conservative business dress WAYWRN: An Experiment

Manton · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Requiem

^^ Mr. Moo, that's really good looking and, to my eye, it is still very business like. BIG business like.

Here's one of my favorite low-profile looks (shirt is probably light blue, not white)

This fine, certainly conservative, I just don't like the tie. Does nothing for me.

heaven7 · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Manton

IIRC, this is the same suit you posted earlier but with a dark blue tie. I liked that better.

I don't think so. That suit was grey with blue overcheck, this one is brown has a little bit of red too.
Anyway, I loved the brown suit + cashmere combo, looks a bit rustic but also sophisticated.

Fred49 · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Manton

First of all, you are already conservative business dress. If that's what you are going for, you are there.

If you want to look better in a "manton" alternate universe, ditch the red tie. I think it is the hardest color to wear well and most simply don't look good.

The suit and shirt are fine. That suit with (say) a pale blue shirt and rust orange tie would look very nice.

Perfect thank you. I will give that a try next week and repost. Much appreciated!!

tim_horton · Mar 12, 2011

General question:

Would you say that with conservative business dress (at least, the conservative business dress we're concerned with), a good rule of thumb is to be conservative in all but one factor? Such as:

Light gray suit
OR light colored tie
OR bold pocket square
OR double breasted suit (I add this because I think that in most offices, DB suits are not the norm, right or wrong.)
OR brown shoes with a gray suit (see above)

Etc.

Connemara · Mar 12, 2011

I was born to do conservative business dress. Everything is Brooks Bros. Suit is navy w/subtle red and blue windowpane. And forgive me for the Jovan-esque dirty mirror pic.

HEPennypacker · Mar 12, 2011

^^I think yours might be the first suit I've noticed with the button holes on the wrong...er, right side.

heaven7 · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by HEPennypacker

^^I think yours might be the first suit I've noticed with the button holes on the wrong...er, right side.

Mirror..

Manton · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Connemara

I was born to do conservative business dress.

Everything is Brooks Bros. Suit is navy w/subtle red and blue windowpane. And forgive me for the Jovan-esque dirty mirror pic.

This is awesome.

Connemara · Mar 12, 2011

I know

Bounder · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

Thanks for the comments, guys. Makes sense to me and I agree on all points. Good learning thread for sure. Here's another...

Tie is cashmere, hanky is silk. Suit is brown with a pale red and pale blue overcheck. Shirt is solid light blue.

Originally Posted by Manton

I don't dislike any single piece but the tone of the tie and suit are too close. I think more contrast would be better. IIRC, this is the same suit you posted earlier but with a dark blue tie. I liked that better. The square is nice and works well with all the individual parts.
Just for the sake of interest and discussion, I will disagree. I don't say that it looks bad -- and I get the point that Manton is making about conservative business dress v. what is currently passing on SF -- however, I think you have one too many patterns going, the suit pattern is just not conservative business dress or, really, business appropriate at all, although I admit I am really unadventurous in this regard. Also, neither contrast collars nor tie woodies are conservative business dress. EDIT: I withdraw a couple of my comments on reviewing what Moo actually wrote. On my monitor, the shirt looks like it has thin dark-blue lines and a white collar. So maybe he doesn't have too many patterns. Nonetheless, wouldn't it look better with a solid PS?

Bounder · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

I do not own a contrast collar shirt.

Well, maybe you should get one so we can all give you a hard time about it. On my monitor, the collar looks white and the shirt looks like it is blue with very thin darker blue strips. It probably got washed out from the flash. But if it were a contrast collar shirt and if it had stripes then it would be very bad. So watch yourself. Manton: Dimples are, of course, OK, indeed, required. But I am not a fan of the arching tie aka "the tie woody" in business dress. Please comment.

radicaldog · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Manton

I don't dislike any single piece but the tone of the tie and suit are too close. I think more contrast would be better.

This seems generally true, yet Agnelli often managed to pull off great ensembles with very little contrast (e.g. mid/light grey flannel suit, light sky blue shirt, very light gray tie with a bit of texture -- sometimes they were even all solids!).

Eustace Tilley · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by Bounder

But I am not a fan of the arching tie aka "the tie woody" in business dress. Please comment.

FWIW, I like them.

aj_del · Mar 12, 2011

How conservative business dress are

1. button down collars
2. knit ties
3. bow ties

Eustace Tilley · Mar 12, 2011

Originally Posted by aj_del

How conservative business dress are

1. button down collars
2. knit ties
3. bow ties

1. conservative business dress
2. Not conservative business dress
3. Definitely not conservative business dress

conservative business dress WAYWRN: An Experiment

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