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Dislike. I used to have an unhealthy obsession with fashion. While I'm over that, I still love clothes. Being fashionable has had a huge impact on my life. It s

Dislike. I used to have an unhealthy obsession with fashion. While I'm over that, I still love clothes. Being fashionable has had a huge impact on my life. It sounds superficial, but clothes really do make the man. People really do treat you better if you can dress competently. Even if that sounds shallow, and it probably is, the boost that looking good gives your confidence can be very profound. I don't advocate that everyone devote time to following fashion on a daily basis, but learning to put patterns and colors together goes a long way. You can learn the basics of "How to dress" in less than a day. Really. I don't see why people make such a huge fuss about this. Especially if you're a man. Being fashionable takes almost zero time. If you're afraid that you're going to spend 2 hours getting ready, like a girl, realize that most of the time that women spend getting ready is put into makeup and hair. If you have a few good outfits, you just throw them on like any other clothes. Unless you can't operate a zipper or buttons, it's not much harder than pulling on a hoodie...

karjaluoto 15y ago
Well selected clothing can bring certain benefits, but listen to what you're saying: Do you really believe that they "make the man"? We keep hearing these things in advertising, and then we start to actually think they're real. We've been led to believe that the underwear we buy will somehow make us better, or more desirable people. This is pure bullshit. If you like buying nice clothes, fine. Just don't overestimate their value.
- jinfiesto 15y ago
  Obviously I don't believe that clothes literally make the man. But your "internal" value always needs selling. Clothes are a major way we represent ourselves to other people. If you don't like buying nice clothes, fine. Don't underestimate their value. Sassy-ness aside, couldn't resist the jab, our clothes really do make us better and more desirable. At least in the way other people see us. Certainly wearing nicer clothes won't make you a better programmer. It might get you a better programming job though.
  - karjaluoto 15y ago
    It cuts the other way too. I'm a partner in an agency. We used to wear suits to meetings. After not winning a contract with one organization, I asked why they didn't choose us. (During our meetings, we seemed to have established a good rapport.) He explained that everything we said made sense, but that we were "too corporate." We have many more clients now. I wear the same understated thing to almost all of our meeting. Our sales have never been higher. Turns out, our clients care more about how good we are than the way I choose to dress.

karjaluoto 15y ago

Well selected clothing can bring certain benefits, but listen to what you're saying: Do you really believe that they "make the man"? We keep hearing these things in advertising, and then we start to actually think they're real. We've been led to believe that the underwear we buy will somehow make us better, or more desirable people. This is pure bullshit. If you like buying nice clothes, fine. Just don't overestimate their value.

jinfiesto 15y ago
Obviously I don't believe that clothes literally make the man. But your "internal" value always needs selling. Clothes are a major way we represent ourselves to other people. If you don't like buying nice clothes, fine. Don't underestimate their value. Sassy-ness aside, couldn't resist the jab, our clothes really do make us better and more desirable. At least in the way other people see us. Certainly wearing nicer clothes won't make you a better programmer. It might get you a better programming job though.
- karjaluoto 15y ago
  It cuts the other way too. I'm a partner in an agency. We used to wear suits to meetings. After not winning a contract with one organization, I asked why they didn't choose us. (During our meetings, we seemed to have established a good rapport.) He explained that everything we said made sense, but that we were "too corporate." We have many more clients now. I wear the same understated thing to almost all of our meeting. Our sales have never been higher. Turns out, our clients care more about how good we are than the way I choose to dress.