u/Gigan_420

I’m currently trying to investigate an string of incidents that occurred at a store in a town outside my city. I finished my degree in journalism about 5 years ago but have only just now begun freelancing, so I’m still getting the gears turning again.

How do y’all get anyone to talk? I feel obliged to let everyone know I’m a freelance reporter and ask if I can record our conversation pretty much immediately, but it seems so off putting. How do you determine if a quote needs to be recorded to use vs just quoting from memory/notes? I’m a personable guy off the clock but I must seem so intense when I’m trying to follow a lead.

Employees at the store are unwilling/unable to tell me about what happened, and corporate’s PR team won’t get back to me. There goes my primary source. The store is only incidentally involved because the incident just so happened to occur there.

Other sources say the police confirmed some details about the case to them, but when I call and clarify that I’m a reporter, the forward me to their public info officer who doesn’t answer or tell me to file a public info request. Unlike my city, this town’s PD doesn’t seem to have an email/phone to call for quick confirmation of the location and nature of an incident. They just make you submit a public info request. That could take 10+ days and I’ve been told there’s other reporters following the same lead.

I work a day job so I can’t spend all day every day working on this. I was always told to be persistent, even annoying, and I want to have everything on tape, but it seems like it’s so off putting. Private individuals don’t want to go on the record and organizations/agencies are reluctant to comment at all.

When do y’all explain the levels of attribution to tipsters/sources? How do y’all reach out to the police and involved organizations? When/how do you explain who you are? I need a few sources to confirm that this happened and who is accused, but nobody that actually witnessed it wants to talk. I was told the case was closed by the police, but I can’t find any records online.

I haven't been able to find a casual, off-white/cream/ecru OCBD off-the-rack that I like so I figure I'd have one for daily, casual use with S&M. Figure I'd also have a dressier one made that could get me through all but the most formal occasions. I'm mostly unsure of which style of collar to use, and if it should be lightly fused or unfused should I choose the large Italian one. Ivy collar seemed small. I know traditional sensibilities disagree with wearing button downs with suits but I think it's a cool look. Otherwise, I'm less sure of my choices for the dressier shirt.

CASUAL:

Fabric/Color: Bone, 2-ply 80s Oxford (Maybe off-white oxford or another mellow shade of white/cream? Their ecru looks too yellow to me.)

Collar: Large, light-fused Italian Button Down or standard Italian B.D., unfused. (Are these too big to be unfused? Also the Ivy seemed small)

Cuffs: One Button Round (I think this is a barrel cuff?)

Placket: Classic 1.5"

Back Pleat: Box pleat and locker loop

Pocket: Round

Collar Cover Stitch: 1/4" inch from edge

Buttons: White River Shell

Length: 29.5 (I'm worried it'll look like an untuckit, though. I'm average height.)

Sizing: Classic cut. I'm a 16/33 with 19" shoulders, so I was going to size up to a 16.5/34 to account for shrinkage if I dry on low with my other shirts. I'd rather it be slightly oversized, if anything. A 16 will be too narrow in the shoulders if it shrinks at all.

DRESSIER:

Fabric/Color: White Pin Oxford, 2-ply 60s

Collar: Large Italian Button Down, lightly fused

Cuffs: One Button Round

Placket: Narrow 1 3/8"

Back Pleat: Side Shoulder Pleats

Pocket: Round (or no pocket? Diamond? I'd like a pocket)

Collar Cover Stitch: 1/8"

Buttons: Australian Mother of Pearl (or WRS?)

Length: 31.5"

Sizing: Classic cut. Spend extra to have it made to my measurements. Air dry.

I’ve been wearing my new loafers regularly for at least a month now and they were still too tight, even after switching from dickies athletic socks (lol) to a much thinner Dauco ribbed sock. I picked up a pair of thinner Pantherella Ribbed Merino/Nylon blend dress socks from my local menswear store today and the loafers feel much better, but they were almost $40 and still over $30 online.

Can anyone recommend any thin dress socks I can ideally get in a pack for around that price so I can try out different colors? I like the look of the polo ones you can get 3 pairs of for ~$30 but I don’t know how thick they are. Plain or ribbed, don’t want to spend extra yet but feel free to shoot whatever recs you have. Thanks.

I was going to order a belt from Narragansett Leathers but after emailing Alan, the owner, I’m confused about what measurement to give him.

The size guide essentially says to measure from the inside of the end of the buckle, but after asking to clarify something, Alan said to measure from between there and where the tongue goes through the belt hole when the belt is fastened.

“The best way to understand what to measure is to look at a belt when fastened. The measurement is from the most used hole to that place on the buckle where that same hole sits when the belt is fastened. But lay the belt out flat when measuring.  It’s so simple it causes confusion.”

It seems to be slightly different from the sizing guide on their website, but I’ve been going back and forth with him for a while and feel embarrassed to keep asking for clarification. Anyone here have a belt from them?

Nice collar roll is a must. Trying to find a white/white adjacent one.

I was thinking of getting the Kamakura Vintage Ivy in ecru but it looks like it’ll be too slim. Don’t really want to spend extra on the Ametora. Spier and Mackay OCBDs have been out of stock for months. Everything else is either $200 or has a shitty collar.

I’m looking for a white/off-white/cream/ecru one. Have found virtually no white one’s on eBay in my size, or any other size really. You look up “white” on eBay and it shows you anything but white shirts.

Good collar roll is an absolute must. Locker loop/box pleat are ideal but I can do without. Ideally under $200 like S&M but I’ll spend more if I really have to.

Anyone have the BB Friday shirt?

I was recently tipped off to a police misconduct story by an anonymous source who got cold feet and stopped responding. All I have is the cop’s name and badge number, and one complaint from late last year that I found a record of online.

Aside from that, I don’t have the accused/arrested person’s name, the exact addresses of the incidents, or the exact dates. Just the months the incidents allegedly occurred, the region of the city it occurred (ex: north city, central city, ykwim), and a description of the incidents and arrest. Am I cooked?

The TPIA request (Austin, TX) I filed was just denied. I asked for all records of police reports/arrests made by the officer in the two-month window, all of the complaints/disciplinary action made against him, and at least one document with his hire date/duration of employment. Slightly more detailed but you get it. With just the cop’s name and badge number, and a description of the alleged incidents, I don’t have much to go on.

Should I send back a copy of the complaint I found and say “I know this guy is real and he works for the police.”? Maybe just start with a record of his complaints, deduce which one is related to the incident, and hope it has enough info to find the police report?