What Should I Wear as a Host?

[mensimageconsultant]

Not much money for pants? If wool, try Nordstrom Rack, Banana Republic, or (online) Lands' End.

 

[LostnConfused]

So what's the difference between the different materials used for pants? It's so hot sometimes in California so what's the most breathable pants material that doesn't look cheap?

 

[GBR]

1:

Why does your employer not provide you with a uniform?

2:

Ask your employer what is customary in such a minor, if front of house, position: I doubt that it will be more than black trousers and maybe a black shirt. There is a grave danger that you pick something over powering which is off putting to customers who have, after all, come to relax.


If your employer is unhelpful, go and look what people are wearing now.

 

[Hayward]

Sebago Sherman, a well made penny loafer with rubber sole, on sale, they still have the black in wide sizes.

http://www.sebago.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/8820M/0/Mens/Sherman-Cordo?dimensions=0

Land's End Chinos:

http://www.landsend.com/pp/mens-pla..._MERCH=IDX_men-_-pants-_-regular&origin=index

This shirt?

http://www.landsend.com/pp/mens-tai...en-_-dress-shirts-ties-_-regular&origin=index

Land's End also has ties, I was thinking knit ties but they appear to be out of black. This one is interesting...?

http://www.landsend.com/pp/mens-cot...X_men-_-dress-shirts-ties-_-ties&origin=index

This might work for a vest but if it were me I'd go vintage.

http://www.express.com/stretch-wool-blend-suit-vest-23719-698/control/page/4/show/3/index.pro

Not sure you need the vest given that San Diego is warm.

I would go with a matching belt over suspenders in an outfit like this.

No jewelry other than a watch.

 

[LostnConfused]

That was exponentially more helpful than your previous post. Thank you for the recommendations~! But I think I'll hold out on suspenders and belts in the same outfit

Also, I don't know why they don't provide a uniform. All the waitstaff wears all black (shoes, shirts and pants).

 

[Elegantly Wasted]

Sushi place? This would be a blast:

 

[Louis XIV]

Lostnconfused, I am sorry, but that outfit doesn't look good on yourself.

Some things you should change about it, imo:
a) The Shirt is too big for yourself at least around your waist. Are the cuffs buttoned up? If they are they are way too wide as well.
Despos knows way more about shirts than I do, I am sure he will be able to point out other details as well.
b) No (dressy) shirt should have a breast pocket, they are plain ugly.
c) If you wear a tie without a jacket, which I wouldn't ever do myself, drop the tie bar, in fact, drop the tie bar in 99% of times, no matter what occasion.
d) Buy a belt with a traditional closure and more elegant buckle.
e) You said you are a material artist, so I assume you are fit. The pants make your hips look fat, which I am sure you aren't. The top block seems to be too boxy, most likely the rest is as well.

 

[LostnConfused]

Dang, well this is a good learning experience. Thank you

a) Will return some shirts tomorrow.
c) Will drop the tie bar. If I have to bend forward (like reaching for items across a table) often at work, should I go for bow ties instead?
d)What should a belt look like and where can I can one at a good price?

e) My body proportion is kind of dumb... I'm really skinny for my height which is good for competitions but not so good for, well, looking good.

 

[Louis XIV]

c) Haven't thought of it's pratical use, maybe I am wrong, others will know better than I do.
d) Look for something like this

e) Don't worry! Almost all users around here aren't model material, you are fit which is a great condition to start from.

What made you move away from the idea of wearing a kimono?
At the sushi place I go to all the staff is wearing Japanese robes, which I am not sure of if they are authentic kimonos, but they look great in it.
You can have a look at it over here, just flip through some pictures and there will be one with three of them.
http://www.frankfurt-sushi.de/Restaurant#

 

[LostnConfused]

that belt looks nice. And again, thank you.

I honestly never took the idea of wearing a kimono seriously. I guess it's a bit different here as most the restaurants I go to, clothes are mostly westernized. But the sushi in your link looks delicious

 

[Louis XIV]

I don't think Frankfurt is much different in dress than London or New York.
Bankers, consultants and lawyers in suits and a lot of them go to Sushiko frequently, so please take the recommendation for a kimono seriously, I am sure it will work in California as well.
Also I think it's a great thing to foster national tradition and what better place to wear a kimono than at a sushi restaurant?

 

[Blackhood]

Don't be put of by comments on the tie bar, they are a very practical way of keeping your tie from flapping around when you are doing "manual" labour. For desk jockeys they are ornamental but for people who actually move about during the day they are a tool.

 

[vladimir]

....what better place to wear a kimono than at a sushi restaurant?

A tea ceremony, a sumo match, Japan...in a prior century.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

A tea ceremony, a sumo match, Japan...in a prior century.

Plenty of people in Japan still wear kimono as well as other traditional clothing like haori, hakama, yukata etc., and in fact, there are quite a lot of interesting modern-style versions around (Sou-sou etc.) as well as designers who have spliced traditional forms with western influences (Yohji Yamamoto is the best-known example). But for a sushi restaurant in California it would come across as a bit weird and kitsch, unless it was of that high fashion end and that was the 'uniform' of the place.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Then tropical weight wool (or wool blended with a little linen, probably very hard to find at a low price). It's indoors, mostly evening, in a restaurant that has air conditioning, right? Even wrinkle-resistant cotton won't have the wrinkle-free, professional look usually found in wool, and moving around a lot quickly wrinkles cotton. Plus, hiding wrinkles in cotton via black doesn't work well because washing often fades the black.