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On Style: The Bond Age
Dec. 16th, 2006 08:56 amWhenever a James Bond movie comes out various trend spotting magazines never fail to have an article proclaiming the return of the suit. In fact Out magazine filled half their November issue with them, the Style Section of the Sunday Denver Post had one two weeks ago, and I think I saw a cover saying the same thing in Men's Vogue. Bah. Don't get me wrong, the suit certainly isn't dead, but it isn't poised for a huge comeback either. A well cut suit makes people and men in particular look very classy and gives the impression of less weight or more muscle than you actually carry. And now a pause for a cup of tea... Oh glorious!
Right. So the suit certainly does a good job, the problem is that by the standards of clothes today they're expensive. Well maybe not if you're putting on hundred and twenty dollar sweaters with hundred and fifty dollar jeans, etc... But for most working people the idea of wearing a three hundred dollar suit to a party where it might have cranberry punch spilled upon it is deeply scary. Plus there is the undeniable fact that though they improve how a person looks they are not exactly exciting. My own very beautiful suit is charcoal gray with light gray pin stripes and so without my natural advantage of long hair I would look completely boring if I showed up to a party wearing it. Unless I paired it with my royal purple dress shirt, damn I'm digressing and weakening my main point. What is my point I might hear a few asking?
The suit as an item of casual fashion is to the point where it is having to trundle about with one of those little oxygen tanks to keep from keeling over. Only the truly daring, the same sort that would feel no embarrassment at going out wearing a full on fedora because they feel like it, will go out wearing a suit to non-corporate/funeral type events. If you are that type of person I recommend getting a second suit. One in something a bit different than you'd find at Men's Warehouse (an evil store, BTW, don't shop there). I myself have a second suit that needs just a wee bit of tailoring and then I will wear it in all its wheat colored glory whenever I have an excuse. Like going out on a cool fall day to have tea with friends at House of Commons.
But this isn't something for everyone and the various reporters working on stories about the suit being back because of Bond, economic insecurity, or whatever ought to know better. Wearing a suit is like wearing a baseball uniform. After you're done with the game (work) you head back to your locker room and change into street clothes. As many people have lamented even Hollywood stars don't wear suits on the red carpet very much anymore. It is now an individual style choice based on context rather than being the universal choice based on culture.
Right. So the suit certainly does a good job, the problem is that by the standards of clothes today they're expensive. Well maybe not if you're putting on hundred and twenty dollar sweaters with hundred and fifty dollar jeans, etc... But for most working people the idea of wearing a three hundred dollar suit to a party where it might have cranberry punch spilled upon it is deeply scary. Plus there is the undeniable fact that though they improve how a person looks they are not exactly exciting. My own very beautiful suit is charcoal gray with light gray pin stripes and so without my natural advantage of long hair I would look completely boring if I showed up to a party wearing it. Unless I paired it with my royal purple dress shirt, damn I'm digressing and weakening my main point. What is my point I might hear a few asking?
The suit as an item of casual fashion is to the point where it is having to trundle about with one of those little oxygen tanks to keep from keeling over. Only the truly daring, the same sort that would feel no embarrassment at going out wearing a full on fedora because they feel like it, will go out wearing a suit to non-corporate/funeral type events. If you are that type of person I recommend getting a second suit. One in something a bit different than you'd find at Men's Warehouse (an evil store, BTW, don't shop there). I myself have a second suit that needs just a wee bit of tailoring and then I will wear it in all its wheat colored glory whenever I have an excuse. Like going out on a cool fall day to have tea with friends at House of Commons.
But this isn't something for everyone and the various reporters working on stories about the suit being back because of Bond, economic insecurity, or whatever ought to know better. Wearing a suit is like wearing a baseball uniform. After you're done with the game (work) you head back to your locker room and change into street clothes. As many people have lamented even Hollywood stars don't wear suits on the red carpet very much anymore. It is now an individual style choice based on context rather than being the universal choice based on culture.