Everybody.

Girls: obvious
Guys: so they know I am their superior in all facets of life except physical prowess, which deficiency people like me have concocted prisons, policemen, and draconian penal codes.

I've just got an image in my mind.  I try to attain it, and in the rare case I look in the mirror and I've achieved it, I actually impress myself.  This makes me happy and I feel like the exuberance I exude will bolster my personality, which is how I really want to win people over.  It's not the clothes per se.  They're a means to an end.

I use to think that everyone would be able to read the signs and the sharpness of image with its sartorial message and flair would be self evident for all to see. But now I realise like any language, not everyone can read or understand it. Not everyone is capable of recognising a bespoke masterpiece from something off the peg at Marks & Spencers, or the perfect Brooks boom period collar roll as oppossed to the effete modern Ralph Lauren one and quite frankly not everyone cares. In fact most people don't.

Primary then, I am dressing for myself. Certainly not my wife, as she would have me dressed as a Prada-boy or in Armani jeans with long pointy shoes.

So the question is, does this make me narcisstic? No, I don't think so. But I am certainly dressing to impress myself above others and on the odd occasion someone gets it, then that's a bonus to me.

I dress for a variety of reasons, here are my thoughts in order of importance: 

First I dress in classic bespoke clothing because I am the boss and want to look the part.  The clothing in this sense is a uniform that differentiates me from my employees who for the most part are casual.   Secondly, as indicated by others above I have an image of myself and i enjoy attempting to achieve it.  This is purely for personal pleasure and self confidence.  I am sure that when I have these attributes it rubs off on those around me. Or alternatively when I am upset and lack confidence, there are negative effects on those around me.   Thirdly, I enjoy the bespoke process and even if one could find the almost perfect RTW, the flaws become intolerable to me, in this sense I am a perfectionist. With bespoke I am more willing to except the flaws as something that can be fixed next time with the tailor or shirtmaker. Fourthly, I aim to please my wife and prior to meeting her girls in general. Since being married this consideration has fallen in importance.  But my wife is still definitely a consideration and will often comment positively or negatively.  I know what she likes and try to avoid what she actively dislikes.  Fifthly, if someone else compliments my taste or elegance, this is a pleasant experience that I enjoy, but it is a small consideration.  Finally, using my tailor, in my city, does serve as an identifier to others in the know, but this is of limited utility these days, maybe a generation or two ago, but bespoke is now so rare, even in the social circles which would patronize bespoke, the ability to identify these markers seems to be dwindling and is therefore of limited utility or interest to me.

Last edited by Sammy Ambrose (2013-05-04 01:28:06)

“A man should look as though he chose his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forget all about them” - Hardy Amies.

Excrement!

You are always concious of your clothes and the effect they are having on your audience. For one, this feedback loop is one of the ways in which you learn how to dress well and appropriately.

Clothing forum's are odd places, allowing a view of one of the many dualities of man's psyche.

And, it is at times an amusing vista.

Pedro.

1. Women

2. I'm a reporter. I bother people for a living, often in person. If I am wearing a jacket and tie I believe it sends a message: "I'm a professional and I take you, Norma Smedley, seriously, as well as your tireless promotion of the Third Annual Hiram Smedley Frankfurter Eating Festival and Crop Circle Orgy.

If the subject is squirrelly, at all, the coat and tie is intimidating, which is usually good. A nervous answer is usually an honest one.

3. With a mug like mine, I need all the help I can get (see #1)

4. Dressing up is a chance to be young, loud and snotty again. I'm often the only man in the room with a necktie on, never mind shoes. I stand out today as much as I did in 1978, with a crazy haircut and a tee shirt featuring a swastika in a circle with a line through it (as in "no smoking") and the legend "Nazi Punks Fuck Off."

An honest mistake I assure you. It would be unwise to misquote something that could be so easily checked.

In your zeal to demonstrate your googling prowess, you forgot to deal with my further points, though.

As for confusing the possessive for the plural. I blame the Blackberry.

Pedro.

Last edited by Sammy Ambrose (2013-05-04 05:22:14)

Last edited by Sammy Ambrose (2013-05-04 05:39:15)