On a given day, any one of us can feel as if we are internally unraveling from head to toe. Suddenly we find our usual ambition, drive, and charisma waning, as it takes every ounce of energy we have to gather our papers, briefcase, and any creative, congruent thoughts we might have. In truth, at times like this a day in bed would benefit us the most, but because the business world doesn't make allowances for our human frailties we must forge ahead--appearing to be our usual confident, vital selves.
Regardless of any lagging, internal energies, with the right wardrobe we can maintain appearances and continue to convey our professional acumen. Our clothing can be a great communicator, its language a visual code that can project our talents, needs, personalities, and confidence. (In the business world consistent fine dress is a necessity--supporting a polished, efficient, "I can get the job done" image even on our worst days.) And just as it projects, so can our clothing protect, shielding our inadequacies from intruding eyes. Not only is dress a legitimate form of communication: It is a source of personal power. As Oscar E. Schoeffler, the longtime fashion editor of Esquire, said, "Never underestimate the power of what you wear…After all, there's just a small bit of you-yourself sticking out, at the cuff and at the neck. The rest of what the world sees is what you hang on the frame."
Alan Flusser, an author and 1983 Coty Award-winning designer of men's fashions, believes that the personal power that comes from the stylish, tasteful wardrobe originates in the fundamentals of fine dress and its attention to detail. Often dressing "fashionably" is confused with dressing well. Fashion is fleeting while a true cultivated style, which involves selecting the clothes best suited to you and wearing them properly, is enduring.
When considering the guidelines for men's dress, the changes over the last fifty years have been minimal. While it's true that current attitudes towards business dress are more relaxed, the basics of classic tailoring have remained the same: No part or detail of men's dress should violate the integrity of the whole.
Although some form of the proper business suit has been worn for nearly two hundred years, few men wear a perfect combination of suit, tie, and shirt. According to Mr. Flusser in his recent book Clothes and the Man, it is this balanced and coordinated look that is the essence of being well-dressed. And the nuances that affect a man's dress are numerous. For instance:
·The cut or silhouette of the suit (which is the primary consideration in the purchase of any suit) should be tailored properly to fit the individual body type.
·Lapels, which have always reflected the fashion of the moment, should reflect the jacket's proportions--usually this means a width of 3 ½ inches, so that it extends to just a fraction less than the halfway mark between collar and shoulder line. The flaps on the pockets should be consistent with the size of the lapels.
·There are three types of jacket vents to choose from, depending on body type and comfort needs. If a man is excessively wide-hipped and broad in the rear, he should avoid a double-vented jacket but will benefit from the boxy look of the single-vented jacket.
·If a vest is worn it should
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