[Closed] Wearing a suit to work, WHY.

Volkswagen Golfs are more expensive than the equivalent Mazda or Toyota. But they are also more likely to leave you stranded at the side of the road.

I know how I'd rather judge a book.

Golfs still look better though 😉

In all seriousness though, surely now you dress in a style which is more in keeping with people of a similar level of seniority in your company, rather than the PP approach of "thou shalt wear a suit or thou shalt not be treated seriously"?

suits don't fit me because i'm not massively fat, they're cold in winter, and hot in summer, you can't wash them, the jacket sleeves don't allow for any arm movement.

i hate suits.

Badly made suits don't fit me because i'm not massively fat, they're cold in winter, and hot in summer, you can't wash them, the jacket sleeves don't allow for any arm movement.

i hate suits.

FTFY.

Washing? Dry cleaners, simples.
No movement in the sleeves? That's because it doesn't fit. Buy a suit which does.
Too hot? You bought the wrong suit. I recently bought a lovely lightwheight for wearing in warmer climes. It's ace!
Too cold? You bought the wrong suit. One of mine is a heavyweight for winter.

Wouldn't want a doctor to wear a tie, well known source of infection (think about it: how often do you clean a tie?)

Would expect a doctor to look reasonably smart, though - or otherwise lab coat / hospital uniform.

I like suits, no let me clarify.. I like nice cut trendy suits

Suits should be classic. 'Trendy' suits are fo X Factor contestants and other C list celeb wannabes.

[i]suits don't fit me because i'm not massively fat, they're cold in winter, and hot in summer, you can't wash them, the jacket sleeves don't allow for any arm movement.[/i]

You need to buy better (fitting) suits..., and made-to-measure is the answer - and cheaper than you think.

tbh I've different suits for different seasons 🙂

Keep two suits at work in my locker with shoes and emergency underwear. Commute with a clean shirt and underwear daily. I also keep a pair of jeans for dress down Friday 😆 .

A well-fitting suit gives confidence, moves well and is nicer than a jumper in an air-conditioned office. I get them cleaned at work and rotate for Summer and Winter. Replace about one per year (normally due to fashion 🙄 ). I am also lucky enough to be the standard size for UK 38R, which makes selection easy; Jaeger and Paul Smith for balance.

Ties went out years ago, however. In fact eleven years ago I was told to stop wearing one! I don't even wear one to see the regulators these days. Bright shirts however...

Suits make me appreciate I'm female 🙂

People in many other European countries manage to take their colleagues seriously without the need for a suit so I'm not sure why we can't do the same.

I'm quite skinny and off the shelf suits fit me great. I can buy a suit in tesco and it'll look FANTASTIC on me. (And two of my suits are from Tesco)

I quite like wearing a suit sometimes but it is nice to have the choice. Just open necked shirt and trousers most of the time.

Buy a suit which does. (fit)

they don't exist, they really don't - i'm not massively fat, and i don't have very short arms.

You need to buy better (fitting) suits..., and made-to-measure is the answer - and cheaper than you think.

it seems your idea of 'cheap' and mine are radically different. Do you mean 'made to measure' or 'tailored'? - neither is a cheap option. i'm looking at around £100/£150 to get my suit altered.

(i have to go up a size so that the arms and legs are only a bit too short, but this means the waist is very loose - even on 'slim fit' suits)

well fitting suits may well be very nice to wear, i'm not minted so i will never know.

i hate suits.

According to our newish Chief Technology Officer (Technology Director in old language) he was told off by our CEO for NOT wearing jeans in the office. This is in a top 5 FTSE100 company.

We have a "wear what's suitable" dress code. If I'm meeting a customer I might wear a shirt and smart trousers, otherwise it's jeans and t-shirt.

The vast majority of people still wear shirts/trousers everyday though - I guess that's what they feel comfortable in.

I can buy a suit in tesco and it'll look FANTASTIC on me.

*cough* nobody can do that. Sorry.

it seems your idea of 'cheap' and mine are radically different. Do you mean 'made to measure' or 'tailored'? - neither is a cheap option. i'm looking at around £100/£150 to get my suit altered.

If you are THAT much of an oddity (which I doubt - even I can get nearly passable OTP suits) then a properly fitting suit would be an investment - even a made to measure - that would last far longer.

I've never worn one of these (bespoke only for me) but if you are paying less than their prices for a suit, don't buy a suit:

[url= http://www.asuitthatfits.com/shop/index.php ]http://www.asuitthatfits.com/shop/index.php[/url]

No uniform in French or German schools unless you consider a Quicksilver hoodie (DC also tolerated by the peer group), jeans and skate shoes a uniform.

The headmistress of my son's primary school had never seen me in anything other than errrr, hoodie etc.. I was a little concerned about a gang so made an appointment and turned up in my (now redundant) business suit. The parents outside the gates stopped talking and looked on in awe/curiosity, the brave ones made teasing quips. The headmistress herself gave me red carpet treatment rather than being her usual friendly, chatty self. The suit was a statement "I mean buisness", and people reacted as I expected (and did as I requested).

So yes, a good suit (radically) changes how people see you. Whether you want people to see you that way depends on the context and your objectives.

[i]No uniform in French or German schools [/i]

Well there were a couple of reasons from last century for why the Germans don't...

[i]it seems your idea of 'cheap' and mine are radically different. Do you mean 'made to measure' or 'tailored'? - neither is a cheap option. i'm looking at around £100/£150 to get my suit altered.[/i]

Try finding a local tailor, and just ask - get a couple and the price drops considerably.

But I'm lucky in that I often work in the Far East, so buy suits and shirts there - can't beat a tailored shirt (skinny with long arms).

when I lived in town it was not uncommon for my local pub to come to a malevolent standstill if someone walked in wearing a suit..

hackles would rise..

Elfinsafety - Member
I feel more confident in a suit.
Seriously? You need to put on particular clothes in order to feel more confident?

Not that strange, is it? We [i]should[/i] take people for what they say, not what they look like but the thing is most people will take someone in a suit more seriously (Scientific fact. There's no real evidence, but it's scientific fact). Look smart and you've less to do to convince people. However, if you open your mouth and all manner of drivel spills out the suit's not going to help.

I just wear a shirt and tie to teach in no suit jacket, intrestingly though i never join in with non uniform day like most teachers do. It just feels wrong, and i ****in hate ties.

when I lived in town it was not uncommon for my local pub to come to a malevolent standstill if someone walked in wearing a suit..

hackles would rise..

You drank in a pub full of ignorant, opinionated bigots? Did you feel comfortable in there yourself?

I like to see a man in a well-fitting suit that is crease-free together with an ironed shirt (but definitely not pink), all set off with an appropriate tie.

What's wrong with looking professional?

stoatsbrother - I do feel a GP should wear a suit, minus jacket is OK, together with shirt and tie.

As always emphasis is on clean hair, clean clothes and polished shoes. 😀

* scurries away to hide in a corner cos I'm bound to get some flak *

It's about appropriate dress. If I was meeting a customer in a consultancy capacity, I'd wear a suit. Day to day, I wear a company-branded polo shirt.

I've never understood the need for non-customer facing staff to be suited and booted. Utterly pointless and often wholly inappropriate.

Running cables under a desk the last thing I want to be wearing is expensive trousers I'm going to ruin, and a small noose around my neck ripe for kneeling on. Meeting an important customer, suit.

I'd look a bit of a prat turning up to work in a suit.

I'm a bench joiner. 😆

You drank in a pub full of ignorant, opinionated bigots? Did you feel comfortable in there yourself?

you effin knows it..

(in fact it could have been a pub full of well-oiled but well informed and highly politicised militant anarchists but don't let your ignorant opinionated bigotry cloud your judgement old bean.. your tiny unsophisticated brain might overheat.. 😉 )

I like to see a man in a well-fitting suit that is crease-free together with an ironed shirt (but definitely not pink), all set off with an appropriate tie.

I used to like you. 😥

What's wrong with a pink shirt?

Pink is just w r o n g on a bloke. Hell, even I wouldn't wear a pink blouse. 🙄

Real men wear pink. FACT!

What's wrong with a pink shirt?

You are joking, aren't you?

I don't think our Cap'n is.

You drank in a pub full of ignorant, opinionated bigots? Did you feel comfortable in there yourself?

And what sort of reaction would I get were I to saunter into one of your favoured watering holes, wearing a tracksuit?

Cos from what I gather, based on the apparent unsuitability of such places for the likes of myself and my family, I suspect it woon't be all that positive....

It was YOUR reaction that would be the problem. Not that of anyone in said pubs. Did you not get that?

I don't think our Cap'n is.

It was YOUR reaction that would be the problem. Not that of anyone in said pubs. Did you not get that?

Er, never having met me, how would you know what my reaction would be? 😕

Don, WTF is that chain all about? Crikey!

C_G, pink shirts are ace. I used to have to go to Nashville rather too often, and I'd always wear pink there. They didn't get it! I was either gay or a communist, and in the eyes of the South, neither is a good thing, you could feel the quandary welling up in them!

I like pink shirts. I think they look rather good, especially when worn with a good suit and a good tie.

I like pink shirts. I think they look rather good, especially when worn with a good suit and a good tie.

Cap'n - I'm afraid that to me, pink smacks of insincerity. Probably due to it being the chosen attire of idiot presenters on TV!

Oh dear. 🙁

I have some nice powder blue Oxfords if you prefer....

I think yellow is more your colour, Flashy.

In my view not wearing a suit in a corporate environment means you have an attitude that you can do whatever the **** you like and don't 'need' to conform. Managed to make it work to plc director level as did the rest of the board including presentations to VCs from New York to Taiwan and our stock brokers. Maybe wearing a suit is a tax you pay for being a bit similar to everyone else in your industry?

Incidentally, football manager wearing suit = doesn't have a bath with players. football manager in tracksuit = does....

Interesting. I'm a 50 year old GP.

What would you... or your mum expect me to wear?

I'm an almost 50 year old consultant physician

Wouldn't want a doctor to wear a tie, well known source of infection (think about it: how often do you clean a tie?)

Would expect a doctor to look reasonably smart, though - or otherwise lab coat / hospital uniform.

Lab coats and ties have the same problem - infection city. NHS dress code is now no ties, or tucked away if you must, and bare below elbows. I stopped wearing a white coat when I was 3 years qualified, stopped weearing a suit when I stopped doing interviews/exams. I do have a couple of jackets and dress shirts/ties for court appearances.

Usual dress is polo shirt and chinos. I switched to boots instead of shoes when I had a slipped disc and a dicky ankle and I never went back although they are leather and most people probably think they are just decent leather shoes. When I abandoned ties the only comment from patients was positive.

Pink is my favourite colour for smart shirts... and lycra.

I'll admit to being 'old school', just not keen on this casual approach for some occupations/situations.

Funnily enough, my adult son likes wearing a suit to work. That could of course be due to seeing his father wear a suit every day.

* waves to TSY - how are you doing?

Real men wear pink. FACT!

Aye, not bad Auntie C_G... just trying to shake of the Christmas cobwebs. How are you?

A nice bright shirt from Ted Baker finishes off a plain suit.

Ted Baker? Are you mad? 😉

Cobwebs? You? Nah! Are you back to your usual exercise routine now? Leg all healed?

I'm OK, having a MRI of the shoulder in a few days. Been pootling on gravel tracks, shouldn't really but you know how it is. 😉

Much of this thread just illustrates the utterly ****y non-meritocratic nature of business in the UK. "You don't look like us penguins, so we won't deal with you no matter how good you or your product/services are". Thankfully there are exceptions.

Haha... yep I do know how it is... most physio's say you should do some exercise if you can 🙂

Seriously I sat on my arse pretty much the whole Xmas break going from one illness to the next. Back on it now, went to the gym 3 times today!

Are you mad?

Mr Flash.. with regards to your earlier comments..

The pub I drank in was not populated by bigots and the ignorant as you suggest.. just simple common folk with an understandably healthy distrust of authority.. which is undeniably the main attribute of a suits symbolism no..?

I know from other threads that you find it incredibly difficult to relate to folk from a different social strata to yourself but could you perhaps attempt to keep your condescending judgements a little less rude and confrontational in future..

for the sake of me ulcers like..

Much of this thread just illustrates the utterly ****y non-meritocratic nature of business in the UK. "You don't look like us penguins, so we won't deal with you no matter how good you or your product/services are". Thankfully there are exceptions.

If you can't beat 'em join 'em? 😉

Certain industries it will be expected that one has to look a wee bit 'edgy'. Perhaps the boundaries are blurring these days or perhaps they are not being spelt out?

Go on iDave, just think how much money you can take off those penguins if you wear a suit. I treated being in business like acting, playing the role I thought most likely to get me business. There were clients I didn't work for but that was down to them putting conditions in the contract I decided made the work bad business. I even shaved for two weeks for one contract. hwo did that Queen song go? "prostitute yourself he said castrate your human pride". And make more money with less effort.

If you can't beat 'em join 'em?

Can't means won't.

Richard Branson, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates did OK without suits.

I get your point edukator, but there are other ways to get money. IME we raised £9m funding without recourse to suits. the project that took me to geneva started off insisting on suits, then realised it was bloody stupid.

I hate wearing suits, I just find them uncomfortable. Luckily I have a job where I can go to work in jeans, t-shirt and trainers. Or shorts if it's a warm day 🙂

Google images say Bill Gates usually wears a suit and tie. Google images say Branson usually wears a suit but no tie. I'd like to bet all three wore a suit and tie whe they went to see their banker in their early years in business.

for the sake of me ulcers like..

😆

Q: What do you call an Elf in a suit?

A: The accused!

No seriously it's [i]true[/i]! 😀

[img] [/img]

£100-150 to fit a suit?
Old dear in the local cleaners adjusted my jacket for £10, took in about 4" at the waist as I'm a bit triangular. Did try a size down, but my shoulders nearly pushed the sleeves off.

In the workplace I think it is dictated by your activity and company image/presentation/perception.

For me it doesn't make much difference, it's all going to look like the bottom of a mucky puddle with grease stains after 10 minutes.

Sometimes you just have to play the game ... if you want the work that is.

A polite request to Captain Flashheart - you would be very welcome on a Forum Ride and hopefully you would glean that there are some really good people around! Yes, we're all different but not bad. Food for thought?

As someone said, it's depends on context and what's appropriate. For me:

- government meetings: full suit (and yes, girls wear them too), and 'don't mess with me' heeled boots

- conferences: if I'm presenting, suit again (plus heels so I can see over the top of the podium 😳 )

- research network meetings: 'smart' but not suit

- office: more casual, but scruffy jeans and trainers would be no-no, so usually a dress.

Don't have a problem wearing any off the above, and happy to curl up in jeans and a hoody when at home.

Oh, and CFH - c_g +1

authority.. which is undeniably the main attribute of a suits symbolism no..?

No, of course, not - anyone can have a suit. Nothing to do with authority. It's about a convention of smartness. Of course it's not REALLY about looking smart since someone could make a great effort and/or look good in a tshirt and jeans; and someone else could just roll out of bed and throw on a suit and look like crap. It's just a convention.

What's wrong with looking professional?

I can look and act professionally in casual clothes. It's all in your demeanor and attitude. I can also look and act totally uselessly in a suit 🙂

i look like a serial killer at the best of times, i have to wear a suit when talking to regulators and representing my clients interests otherwise they would think I'm there to collect money with menaces that they owe to "big Barry"

it also helps that as soon a finish pretending to be a grown up professional type, i can change back into my usual attire, smash half a pound of metal and carved wood back into my face and become "me" again

I've met Molgrips, and as he was dressed quite casually, I had absolutely no respect for him whatsoever. 😐

There, I've said it.

[i] I can buy a suit in tesco and it'll look FANTASTIC on me.
*cough* nobody can do that. Sorry.[/i]

I'm sorry, you're wrong.
[url= http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6013/5923222071_47258d3062_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6013/5923222071_47258d3062_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/53067724@N00/5923222071/ ]dapper[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/53067724@N00/ ]Jon Wyatt[/url], on Flickr

Apology accepted.

To the overall discussion though, as CG says above. Sometimes you have to play the game and wearing a suit is an easy win. I've no problems with wearing one when need be. Sometimes it helps and if it's helps make that extra 5k appear in your pay packet, is it really that bad? You're still the same person.