JJEH
Member
I took this picture for several reason, for one, I always wanted to do it. The pose suggests a self-confident, and accomplished, perhaps even a very sophisticated person. Add the cigar (even though I don’t smoke), cufflinks, watch, shirt, tie (unfortunately you can’t see my beautiful Prince Albert knot), tie bar, and it makes it look more serious, like a busy businessperson, yet still somewhat approachable judged by the facial expression.
To top it off we do this in black and white photography…. it’s the vintage feel that does it for me.
Many times, I look around and ask myself “what happened?” in today’s day and age. People have become too casual (with everything), but especially with clothing. We accept when people in (serious) business settings dress like they are about to go to the gym, coming from the gym, or they are sitting on their couch at home. It is not a good look and if you think that this might be a good company value to have (where every day is casual Friday), you are mistaken. Most likely your business will not be taken too seriously if you can’t differentiate between customers and staff. And yes, it did happen to me just in case you were wondering. A few years back, in a different life and location, a customer was asking me where to find the General Manager. Funny part was, he was standing not even 10ft away from me when the customer asked me. The difference was that I was wearing a suit and the GM was wearing jeans and a polo shirt. As the GM you shouldn’t do that in my opinion.
I do realize I didn’t wear my wedding ring in that photo. There are several reasons why I don’t wear it often, the main reason being that I hate it, especially when I’m working. And as long as my wife is okay with it, I’m not changing it.
Now, I have learned some life-lessons along the way, and I would like to pass them on to you for your consideration.
We have “e-v-o-l-v-e-d” into a society that thinks wearing a suit for men and a dress (or pants suit) for women is “dressing up.” This is a wrong way to look at things, because we should aways want to look good and be dressed appropriately. This type of clothing is not restricted to one or two particular groups in the social hierarchy. Wearing suits (m) and dresses/pants suits (f) is not just for politicians, doctors and attorneys! I mean, many politicians both men and women can’t even dress right, and they certainly can afford a tailored outfit.
Looking good doesn’t have to be expensive, but dressing expensive doesn’t necessarily make you look good!!
What you see in this picture is a mix of items that I have since forever, and some more recent acquisitions.
- Sean John shirt
- Tom James waistcoat
- Canali tie
- Estrada Armory cufflinks
- unmarked tie bar
- Kuoe wristwatch
- J.C. Newman BrickHouse unlit cigar
Many people object to buying second hand, but here’s a reason why you should give it a try; you’ll save a lot of money and not everything second hand is filthy and nasty. Case in point, I went with custom dress shirts (never had any made before them), $160 each, plus tax. Guess what? I lost weight and the tailor cannot adjust the shirts, so I would have to order new. Well, I won’t, because off-the-shelf shirts are not that bad, and you can have a nice dress shirt for way less than $160 new. The shirts are worn only a few times and are practically like new.
Same with a nice 3pc suit I had made, also at Tom James. It’s way too big now and they just won’t recut and sew it, just order new they said. Items like these will get donated by me, they are barely worn, and someone will be lucky to get their hands on high-quality clothing in like-new condition, for a fraction of the price.
If you buy a suit second hand, try them on, don’t just go by the size on the label. Every suit fits different. I know ladies have the same issues with their clothing. If they are a bit too wide and/or the sleeves or pants legs are too long, a tailor can adjust that, it’s no big deal so don’t put it back on the rack if you like it. Have them cleaned and then go to a good tailor.
If you absolutely do not want to go second hand, then look for sales. Many department stores offer sales, so do designers who sell consumer direct. Sometimes there are factory seconds sales, and I bet 99% of the time you can’t distinguish it from a factory new condition. Many also offer a student, military and/or law enforcement discount, take advantage of it. Every penny counts and you shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed to accept such discounts.
Another thing to consider are the four seasons of the year. Every season, every year, they want you to buy a new, fresh outfit. You don’t have to “upgrade” your wardrobe at that ratio. Your clothes will still be “in style” several years from the day of purchase, especially if you have a classic, conservative outfit.
Now, the one thing these clothes won’t give you is class. If you are a ******, then a $6,000 dollar suit and a $10,000 watch won’t change that. So, we should represent ourselves always at our best. Not because we care too much about what other people might think, but we care very much about what we think of ourselves. Self-respect is the key word here. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard, because we respect ourselves, we remind ourselves to stay humble, and that will automatically swap over to respecting others (more). It’s a beautiful cycle, giving opportunity to meaningful relationships.
There are always “good deals” out there, you just need to look and then make your move. It pains me seeing people work in high offices and such, wearing outfits that are just too casual and it’s unprofessional. It doesn’t have to be that way. Don’t listen to “trendsetters’ or “influencers.” Don’t copy some random “celebrity’s” clothing style.
Another saying I have learned is that you need to stop spending money you don’t have, to impress the person you don’t know!
Don’t think you need to have a certain item from a certain brand to be accepted into a certain club. A) you just don’t and B) there probably isn’t even a club to begin with. Don’t go overboard with it, you’ll just hurt yourself for no good reason.
Find a good tailor and drycleaner. Establish a good relationship with them and take care of your clothing. You’ll have it for a very long time and can gradually add items as you go along. There are hundreds if not thousands of different clothing styles to choose from, and each and every one will probably look better than 90% of what you can see walking up and down Times Square at any given time.
Someone smart once said “your money doesn’t impress me, your manners do!” and that’s a very good saying. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on looking good and professional, you just need to know where to look.
I hope this helps you out a little bit, should you have concerns that dressing “right” might be too expensive for you. It doesn’t have to be.
What do you say?
I love looking at vintage pictures of people and how they dressed, architecture, cars, life in general. It appears to me that the life we used to have is fading away. Stone, steel, leather and wood are making way for plastic and vegan materials. People are living a totally different life now. I don't like it.
