We don't all wear red.

Yep.

Sssh! You'll blow it for the rest of us! "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." Do you know how easy it is to look better than everyone when they dress like slobs? I get raves for just wearing a polo shirt! Women practically swoon when someone wears a tie and grown-up shoes. The way things are headed, anyone who shaves regularly with less than 30% body fat is a catch...

Nice kakis or even dressy jeans (sorry, no “ass dragons”), a decent, good-fitting and un-messy button-down shirt and decent footwear (I like Ecco personally) works well for 85% of situations, personal or professional (shorts and t-shirts cover the remaining 15% like workouts and just hanging out). I still do keep a couple of sport coats around for more formal type client meetings or if I want to look / feel dressy but it’s very uncommon to see and I think I’ve worn them only a handful of times in over the last year. People are far more interested in what I can produce and the ideas I can come up with than whether or not I’m confirming to some arbitrary fashion standard. I think having a good presentation is certainly important but it needn’t scream “I resort to convention!”

I have always despised neckties. They’ve always been a symbol of meekness and humility: the ultimate badge of corporate servitude, a leash for one to extend to the hand of their corporate master and the symbol of one’s willingness to whore themselves out for a dollar - the white-collar male’s stiletto heels, mini skirt and plunging neckline of the prostitute. This is probably why I’ve not worn one in many years. I had a couple of them in the back of my closet that hadn’t seen the light of day in a very long time but they got donated (along with about 75% of the other stuff) when I moved. No regrets at all.

I like dressing well / neatly and looking clean and presentable but dislike flashy or ostentatious dress and definitely do not clad myself in a way that is simply thoughtlessly conformist.

Rant on curmudgeons!

+1. Some things shouldn't need much thought. I often spend time in our municipal court for my HOA and the young folks facing the judge are dressed very shabbily while the older folks all dress properly. The judge is cool about it but I know him and I know it bothers him.

Although some here seem think dressing appropriately is ostentatious, I find failing to do so is insulting to others....or at least does not show any particular respect. I suspect that many others either feel the same....from a judge to a customer...or a superior. If you are single and have a first date (that is not hiking, surfing, etc.)...and your date shows up in an old baggy sweatsuit...if you do not feel a bit dissed, you are unusual. If you come to my office for a meeting and i am wearing a suit...your showing up in khakis and a polo will likely be noted (even if nothing is said). If you are dressed well, it will also be noted. One does not have to wealth latest looking, trendy, gay-looking outfit. In fact, that makes me wonder about your judgement. I guess I am just a bit old school...but, lots of folks are (and you never know just what the other guy is thinking). That said, I have never seen anyone annoyed because a man wore a conservative suit. I have had people annoyed because I dove a Porsche.

Many women (in my area) seem to think that there is no particular level of appropriate dress (for women). They dress very casual, sometime even wearing flip flops...or leave enough flesh hanging out that they look like a prostitute. About 15 years ago, I met my very senior (fat-assed) boss at a meeting with a very important customer. She showed up in a purple sweat suit that she sometimes wore to her office (probably 50-100 lbs overweight) and I in a black suit. The customer (also in a suit) thought she was the janitor...and even after being told otherwise, kept ignoring here and talking to me. I guess affirmative action could only take her so far...and she has never been promoted again.

At my mother-in-law's funeral last year, i wore a sport coat and tie to the showing the day before. Had a couple people comment to the effect that I really didn't need to, it's just the showing. I said, "it's called respect". :rolleyes:

While I see juries dressed casual, I don't think it's a good idea to show up in court if you're behind the railing with an attorney dressed like the jury or a news reporter (not a televised reporter).
Speaking of which, why are all the TV news folks dressed to the nines? I'm not complaining.

Went to my mom's funeral and I was the only person in a jacket/tie.
I technically don't have a suit, I have nice dress slacks, some nice button down shirts, a couple dressy jackets, and a few ties.

I got some funny looks at my mom's funeral too

Can you tell which one is gay ?

Answer; Both.

Actually the freak on the right may be straigh guy just doing his job, prety sure he didn't pick out that outfit.

Way back in the late 1960s someone as a gag, bought my dad a pink sweater. He understood it was a gag. It was a nice sweater. He would wear it to casual events. He was 100% male, and very secure in his masculinity. It made an impression on me.

Back in the early 1990s I worked at a photo studio that was hired to shoot a big fancy golf tournament. This was long before the days of digital photos. We shot 35 mm slides and since we had a processor, processed the slides and had them ready to show that evening at the big dinner just hours after they were shot. It amazed all the golfers. However showing a bunch of photos of other golfers gets boring real fast. We needed a comic relief.

We went to a local costume place and fit me with lime green knickers, high top socks. goofy clown shoes, a bright red checkered shirt, and a stupid hat. It was the ultimate golf outfit. We took photos of me all over the golf course, and even taking shots from a tree. Every sand trap, and doing silly things. We went all over the course a week before the tournament as other golfers just stared. We stopped for lunch at the golf course. People stared at the outfit, and I could not care less. I was paid to do it.

It was a huge hit as we mixed those shots in to the mix of the boring photos. Several of the photos got big laughs. The folks that hired us were happy as can be.

So to answer your question, yea, I would wear it under the right circumstances, for the right paycheck. No one has ever, even once, wondered if I was gay. If they did they were really stupid.

I wear the same outfit (and coat) on the left (without the hat) once it cools off.

Your inability to think at all means that the whole exercise is a failure for you from the start.