Thursday, May 27, 2010

How To Be A Well Dressed Man

connery

connery

Every well dressed man needs at least one suit. Many guys today don't even own a suit at all. We live in a very casual society. There were places that men once wore suits pretty much all the time, whether it was at the office or at church. Now unless it's required, many men would rather not have to dress up. It's not just men though because there are plenty of women as well who dress down these days. It is wonderful though to be able to dress up whenever you want or need to do it.

I know we aren't going back to the days of the Rat Pack, but it's still a good thing to dress well. While you aren't going to need or want to wear a suit all the time, it is nice to have at least one in your closet. You're going to look better in the eyes of both men and women if you don't look like a bum all the time.

You never know when you'll need a suit. It might be something you don't generally think about. A suit might not be practical or feasible to wear at your job. I have a blue collar job, so it wouldn't make a lot of sense for me to wear a suit to work. There probably will be, however, special times in your life when it's necessary to have a suit. It will be better to have one handy than to try to run out to get one at the last minute.

Now the ideal thing would be to have a suit tailor made for you, but that's probably highly unlikely. Whether due to cost, time, availability, etc., most men will be buying a ready to wear suit. That means most men will be visiting their local department store or men's store. You don't want to look like you're wearing a cheap suit that doesn't really fit you. You want to look like a million bucks even if you didn't pay an arm or a leg for your suit.

There are a few things you need to know when buying a suit off the rack. Check out this video (embedding was disabled) from
GQ on buying a suit. It gives a lot of great tips. Also, please read this article from The New York Times. It also offers helpful suggestions on what goes into picking out the right suit for you. Please check out those links after you finish reading this post. Thanks.

I know I could use all this advice myself. I enjoy throwing on a t-shirt and sweat pants as much as the next person. There are times though, whether it's a date, job interview, church service, dinner party, etc, when a suit is either needed or at least wanted. Even when you are wearing more casual clothing, it's still a good thing to look nice. The Rat Pack still looked sharp even when dressed more casually. Distinguish yourself from the unwashed masses out there today.

If you're a guy who wants to be treated like a gentleman, then you need to dress and act like one. You need to dress and act like one if you expect others to treat you that way. While our modern society has many advantages, we've also declined in so many ways. We have become sloppy in our clothes, manners & so much more.

Not all of us men are going to look as good as Sean Connery as James Bond in Goldfinger, but we can do the best with what Mother Nature gave us. There are no excuses for all of us to look like bums. We'll respect ourselves more if we try to look better. Plus we'll gain the respect and admiration of others as well. I'd love to hear your feedback on this post. Let me know what you think.


48 comments:

Lee Oliveira said...

I agree with u!
Every man should have a nice suit!

I have lots.. LOL
Great post and amazing pics!

LOx

Maggi said...

I love this post! I remember seeing I Love Lucy episodes where Ricky and Fred would go to the fights or a baseball game wearing suits. Love that!

Couture Carrie said...

So true!
Love these pics!

xoxox,
CC

Zuzana said...

To me there is nothing more sexy that a man in a suit. It is the one single most fitting attire for a man.;) My boyfriend used to wear suits for work every day.;) I wish he still would today,
xo

Carrie Clevenger said...

This is a great civil service you are doing. I am highly in favor of well-dressed men.

1950s Atomic Ranch House said...

Ooo ahhh I have a real THING for a man in a nice suit!

Excellent. Great to see a man's blog appreciating all things retro and cool!

sweetpralinemadness said...

This is my favorite post. My hubby and I are HUGE 007 fans. I love Sean Connery as Bond. He's so classic in his suits. I'm a lucky gal because my hubby wears a suit and tie to work. He looks really great in a suit. Just like ZZ Top says, "Ever girl crazy about a sharp dressed man." I'm so happy you are back. I missed your blog. Have a wonderful weekend.

Gigi

www.janetteria.com said...

TOtally agree. :)

tintin said...

Great post. I quite enjoy checking out your blog. You do a fanatstic job with it. I hope you've been having a wonderful week.

Dusk said...

I'm sorry Keith. You lost me at "ohmyGODitsSEAN"...!!!

...but a deep breath and smelling salts later, I'm back and wholeheartedly agree... a well dressed man in a well presented suit has a commanding presence.

The world has become far too casual. In manner and mentally too. we suffer greatly from that here in Australia. People attend performances at the Opera House in jeans! I'm all for breaking down class barriers but not classy ones!!

Lucky for me my husband loves wearing suits. And lucky for him I love him wearing suits...;)... not sure how he manages to actually walk out the door most mornings without getting pounced on!!

Bob G. said...

Keith (et al):
Somehow, at some point in the last 40 eyers, our society lost track of what it really meant to LOOK "the part"...whatever that part might be.

If one thing can be said for dressing in a more befitting manner, it's that other people WILL take one look at you, and judge you by the WAY you dress.

Don't look like a slob, when you can appear in public looking so much better...and by better, I mean GOOD.

Today's men and women (of most any age) could take a page or two from those "good old days" when we had a bit more pride in our appearance.

Good post
(love the Connery pics - now THAT is classy...and cool)

Karena said...

Keith,

There is nothing sexier than a man who is well dressed and put together for the event; whether formal or sports! Love your site!

Karena
Art by Karena

Anonymous said...

Thank you for stopping by, I totally agree, have so missed your posts...

Marian said...

Sean Connewry looked so dapper in those images, a great suit can do wonders.
xx
marian.

James said...

Sir Sean, he just says it all, doesn't he. Man am I glad you're back!

C A said...

Dear Keith,
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your kind words.

Kind regards,
Albert de Castro

Anonymous said...

great tips! more men need to follow your excellent lead!

erika sorocco said...

This is such a fabulous how-to, Keith. Who doesn't love a dapper gentleman?! :)

My Owl Barn said...

I stumbled across your blog and I'm glad I did! I enjoyed reading this post and I know I'll be back for more. Have a great day!

Tights Lover said...

I typically dress down for work, but I enjoy the occasion when I can wear a suit. Suits usually make me feel confident.

~*~ saskia ~*~ said...

Great post!

Main Line Sportsman said...

I heartily concur that our current culture is dumbing down the requirements of being properly dressed for various occasions...it is truly sad.
These pictures of 007 remind me of when Leo DiCaprio got a tailor made suit styled on Bond in the move where Leo played the forger..."Catch Me if You Can" I think was the title.

Abe Lucas said...

I got a job because I was the only one who wore a suit to the interview. Okay, I also have mad skills, but the interviewer mentioned that it was refreshing to see someone in a suit for a change.

More Connery, please! :D

Sam said...

Absolutely Keith! Sean Connery in all those early Bond films dresses like a prince! My boyfriend and I always swoon over how good he looks in them!

lorenabr said...

Oh yeah that's what ladies want a man in a nice suit :)

love the post

The Fashion Bloggess said...

Wow! Another great post
as per usual! LOVE your
blog soooo much! Such
an inspiration! Am
definitely bookmarking
you! Hope you can stop
by mine sometime :)
xx

Audrey Allure said...

I agree, I wish more men dressed in suits everyday.

Unknown said...

hahah... oww, he´s really a well dressed man...

xoxo

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

Connery wore a suit like a second skin.

Pam said...

As a member of the female sex, I salute your blog post. It's true what ZZ Top sang: "Every girl's crazy about a sharp dressed man!"

ellie said...

Great post! If only my boyfriend..would at least once...hahahaa..wear a suit...I wouldn't know who he was.

WeShop said...

He looks sooooo cool! xx

MaryMary said...

I was thinking the same thing recently, Nobody gets dressed up any more. I remember people used to get all dolled up to travel on a plane.Now a days it's sweats and sneakers.
Great post!

Christopher Pinto said...

Smooth & Kool as usual Kieth. Good to see you back. Drop by the Tiki Bar again sometime http://tikiloungetalk.com. Your comments always welcome, pally.

Don said...

Looks like everyone agrees. Suits are back! Time to look sharp again.
Good post.

La sonrisa de Hiperion said...

Me encanta pasar por tu universo cinéfilo y encontrar reflexiones diferentes...

Saludos y un abrazo.

Marina J. Gonçalves said...

A man has to be well dressed all the time. Not with a suit all the time, but well dressed in his way. But mens in suits are absolutely handsome. :) I tottaly agree with you.

xx,
Marina J.G.

Mystery Bruises said...

what a fantastic blog, i love this post
keep up the good stuff and ill be back for sure!

xx


www.mysterybruises.blogspot.com

Marian said...

hope you are well Keith. have a good weekend.
xx
marian.

Nazneen Zainal Abidin said...

i love men in suits! They ALWAYS look so good!
I'd say in invest in a good suit because it makes a whole lot different.

www.neensynaye.blogspot.com

Kim Axani said...

Cool blog!! I agree, not many guys own suits - but should! There's nothing quite like a handsome guy in a suit.

Kinezoe said...

I like dressing well. There are occasions in one's life you'll need to wear a suit so, we must have more than one in our closets. It all depends on the moment... A nice suit will always make you look more elegant. You can't be cool if you don't wear a suit!

Good post, Keith. Have a nice week. See you.

Nathalia said...

I want my man to look like that. Well. I'll make sure he does when I find the right one!
Love your blog, it feels as if I always learn something here.

Mariel Torres said...

hmmm sean connery... absolutely handsome and styling! love it when my man dresses up like that :)

RedPoppy said...

Wow, wow, wow. That suit, plus Sean Connery of course, is the epitome of handsome...Hope you've had a good week!
RedPoppy

Chocolate & Chants said...

Totally agree. I love men that dress up and make an effort to look good. You can buy a suit from the department store and take it to a tailor to make it fit better. Of course, gotta love the bespoke suits even more. I wish more men in the US would dress up. I hate the whole shorts-t-shirt-flip-flips look! Wear a nice pair of jeans, a nice shirt, and a nice jacket/sport coat/casual blazer. And some cool sneakers :)

Diva said...

I would have to agree. Every once in awhile it is soo nice to see a man dress up! Personally my favorite thing is a great cologne that suits the gentleman in question and a pocket handkerchief.

Unknown said...

Can you believe I've went to SEVERAL job interviews (one with the city) where the panel interviewing me scoffed because I was wearing a suit? When I was a kid, you always wore a suit to an interview, even if it was to dig ditches.

It's truly sad how far we've fallen. I don't dress up every day, but it's nice to be able to do so when I want. Most guys I know and work with don't even own a suit. Really?!? Ever heard of funerals... weddings.. fine dining.. job interviews? Oh wait.. you don't have to wear a suit for a lot of interviews anymore. Geez.