Who still wears a suit to work?

[A Y]

As usual, I make my rounds: Twitter, Facebook, and then Styleforum.

This part seems unrealistic to me.

 

[joacimbylehn]

Oh come off it. The average European dresses as ****** as the average American, maybe worse. Look at Germany. Jeezus.

I regularly deal with financial and tech industry professionals from all over Europe and travel there regularly. They’ve been copying our example for years. Business casual everywhere. The only thing you’re missing is the Patagonia vests.

Fully agree on this. In the end, it doesn't matter where you live, people who dress well do so because they care about it.
Many countries and regions still require suits for work, that doesn't automatically mean everyone looks fly as hell. In my experience, people who are forced to work in suits usually detests suits and buy they cheapest and most comfortable versions they can find.
When visiting our UK and Germany offices for instance, I generally see two camps: the young guys in overly slim suits and bumfreezers and the older guys with too long sleeves and pooling pants. Both of which turn up in jeans and a tee/chinos and a polo for the after work activities.

For reference, in Sweden, suits are required for very few jobs and it's been that way for quite some time. My father worked in trading all my life at one of the top 3 banks, I don't recall him wearing a suit to work ever, and when visiting his office, only management wore suits (usually sans tie).

 

[dieworkwear]

 

[Thomson]

What’s Manton up to these days? Back to writing menswear books?

 

[bluesman528]

Of course it is very true for at least two decades that a suit and tie is not required anymore for most professions, most probably that was even the case when SF was founded. Since then this casualization spread to even more professions.

But from my (usually lurking) perspective the whole point of SF was to show all men being interested that it is still possible to wear tailored clothing in all professions not requiring physical labour in an urban environment because it is still is accepted as a cultural virtue even by many people who do not wear it. At least it is accepted by most others as a strange habit because they get used to the daily sight of a well-dressed guy. I have to know because I am working in IT. Thus it is pointless to whine about the destruction of dresscodes, it is still up to everyone to use tailored clothing in the office. Dresscodes always existed only for weaker men without knowledge or cultural ambition.

And this is not restricted to the working environment, it is also true for the personal life. Wearing tailored clothing is more a state of mind which often includes a sense for other fine things as well. Why that can be so easily abandoned by someone who has already seen the light and wrote ten thousands of emotional posts here about it is beyond me. But that is not a sign for the end of the world as we know it, it's only the capitulation of one of us. Perhaps he finally lost the fun and found other ways of spending his money. That's perfectly fine, the slightly depressing thing is that still 80% of this thread is about him. :foo:

 

[suitforcourt]

Also a lawyer here, in Canada. Always suit for lower court. For higher levels of court, we have standard robes, waist coats and shirts with tabs. Yep, we are still heavily influenced by the English traditions.

If I am in the office, I usually wear dress shirt, slacks, and dress shoes.

For casual Friday, I will do jeans, or shorts in summer. The other staff who don’t go to court are always casual in my opinion. At my workplace, one quickly realizes who are the barristers vs solicitors and other staff.

I find that even lawyers are dressing down. Jacket with khakis. Loafers or other non-dress shoes. Women get away with a lot more.

 

[joacimbylehn]

Would not have expected shorts in a law firm, even if casual summer.

 

[smittycl]

What’s Manton up to these days? Back to writing menswear books?

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/remember-manton-aka-nicholas-antongiavanni.537226/

He's writing the occasional op-ed and is either teaching or at some think-tank style place. Can't say as I miss him actually.

 

[joacimbylehn]

Some ten years ago, I was working in an office demanding suit and tie every day. My boss was particularly picky as he one friday told me my grey suit with layered with a v-neck sweater and shirt sans tie and pocket square was "a great look for my off time, but that I should look professional". And this to a guy with no regular customer facing.
That period killed my interest in wearing tailoring for fun, off duty, 100%. Easing back into it now, but my casual wardrobe has grown considerably since.

 

[Riva]

And this is not restricted to the working environment, it is also true for the personal life. Wearing tailored clothing is more a state of mind which often includes a sense for other fine things as well. Why that can be so easily abandoned by someone who has already seen the light and wrote ten thousands of emotional posts here about it is beyond me. But that is not a sign for the end of the world as we know it, it's only the capitulation of one of us. Perhaps he finally lost the fun and found other ways of spending his money. That's perfectly fine, the slightly depressing thing is that still 80% of this thread is about him. :foo:

Much of SF wouldn't be around if it wasn't for Foo. I don't think half of the people here actually cared about the (unimportant) topic and just want to interact with the legendary persona. Admit it, some of you guys actually came back when Foo returned. Fok should give him a share.

 

[dfagdfsh]

it's 94 degrees outside with 99% humidity and I"m wearing a sportcoat and trousers, does that count?

 

[dieworkwear]

it's 94 degrees outside with 99% humidity and I"m wearing a sportcoat and trousers, does that count?

 

[TomTom]

Have to comment on this ...again...Nobody would dare to come to work in a Patagonia fleece in any of the Law firms in the City I have worked in during my career ( Golden circle ). I have had to send somebody to the shop to buy a new pair of trousers as he basically came in in modern super short ones and a senior Partner commented...and guess what...They went to the store and bought some new trousers. If your workplace is all creatives wearing hoodies and Japanese denim , by all means , knock yourself out but luckily there are still some dress standards and thank god about that.

 

[am55]

Have to comment on this ...again...Nobody would dare to come to work in a Patagonia fleece in any of the Law firms in the City I have worked in during my career ( Golden circle ). I have had to send somebody to the shop to buy a new pair of trousers as he basically came in in modern super short ones and a senior Partner commented...and guess what...They went to the store and bought some new trousers. If your workplace is all creatives wearing hoodies and Japanese denim , by all means , knock yourself out but luckily there are still some dress standards and thank god about that.

I'd like to ask about something. I've noticed a number of you lot adopting a certain casual approach to spelling and grammar in communication. How is that possible given the strict drafting standards at these firms? Is it a struggle with mobile keyboards? Thankfully my lawyer is as conscientious in his communication as in his work... I must admit to "judging" the txtspk.

 

[dfagdfsh]

I'd like to ask about something. I've noticed a number of you lot adopting a certain casual approach to spelling and grammar in communication. How is that possible given the strict drafting standards at these firms? Is it a struggle with mobile keyboards? Thankfully my lawyer is as conscientious in his communication as in his work... I must admit to "judging" the txtspk.

i have a dust.. in my rolex