Business Suit Style?

**Obstruction** · 07-05-2007, 09:46 AM

Three days might work if your not seeing the same people and you are a hell of a lot easier on your clothes than I am. But my suits usally need a day off to air if I've been wearing them for 8+ hrs straight.

I'm in the financial buinsess also but fortunately I'm away from the public most days so its business casual for me 80% of the time.

The biggest issue for me these days, which many have mentioned, is fit. If your suit fits, you feel good and you look good. If you know your size and have a good tailor to alter what you buy off the rack you should be all set.

**neck beard** · 07-05-2007, 10:08 AM

I'll admit I push the envelope a bit too much when it comes to not caring about suits in an environment when I am supposed to. I'll also admit that if you really take it seriously then yes, an acceptable suit worn properly makes some difference, particularly in the public arena. Unfortunately if I wanted to make a stronger and better impression I would at some point have to up my suit game whether I felt like it or not. And I would certainly get them dry-cleaned more than twice a year (staying out of bars does loads for keeping my suits clean).

Just don't want to see a guy who was selected for a leadership course end up confusing the moon for the finger that points at it.

**Grange** · 07-05-2007, 10:16 AM

The dress code given was business attire (i.e. suit) first day and casual attire the other two days. I'm not sure what the rest of the sessions will require. Now causal attire for this group most likely doesn't mean the same thing to me. I'll most likey have to "dress up" all three days compared to what I normally do.

**The Dad** · 07-05-2007, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Spats

if you don't know what you're doing, just go gray suit/light blue shirt/red tie and you'll come out OK

Red ties... not so much these days. Very 80s.

Tone on tone (closely matched variant of the same color) still appears to be the most stylish way to go these days. A light blue shirt with a slightly darker, tightly patterned blue tie is a winner. Etc.

"Casual," in this context, probably means khakis with either a comfortable dress shirt or a polo.

**lemon boy** · 07-05-2007, 10:25 AM

Agree with alpine dad about the casual assessment. khakis and a polo are safe conference bets.

**philippeR** · 07-05-2007, 10:31 AM

And, don't forget :

**hutash** · 07-05-2007, 06:14 PM

Too bad you are in the mid-west. In California casual attire is board shorts, flip-flops +/- a shirt.

Four pages on suit choice....it is going to be a long summer.

Leaving your fly open may impress the French ladies, but be sure to shake it well, nothing screams yokel more then a wet spot in your crotch after visiting the men's room.

**Jack** · 07-05-2007, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by irul&ublo

Hey Jack....supersize my fries please.....

Sorry suit boy. There's a big world outside of that office you might be better off exploring but that suit won't do you much good and the tie is not necessary as you don't need to be led by it when you don't have to try to be one of the big cogs in the machine.
Admit it you must tire of looking like everybody else in your office. You must yearn to show some personal style .Oh yeah . Wear the power tie tomorrow. baaaaah

**raj** · 07-05-2007, 08:54 PM

Leadership is about finding vision/ problems worth solving gettign people/ teams excited about that vision and then getting them done with a team. Dress shouldn't be your worry. I went to perhaps the most selective schools for both undergrad and grad school, have worked at the forefront of "high tech" through out my career and at every stage have usually been the youngest person to have reached that stage in the company/ profession... I have never owned a suit and never worn one whether for job interviews, giving keynotes at major conferences, presenting papers, business whatever.

One should dress individually. Suits make one look like sheep trying to blend in. If you have your individual flair and want to wear suits for that fine, but suits just to blend in seem bizarre. I have atended numerous "leadership" events, national engineering societies etc and no one ever panned me about dress.

I would draw the line at being unclean, disshevelled, wearing torn T shirts..but beyond that, dress should be be totally unimportant compared to things that actually matter.

If dess is a very important part of a "leadership" event, there probably is not much content

**Viva** · 07-06-2007, 08:07 AM

raj, while much of what you wrote is true, you're about as clueless as they get.

**runethechamp** · 07-06-2007, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Jack

Sorry suit boy. There's a big world outside of that office you might be better off exploring but that suit won't do you much good and the tie is not necessary as you don't need to be led by it when you don't have to try to be one of the big cogs in the machine.
Admit it you must tire of looking like everybody else in your office. You must yearn to show some personal style .Oh yeah . Wear the power tie tomorrow. baaaaah

I'll ask you again, tell us what you wear that sets you apart from the crowds.

**Woodsy** · 07-06-2007, 11:26 AM

I have avoided this thread for a while but thought i would chime in on one thing people have missed and then add a few points
1) fit as mentioned above is important.. with your dimensions you are going to need to get your dress shirts tailored. it doesnt cost much, any seamstress can do it. with a chest like that i am assuming your neck is good size. such a large chest and small waist will create loads of fabric to tuck in.
ithis will fuck up your fit at the wiast on the suit and can even make your suit jacket look funny
trust me I know. my dimensions are larger than yours on both but my chest has always been 10" plus more than my waist.
2) avoid Men's Wearhouse.
Just do. It sucks
3) 3 button is as timless as 2, been around a long time. not trendy by any stretch
lengthens your torso, and will accentuate your shoulder waist V
4)kahkis and a polo is more of a uniform than a suit, ubiquitous in the work world, especially middle America.
wear it if its you, but i would buy 3 dress shirts for the suit, wear one each day, bring another pair of pants and wear the suit pants the last day.
noone will know.
hell wear the old suit pants if they fit unless they are pleated, then no. Pleasted pants can work with a suit but solo they are horible.
Its worth the buy. Always good to have a good fitting suit in the closet for occasions.

Lastly & importantly think of it like buying outerwear for skiing:
-you get what you pay for, but try not to pay retail.
-fit is important and you need to be able to move.
-when you have the right one you will feel it, dont be afraid to shop around, it is an investment.

not sure where you live in WI, but can you make it to Chi town? loads of good options there.

**zion zig zag** · 07-06-2007, 11:53 AM

I can speak to how timeless suits can be if you go with the right style. My mom bought me a suit when I was 17 to be a pallbearer for a friend and I still wear it to weddings, funerals, job interviews, etc. I'm 33 now so I've gotten some mileage out of it. I can't think of the brand, Brooks Bros. maybe. Like others have said, it's grey, subtle pinstripes, wool.

**BeanDip4All** · 07-06-2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by raj

Leadership is about finding vision/ problems worth solving gettign people/ teams excited about that vision and then getting them done with a team. Dress shouldn't be your worry. I went to perhaps the most selective schools for both undergrad and grad school, have worked at the forefront of "high tech" through out my career and at every stage have usually been the youngest person to have reached that stage in the company/ profession... I have never owned a suit and never worn one whether for job interviews, giving keynotes at major conferences, presenting papers, business whatever.

One should dress individually. Suits make one look like sheep trying to blend in. If you have your individual flair and want to wear suits for that fine, but suits just to blend in seem bizarre. I have atended numerous "leadership" events, national engineering societies etc and no one ever panned me about dress.

it's like he's trying to speak to me, I know it!

did you just throw together a bunch of corporate leadership buzzwords in a sack and pull out "Teams forefront keynote speaker vision?"

This smugly written tripe is an affront to this thread and fails to meet even the most generous definition of helpfulness.

**runethechamp** · 07-06-2007, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

it's like he's trying to speak to me, I know it!

did you just throw together a bunch of corporate leadership buzzwords in a sack and pull out "Teams forefront keynote speaker vision?"

This smugly written tripe is an affront to this thread and fails to meet even the most generous definition of helpfulness.

Haha. I was also just thinking, since when was the "High Tech" industry known to be the one where people care the most about dress codes?

**Viva** · 07-06-2007, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

did you just throw together a bunch of corporate leadership buzzwords in a sack and pull out "Teams forefront keynote speaker vision?"

This smugly written tripe is an affront to this thread and fails to meet even the most generous definition of helpfulness.

Yo, raj-ma-taj, at least I tried to be nice, eh?

**Odin** · 07-06-2007, 12:54 PM

But... Beandip!

Overall throughput productivity has been shown to have 10% gains in an area of mass public individuality. The company has noticed this gain and has decided to do away with suits and dress clothes, and make casual wear uniform. You are NOT allowed suits, khakis, anything made by anyone italian, french or designed in new york.

Starting tomorrow the mandatory uniform is ripped jeans, van halen t-shirts and a condescending attitude, we find that if this track record increases we should be able to boost productivity by %40.

We expect that everyone will like the individuality and comfort that dressing casual brings. Anyone caught wearing a suit or buisness suit related atire is subject to suspension.

(I find that dressing nice is almost the renegade move at most corporate environments nowadays)

**BeanDip4All** · 07-06-2007, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by runethechamp

Haha. I was also just thinking, since when was the "High Tech" industry known to be the one where people care the most about dress codes?

quiet you, or i shall get Jack to "baaaah" at you a second time!

**cj001f** · 07-06-2007, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

In California casual attire is board shorts, flip-flops +/- a shirt.

It's wonderful, isn't it?

My feet have tanlines.

**comish** · 07-06-2007, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsy

bring another pair of pants and wear the suit pants the last day.
noone will know.
hell wear the old suit pants if they fit unless they are pleated, then no. Pleasted pants can work with a suit but solo they are horible.
Its worth the buy. Always good to have a good fitting suit in the closet for occasions.

Lastly & importantly think of it like buying outerwear for skiing:
-you get what you pay for, but try not to pay retail.
-fit is important and you need to be able to move.
-when you have the right one you will feel it, dont be afraid to shop around, it is an investment.

I would agree with a lot of what has been said. Where they matter and where they don't has a lot to do with the industry, geography, culture, etc. High tech generally = no suits. London, even high tech = suits. CA, and my world, almost never suits which was a nice change after the suit everyday routine of London, but I will say, the whole thing really isn't a big deal after you get used to it (except on the tube in 90 degree heat w/ 100% humidy where the jacket blows)

I digressed a bit. Woodsy, only dispute I might have is on your pleated pants thing. Generally I would agree that non-pleated pants are definitely far more stylish these days, but I wouldn't say pleats have been banned. For example, my ass almost doesn't fit in pants without pleats. I was recently trying on a coat at a Nordstroms for shits and giggles (wouldn't buy because like you suggest, you can't pay retail) and the dude asked me to take my wallet out of my back pocket. I was like, nothing there but my ass. Generally I almost need pleats to fit my ass and relatively small waist...

Back to the topic at hand. Buy a good fitting suit, get it tailored, spend a few $$$ on it as it will last. etc etc.

**runethechamp** · 07-06-2007, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by comish

I digressed a bit. Woodsy, only dispute I might have is on your pleated pants thing. Generally I would agree that non-pleated pants are definitely far more stylish these days, but I wouldn't say pleats have been banned. For example, my ass almost doesn't fit in pants without pleats. I was recently trying on a coat at a Nordstroms for shits and giggles (wouldn't buy because like you suggest, you can't pay retail) and the dude asked me to take my wallet out of my back pocket. I was like, nothing there but my ass. Generally I almost need pleats to fit my ass and relatively small waist...

You need pants with ass pleats

**Yoda** · 07-06-2007, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by comish

I digressed a bit. Woodsy, only dispute I might have is on your pleated pants thing. Generally I would agree that non-pleated pants are definitely far more stylish these days, but I wouldn't say pleats have been banned. For example, my ass almost doesn't fit in pants without pleats. I was recently trying on a coat at a Nordstroms for shits and giggles (wouldn't buy because like you suggest, you can't pay retail) and the dude asked me to take my wallet out of my back pocket. I was like, nothing there but my ass. Generally I almost need pleats to fit my ass and relatively small waist...

.

If pleats have your kahkis, ass you get none.

**neck beard** · 07-06-2007, 04:00 PM

I don't want to correct the master, but...

If pleats your kahkis have, ass get you none.

Friday night, 11pm, half pissed, alone reading a forum and correcting Yoda grammar. I'm pathetic.

**valleygirl** · 07-06-2007, 06:59 PM

Maybe this has got out of hand a little...

do ya LOOK good in a suit? Then buy one. If ya don't, do something else.

Cuz...

"It's not how you feel, dahling... it's how you look... and you... look... mahvelous..."

**raj** · 07-06-2007, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

it's like he's trying to speak to me, I know it!
This smugly written tripe is an affront to this thread and fails to meet even the most generous definition of helpfulness.

I was genuinely trying to be helpful. The original poster asked for dress advice for a leadership event. I haven't read through the whole thread but obviously many people will be able to give him input on the perfect suit. I was simply trying to give the minority report version of "why dress differently from how you normally dress for work ?".

If someone LIKES wearing suits, go for it. If you wear one daily for work, again no different. But if you don't normally wear suits, why change for some "leadership" thing. That was my whole point. I have no reason to toot my horn on some internet board. The purpose behind bunch of stuff about me was to give some credibility that it is perfectly possible to do decently in corporate american careers without worrying about dress codes.

I am sure there are fields like film or television where looks matter but for most careers (including likely the original poster), whats in your head, your passion for a field and empathy for people around you matter, not what you wear.

Sorry if I accidentally rubbed you the wrong way. Off to my run and then yummy raspberry shake. Local, fresh raspberries. Mmmm....