Post your own casual to smart transformation stories

[wannalooksmart]

I am interested to hear from you guys about how you made the switch from dressing casual to dressing smart.

For example. At what age did this happen? What looks did you try out until you achieved your aim? Was it overnight or a drawn out process? Why did you do it and are there any regrets? How did people react? etc etc etc...

So I have started a thread for anyone who wants to share their stories of the time they decided to smarten up their act.

Over to you...

 

[Thom Browne]

21.

 

[Get Smart]

I don't buy into the assertion that there's a chasm between "casual" and "smart", which you seem to press in all of your posts.

One can look casual AND smart, it's not a give or take situation.

The question should be more along the lines of "how do I smarten up my casual", since you mention you don't NEED to wear a suit but seem to be almost forcing yourself to in order to make your appearance "better", at least that's how you're coming off on an internet forum (to me)

 

[wannalooksmart]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

I don't buy into the assertion that there's a chasm between "casual" and "smart", which you seem to press in all of your posts.

One can look casual AND smart, it's not a give or take situation.

The question should be more along the lines of "how do I smarten up my casual", since you mention you don't NEED to wear a suit but seem to be almost forcing yourself to in order to make your appearance "better", at least that's how you're coming off on an internet forum (to me)

point taken. perhaps when i mean casual i mean just chucking on whatever's available and by smart i mean following a planned look, which could be smart, casual or a mixture of both.

 

[Omegablogger]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

I don't buy into the assertion that there's a chasm between "casual" and "smart", which you seem to press in all of your posts.

One can look casual AND smart, it's not a give or take situation.

+1

If you look at the care the guys over in SWD take over a pair of jeans it will amaze you. I think the difference between well dressed or not is the care taken and the appropriateness of the clothes.

I like to think I practice a two steps sartorial style, always just two steps away from either MC style or SWD style with almost any ensemble, if that makes sense.

 

[wannalooksmart]

Originally Posted by Omegablogger

+1

If you look at the care the guys over in SWD take over a pair of jeans it will amaze you. I think the difference between well dressed or not is the care taken and the appropriateness of the clothes.

I like to think I practice a two steps sartorial style, always just two steps away from either MC style or SWD style with almost any ensemble, if that makes sense.

don't get me wrong i agree with what you're saying. perhaps i worded it wrong.

i was just interested to hear from anyone who has taken a major change in style and how they went about it, because to me it seems a big change as i am so used to the way i have always dressed.

 

[wedgehead98]

OK...back to the question at hand...

I'm 37, Director of Sales for a small ($40M) electronics design and manufacturing company in San Diego (been here 13 years!). We design product here in San Diego and build it here, in Tecate, or in Beijing, wherever it makes the most sense.

I've always dressed nicely, but almost never in a suit or tie...at least without some significant reason, e.g., customers visiting our facility or me visiting their facility.

For some reason, and my wife blames the girlie umbrella drinks, while on vacation in Hawaii late last year, something in my head clicked and it felt like my subconcious said, "OK, time to get serious. If you want to break into senior management, you need to perform/dress/act the part." It's not just about achieving VP status, I also wanted to simpy step it up a notch.

Since then, I've purchased 8 suits, gotten rid of 4 suits that were just ugly, purchased 4 sportcoats, purchased many, many dress shirts, ties, and even pocket squares! I wear a suit at least twice a week, and a tie almost every other day of the week...except Friday. I wear wool trousers most days, cotton khakis on Friday only, never wear jeans to work anymore, etc.

All of this in a very informal workplace where shorts on Fridays is perfectly acceptable.

I like it. My friends, with whom I've worked for many years, give me **** once in a while, but have mostly grown used to it. And...once in a while they might show up in a tie...for no apparent reason!

 

[wannalooksmart]

Originally Posted by wedgehead98

OK...back to the question at hand...

I'm 37, Director of Sales for a small ($40M) electronics design and manufacturing company in San Diego (been here 13 years!). We design product here in San Diego and build it here, in Tecate, or in Beijing, wherever it makes the most sense.

I've always dressed nicely, but almost never in a suit or tie...at least without some significant reason, e.g., customers visiting our facility or me visiting their facility.

For some reason, and my wife blames the girlie umbrella drinks, while on vacation in Hawaii late last year, something in my head clicked and it felt like my subconcious said, "OK, time to get serious. If you want to break into senior management, you need to perform/dress/act the part." It's not just about achieving VP status, I also wanted to simpy step it up a notch.

Since then, I've purchased 8 suits, gotten rid of 4 suits that were just ugly, purchased 4 sportcoats, purchased many, many dress shirts, ties, and even pocket squares! I wear a suit at least twice a week, and a tie almost every other day of the week...except Friday. I wear wool trousers most days, cotton khakis on Friday only, never wear jeans to work anymore, etc.

All of this in a very informal workplace where shorts on Fridays is perfectly acceptable.

I like it. My friends, with whom I've worked for many years, give me **** once in a while, but have mostly grown used to it. And...once in a while they might show up in a tie...for no apparent reason!

well wedgehead thanks for your story. anybody else??

 

[chobochobo]

Hey, just walk into Burberry's and get kitted out, you'd be well sorted.

Just kidding. You're 19 (if I remember correctly) don't sweat it, have fun.