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Pretentious douche or snappy dresser

JonasAberg

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You could definitely argue that part of dressing well is dressing for the occasion, not standing out like a sore thumb. If you wear a suit to the beach people will think you are out of place, unless it's a summer wedding and you're wearing a light linen suit or something.

However, as the world gets increasingly casual and dressed down, doesn't dressing well in this regard become quite a challenge? I would venture a guess that most men today own only a single suit, probably black and probably poorly fitting. That one suit is used for funerals and weddings and little else. Walking down the street on a normal day I rarely see anyone in a tie, let alone a full suit.

Even on festive occasions, like Christmas parties or graduations, I've noticed that the suit is starting to get increasingly dressed down. A lot leave the tie, some wear a necklace or chain instead, they unbutton a couple of shirt buttons and the shoes can range from sneakers and cowboy boots to clunky "dress" shoes. Even if you're just wearing a blazer and pants that aren't jeans people will wonder why you are "dressed up".

So how do you combine the "real world" with the "more stylish world" without looking like a pretentious douche?
 

sartorialism

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Originally Posted by JonasAberg
You could definitely argue that part of dressing well is dressing for the occasion, not standing out like a sore thumb. If you wear a suit to the beach people will think you are out of place, unless it's a summer wedding and you're wearing a light linen suit or something.

However, as the world gets increasingly casual and dressed down, doesn't dressing well in this regard become quite a challenge? I would venture a guess that most men today own only a single suit, probably black and probably poorly fitting. That one suit is used for funerals and weddings and little else. Walking down the street on a normal day I rarely see anyone in a tie, let alone a full suit.

Even on festive occasions, like Christmas parties or graduations, I've noticed that the suit is starting to get increasingly dressed down. A lot leave the tie, some wear a necklace or chain instead, they unbutton a couple of shirt buttons and the shoes can range from sneakers and cowboy boots to clunky "dress" shoes. Even if you're just wearing a blazer and pants that aren't jeans people will wonder why you are "dressed up".

So how do you combine the "real world" with the "more stylish world" without looking like a pretentious douche?


It's out of place to wear a suit at the beach not because a bunch of assholes want to look progressively dumber, but because it's difficult to tan/swim/build sand castles/see/be seen in a suit. It is not pretentious at all to buck a bad trend. It's honorable, imo. So wear your suits and scoff at the scoffers!
 

TimelesStyle

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A snappy dresser wears his clothes, a pretentious douche lets his clothes wear him. If you have to ask, more than likely you fall into the latter category.
 

Nicola

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Beancannes01.jpg
 

dsmolken

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Originally Posted by JonasAberg
That one suit is used for funerals and weddings and little else.
Ensuring there are plenty of funerals in your life is probably not the best idea, though.
 

JonasAberg

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Originally Posted by sartorialism
... It is not pretentious at all to buck a bad trend. It's honorable, imo. ...

But who is really to say what is a "bad" trend and what isn't? At the end of the day it's all personal preference anyway. Is it not pretentious in a way to say that I am right for wearing a suit and you are wrong for wearing a trucker cap or something?
 

Threadbearer

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Originally Posted by JonasAberg
Pretentious douche or snappy dresser
Can't it be both?
 

lasbar

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Originally Posted by JonasAberg
You could definitely argue that part of dressing well is dressing for the occasion, not standing out like a sore thumb. If you wear a suit to the beach people will think you are out of place, unless it's a summer wedding and you're wearing a light linen suit or something.

However, as the world gets increasingly casual and dressed down, doesn't dressing well in this regard become quite a challenge? I would venture a guess that most men today own only a single suit, probably black and probably poorly fitting. That one suit is used for funerals and weddings and little else. Walking down the street on a normal day I rarely see anyone in a tie, let alone a full suit.

Even on festive occasions, like Christmas parties or graduations, I've noticed that the suit is starting to get increasingly dressed down. A lot leave the tie, some wear a necklace or chain instead, they unbutton a couple of shirt buttons and the shoes can range from sneakers and cowboy boots to clunky "dress" shoes. Even if you're just wearing a blazer and pants that aren't jeans people will wonder why you are "dressed up".

So how do you combine the "real world" with the "more stylish world" without looking like a pretentious douche?




You have to be yourself and it is sometimes difficult..

I used to try to fit in but dressing down a bit but in the last decade ,I couldn't care less..

I wear my suits on my day because I love it...

My colleagues always comment on how elegant i look when i thought they would have laughed at me..

Some might do but so what..

Being a douche is more than wearing a suit ,it is an attitude...

You can wear a suit and be seen as being elegant instead of a dork...

I wear my suit with an open collar and it tends to look in non business occasion..

Be yourself ...
 

Pantisocrat

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Major considerations: do you piss off men? Do you ingratiate women? If you can achieve both with the way you dress then you have the world between your legs.
 

JonasAberg

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Originally Posted by Pantisocrat
Major considerations: do you piss off men? Do you ingratiate women? If you can achieve both with the way you dress then you have the world between your legs.

I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing
laugh.gif

Most of the time I get compliments when I dress more stylish (suits or just blazers, ties etc) but there have definitely been times I've been asked if I don't feel out of place somehow. My answer is always no. I just don't care what other people think as long as I feel great.

If the choice is between a suit or baggy pants that show your underwear I'd much rather be the guy in the suit.
 

westinghouse

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Wearing clothes which fit properly, or wearing clothes which are not boring tends to bring snark comments from others. Just the other day I was wearing a $300 RRL western shirt with $300 RRL jeans and some hispanic dude called me "vaquero", or cowboy.
 

faketrain

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i think it all comes down to whether it looks like you're trying too hard, then you can come off as a pretentious douche. things like strategically untucking half your shirt so one flap is out your pants and the other is tucked in etc. etc.
 

ChicagoMediaMan

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Originally Posted by lasbar

Being a douche is more than wearing a suit ,it is an attitude...


Exactly. It's more about acting like a douche than looking like a douche.
 

bellyhungry

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Originally Posted by lasbar
...Being a douche is more than wearing a suit ,it is an attitude...

Originally Posted by ChicagoMediaMan
Exactly. It's more about acting like a douche than looking like a douche.

+2

And over-accessorized....
 

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