Where do you wear yours?

[Big Man]

I wear a suit to work (usually a three-piece) just about every day. I also wear a fedora every day. Being a relatively big man (6' 6" and 350 lbs), I can pretty much wear anything I want and not receive negative comments (well, at least made to my face ).

I work in a state mental intuition and am surrounded by "professionals" on one side and patients on the other. The difference in the two groups of individuals (and their responses to my mode of dress) is interesting.

The "professionals" (psychiatrists, psychologists, etc.) tend to be some of the most sloppy dressers known to mankind. Blue jeans, t-shirts, etc is the normal mode of dress for a disproportionate number of these folks. From some of the more "goofy" bunch of professionals, I often will hear comments like "are you preaching today?" or "who died?". When I respond back, "it could be you", they will immediately shut-up and scurry away to some safe place (those types just can't take a joke, you know.

From the patients, however, I almost always receive comments like "are you my doctor" or "are you the Hospital Director" or "can you help me". In every encounter, even with the sickest of patients, almost without exception, they equate good dressing with respect, authority, and power.

Interesting, isn't it.

 

[GateXC]

I'm an attorney at a big law firm in NYC which is business casual. That said, I wear at least a jacket and tie every day and mix it up with a suit (3 piece usually) when I feel like it. As a result I'm dressed better than everyone except maybe the old school partners. No one in my age comes even close. I remember back when I started as a paralegal 6 yrs ago, all the law firms in the city started to go business casual. I had just bought a bunch of suits after graduating college and was damned if I was not going to wear them. So I did and as a result every time I walked into a closing, the other side always assumed that I was the lead attorney on the deal from our firm, simply because everyone else I was with was dressed "business casual" and I had a suit on.

Around that same time there was an Op-Ed piece in the NY Times about the whole "business casual" phenom in law firms. The author's basic argument was that your lawyer should look like a lawyer. Much in the way if you're hiring a clown for a party, you want the clown to look the part and not like an accountant. Sadly too few people follow that practice.

 

[nightandthecity]

Well, if that is where the decline began, this is where the incline of education re-begins.

Jacket and tie is required in this section boys, Denim stricly prohibited!
Skirts and tailored jackets for the ladies (tailored trousers too).

hey Matt, better learn to spell TROUSERS properly first!

 

[Matt Deckard]

hey Matt, better learn to spell TROUSERS properly first!

Good point

 

[Mr. 'H']

Good point

Good point.

(" . ")

To make a point.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

A few days ago, I was in a five star restaurant and the valets and busboys were dressed better than the clientel.

Generally the help/servants should be dressed one degree more formally than their employers/patrons. For example, a butler might be dressed in a stroller or cutaway when the master of the house is wearing a suit. Or waiters will be wearing black tie when the patrons are wearing suits. Earlier in time, of course, dinner guests would be wearing tailcoats while the servants would be wearing knee-britches, and powdered wigs.

Thus in theory, the help won't necessarily be better dressed but rather just more formally dressed. Today this is still true although the help is usually dressed more than one degree more formally although both patron and servant is likely to be slopplily attired.

 

[geo]

Often restaurant staff wear the wrong clothes, like black tie at lunchtime. I think this has contributed to the decline of black tie, since it's perceived as a waiter's uniform, or as what the orchestra wears.

 

[Wild Root]

hey Matt, better learn to spell TROUSERS properly first!

Wow, is this a spelling Bee or a suit discussion?

As for me, I wear a suit when ever I feel like it. I wear one to the Antique mall I work at some times and some times when I'm just running errands. I'll get a feeling that I want to sport one of my nice vintage suits and so, I do so.

Some people ask me if I'm going some where when I wear a suit, I say, yes, I'm going to the market or, the dry cleaners. They always look puzzled as to why a man would wear a suit to such places. I just love throwing people off.

The reason why I wear a suit some times is because I'm a walking example of what a man of the 30's or 40's would have worn on a daily basis. I most always wear a fedora with my outfits too and I get more people asking me where I got such a cool hat then why am I wearing a hat.

I also don't care what others think about what I wear! Unless it's a Job interview and I need to make an impression, I'll dig out one of my best vintage suits that is on the conservative side with a nice vintage tie and I'll leave the hat in the car.

I recall being at work and wearing my dark blue three piece belted back suit. An antique dealer came in to look at her receipts and she saw me. She asked what the occasion was and I said simply: I'm at work.

Living in California gives me all sorts of reasons to dress the way I do. Driving around here you'll see anything from sloppy skaters to vampires! So, a guy living a 1940's life style is rather mild in perspective.

Don't get me wrong, I do hear negative murmuring and snickering some times when out. One time I walked up to a guy and his friends and asked what the joke was. He said: YOU! I then replyed: I was unaware looking homeless is in this year.

=WR=

 

[Robert Conway]

Around that same time there was an Op-Ed piece in the NY Times about the whole "business casual" phenom in law firms. The author's basic argument was that your lawyer should look like a lawyer. Much in the way if you're hiring a clown for a party, you want the clown to look the part and not like an accountant. Sadly too few people follow that practice.

Now that is funny.

When I started out in the movie business, as a tape operator (aka the mailroom) I was once mistaken by our Japanese clients, as the director of their commercial. I was in a sport coat and slacks, while the director was wearing a beat up pair of jeans, a ratty t-shirt and generally looked like he had jsut fallen out of bed...

 

[Matt Deckard]

By the by... --editing license-- what spelling error?

 

[Wild Root]

Ah yes, Gene Wilder in the 1974 classic "Young Frankenstein" Such a great movie!

=WR=

 

[BellyTank]

By the by... --editing license-- what spelling error?

The Kid learns fast..!

B
T

 

[Wild Root]

All rights yous mugs...

All that aside, let’s see some or hear about some suits there, see. Must not stray too far ya know.

=WR=

 

[Mycroft]

I were to work dinner funtions (normally to work I wear a botton down and chinos), historical society events, Synagouge (I know I can't spell for my life and either can my spell check), and other special events. Alot of people do not wear suits or dress nicly to services anymore which annoys me though.

 

[Wild Root]

I have the same problem some times with my spell checker. Doesn't help me all that much at times.

I'd be careful, there's a lot of members here that are more then willing to point out any imperfections in any one's post.

=WR=

 

[Zach R.]

I guess I am of the "Root School," I wear a suit whenever I feel like it (and usually to the mundane places he mentioned).

As to the weird looks people give me when I wear a suit, I figure since they give weird looks to me when I'm just wearing a simple CLEAN shirt and tie, why not go all the way?

 

[Mycroft]

I guess I am of the "Root School," I wear a suit whenever I feel like it (and usually to the mundane places he mentioned).

As to the weird looks people give me when I wear a suit, I figure since they give weird looks to me when I'm just wearing a simple CLEAN shirt and tie, why not go all the way?

Very true, I do wear suits sans ties alot as well as blazers and a cool shirt. I feel that in Florida and how it is so informal and hot it is not worth wearing a suit alot of the time or mostly at all just for practacality. Though if I could I would.

 

[Wild Root]

I guess I am of the "Root School," I wear a suit whenever I feel like it (and usually to the mundane places he mentioned).

As to the weird looks people give me when I wear a suit, I figure since they give weird looks to me when I'm just wearing a simple CLEAN shirt and tie, why not go all the way?

Well, I'm happy to hear that! Life is too short to worry about what some one will think if you dress nicely. I say wear a suit, dress up and enjoy it no matter what because in the end, you may meet some one who is impressed with the way you dress and it might be to your betterment.

For those in hot muggy places of the world, you can dress in suits and stay cool nevertheless! Wear light linen suits and you'll stay cool. Too bad "Palm Beach" isn't making the same suits they did in the 30's and 40's. That would be the ideal fabric to sport in those climates.

=WR=

 

[Mycroft]

Well, I'm happy to hear that! Life is too short to worry about what some one will think if you dress nicely. I say wear a suit, dress up and enjoy it no matter what because in the end, you may meet some one who is impressed with the way you dress and it might be to your betterment.

For those in hot muggy places of the world, you can dress in suits and stay cool nevertheless! Wear light linen suits and you'll stay cool. Too bad "Palm Beach" isn't making the same suits they did in the 30's and 40's. That would be the ideal fabric to sport in those climates.

=WR=

Acually, I was just looking at those at the Polo Store in a local mall. Man, they are really nice and kinda vintage. Though, I think I think a light wool works just as well, even when it rains if it dark.

 

[Styles]

speaking of sloppy dressers...

One of my biggest pet peeves is men who 1) don't remove their hats (or caps these days) upon going indoors; 2) eat with their hats on indoors. Does everyone else run into this everywhere you go?