Gentlemen, It's Time to Find Your Fashion Footing
To wear a tie, or to not wear a tie? To wear drawstring pants (to work), or to not wear drawstring pants? These are the fashion conundrums that are cropping up lately with men's fashion.
These quandaries deliver poles and variety to the sartorial menswear buffet and make for riveting musings. The fact that G7 leaders went sans-ties for a photo op (though not effectively as they were reminiscent of boarding school boys on graduation day, ready to burn their uniformed neckwear and step into the big bad world) has stacked up against executives drenched in designer garb (some emblazoned with logos and graphics - even a lizard motif - with others more subtle choices of luxe materials) at Sun Valley this summer makes for ample examples of these extremes.
But what’s up with all these shifts and new options for men’s fashion? Let’s thank the pandemic, yet again, for these silver linings.
All of the rethinking, reevaluation of your lifestyle, leaning into comfort, and exploring your priorities and personal expression are sinking in. “Some executives now, though, have embraced the idea that sharpening one’s personal brand is as important as maintaining their company’s stock price,” according to a recent WSJ article. But this isn’t exclusive to executives. It’s for all men, and it’s a good thing. These bookend style moments are making space for everything in between, allowing more variety to enter your closet, thus being more creative with your personal style.
The same old "uniform" and go-to styles may work for some, but there are more options for men in clothing and accessories these days. And, kudos to the style press covering politicians to private equity dudes; these choices can impact how you get dressed with a little more intent and emphasis than simply dusting off that suit or throwing on that worn-out t-shirt and walking out the door. Plus, it makes you perform better – it’s also of the times.
Men can’t solely get away with the monotony of an off-the-rack sports jacket that hides everything anymore or ill-fitting jeans. We live in a visual society, and caring about what you're wearing or how it fits doesn't make you vain. Thinking outside the box a little (or a lot, if you can pull it off) may, actually definitely, lead to you feeling and thinking differently. Just own it, but know the context.
A male client recently asked me how to approach dressing appropriately (he enjoys suits and Italian shoes when working in an office setting) when meeting with pig farmers he works with. Knowing that you have to be thoughtful in these scenarios, he couldn’t show up on a farm in a suit and loafers and bank on being taken seriously by men who are wearing muck boots and Carhartt (this goes both ways). Going too far to dress like where you’re going is ripe to make you look like a clown if it’s not your jam, and worse so, be interpreted as disingenuous. Instead, opt for well-fit medium-wash jeans, a simple leather boot, and a polo or a more casual button-up shirt in this situation.
Strike a balance, read the room (or your schedule for the day ahead), and communicate about clothing beforehand, if necessary, like you would a meeting agenda, for goodness sake. This will save you a lot of time and energy. BTW, this isn’t mutually exclusive to men, either.
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