Looking Sharp! Wardrobe and Attire
 

Several of the officials I work games with have actually told me that they get their stripped shirts hemmed and fitted by a tailor. I noticed that they fit very snug on them and wondered how they looked so sharp. Their pants are hemmed, tailored to fit on the waist line and shirt NEVER comes out. They told me that they use a lock elastic belt. But does anyone here actually spend / invest in their ref wardrobe to that extent? I imagine that the cost of alterations would be more expensive than the wardrobe itself?

Coz' Every Girl's Crazy 'Bout A Sharp Dressed Man. ...
 

I don't mind spending big bucks on the finest black belts in the most exclusive, and expensive, stores. No skimping here for me. Purchasing a black belt is not the time for me to be cheap. To be penny wise is to be pound foolish.

I do. I don't know about anyone else, but I can't imagine getting my pants exactly the way I want them without tailoring.

I have a question...I have been busy and not on the site a lot. Didn't you recently give a somewhat long-winded post about players being good refs or something like that? It strikes me as odd that someone with such an opinion on officiating does not know something I tell my crew during week one of our meetings.

Me, I spend no more than $0.00 on belts. :D;)

Two Words ...
 

Shut up. And the same to the horse you rode in on.

Well, that is my upper limit. I may spend less.

Nope. I go to a uniform shop and get my pants and shirts done (we have patches for our state association). I do not think I pay $3 for an alteration for pants and sometimes depending on how many I bring it it might be less than that amount. And if I had to pay more, I would. I do not have anyone complain how I look in the uniform or that I look sloppy. That is not happening to me if I can help it.

Peace

Yeah, I see your point(s). When I started out reffing, I used to do it in black Nike dri-fit pants and black Nike shoes with white swoosh--same ones I used for working out or playing pickup hoop in. Then I moved up to the shiny all black no 'white' reeboks and Smitty tailored black pants. Though I must confess, I still wear my vera wang black belt.
I rem'ber my assigner telling me: "hey Michelle, those coaches and players judge you by how professional you look---they actually equate it with proficiency". Since that advice, I've invested in my gear.

Yes. I will this year. That's the next step I must take. Cost is a minimal factor compared to the desired outcome.
That's just me. Others may disagree.

*I"m sure you look quite regal in your attire. And, coupled with your supreme knowledge of the game and excellent game management skills you exude both professionalism and erudition.

I spend about $10 to get each pair of pants hemmed. I use an inside belt to keep my shirt tucked in, it cost me about $10. I'm not about to get the shirts tailored, though. Maybe some day.

Nepotism Rules ...
 

Thanks. I'll send you a check, in the amount of our agreed upon payment, next week, after I get paid. Hopefully, nobody will find out that you are actually a distant relative of mine.

The Land That Time Forgot ...
 

What? Are you sure that you officiate in Kansas and not in my little corner of Connecticut? Wearing a black belt outside of my little corner of Connecticut may impede your progress up the officiating ladder, and will certainly lose you points among most esteemed members of this forum. You may want to consider deleting the "black belt" portion of your post.

I have all of my shirts tailored (or do it myself). I also upgraded to the Reebok Zigs to get the shine and comfort. Pants are also tailored. Look is a huge part of officiating.

I'm using a lock belt to keep my shirts in. I'll be getting my pants tailored before the start of the season because I've dropped 35 lbs. since January (no, I don't have a disease).

I use a flex-belt to look neat on the court.Congrats!! I WISH I had this issue. Need to drop 5 lbs around the midsection. Middle-age and not eating right are my enemies at the moment.

+1 to all of this... I'm in exactly the same boat.
Haven't tried on my basketball pants yet, but I know my football and baseball pants are both too loose in the waist right now.

And it's probably going to be much cheaper to tailor them than it is to buy new ones. (although I usually buy one new outfit per year for each sport... so one new shirt and one new pair of slacks this year)

Thanks. They were my enemies too. I've been a Weight Watchers disciple since the start of the new year. Feel much better and the day after game day hurts the legs a lot less. The "oh boy" moment was seeing myself on video at a camp last year and wondering, "Who's that pregnant guy in the C?" :D

I just had 3 pair of Smittys pants altered to remove 4 inches from the waist. It cost me $45 for all three pair. Cheaper than buying one pair of new. I have dropped 40 pounds this year! At camp last month, I thought that my pants were going to fall down during fast breaks.

:D

Welcome to the club! During the season when I hit the 10-pound mark (February) I had to start wearing spandex AND an extra pair of shorts under my Smittys to make sure I didn't end up on YouTube.

Could have just tightened your belt another notch!:D

I wear flex belt to keep shirts tucked in.

Take pants to tailor for professional hem.

Used to take shirts to tailor to apply patches. (I won't need to take the 2013-14 shirts with the integrated patch - that I ordered months ago still has not arrived - to the tailor.)

Took jacket to tailor to fix jacket zipper. One week later, I took it to a different tailor for a new zipper which would have cost more than a new jacket. So, I bought a new jacket

To those of you who've lost the weight ... congrats. It's a battle I fight (and lose) regularly.

I'm thinking of ordering a pair of Sansabelt flat front low rise pants. Can anyone vouch for them?

Someday, You're Going To Need A Belt To Make A Tourniquet To Save Someone's Life ...
 

Shut up.

Suck In My Gut ??? But, It's Already Sucked In ...
 

I get my uniform professionally tailored by Omar, the tentmaker. I get a volume discount because he charges by the square yard.

Please Go Back And Edit Your Post ...
 

You forgot handsome. Regal is fine, but you were supposed to describe me as handsome.

I am down 20 ponds since last season. Back to my before i got married weight.

You swim to stay in shape?:D

I have my pants tailored and my shirts tailored. The cost is roughly 20 bucks each. I use a military style shirt stay to keep my shirt nice and tucked in, that costs around 5 bucks.

Congrats
 

Impressive. What were the dietary changes? Whole30 or Paleo?

Congrats to all who've dropped a big number!
 

Nice work.

Thanks. Just Weight Watchers. Exercise is a given because of the officiating. The main part is being more conscious of what I eat along with more fruits and vegetables. As one of the meeting leaders said, "None of us is here because we're eating too many fruits and vegetables unless we're dipping them in chocolate and frying them in oil."

Fried Butter, Delicious ...
 

... says the person who, obviously, hasn't attended too many agricultural fairs.

Ok, this thread is officially [no pun intended] closed as it has now morphed into a "weight watchers" share-fest.

Nice try, if you don't like it, don't open it.

My method is pretty simple:

1) eat like a "normal person" (2 slices of toast for breakfast instead of 5, for example).
2) Try to pick the healthier/lower calorie alternatives as much as possible, but don't sweat it too much. Skip desert most of the time. Try to be just slightly hungry when going to bed for the night.
3) Exercise, exercise, exercise. I've started running long distances (11.5 miles on Saturday, 7 miles on Monday, probably 6-7 tomorrow if I have time).

Paddled My Kayak Five Miles This Past Sunday ...
 

Two and a half miles "uphill", and two and a half miles "downhill". Took me two and a half hours, total, round trip. And were my arms tired. Seriously. They were tired. I'm not joking.

I do the same thing, but in my car. Does that count?

I think that would be nearly impossible to wear.

Nobody likes ending up on YouTube.

The jackets are the only thing I don't have altered (that show). Sides get tapered and sleeves of shirts get altered (sometimes length, sometimes size of opening, sometimes both). Pant leg lengths get tailored. I am lucky in that my waist size usually works just fine with the exact waist size of the pants I wear. I also have my patches/flags put on by my tailor.

And I don't wear any of those under-belt things to keep shirts tucked in. I've always tucked mine into my undershorts/compression shorts, and I've never had issues with shirts coming untucked.