Comments on: Your Personal Appearance: The Importance of Being a Sharp Dressed Man

By: RJ

RJ — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:49:46 +0000

To the man who works in with machines…I totally understand that a suit would not be appropriate for that environment, but at the same time, a clean and well-maintained uniform garners the same type of respect as a 500 dollar suit.

By: dario hernandez

dario hernandez — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:58:30 +0000

I happen to agree with everything that is mentioned in here. I myself am and Marine and the way we dress and take care of our uniform has a lot to do with our discipline which in return helps us win battles. The reason I am reading this in the first place is because i am writing a paper about being a gentleman and dressing properly happens to be one of the topics that i am hitting. I firmly believe that the way you dress and present yourself reflects many things about you.

By: lucian

lucian — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:35:18 +0000

dear Antonio Centeno:
now I’ve read this article but i just have one question to ask?.what about us “bigger” guys, now i would like to dress well and dress to kill but do you have any tips on hiding the gut or should i accept it?

either way would like to hear your professional opinion!

regards lucian

By: Tom Harbold

Tom Harbold — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:41:46 +0000

You’re spot on about this. I have noticed that when I am dressed in a more professional or dressy-casual manner, I get on average more friendly nods, smiles, and hellos from strangers, and noticeably better service from service personnel, than when I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt, even if both are neat and clean. It’s possible to argue over whether this “should” be the case, of course, but the salient point is that it IS the case.

One must, of course, suit one’s wardrobe to circumstance; when I was working in the field at an organic farm I dressed for comfort and practicality, not style, and even now I wouldn’t wear a nice polo shirt and khakis to change the oil, or a blazer and tie to a family picnic. But I have come increasingly to the belief that one should always dress as well as one’s situation and circumstances permit: what my late and beloved mother used to call, “putting your best foot forward.”

Without, of course, being foppish or metrosexual about it!

By: antoine

antoine — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:07:47 +0000

I disagree, in the case of Ceres she cared about theu suit not the man. My job now if I wore a suit to I would be broke, because the machinery would teat it up (battery acid etc). I could move up but their is the dress issue. I think fashion is dumb personally, because most have style but no substance, nothing else to them. I personally dont care aboput what others think, I know you have heard that before but it is true.Growing up on Sundays I took my suit off right after church was over and it my mother said suit of belt I picked the belt. She gave up. I do know that is how we are judge but I still sleep well and that is all that matters.

By: Gyasiman

Gyasiman — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:20:33 +0000

I am very much exicited about this acticle for it has open the door for me to come out with a decent outlooking.

Thank each and everyone who contributed what he or she has.

thanks

and also please am 18 years male and from Ghana. on the west of Africa.am pleading to any person who would love to help me by being my teacher. please
i want to learn anything our how to bring my life up. please is a dedication from your heart and i know you would be bless.

By: Dr. R.M. Mc Lean

Dr. R.M. Mc Lean — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:56:30 +0000

Nice article – keep it up.

By: Brittney

Brittney — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:33:18 +0000

I must agree with you on how men dress. As a society in general we have gotten too casual. I love my jeans,t-shirts and Converses as well. But men, when you are out on a date wear something a little more classy. I loved how Ronald Reagan,Bing Crosby and Frank Sintatra dressed. What has happened to this generation? Why are we so darn casual. I am also sixteen and I would adore any man who wore a suit.
:]

By: none

none — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:48:49 +0000

Whether it should or not, professional attire has it’s own power. Not on everyone, not all the time, but just try dressing up and conducting one’s self around town, vs just in jeans and a t-shirt. You will notice people’s programmed response to being well dressed.

To be sure, there are those who don’t care what you look like, but for everyone one of them I can wager there are more than enough who do care, specifically in leadership roles. I can recall quite distinctly one occasion when a visiting exec was introduced to me, and he quite litteraly looked me over from head to foot for a few seconds, soaking in the details of my attire, creating a first judgement of whether or not I was someone who should be taken seriously. I found it profoundly disturbing (I’m one of those don’t care what people looks like folks), but it’s then nature of the environment.

The sports uniform may only have subtle if any impact on individual capability, but to play the game, one must be able to wear it.

By: none

none — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:26:51 +0000

@Shaun Daws – Tech industry workers can often find themselves in a position of needing to float between jeans and polo wearing team members one moment, and power suit senior leadership the next.

What I’ve found it useful to create a good base look that isn’t too formal, but can be quickly modified to sell to a high end crowd.

I start with a good crisp white (other colors can be used if carefully selected for quality look) long-sleave shirt (undershirt mandatory), simple black leather belt with modest buckle (never allowed to look worn), plain well pressed black slacks, and well kept black shoes. This look is professional, without being so over the top as to intimidate other casual workers.

Next, have a good sport coat available tailored to fit, made of a good fabric, I also keep a black tie and perhaps a few other very structured professional colored ones about.

It takes but a few minutes to upgrade the base look to a credible senior leadership look when needed.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:00:44 +0000

Two thoughts I’d like to throw out for your consideration:

First, I work as a consultant in the I/T industry, and I always try to make sure I dress one step above what my clients are wearing. Example: client is wearing T-shirt and jeans, I’ll wear a polo shirt and khakis. Client is wearing the khakis, I’ll wear a sport coat, or dress shirt / tie with slacks. That way I don’t appear to be too overbearing or intimidating by the way I dress.

Second, I had a business lunch with one of our VPs (who I had never met before) and business development managers with a potential client awhile back. The meeting went great, everyone was dressed appropriately and life was good. Then, the client left and the three of us were heading back to the office, and the VP started letting loose with various obscenities, lewd comments, etc. and he lost major points in my estimation of him. Moral of the story: clothes make the great first impressions, but don’t blow it by your language, attitude, etc.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:10:51 +0000

Although it might be an extreme example; I got used to dressing myself nicely early on as a violinist in the local youth symphony I had to wear a tuxedo to every concert. When I would be out that evening right before I felt pretty awesome.

Although wearing a suit and tie to university classes now would be a step too far (especially in a public college in Tennessee where the average dress is very casual) I find that donning a tucked in dress shirt with my jeans (not designer, but not ratty) and adding a blazer really steps up my appearance. As a musician – going into teaching -, I never know when I’m going to be meeting people that I will be trying to get work from in a few years so I like to make sure I’m always dressed for success.

I’m also just about done saving up for a brand new case for my violin that looks a lot classier than the old hunk of junk I’m carrying around right now. Whether it’s housing documents or a 200 year old violin anything you carry with you just has to look good as well.

Excellent article and, as previously stated, one of the best.

By: Jim Bingemheimer

Jim Bingemheimer — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:54:50 +0000

Awesomely written post. I half-expected to read the usual commercialized dreck that leads immediately into a pitch for the $3,300 Armani suit (GQ, etc.). But this article hangs back and actually informs us about the core, inner workings of how and why a guy should dress up, not down. I would even hasten to say that this is a complete manifesto of men’s sartorialism.

By: jdgjtr

jdgjtr — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:32:19 +0000

For the most part, I am not impressed by someone in a s suit. Jocks and rappers mostly look like thugs and and pimps in suits. Other guys look like lawyers or preachers. I had a job at one time that required me to dress up; the suit wearing supervisors shafted me for several hundred dollars in commissions. I spent five years in the military. I took care of my uniforms and took pride in them but the guys with the cleanest uniforms usually did the least work. I wear khakis and polo shirts or oxfords that are neatly pressed but I will not wear a suit. Having respect for someone just because they are well dressed never made any sense to me nor is my self esteem increased whether I am wearing khakis, jeans or scrubs.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:38:48 +0000

Great article. I think that a great follow up would be to educate some men that are new to dressing up about different cuts of shirts, pants and other clothing. When I first started taking care of appearance, I had no clue about what boot cut I wanted or about different collars of shirts.

It would be great to read an article that can fill all the missing pieces.