As we head into the 4th of July I have a few thoughts on proper dressing for court, the office, or other important occasions-
Red
Red ties seem to be popular these days. In the 2004 Olympics competitors in red jerseys engaging in tae kwon do, wrestling and boxing won more often than competitors wearing blue. Red is often seen as a “power” color. But deeper studies show the color is not as important as people think.
I think the more important consideration at the moment is not the color of the tie, but the length. Your tie should just touch the top of your pants. This will never be a political column, but there is a serial offender of this rule. You may need to adjust your knot, but take the time to get this right.
White
There really is no argument that the classic, white dress shirt is the staple of dressing up for court or nicer occasions. As a finer point, allow me to gripe about the slow disappearance of pockets from men’s shirts. Admittedly, I am moving into grouchy old-guy territory here, but I like the traditional pocket on my dress shirts. I understand the argument that no pocket gives you a smoother, cleaner look. But you would think with men wearing jackets less often, a pocket on the shirt would be in higher demand. You need a spot for some sunglasses, reading glasses or a pen.
Blue
I got a new suit for summer. I probably buy a new suit every other year. Much to my wife’s frustration it is almost always a dark blue suit. I’ve seen it written that J. Wayne Reitz, former president of the University of Florida, always wore a blue suit. People didn’t know if he only had one suit or if he rotated them. But he always came across as appropriately dressed.
This new suit in my rotation is seersucker, but a dark blue seersucker. Across the room it just looks like a normal, blue suit. Great for the courtroom and perfect for the Florida heat. I got it from Sid Mashburn and true to their style the tailoring is a little aggressive.
I see the trend in mens clothing to hem pants with no break. The idea is it is a cleaner look than having your pants bunched around your ankles. It is a fresh look, but also classic at the same time.
Take for example this band, The Specials. They were heavily influenced by the sharp, clean lines of mod fashion. Early ska musicians often wore close-fitted suits with trousers that hit just above the shoe. Here’s how one of the greatest ska bands from the 80’s wore their trousers-
I challenge you to show me a sharper looking band. To see them in action check out this clip from Saturday Night Live in 1980. I think the higher hemmed pants do help convey a certain energy.
We see a lot of ankle monitors at the courthouse, and in the past I’ve talked about the biggest myths around how to beat them. But lately I’ve been checking out the other attorneys to see how they cuff their trousers. To say there is a variety is an understatement. Short, long, cuffed, uncuffed. Even unhemmed. As they say, results may vary-
Only about 3% of men wear a suit to work regularly. So if you are in this small minority, it makes sense to wear an appropriately tailored suit when you do.
I know better than to weigh-in on the hem length in women’s skirts. There is no way I am entering that debate. It was years of parenting before I realized the reason my daughters still wore sweatshirts on hot days to middle school was to provide cover for rolling up the waistband of their uniform skirts.
Happy 4th of July!