The Worst Look

[topos]

In my field, coat and tie is almost unheard-of. It seems to have gotten worse in the time since I finished grad school, since back then many of the old-timers would at least wear a coat, but they are now retired, and what's left is a lot of people in stained t-shirts and jeans.

In fact, I just remembered going to a conference once where a group of us were discussing, quite seriously, whether a certain person at the coffee/cookie station during a break was a vagrant or a conference participant. He was, of course, the latter (and as it turns out somewhat well-known for provoking this question). To give you an idea of how bad this look was, we weren't exactly sitting on a high-horse in our t-shirt and jeans getups.

 

[bourbonbasted]



I had lunch today with the COO of a major telecom company. He was wearing an Ed Hardy t-shirt and bleached, fake distressed jeans, with the fake holes and all.

I wish I were making this up.

What's the company? Brodafone? AT&Bree?

 

[AMProf]



why are you wearnig a tailored jacket to class? As a student? Even the profs don't do that any more!

This professor does. Always. Odd jacket, not suit.

 

[AMProf]



I'm not the only one in my department, but it's not common. I think at faculty meetings it's usually two or three other guys and I in coat and tie.

I'm in a business school, so the ratio is probably a bit higher. Maybe 20% in a typical faculty meeting will have on a jacket.

 

[comrade]



I had lunch today with the COO of a major telecom company. He was wearing an Ed Hardy t-shirt and bleached, fake distressed jeans, with the fake holes and all.

I wish I were making this up.

And yet, speaking to most sales persons in the better stores in SanFrancisco, one hears the
Mantra, "the suit is coming back", "the suit is coming back"... Based on my own observations,
both in the City and Silicon Valley, these sales persons are hallucinating.

 

[Balfour]

I'm not the only one in my department, but it's not common. I think at faculty meetings it's usually two or three other guys and I in coat and tie.

How depressing. Most of the academics in the University department at which I occasionally teach wear a jacket to lecture and many wear jacket / suit and tie. But the field (law) may explain it.

 

[unbelragazzo]

More than 20% in my dept would wear a jacket. It's just a few of us that wear a tie though.

 

[Cantabrigian]



roller board suit case

That's almost as bad as a backpack.

 

[chinesealpha]

Givenchy bulldog tee, supertight n tapered distressed jeans, statement high tops... "Hey, I've got a pretty decent allowance, I don't know how to make toast, and I've never seen a real live nipple"

 

[Cantabrigian]

I'm guessing that the jacket and / or tie or at the very least a buttonup shirt vs Grateful Dead tshirt divide largely mirrors the letters vs numbers distinction.

In my line of (decidedly non-academic) work, there seems to be a general belief that you can't do math while wearing a tie. Or that if you can do math, you've transcended the silk garrote.

 

[topos]

I'm guessing that the jacket and / or tie or at the very least a buttonup shirt vs Grateful Dead tshirt divide largely mirrors the letters vs numbers distinction.

In my line of (decidedly non-academic) work, there seems to be a general belief that you can't do math while wearing a tie. Or that if you can do math, you've transcended the silk garrote.

I've heard colleagues argue this very thing - the tie restricts blood flow to my brain, how can you expect me to think!?!?

 

[foodguy]

you know you are a god to me manton, but the only people i see pulling those rollaway briefcases are struggling lawyers in kenneth cole shoes and secretaries in suits and new balance.

 

[Manton]

if he's got that much to carry, well, it's worth thinkging about, at least it will save the shoulders and collars of his jackets.

If his clothes are cheap and cruddy anyway, then I guess it doesn't matter.

 

[Caustic Man]

If his clothes are cheap and cruddy anyway, then I guess it doesn't matter.

His clothes are generally of reasonable quality. Brooks Brothers, Hart Schaffner and Marx, etc. Nothing top flight like Kiton or what have you. I spend too much money on guns to be able to afford the really good stuff.

 

[Caustic Man]

I'm not the only one in my department, but it's not common. I think at faculty meetings it's usually two or three other guys and I in coat and tie.

Many do where I am studying. Definitely not close to all, but many do. On the other hand there is one professor I've never seen wear anything other than Hawaiian shirts. In that context, I would gladly be the only student to wear a sport coat. But, as mentioned, I rarely am. There is something about people who study history, they just like to wear odd jackets. Usually with elbow patches, for better or worse.