Why don't men wear suits most of the time if it makes them look more important and authoritative? (cut, red)
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Numerous studies have shown that people are looked up to more and taken more seriously when they wear formal attire. This goes for both men and women.
Dressing formally makes a huge impression in job interviews, client meetings, dates, promotions and other situations. It can make it or break it for people in many instances.
In workplaces, people are more productive and there are less reports of sexual harrassment when they wear formal attire. Even in school, children are better behaved and perform better academically when they wear school uniforms.
So, the question is - Shouldn't people dress up much more often if they are perceived to be more powerful and have a higher status by do so? Who wouldn't want this advantage most of the time?
I don't think so.
Anyone can put on a suit, but can anyone pull off having a higher status just because they are wearing a suit? I really don't think so. There is a certain behavior that comes along with those who have earned that higher status.
There are certain occasions where suits are appropriate for any man. A wedding, a funeral, a job interview, etc.
If my fiance showed up on our first date in a suit, it would probably be our last date. Do you think a woman wants to feel like the man she is going on a date with is more powerful or of some higher status? I don't think so.
Now, if the situation calls for the suit, then the woman would also be dressed in the same manner.
My fiance and I were out to dinner the other night and there was a group of people dining next to us. One man was particularly loud and the things he was saying (IMO) made him seem like he was acting better or more important than the people around him, or at least he thought he was. I thought he looked like a jerk and it seemed like the people he was with did as well.
The last thing I remember him saying was, "I wear a three piece suit to work every day. I wear a vest and a jacket. If I am wearing jeans I will wear a dress shirt."
Who cares?!?!?
If you are someone who is to be held in a higher status by all means, wear a suit. If you aren't and want people to think you are, make sure you can back it up with your behaviors.
Heat is the main issue. I need to buy a couple lighter shades for summer wear. The Don Draper look is a good one to pull off. It helps to be handsome too
I used to live in Japan. Japanese people do not wear suits to the amusement park. The Japanese are very fashion conscious and can be found wearing cool outfits in many different styles, but often wear terrible, cheap polyester suits to work.
How long ago was this? Someone told me this happening back in the 70s to 80s
It doesn't make men look more important or authoritative to me. It makes them look like drones of each other. Corporate drones. The tie? Yeah, that's actually a corporate noose. I have to wear the suit/the combo for my job.. I don't like it at all.
Agree.
I hate neckties. The only practical use for a necktie is strangling the wearer.
Whatever the practical benefits of wearing a suit, I'm afraid the culture has moved away from the time where it will be common in most occupations.
I will point out, though, that many of the opposing views are a bit misguided.
For instance, most days, probably eight or nine out of ten, I wear blue jeans. I like them and I think they are comfortable, but there is no way that the trousers of a summer-weight wool suit are hotter and more uncomfortable than a pair of blue jeans. I tend to wear cooler pants and even shorts during the summer, but many people don't have that option for work.
Second, even in hot climates, most people who work in offices spend almost all their working day in air-conditioned space, so thermal comfort is not the most important consideration. (We are all familiar with offices where the workers have to wear sweaters all summer because of how cold the air-conditioning keeps the temperatures.)
It is undoubtedly true that maintaining a collection of suits, with the appropriate shirts, ties, shoes, etc., is more expensive than wearing blue jeans or khakis and polo shirts or t-shirts.
Fundamentally, though, the culture has changed and I don't see it changing back anytime soon.
Anyone who is interested in discussing these issues, or any of the finer points of men's clothing, should visit Ask Andy About Clothes. You'll get better clothing advice there than you are ever likely to find here.
Because suits are hot, restricting, and uncomfortable--- unless you're going to shell out big bucks for the custom tailored designer stuff that's made with fine materials and costs a fortune. The issue with most suits is that they don't fit exactly right when you buy them off the rack, and, unfortunately, that's how most guys wear them. Sure you can buy the cheapo Made-in-China ones but the quality and fit of those are especially bad. The designer ones may cost a bundle, but they last forever if you care them right (and if you don't get fat), and caring for them requires a lot of maintenance. Then there's the matter of ties, shirts, and shoes. You need really nice ones to make your suit look good, and the really nice ones aren't cheap either. Its a chore to dress up in a suit and that's probably the most common reason why most men don't bother with wearing one unless they have to. Worse if you live in a place like south Florida where its hot and humid most of the time. Most men don't even wear suits to church anymore.
I also believe that you have to have a certain type of body to look good in a suit---tall and slim. If you're short, very athletic and muscular, or have some extra pounds on you, you're never going to look like those dudes in the fashion magazines. I don't think that most men care about that look either...unless you're a suit fetishist or a Mad Men fan. A simple dinner jacket works in more upscale restaurants. That formal 'suited' look seems most appropriate for big shot Wall Streeters.
There probably is no advantage in wearing a suit to a beach.
However, suppose you're going out to dine at a restaurant. What do you think would likely make a better impression on the people serving your table - wearing a suit and tie, or a wearing a t-shirt and shorts?
If being formally dressed gets you superior service and attention, then that makes for a better dining experience, right? Based on your appearance and perceived socioeconomic status, the waiting staff may think you will likely tip them more as well.
The same goes for other situations - such as in hotels, airports, schools, stores, etc.
Are you sure? How long did it take you to come to this conclusion?
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