4 ms·

Somehow I associate suits with either dishonest people who use them to try and project false integrity (salesmen, bankers, recruiters, etc.) or servants who are

by sdfjkl 13y ago

Somehow I associate suits with either dishonest people who use them to try and project false integrity (salesmen, bankers, recruiters, etc.) or servants who are forced to wear them by their masters[1] (porters, security staff, heck in some city offices even the cleaners wore them). Since I like neither dishonesty nor subservience and find ties incredibly uncomfortable, I intentionally don't wear any such thing. It is astonishing how much we read into clothes though. I was regularly mistaken for a bouncer while standing outside a club wearing plain black clothes (despite drink in my hand). [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livery

encoderer 13y ago
I associate suits with making me feel like a million bucks -- at least when they fit well. And i firmly believe nothing looks worse than an ill fitting suit. Also, black at night is fine but most people should avoid black during the day. It compliments very few complexions. Suit advice: I'm 30. Most the people I work with and talk to about clothing are in my age range, say, 25-35. Not "young" still, but we don't feel old and certainly don't want to put on a suit and see our fathers in the mirror. If you relate to that, and want something more contemporary, I'd suggest taking a look at Theory. They are on sale right now 50% off and are a value at that price. I don't love them as much for the full price. They are sold as separates and you can pick one up now for $375 or so. These jackets are partially canvassed (not bad, not great), have spandex or lycra in the blend that gives them a TINY bit of stretch, and the single vent and width of the lapels is modern enough to look good on a young man, and classic enough to still look OK in 5 years. http://www.theory.com/mens-suiting/mens-suiting,default,sc.html http://www.theory.com/mens-suiting/mens-suiting,default,sc.h...
mc32 13y ago
I think this is a balance. Well fitting clothes (suits or not) do enhance a person's appearance and speaks to their attention to detail in that area --they may or may not apply to other areas. On the other hand, dressing without dedicating much thought can come from, among other things, being too busy with 'important' things, the person is kind of lazy, at least in terms of dress, or perhaps they think they're being anti-pattern --but they're not, as many other people do the same. That said, most people who wear suits, to address that area, don't really wear well fitting (bespoke) suits. Ill fitting suits are worse than down dressing or dressing like a slob --it says you're being rote and don't really pay attention to detail. I see this symptomatically in salespeople, and others you mention, yes indeed, it looks horrible. A well fitting suit and matching clothes do enhance people's aesthetic look and that bleeds into their professional appearance, rightly or wrongly, in my opinion. By the way, if your stay-at-home clothes fit well and they match in color, pattern and mood, they don't have to be special or expensive. They need to match you in some way, however. It can't be a mishmash of incoherence. It becomes a visual cacophony and can be hard to get past. It's like looking at the person preparing your food and seeing them sweaty, clearing their throats, wheezing and uncomfortable, yet, they're washing their hands and at no point sneezed or coughed and never touched their face before finishing the preparation, but it still seems gross.
bane 13y ago
"Somehow I associate suits with either dishonest people who use them to try and project false integrity (salesmen, bankers, recruiters, etc.) or servants who are forced to wear them by their masters[1] (porters, security staff, heck in some city offices even the cleaners wore them)." You associate it correctly in all cases. As somebody who's come to appreciate suits as a powerful tool, it's worth learning the game. Wear a suit to a car buying negotiation and save a few thousand dollars on your next car, or wear the "livery" of your company and find yourself promoted faster than if you don't. It's stupid, but most people are stupid. (I've learned how to wear a suit without a tie, try and project a comfortable, casual, glamorous [bm]illionaire look, they almost never wear ties with their suits [1][2][3] 1 - http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/320x480/s_v/scowell_GL_15dec09_PA_b.jpg http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/320x480/s_v/scowell_GL_15dec09_P... 2 - http://thenextweb.com/files/2010/11/branson2.jpg http://thenextweb.com/files/2010/11/branson2.jpg 3 - http://edition.cnn.com/video/business/2010/09/27/sesay.nigeria.billionaire.cnn.640x360.jpg http://edition.cnn.com/video/business/2010/09/27/sesay.niger...

by sdfjkl 13y ago

encoderer 13y ago

I associate suits with making me feel like a million bucks -- at least when they fit well. And i firmly believe nothing looks worse than an ill fitting suit. Also, black at night is fine but most people should avoid black during the day. It compliments very few complexions. Suit advice: I'm 30. Most the people I work with and talk to about clothing are in my age range, say, 25-35. Not "young" still, but we don't feel old and certainly don't want to put on a suit and see our fathers in the mirror. If you relate to that, and want something more contemporary, I'd suggest taking a look at Theory. They are on sale right now 50% off and are a value at that price. I don't love them as much for the full price. They are sold as separates and you can pick one up now for $375 or so. These jackets are partially canvassed (not bad, not great), have spandex or lycra in the blend that gives them a TINY bit of stretch, and the single vent and width of the lapels is modern enough to look good on a young man, and classic enough to still look OK in 5 years. http://www.theory.com/mens-suiting/mens-suiting,default,sc.html http://www.theory.com/mens-suiting/mens-suiting,default,sc.h...

mc32 13y ago

I think this is a balance. Well fitting clothes (suits or not) do enhance a person's appearance and speaks to their attention to detail in that area --they may or may not apply to other areas. On the other hand, dressing without dedicating much thought can come from, among other things, being too busy with 'important' things, the person is kind of lazy, at least in terms of dress, or perhaps they think they're being anti-pattern --but they're not, as many other people do the same. That said, most people who wear suits, to address that area, don't really wear well fitting (bespoke) suits. Ill fitting suits are worse than down dressing or dressing like a slob --it says you're being rote and don't really pay attention to detail. I see this symptomatically in salespeople, and others you mention, yes indeed, it looks horrible. A well fitting suit and matching clothes do enhance people's aesthetic look and that bleeds into their professional appearance, rightly or wrongly, in my opinion. By the way, if your stay-at-home clothes fit well and they match in color, pattern and mood, they don't have to be special or expensive. They need to match you in some way, however. It can't be a mishmash of incoherence. It becomes a visual cacophony and can be hard to get past. It's like looking at the person preparing your food and seeing them sweaty, clearing their throats, wheezing and uncomfortable, yet, they're washing their hands and at no point sneezed or coughed and never touched their face before finishing the preparation, but it still seems gross.

bane 13y ago

"Somehow I associate suits with either dishonest people who use them to try and project false integrity (salesmen, bankers, recruiters, etc.) or servants who are forced to wear them by their masters[1] (porters, security staff, heck in some city offices even the cleaners wore them)." You associate it correctly in all cases. As somebody who's come to appreciate suits as a powerful tool, it's worth learning the game. Wear a suit to a car buying negotiation and save a few thousand dollars on your next car, or wear the "livery" of your company and find yourself promoted faster than if you don't. It's stupid, but most people are stupid. (I've learned how to wear a suit without a tie, try and project a comfortable, casual, glamorous [bm]illionaire look, they almost never wear ties with their suits [1][2][3] 1 - http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/320x480/s_v/scowell_GL_15dec09_PA_b.jpg http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/320x480/s_v/scowell_GL_15dec09_P... 2 - http://thenextweb.com/files/2010/11/branson2.jpg http://thenextweb.com/files/2010/11/branson2.jpg 3 - http://edition.cnn.com/video/business/2010/09/27/sesay.nigeria.billionaire.cnn.640x360.jpg http://edition.cnn.com/video/business/2010/09/27/sesay.niger...