Who still wears a suit to work?

[dieworkwear]

Have been around longer than many on this forum and have seen the suit die several times. The leisure suit (70's) put an end to conventional suiting and ties. Wearing t shirts with suits followed that. Denim and tailored jackets, it still lives. 70's silhouette was flared or even bell bottom trousers and concave shouldered jackets fitted very close to the body. Synthetic fibers were praised for resiliency to wrinkling.
Men rebelled against close fitting garments in the 80's and Armani introduced extended shoulders and pleated trousers in drapey cloth and men responded by wearing suits again.
90's were venture capital days and Brioni was the suit of the moment.
Thom Browne created a caricature of the '60s suit silhouette and suits were cool again.
If a suit doesn't fit, It's your worse night mare. Something you are required to wear and miserable doing so. Maybe this modern anorexic silhouette has contributed to the decline of the suit. You have be lean and trim to wear it. And if you can't wear it you are antiquated by default. Wearing a suit has become a burden

+1

The suit has declined on the long scale, but it just takes another pop cultural moment to make it cool again. The last one was Mad Men. It's hard to predict shifts like that, but another one will definitely come.

 

[Patrick R]

Good for them...their confidence should be admired! Perhaps those of us lamenting the decline of tailored clothing should take a page from these guys.

It's easy. Just do it.

 

[Patrick R]

If you make the mistake of believing you can simply wear whatever you want these days, without professional ramifications, you do so at your own peril.

Some people can wear whatever they want with no peril. For others it’s... well... more perilous. I support you consciously trying to fit in more.

 

[smittycl]

I think there's also value in recognize how destructive StyleForum can be in terms of achieving the "perfect fit". I personally really struggle with the idea of the perfect, no break trouser, and have driven tailors crazy getting things minutely adjusted -- somehow overlooking the fact, of course, that as I move throughout the day the fabric will bunch and stretch, and the pants will move around on my waist. And -- the worst part -- is nobody else but me is going to notice the difference. To everyone else I'm well dressed because my clothes fit, at all.

I just ignore the perfect fit advice. Take a broad view of the opinions here and extrapolate what actually works for me. Over analyzing just takes the fun out of it.

 

[Despos]

+1

The suit has declined on the long scale, but it just takes another pop cultural moment to make it cool again. The last one was Mad Men. It's hard to predict shifts like that, but another one will definitely come.

Sir, are you unaware of the midtown momentum of "vests are best, they're better than the rest"
It is the pop cultural moment Au Courant

What makes it special is whenever you wear a vest you are also wearing spalla camicia.

Think about that!

 

[Bromley]

Whenever I get dressed up I feel like an ex-con trying to make good. Jean jacket and tie. Feel like such a lie.

I work for myself (design/furniture stuff). I often wear a suit when meeting with clients, or at least a sport coat. My suits lean casual, like me (linen, flannel). Usually no comments, but after we get to know each other, sometimes questions about cloth. I like that.

I often work on Sundays, but if I'm wearing a suit/sport coat getup on a Sunday people sometimes ask where I go to church. I don't go to church or like church or anything like that, so I try to avoid wearing my nice clothes on Sundays.

 

[yanagi]

What makes it special is whenever you wear a vest you are also wearing spalla camicia.

Think about that!

Mind. Blown.

 

[Texasmade]

It's easy. Just do it.

Not when it’s hot and humid outside. I don’t want to be sweating like a pig by the time I reach the office air conditioning. Of course I could just get to work an hour earlier but that would require me waking up an hour earlier.

 

[dieworkwear]

I wonder if you can still use iGent phrases while wearing a vest. Like, can you say: "I just took delivery from Patagonia." "Well done, sir. Wear in good health."

 

[Despos]

In the 50’s it was the ensemble worn by men who worked in the sewer. It has migrated to the finance world.

 

[Patrick R]

I wonder if you can still use iGent phrases while wearing a vest. Like, can you say: "I just took delivery from Patagonia." "Well done, sir. Wear in good health."

Sweet vest, nephew.

 

[dieworkwear]

In the 50’s it was the ensemble worn by men who worked in the sewer. It has migrated to the finance world.
View attachment 1190793

When I was growing up, this is how guys in the sewers dressed.

 

[Loathing]

See, you care who is associated with what. That's a key area where we diverge. I could not give less of a ****--so long as it doesn't threaten my paycheck.

“I don’t care what other people think (apart from my colleagues at work where I spend 99% of my time) — that’s what distinguishes you and I, my child.”

 

[BXpress]

I think there's also value in recognize how destructive StyleForum can be in terms of achieving the "perfect fit". I personally really struggle with the idea of the perfect, no break trouser, and have driven tailors crazy getting things minutely adjusted.

Something i've also had to learn to get over. Nowadays i really don't care anymore about a slight off pitch on my right arm for example (2 of my jackets have that). My tailor refuses to correct it anyway.

And -- the worst part -- is nobody else but me is going to notice the difference. To everyone else I'm well dressed because my clothes fit, at all.

When people comment on my stuff at all, they mostly mention how they like the cleanly fitting shoulders.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

I don't think anyone would bat an eye if I wore patchwork Engineered Garments chinos with an orSlow chambray popover.

Which is pretty much exactly what I do wear most of the time these days... I don't think I'd get away with it if I was in the Law School, but in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, no-one cares, and as you say, if your clothes fit (or are noticeably well-made), whatever they are, you get positive comments.