Q. I am not a clothes horse, but I do like to look good. I am 45 and work with up-and-coming young guys in their 20’s. Some of my colleagues look as if they just stepped out of GQ. Lately, my wife has been complaining about my clothes, especially my suits. She says they’re too baggy, that the ones in ads and on TV are trimmer. Is she right? Are the new clothes different? Is there a way to update my look without investing a fortune?
A. It is likely that she is correct. Men, as a rule, don’t like change. But, in today’s business world, a lot of men are competing with younger men. See what your competition is wearing. Invest in a couple of men’s dress magazines and check out what the look is. You can get an enormous amount of information from the Internet. Look around and see what is going on. Yes, suits are cut a bit trimmer. Accessories are a bit sharper.
It’s all about whatever advantage you can gain. You may need a more up-to-date, more contemporary look – nothing dramatic, but a little different. A man is giving his age away by not looking as current as he could.
Just a few years ago, the innovative men’s clothing designer, Thom Browne, introduced a totally new “too-short, shrunken” look – suits with skin-tight jackets and ridiculously short “flood pants.” The look was so extreme that most people dismissed it altogether. But, here’s what happened: While the super-skinny look did not catch on exactly as he showed it on fashion show runways, it did gradually influence everything in the men’s clothing industry: Jackets got a smidgeon shorter, so did pants; lapels narrowed slightly, so did ties; the silhouette got trimmer and closer to the body; pleated pants disappeared in favor of flat-fronts, and even my own favorite – pants with cuffs and a good break – became less popular. Other elements in the economy converged with this impetus; so, now the entire men’s style has veered toward a narrower, neater, and cleaner look.
While there is some expense in these purchases, it helps your image to make wise changes. It has been said that in something like 80% of job interviews the interviewer makes a decision in the first minute and a half. To an extent this may mean that your resumé and letter (and call) may have earned you the position, but you must not lose it in those 90 seconds – and that certainly includes your appearance.
I can’t stress enough how helpful it is to find a good tailor. He can take your suit jackets in a shade to give them a trimmer, slightly more tapered look. And he can make the sleeves a tad shorter. Of course, a lot depends on your body type. This slimmer look requires a body that is in reasonably good shape. If yours is too wide, the newer slim-cut styles won’t work as well.
Guys who are slimmer and trimmer – in better shape – want to flaunt it. And rightly so. Fitness gives you a new “up” feeling. It may not be fair, but in the business world it is one more advantage. Maybe you need to get a personal trainer or at least go to the gym. If you look tired and frumpy, it says you’re not making an effort – and makes you look old. Being in shape improves both your health and your appearance.
As to what to do about the suits, check your closet. Maybe the pinstriped suits are passé, maybe you need a style that is a little less uptight, more relaxed – perhaps a solid color. If a suit is 20 years old or looks shabby, bite the bullet and get rid of it. Anything else can probably be tweaked. This might also be the time to put away for a few years any suits or blazers with a three-button-closure. But your standard two-button jackets will still be fine.
It's not necessary to make an expensive clean sweep. Instead, add one new suit or two at a time, and phase out old ones the same way. When you go suit shopping, look for “sales.” If you shop carefully, you can get up to 40 % off. Look for bargain prices, but not bargain-basement quality. Buy fewer and buy better. Careful "On Sale" shopping helps bring top quality clothes into your price range.
Buy suits with a classic cut. Two-button single-breasteds are good choices. They never go out of style. Opt for double vents in back (also known as "side vents")or a center back vent. New trousers should have flat fronts without too much break. While suit jackets can be slimmed down, updating pants is a lot harder. A tailor can take them in a bit in the seat and shorten them slightly, but some alterations may not be worth doing.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to make a big difference in your appearance. One way to trim up your look is just to invest in a few new clean, crisp white or light blue shirts. And although, generally speaking, a man’s tie should be as wide as his jacket’s lapel, if your lapels are somewhat on the wide side, you can pair them with slightly narrower ties, say between 2¾ and 3½ inches. This will neaten your look. In fact, if yours is a really hip office, sadly, maybe you have to discard the tie altogether.
Always invest in good shoes; keep them polished and in good repair. If no one in your office wears classic lace-ups, invest in good slip-ons. Shoes, too, should fit your environment and not look dated.
From head to toe, you can make small (often inexpensive) changes that will improve and update your appearance.
Have questions of your own? Feel free to email me at Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
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