The Business Drone...

[Jovan]

Agents in the Matrix wore two button suits with very minimalist detail -- no vent, lapel hole, pleats, or cuffs.

I don't see much wrong with blue, besides the bad image it puts in my head due to a certain leader who wears blue suits and his country's flag lapel pins all the time.

 

[Diamondback]

[voice=Agent Smith]Mister Holiday...[/voice]

Seriously, black two-button's about the only style of suit I'll wear when I'm not in khakis. If it's a plain white shirt and black tie, it says I think things are getting serious. Shirt with red pinstripes and/or red tie? Start worrying--any Codename 47 fans should recognize the symbolism of that little accessorization...

Drones are good, in their proper time and place and their own way--they make it easier to "hide in plain sight"...

 

[Jovan]

My black two button made a good Agent Smith costume... but I haven't found too much use beyond that.

 

[Diamondback]

Yeah, that's why I'm so specific about black 2-buttons: there are times when a certain... shall we say, faintly ominous--perhaps even mildly sinister--look is very helpful in "dissuading" some individuals from things they really don't want to do, if you'll notice my use of "passive voice".

There are advantages, in certain situations, to looking like you just stepped off the Secret Service weapons-training range... (And I even keep an earpiece around for "role camouflage" at times. Never worn it, but I do have it... )

 

[Jovan]

I could always shave my head and do a Codename 47 costume next year...

I actually wore it recently to a funeral, but everything else was fairly classy.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I could always shave my head and do a Codename 47 costume next year...

I actually wore it recently to a funeral, but everything else was fairly classy.

You mean with the barcode on your neck too?

 

[Jovan]

I was joking.

 

[Diamondback]

I actually wore it recently to a funeral, but everything else was fairly classy.

Yeah, back when I was on the college newspaper, the suit was the uniform of the day. My Econ prof was always needling me about "Whose funeral is it today?", and I was known to respond by locking eyeballs (well, my tinted lenses, his eyeballs) and saying, "Nobody's, I hope. But it's always best to be prepared..."

We actually ran something for one of our April Fools' specials about MiBs invading the campus, with a front-page photo of yours truly giving the Agent K "slightly threatening lecture" to my perennial nemesis on the paper staff.

Not to mention sending a message in newspaper staff meetings to a certain ambitious schmuck who coveted my boss's job and was always trying to orchestrate her downfall...

OTOH, an informal (and unpaid) part of my job was "personal protection detail", but that's just what I naturally do anyway. So, it did help me look the part on that one.

 

[Diamondback]

You mean with the barcode on your neck too?

What is this, just because I'm "Mr. Super Literal", everybody else has to ripoff my personal little quirk? lol

 

[Baron Kurtz]

A
I don't see much wrong with blue

No issue here with blue. But, for the love of god mix it up a little! corporate uniform = drone = clone = boring = lickspittle.

bk

 

[jake_fink]

Dear Baron,

If I were able to get anywhere near you today I'd give you a hug for your use of "lickspittle".

It brought a tear to my eye.

J-F

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

That's the Australian version, anyway. When I walk through Sydney, the skinny-legged three-button black suit is so prevalent that I start to worry that a bunch of these blokes are going to accost me with a monotonous, "Mr Anderson!" (Of course, it doesn't help that The Matrix was filmed in the same locations!)

It's not pride in one's clothing, it's an attitude of 'this is my work uniform, I can't wait to get out of it and wear my oversized T-shirt and oversized shorts.' Which, ironically, is the ultra-casual uniform.

So it's the same story the world over?
It's time to start a revolution.

 

[Fletch]

I own a skinny leg black 3B. (Banana Republic, vintage 2005.) Mostly because the jacket looked so well-tailored and the material was really nice (wool oxford stretch). I bought the pants a week after. They're the only non-formal dress pants I own with no cuffs.

I think a lot of young management meatballs with incipient spare tires like the look because it's slimming. At least until you take your jacket off.

If BR would make a vest to match my suit, I'd be very happy.

 

[Jovan]

BR used to make waistcoats -- some even with a watch chain hole!

The two buttons would have an even slimmer effect, but they're mostly online only unfortunately.

For the record, I think black suits are a little boring, but I have nothing wrong with black coats or trousers if they're worn interestingly. For instance, I sometimes wear my black coat with Glen plaid trousers.

 

[Benny Holiday]

So it's the same story the world over?
It's time to start a revolution.

Yup, that's pretty much the picture. From time to time, and I mean rarely, in the city I see a well-made black suit of the type Fletch has, not made of that hideous-woeful-disgraceful excuse for a fabric (must I say it? Microfibre - yeech!) and worn by someone who knows how to dress it up with a nice tie and shoes (I'm yet to see a pocket square), but mostly it's the same cheap suit.

Oddly enough, the menswear stores here have been flogging Autumn suits in various shades of grey and light brown; some are even single breasted peaked-lapel jobs. The fabric is average to match the price, but still, I would have thought the younger office workers would be buying these suits, but all I ever see on the street is the black microfibre (*retch, choke, gasp, retch*).

I should have started a revolution by now. Enough people stop me and ask about my suits, and if the garment in question is not vintage, I direct them to my tailor. The problem is, much as they admire the better cut and fabric, they'd still rather wear sloppy shorts and T-shirt most of the time, and therefore balk at shelling out $600 (still a very reasonable price) for a tailor-made suit. As they would only ever "dress up" because they have to at work, young men here would rather look average in a $200 Lowes (=cheap as chips) suit.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Oddly enough, the menswear stores here have been flogging Autumn suits in various shades of grey and light brown; some are even single breasted peaked-lapel jobs.

Single breasted peaked lapels!?
I don't need any suits, but if I saw something like that here in the northern hemisphere, I'd buy it right away!

 

[Jovan]

It's about time those came back in style too. The double breasteds and three pieces need some support from another one of their vintage cousins.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Too true, Jovan. Unfortunately, guys, the quality is not real good (I gave the suits on the rack a thorough examination as soon as I spotted their kind in the shop window). Still, if I didn't have the vintage suits I've got, they'd be good starter suits.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Talking of very poor quality, Walthamstow High Street is awash in single breasted peak lapel3 piece suits. Generally with hacking pockets and external ticket pocket - also hacking-style. Quite nice on the eyes but nasty to touch and probably even worse to wear given the terrible construction.

bk