch.

[rrneck]

15. Something like this?

http://www.spiralsofabundance.com/organic-cotton-trousers-mens-brown-p-223.html

Try a Google search for organic cotton clothing, free trade clothing and stuff like that. Or even look for in an ad in the Utne reader or other alternative mag.

[AsahinaKimi]

18. how about

Hawaiian


There are also some cool Silk shirts from Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

[Ikonoklast]

20. There is a guy that roughly matches the physical description of the OP

that works in a receiving office I deliver to each week, and he wears khaki shorts, sandals, a large straw hat, and a different Hawaiian shirt every time I see him.

I always kid him that he always looks like he just came from a Jimmy Buffet concert, and he always says. "Life's a beach, baby!".


He pulls it off, no problem.

[cwydro]

19. Wear what you want!

Be comfortable and fuck what people think!

[valerief]

21. I think it's a fab outfit. Go for it! nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

23. Look like Sons of Anarchy?

A tactical black ballistic nylon dashiki, with Harley buckles on your sandals.

Or maybe a kilt, to catch the breezes.

:hi:

[Dogtown]

24. I'd 86 the hat

I've seen those outfits w/ a short cylindrical cap, usually colorful (to match outfit) and striped, iirc.

I think the outfit will look fine, but the cap would make it look like you're trying to make a statement.

Sans chapeau, I think you'll look smart in that gear.

:hi:

[SoxFan]

25. Hmmm...

You could go this route...



Oh, and look at this before you do anything. Just sayin'...

[Old Troop]

26. In a word -- no

[pitohui]

27. i'm gonna suggest if you do this you don't do white wear red or orange

the chubby white dudes who do costumes and carry them off well don't do "subtle"

in other words, if you want to go this route, do it in red or orange, that's more authentic in my humble opinion than white anyway and less hassle to keep clean

in kenya i saw that the color was red (although they didn't wear dashikis, they wore really what would be saris or something if they weren't country) -- but the rural masai were wearing red and no one doubted they were men

no photos of what i saw but here's a dashiki in orange

http://www.dashikis.net/dashiki_cu912_mustard.htm

do you see the diff between wearing white (wimpy and constantly having to explain yourself?) and wearing an IN YOUR FACE orange costume ?

my opinion only of course maybe i'm too vegas



edited to show masai dudes, yes, there's some scottish influence there (abedare mountains, anyone? but red is just a big big BIG color there) -- this photo almost gotta be kenya -- obv. this is not a dashiki, this is just to show that real men can just throw on a fabric and go on w. their day...