Im a confident dresser, and lets face it, there are people that dress like clowns out there. But what ive noticed, is if you wear a red sweat suit, sneakers and hoodie, no one notices.
However,
Wear a boutenniere, a pair of spectators or some other item of old world class and people not only notice, some of them panic!
I used to make my own boutennieres with tea roses but i got tired of people asking if i was going to a wedding. Spectators can flat out freak people out. My theory is that with Americans, if you dress like a clown its ok bc its not a threat, but if you wear something like a straw hat or spectators it scares them bc you might be part of something theyre not, or might be saying you think youre better. its just a theory but why else would a stick pin bother someone and a burnt yellow velour suit with 6 heavy gold chains not?
Anyone else experience this? Any thoughts on this?
Last summer I spent a day wandering around New York in a seersucker suit, red bow tie, and spectators. Interestingly, I received most random comments from people about my dressing than I've ever gotten - 100% of them positive. Several people complimented the shoes - including the sales person at John Lobb, though you can probably chalk that one up to flattery.
I have noticed that specs (I have 5 pairs and some EGs on the way) seem to impress the hell out of most women and the males of one minority group. White guys do not seem to notice them. Seersucker suits are more common now than 3-4 years ago, when my blue one with black/white specs drew lots of stares and compliments.
Well Horace we may never really know what people think when they worry that someone thinks theyre better.
I get positive vibrations when I see someone well dressed.
Maybe its along the lines of "I can and should be a snob, but you cannot be one."
I was chased around on another forum bc I made class distinctions or observations. Funny thing was that the very same people it bothered the most seemed to want to do it themselves unhindered. Thats the Robespierre class for ya.
Last edited by The_Shooman (2006-05-27 05:20:44)
I travel frequently for my work (court hearings and trials) and, because of the warehouse/cattle car nature of airports/airplanes, if I have a choice I dress casually for the trips. E.g., for a trip last week in warm weather, I wore jeans, clean, pressed, naturally slight fade (no artificial aging), black washed silk camp shirt w/ square bottom untucked, tan soft loafers, no socks, nautral panama fedora w/ black ribbon. I was treated just fine by airport and airline personnel, but nothing special except for a couple of compliments on the hat. On the way home I went directly from court to the airport wearing a well-tailored navy tropical worsted suit, navy/white glen plaid, spread collar shirt, dusty red tie with navy and white overplaid, white linen pocket square, navy socks, British tan cap toe oxfords, tan alligator belt, same hat. Treatment was noticeably more solicitous by all personnel, with several positive comments about my attire. This contrast is almost invariably true when I’m “forced” to be in business dress for travel, and on more than one occasion I have been given a complimentary upgrade. Take it for what it’s worth.
''... a very shadow that passeth away.''