Q. What are the most common dress mistakes guys make?
A. Feeling inappropriately dressed can be a demoralizing experience. With a little thought and effort, a man can avoid embarrassing dress mistakes that make him want to go home, get in bed, and pull the covers over his head.
As a speaker on executive dress, I travel to corporate meetings and conventions throughout the country. I spend considerable time waiting in airports; my favorite airport game is pre-guessing who will be flying which class. Some travelers surprise me. But, more often than not, I can spot the first-class customers. Their dress and grooming are the giveaways.
Here are the men's mistakes I encounter most frequently that any man would be wise to avoid.
BARGAIN-BASEMENT THINKING
Bargain-Basement Thinking is what prompts men to spend too little for their clothes. In a business setting, your clothes should emphasize success. "Polyester dressing" is a prime example of Bargain-Basement Thinking. Since synthetics tend to look cheap, the man who wears them does himself a disservice. Natural fibers -- wool for suits, cotton for shirts, silk for ties, and linen for summer wear -- are more impressive, more comfortable, longer wearing, and carry an air of success. If a man does buy a blend, the higher percentage of wool or cotton, the better.
Not long ago, a young man I know with a brand-new MBA was hired by a highly respected consulting firm. They gave him -- company policy -- $5,000 to outfit himself in a business wardrobe. They stipulated that he should spend at least $600 on each suit, and that the suits should be dark blue or gray. His shirts should be white or blue. He was to wear no jewelry except a wedding ring and a watch. The firm did not want its prestige damaged by junior executives wearing bargain-basement purchases.
On the other hand, buying "on sale" is not false economy. What is wrong with getting a $500 blazer for $150? Just be sure you know what you need in your wardrobe. Don't buy on a whim something you would not have considered without a sale. The old saying is still true: "A bargain is not a bargain if you don't wear it."
IGNORING STYLE CHANGES
Although men's styles do not change as often or as radically as women's, they do change. Guys who care about how they look should pay attention. The pendulum of change for men's clothing swings slowly; it usually takes about seven years from one cycle to the next.
Some years back, the trend moved toward vested suits, fuller cuts, wider lapels, more shoulder padding, and wider ties. Today, the reverse is true. Everything is trimmer, more body-hugging cuts, narrower lapels, and slimmer ties with smaller knots. If you think such changes are merely the whim of manufacturers and have no logic, you are mistaken. Since balance and harmony are essential to designers, when one part changes, others must follow. If the lapels get narrower, then the ties have to be narrower. Proportion is the key.
The pressure of change is compelling. When fashion changes, stores carry different merchandise, men buy what is shown and available, your eye adjusts, and soon what is new is all that looks right. The man who insists on wearing wide ties, wide lapels, full-cut suits, fuller hairstyles, and longer sideburns when these have become passe risks appearing unprofessional and out of step.
ILL-FITTING CLOTHING
Fit is 90 percent of the game.
Even the finest clothes you can buy won't make you look good if they don't fit correctly. Any man who is rude to the tailor is a fool. Tip him, flatter him, ask his opinion, cajole -- do whatever works to get him on your side. He may be able to perform miracles by giving your $400 suit a $900 look.
Don't decide that the amount you are spending for the garment itself is as far as you will go. If the item needs simple tweaking, or more, bite the bullet and have it done.
Men must learn to take a critical look at themselves in the mirror and see what can be done to minimize imperfections and maximize assets.
Send men's fashion queries to Male Call:
Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile on 05/17/2015