Chambray shirts and the blue-collar divide

Oddly, in a lot of industries, the anti-suit sentiment that was originally counter-culture is now the dominate culture, and wearing suits would now be the counter-culture thing to do. Like when a tech CEO says, “I’d never hire someone who shows up in a suit” they totally miss the irony that it is exactly the same as a CEO 40 years ago saying, “I’d never hire someone who doesn’t show up in a suit.” They changed the uniform from suits to hoodies, but it is still a uniform, and you better put your ThinkGeek on and trudge your way into work each morning by god. A software engineer in a bespoke suit would be a real rebel you could get behind. “I cast off these Star Trek t-shirts that you have imprisoned me in!”

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One of my early shitty call center jobs was DirecTV when they were brand-new. Dress code was jeans and t-shirts.

We had a guy on the team, about 45, showed up in a three piece double-breasted suit every single day. He sat and took customer service calls and never took his jacket off.

You’d think it was cool, but he was maladroit. The suit was the possible outer edge of his coolness, but I don’t think anyone on the team saw it that way.

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I live in Southern CA, and the office wear around here, particularly what I do for a living is extremely casual, thankfully.
I’ve been working for 30 years, the last thing I want to do is put on a tie at work.
But I don’t mind at all wearing a suit to an event that calls for it.

I’m pushing 50, I’m not showing up at an evening wedding or a funeral with a hawaiian shirt on and sneakers like some douche nozzle. Sometimes the event calls for proper attire.
I’m lucky enough to be able to be very casual in our office, but I’m not a man-child, I know when I have to be a little more polished.

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Mike, I know you’re a San Diegan, but you sure don’t sound like a native! :wink:

I bought a suit when I was nineteen or so. Outgrew it six or seven years later, and eventually got rid of it, completely unworn. I wear rented tuxes to weddings (edit: if I officiate or am otherwise in the wedding party), my newest jeans and a decent collared shirt to job interviews, and I buried my mother and aunt and two of my brothers in black jeans and black shirt. (I was wearing black, they weren’t.)

I’m 45 years old with two kids, and I’ve been working in my industry for 24 years, and I still don’t need a suit. Maybe I’m not an adult yet (I still prefer Dr Pepper to single-malt Scotch), but if not, I’m never gonna get there. And no suit would help me.

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This actually sounds like someone I worked with – who knows, maybe it was, though this was about 20 (!?) years ago. The guy was, to be blunt, a slob. I’m guessing that management told him to clean up his act, and he didn’t want to take any chances.

We once fooled him with the old “Craven Moorehead” crank call.

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Funerals.

You…don’t attend funerals? Genuinely curious.

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No, I’m saying that’s a reason to have a suit (the only reason my husband has one, for example). For funerals. the older you get, the more funerals you have to go to.

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You’re right. I use my suits for funerals more than anything lately.

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I’d like to second, third or fourth this. I am commonly found wearing cargo shorts, buy a well fitted suit is a thing of pleasure. You can almost do aerobics if properly cut, and it makes You look like a better You.

But humid weather? Greet and shake hands, jacket comes off and sleeves are rolled up.

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You two will have to come to mine soon, but no black. Charcoal, hunter brown, or navy blue.

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No, you are going to live forever… or at least long enough so they can put me in the ground first. No one else that I know is allowed to go before me.

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But cargo khakis, the uniform of my profession, are far more comfy than jeans. (I understand some poor souls haven’t yet received that gospel.)

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Nothing wrong there, you will outlive us all. Try diet tonic water with a lime some time, it has panache and tastes great.

And as to suits, I find the Fitted Dress Shirt, Sleeves Rolled and Untucked quite fetching and comfortable. No need for a jacket.

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Nah, I got the tingle. just hopefully not this weekend.

No, no… nope. Ain’t happenin’…

Reminds me, todo: make sure that if I die there is an express wish to discourage wearing suits on the funeral invitation. No need to make it even worse. And suits are something worth hating beyond one’s grave. :smiley:

Confirming that. Black instead of khaki, some velcro mods on the thigh pockets to prevent unscheduled egress of stored stuff, big enough pockets to store a 9-inch ebook reader with a library that wouldn’t shame a provincial university.

Got tangentially involved in some project dealing with computer simulation of clothing for the purpose of custom making from a photograph. Or something along those lines. May be able to get a project branch that stresses a lot of pockets, and customization for built-in electronics, and do some early prototype tests of such functional wear. Pockets are something that’s too often neglected or at least seriously underestimated.

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Used to carry a gun in mine. :slight_smile: .40 cal is the flavor I like.

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Whoa. That makes a hole big enough for a mouse! Must have a serious kick, too.

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