Suits In Fashion
Once you get into stratospheric price levels, it makes sense to ask yourself whether you're making an investment or buying a fashion item. Both have their pluses and minuses. While an immaculately rendered and classically tailored suit may last ten or 20 years and never go out of style, it'll hardly get you noticed in a crowd. Meanwhile, slick fashion suits will have you looking like a rock star, but only for a couple of years.
"The choice between fashion and longevity is a very personal one," says Michael Bastian, men's fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman in New York, who notes that he has several fashion suits that he wears only once every five or six years. "The best strategy is to play with them."
Indeed, playfulness is one of the defining characteristics of the latest generation of suit buyers. "Suits are definitely back, but in a more personal way," says Bastian. "The younger guys are treating suits more as an integrated part of their wardrobe--pairing jackets or pants with less traditional elements for distinctly personal looks. If they wear a tie now it's because they want to, not because their suit needs one."
That same philosophy is gradually making its way into corporate culture. "When it comes to a wardrobe, there's no longer the same emphasis on distinguishing between going to work and socializing," says Lauren Solomon, a New York-based image consultant who spent four years as the in-house image specialist at Chase Manhattan and now teaches "The Brand Called Me," a mandatory mini-course at New York University's Stern School of Business. "Your business wardrobe shouldn't be just navy and gray suits anymore, and your social wardrobe shouldn't be just corduroys. Wherever you're going these days, you're doing business, and you need to feel good about what you're wearing at any given moment."
Still, a suit must be appropriate to a region or industry. "What works in financial services in major metropolitan areas is not going to fly out in the middle of nowhere," notes Solomon. For instance, the light blues, greens, taupes and beiges one can get away with in the entertainment industry might not work in financial services, where dark solids, pinstripes and subtle patterns still hold sway. Similarly, the brighter colors and more creative styles of the West Coast look awkward and silly in laid-back New England or the conservative Midwest.
The Best Men's Suits
Forbes.com
Also see
New Laws Of Fashion Part 1.
With more quality available to the American man than ever before, there are also more pitfalls. To help you navigate our expanding sartorial world, here are Esquire’s fifty new laws of fashion. Commit them to memory. Break them if you like. (We’ll tell you how.) Then go undaunted.
1. YOU WEAR THE CLOTHES, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
2. INVESTING IN QUALITY OFTEN MEANS INVESTING IN THE THINGS YOU CAN’T SEE. Like the m...
The following article also comes highly recommended:
How To Dress Smart For The New Workplace.
Your Investment Strategy
SHOP SMART BUY LESS, BUY BETTER
This step in the wardrobe building process is important: Clothes take up real estate. And salary. The key is to buy less, better ,and buy clothes that will work together. Filling your closet with well-chosen, good quality, versatile pieces will enable you to “work” your wardrobe by mixing and remixing.
The result: Endless combinations that don’t require an...
Great custom tailoring information can be found in
What To Wear For Interview - Interview Attire.
THE INTERVIEW WARDROBE-TOOLS TO SUCCESS
When you meet your interviewer for the time, what impression do you want to give? If you want to say, I'm pretty, wear your favorite frilly blouse. If you want to say, I'm laid-back wear the V-neck sweater you loved in college. If you want to say, I'm more competent, reliable, and professional than any candidate you will interview for this position-in other words, if you want the job-st...
The following article also comes highly recommended:
Practices For Formal Dressing.
Practices for Formal Dressing
1. You don’t have to spend a lot on clothes to look like you’ve spent a lot.
2. Dark color will always look more authoritative.
3. Classics are classics for a reason.
4. Dressing appropriately is like having good manners.
5. A tie should always be tied and in place, not worn half mast.
6. Nobody sees the label.
7. Quality is more important than quantity.
8. When in doubt, wea...
Please check out
How You Dress Is What You Are.
Clothes Confidence
-When Dressing is serious business
THE POWER LOOK
Now that you understand how quality connotes power, how do you actually dress to display it? One basic rule is that the more formally you are dressed, the more powerful you appear. For instance, try blue pinstripe suit, with a white French cuff shirt and a woven silk tie. The shoes would be black cordovan cap-toes, and the belt is black alligator. Fina...
Great custom tailoring information can be found in
Custom Made Wardrobe.
At the beginning of your career, you dressed appropriately to show respect. But at this point you want to have the respect of others, and the first step toward achieving that goal is dressing with authority. Looking the part is obviously not enough when it comes to acquiring power in the workplace you have to earn that but how you present yourself signals more than ever your position and prestige. By now, your seniority has also pr...
Or even
Quality Custom Garments .
Quality & Quantity:
There are clearly two ways to spend your money: Quantity and Quality.
As you seek a better position career, both are important. Quantity will give you more choices. If for instance, you now have seven suits instead of four, you have more options, which will only make life easier when getting dressed or packing for travel. Quantity allows you to be more versatile in different situations: Whereas you o...
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Shirt And Ties Combos.
As you start to build your shirt collection, variation is critical. Different fabrics, collars, and styles can make even the most basic shirts seem unique. Also, as you add patterns, be cognizant of what will with your jackets and ties.
SHIRT&TIE (BUTTON-DOWN COLLAR)
The name refers to the collar, which buttons to the shirt. And the statement is classic conservative. If you looked any more Ivy League you’d have ivy gr...
The following article also comes highly recommended:
Shop Smart.
WHAT DO I BUY FIRST?
Primary:
* Suits
* Sport jackets
* Dress shirts
* Dress pants
* Ties
Secondary:
* Chinos
* Sweaters
* Polo shirts
* Shoes
* Socks
* Belts
* Overcoats
* Accessories
SHOP SMART : PANTS
Color:
Dark gray = All business.
Black = Sophisticated, urban.
Tan = Earthy but sophisticated.
Fabric:
For year-round, mid weight wool and wool blend...
Or even
About Wool Used For Mens Business Suits.
Mens Suit and Womens Suit FABRIC IDENTIFICATION
Burn Test - CAUTION. WARNING. BE CAREFUL! This should only be done by skilled burners! Make sure there is a bucket of water nearby and that you burn in a metal bucket or non-plastic sink.
To identify fabric that is unknown, a simple burn test can be done to determine if the fabric is a natural fiber, man made fiber, or a blend of natural and man made fibers. The burn test is us...
Please visit
Man's Business Suit.
“How to Buy a Business Suit”
As you begin to flourish in the workplace, your wardrobe must expand along with you. Always consider the atmosphere of your office, what your position is, and the long-term goals you have as you choose your business attire. And remember that what you see on the following pages needn’t be accumulated immediately or even one year. A wardrobe, like a career, tales time to build.
DO MY CLO...
Also see
Tailored Clothing For Smart Dresser.
LAWS OF DRESSING
1. You don’t have to spend a lot on clothes to look like you’ve spent a lot.
2. Dark color will always look more authoritative.
3. Classics are classics for a reason.
4. Dressing appropriately is like having good manners.
5. A tie should always be tied and in place, not worn half mast.
6. Nobody sees the label.
7. Quality is more important than quantity.
8. When in doubt, wear navy or Grey.
...
Or even
The Roi Wardrobe - Return On Investment In Custom Clothing.
INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE
Beginning a career, like launching a business, comes with start-up costs. Some of these will be obvious (suits cost a fair amount of money) and some will seem hidden (tailoring, dry-cleaning, etc.) but none of them should break you. A plan to spend your money is the key to spending it wisely.
UNDESTANDING NECESSARY EXPENDITURES
Things to keep in mind when building your wardrobe:
1. You might a...
Great custom tailoring information can be found in
Custom Clothing For The Corporate Work Place.
It is awfully important to know what is and what is not your business. - GERTRUDE STEIN
I’m a self-made man, but I think if I had to go it over again, I’d call in someone else. - ROLAND YOUNG, Actor
It’s always better to be looked over than overlooked. - MAE WEST
Fourteen voice-mail messages after lunch. Thirty-two-mails to return. A PowerPoint presentation coming up in there weeks. There are enough pressures...
Please visit
Custom Made Business Suits And Shirts.
“If I can be one step ahead because of the clothes I wear, then it’s worth it!”
CRAIG POGSON - Maitre d’ at 0rsay
Your closet will mostly full of non - work clothes at the early point in your career, which means that organizing what you wear to the office will be relatively simple. Here is a list of the minimum you should have in your work wardrobe as well as the accessories you will need to maintain your clothes properly:...
The following article also comes highly recommended:
A Mans Accessories.
The sole of a man often reveals his soul. Shoes that are well polished, with heels that are not worn down and laces that aren’t frayed, are the mark of a man who is responsible and cares about details. Here’s how to set off on the right foot.OXFORDSIt may be simple plain black leather with there to six sets of eyelets but oxford is the dressiest option for business. Just about the only statement you can make with an oxford is in t...
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Wool Suitings - Worsteds, Super And More .....
An article about the basic cloths used in Savile Row tailoring.
There are all kinds of cloth material out there- wool, cashmere, vicuna etc. But for the moment I just want to let you know about the most widely-used cloth in the business, the classic "Wool Worsteds". This is the main cloth bespoke customers need to know about. These are used for about 90% of our business. The exotics I’ll cover at a later date.
English Wool ...
Great custom tailoring information can be found in
Tools Of The Trade.
BRIEFCASE VS.KNAPSCK
Alas, you stopped carrying a Scooby-Doo lunch box at one point in your life you have stopped, haven’t you?, and now it’s time to abandon the knapsack in favor of a briefcase. Infinitely more stylish and far more grow-up, a briefcase is a sign that you are ready to be serious about your career. Choose one in black or brow leather and make sure there’s enough room to grow but not bulge. Be sure there is r...
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Your Perfect Formal Wardrobe..
Shop smart
The suit you buy for your interview will not be the last one you ever buy, but since it may be the first one you own, it has to be versatile: Think of it as the Swiss Army knife in your closet.
“How to Buy a Business Suit”
WHAT DO I BUY FIRST?
Primary
Suits
Sport jackets
Dress shirts
Dress pants
Ties
Secondary
Chinos
Sweaters
Polo shirts
Shoes
Socks
Belts
Overcoats
Accesso...
Great custom tailoring information can be found in
Proper Dressing For An Interview..
ENTICEMENT
All right, let’s deal with the simple gold hoop, the tasteful stud, a simple drop pendant, the feathered hand-carved wooden fetish original ear art picked up in Fiji is acceptable and do you wear it or not? It’s your call, just like goatees, beards, dreads, necklaces, and bracelets. Your freedom to wear what you choose is not in question but your right to have a particular job is in the eye of the beholder who i...
Also see
Dressing In The Corporate World..
Get the Job No Excuses
You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and nothing is more professional looking than a suit whit a shirt and tie. It’s strong, authoritative, and shows that you’re serious about what you do for a living. Is it enough to get you the job? Maybe not. But the proper attire will send the right message: You’re ready for business.
GIVING GOOD INTERVIEW
There are five elements to cons...
Or the highly acclaimed article on
Different Looks For Different Times..
Professional. By now, you should know the basic tenets of looking more professional, but just to be clear, looking more professional means meeting the sartorial standards of your office or industry. No matter the standard, looking more professional most likely means going one step above where you are now: From business casual to appropriate, and from appropriate to corporate.
Authoritative. If you want to look like one of...
Good reading can be found at
The Importance Of Formal Cloths In Today's Life..
In the high-tech, high-speed world we live in, instant gratification is often not soon enough. We like our news 24 hours a day and expect tomorrow’s information to be here yesterday. Among the many perils of this fast-paced society is that we are quick to make judgments about the appearances of others. In such a world, we need to send signals immediately and hope that people get the message we intend to send.
When Steven Ca...
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Dress Smart - The Packaging Of You – How To Clothe Your Self.
YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
As David McNally and Karl Speak stated so well in Be Your Own Brand, “A brand reflects a perception or emotion maintained in somebody else’s mind… It doesn’t matter nearly as much as you think. It matters a whole lot what other people think.
YOU ARE THE BRAND
With corporations spending millions on establishing brands, redefining brands, and expanding brands, it should come as little surpris...
