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The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

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Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#81

Post by sliverstorm »

npsimons wrote: post #75
sliverstorm wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally I suspect the disconnect centers around utility. Beautiful architecture can be beautifully functional too. Good weather is pretty, and also comfortable. Greenery is pretty, and cleans the air. Semi-formal and formal wear are practically the antithesis of functional and comfortable. Personally, I have been making an effort to dress up a step or two, but I have to balance this against carrying more changes o…

As a style averse geek I hate myself for saying this, but it really depends. I've never been able to convince myself to go spend at the highest levels (bespoke from Saville row, for instance), but it's supposed to be more comfortable than casual clothing. When I have splurged a bit on nicer clothing, I have found that even a little more quality in clothing can make the difference between stiff and comfortable. It mak…

Oh, I don't mean "formal wear can never be comfortable". I was thinking more of, for example, how I would melt in 100-degree weather in an old-fashioned wool suit. Also, I'm really more concerned with utility/durability than comfort- I mentioned comfort only in passing. My lifestyle tends to be a little rough on clothes.

You're certainly right though, quality material and a cut that fits you well is fantastic. I have a few nice polos that I got tailored as an experiment, and they are now some of my favorite shirts. I would have more tailored, but it's $20 a pop and that's only if the shirt already fits me fairly well- which most shirts don't.

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#82

Post by cema »

keiferski wrote: post #49

I find it amusing how people want beautiful architecture, good weather, nice greenery, and so on, but don't make the next step and want people (including themselves) to dress better. Clothes are just another facet of visual culture. That's how you get tourists with sweatpants and fanny packs outside the Florence Duomo.

Nothing wrong with a fanny pack! It's very convenient, safe, and can even be elegant, for some values of elegance.

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#83

Post by overgryphon »

sliverstorm wrote: post #81
npsimons wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a style averse geek I hate myself for saying this, but it really depends. I've never been able to convince myself to go spend at the highest levels (bespoke from Saville row, for instance), but it's supposed to be more comfortable than casual clothing. When I have splurged a bit on nicer clothing, I have found that even a little more quality in clothing can make the difference between stiff and comfortable. It mak…

Oh, I don't mean "formal wear can never be comfortable". I was thinking more of, for example, how I would melt in 100-degree weather in an old-fashioned wool suit. Also, I'm really more concerned with utility/durability than comfort- I mentioned comfort only in passing. My lifestyle tends to be a little rough on clothes. You're certainly right though, quality material and a cut that fits you well is fantastic. I have…

An old-fashioned wool suit would never be appropriate in 100-degree weather. Formal-wear doesn't necessarily mean wool (which also doesn't mean heavy. Wool can be very light and summery). The point is less to dress more formally and more to dress more appropriately for the occasion.

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#84

Post by npsimons »

sliverstorm wrote: post #81
npsimons wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a style averse geek I hate myself for saying this, but it really depends. I've never been able to convince myself to go spend at the highest levels (bespoke from Saville row, for instance), but it's supposed to be more comfortable than casual clothing. When I have splurged a bit on nicer clothing, I have found that even a little more quality in clothing can make the difference between stiff and comfortable. It mak…

Oh, I don't mean "formal wear can never be comfortable". I was thinking more of, for example, how I would melt in 100-degree weather in an old-fashioned wool suit. Also, I'm really more concerned with utility/durability than comfort- I mentioned comfort only in passing. My lifestyle tends to be a little rough on clothes. You're certainly right though, quality material and a cut that fits you well is fantastic. I have…

I'll give you the climate argument :) But I would think that higher quality materials and construction would also result in longer lasting products. As I don't wear my formal stuff very often, I couldn't personally say. But the flip side of custom fit is that if your body changes, it's no longer going to fit. On the gripping hand, custom fit is fairly well known for being something that can be tailored to fit, repeatedly. As for utility, I've got some suit jackets that have more pockets than my rugged wilderness parkas; then again, I wouldn't wear either kind of jacket bouldering or biking either ;)

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#85

Post by Mankhool »

keiferski wrote: post #49

I find it amusing how people want beautiful architecture, good weather, nice greenery, and so on, but don't make the next step and want people (including themselves) to dress better. Clothes are just another facet of visual culture. That's how you get tourists with sweatpants and fanny packs outside the Florence Duomo.

Here, here! Quoting Linda Grant, "Dressing down, ubiquitously known as “being comfortable”, says that you don’t care about how you look, as if your appearance were an entirely private matter that has nothing to do with anyone else. It’s the exact opposite: what you wear is part of the visible environment, as relevant as the architecture, the decor, the food on the table, the scents in the air."

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#87

Post by sliverstorm »

npsimons wrote: post #84
sliverstorm wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, I don't mean "formal wear can never be comfortable". I was thinking more of, for example, how I would melt in 100-degree weather in an old-fashioned wool suit. Also, I'm really more concerned with utility/durability than comfort- I mentioned comfort only in passing. My lifestyle tends to be a little rough on clothes. You're certainly right though, quality material and a cut that fits you well is fantastic. I have…

I'll give you the climate argument :) But I would think that higher quality materials and construction would also result in longer lasting products. As I don't wear my formal stuff very often, I couldn't personally say. But the flip side of custom fit is that if your body changes, it's no longer going to fit. On the gripping hand, custom fit is fairly well known for being something that can be tailored to fit, repeat…

I would think that higher quality materials and construction would also result in longer lasting products.

It's a question of construction decisions, not quality. For example, what fabric does it use? My denim jeans hold up to falls, rock, and dirt much better than light cotton slacks. What is the stitching pattern? Are there reinforcements? That sort of thing.

if your body changes, it's no longer going to fit.

Yup, I've been running into that problem. Thankfully the "problem" is that my biceps are stretching my sleeves, so I can feel good about said "problem".

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#88

Post by redbad »

guard-of-terra wrote: post #63
benihana wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

here's why: http://putthison.com/post/49277992157/professionalism-severa... The undertaker at the pet cemetery only buries dead animals, why would they care what he wears? The answer is because other people exist.

People who bury dead animals interact with owners of that animals; I only interact with colleagues and I can't imagine them caring what I wear.

    > I only interact with colleagues and I can't imagine them 
    > caring what I wear.
We do. We don't tell you, and if we're any good we don't show it, but we notice and we draw conclusions about you.

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#89

Post by anchorsteam »

mediumdave wrote: post #71

I have a hard time seeing formal clothing as anything other than an attempt to advertise an elevated social status. This seems to me to be at odds with the desire to create an egalitarian society.

Then again, flip-flops on a man in long pants is pretentious. If the only winning move is not to play then not playing is an attempt to "win".

Re: The Year of Dressing Formally (2008)

#90

Post by guard-of-terra »

redbad wrote: post #88
guard-of-terra wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who bury dead animals interact with owners of that animals; I only interact with colleagues and I can't imagine them caring what I wear.

> I only interact with colleagues and I can't imagine them > caring what I wear. We do. We don't tell you, and if we're any good we don't show it, but we notice and we draw conclusions about you.

They don't wear anything fancy too en masse.

I'm comfortable at being more or less adequately dressed comparatively.

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