Skip to main content

Damn straight!

A snappy looking 1950s-era businessman.  Bring it on baby!  It's time to put the poorly conceived and invariably badly executed 'business casual' to bed once and for all.  If you look like hell, your attitude and efficiency in the workplace are going to follow suit.  Do you really want someone who resembles an itinerant worker, perhaps better suited to raking leaves in your yard and shoveling snow from your front walk, handling your business and legal affairs, to say nothing of keeping you healthy, running your country, or educating your children?

This was but one of many comments in reply to this question, posed a few days ago, on the Daily Prep blog: Will suits and ties return as a business staple?

 "A coat & tie, heavy starched OCBD, shined Aldens,white pocket square,shaved, & barbered up represents a standing rebuke to the forces of moral & cultural relativism. It makes the great unwashed uncomfortable. To me, it constitutes an old school grownup, which all should aspire to be. Gravitas, maturity, & respect...speaking softly & carrying a big stick....a steaming dreadnaught parting the waves. Wear a sport coat every day & a suit on Friday's as a means of silent protest. When asked about the suit, I reply that I am having lunch with some grownups downtown at my club. They get the message and no follow up questions." -- Anonymous
Priceless.  And damn right.  While I do not secretly long for a return to the Cold War, the Red Scare, or second class status for women and minorities, it's time to stem the tide of the great unwashed and the attitudes that go with it.  Practicing basic standards of accepted polite behavior and professional appearance in the white collar world, as well as elsewhere in society, would be a sound idea.  Hey, a guy can dream right?

 -- Heinz-Ulrich

Comments

  1. Main Line SportsmanAugust 23, 2014 at 7:00 AM

    Preaching to the choir here my friend

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 9, 2014 at 11:09 PM

    I was in the gym today. In walked a 40-something in a tight white v-neck T-shirt, gelled spikey hair, black necklace. I asked the young desk girl what she thought of his style. Her response:

    "Oh no. No, no, no ...."

    I'm sure a teenager could pull it off fine, but it reminded me that, as unfashionable as it may be, consider dressing your age and having some style.

    -X

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

All opinions are welcome here. Even those that differ from mine. But let's keep it clean and civil, please.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

Popular Posts

The Problem of "Business Casual" Attire. . .

This is how it's done.  Business Casual the RIGHT way, ladies and gentlemen.  Even during the summer months.  A photograph (taken by Studio B Portraits ) which appeared in 425 Business Magazine in May 2017.   T his post on the problem of business casual dress began as a quick postscript to a previous blog entry last week but quickly grew and grew as additional thoughts occurred, were developed in more detail, and revisions made.  So much so, that it seemed, eventually, like a better idea to make the initial P.S. afterthought into its own entry .  Are ya ready, Freddy?  Then, here we go. . .  ------------ U nless you actually plan to sell beach snacks and trinkets on Cozumel, become a serial barista, or greet customers at a fancy nightclub after taking out huge student loans to attend university somewhere for four or five years, plus an MBA afterward, it's really a better idea to err on the side of (somewhat) more formal work attire any time you head into the
3 comments
Read more

The Average Guy's Guide to Classic Style Now on Ebay!!!

Another great old Laurence Fellows illustration of menswear from the classic era, the 1930s. T he Average Guy's Guide to Classic Style is up and running on Ebay.  -- Heinz-Ulrich
Post a Comment
Read more

"If you see something you want. . ."

  The above photograph has been "borrowed" from the J. Press website. "I f you see something you want," advised my late mother, "buy it.  It won't be there when you go back later."  A favorite (and wise) adage hers that I still follow whenever possible.   So when this item appeared on clearance at J. Press, I mulled it over for a couple of days, and then clicked the requisite boxes to make the online purchase.  Should be here within the week. Once upon a time, I had a similar jacket by Corbin that I foolishly purged before we left Central Illinois ('Illi-noir' anyone?)  for Michigan almost 10 years ago.  Not sure what I was thinking at the time since I did like the item and wore it routinely.   This one will be a bit nicer and help me make sartorial amends.  At least to myself. -- Heinz-Ulrich
2 comments
Read more