Have you ever seen an Olympic downhill skier competing in a race wearing denim, or Michael Phelps racing wearing a navy suit?
Of course not! These elite athletes wear gear that is specifically tailored to give them any possible edge over their competition. The materials, stitching and dimensions are all designed to allow an athlete’s peak performance to shine through.
Wearing the right thing at the right time
We men also have specialized gear to streamline our way to success. We wear this uniform for our most special occasions and most important meetings.
It is the suit.
If you’re like 80% of men in the world, you probably don’t wear suits when you don’t have to. Most of you complain that they’re stuffy & uncomfortable, and there’s some of you who just want to make a statement that you’re special & unique, and don’t need to play by the rules of “The Man”.
To be honest, I don’t like wearing suits all the time either. I didn’t wear one last weekend when I was moving furniture into my truck, and I sure as hell didn’t try to pull a James Bond and wear one during my Krav Maga class.
But when I was giving an important presentation last week, I wore an impeccably-fitted bold navy two piece, and made sure my tie had a crisp dimple. When I walked my sister down the aisle at her wedding last summer, I wore my best three-piece Loro Piana. When I had the opportunity to network with powerful men at a black tie event, you can be sure I wore my best tuxedo and bow tie.
You might not be aware that you’re not wearing the best suit
You’re probably thinking that these are simplistically obvious outfits for these occasions, and you’re absolutely right. They are. But you wouldn’t believe how many men I still spot at black tie events trying to get by with the business suit they wore earlier that day. Or business presenters wearing suits that are better suited for the nightclub or a gangster movie. And don’t even get me started on the scores of ill-fitting suits that show up at weddings, sometimes even amongst the groom & groomsmen themselves.
Wearing an impeccably-fitted suit that’s congruent with your desired image isn’t about getting you to become a style icon or fashionista. To be honest, I don’t care how stylish you look. But I do care if you’re inadvertently sabotaging your success because of what you don’t know about suits.