Polite attire (inspired by Superfly)

[alwynsw]

Reference Superfly's poll concerning gentlemen:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php#427282

I posted this as part of my reply to his query/poll:

Guys, why can't you be bothered to dress appropriately when your date, wife, girlfriend and you are out on the town? Every holiday season I see it. The women are in cocktail dresses, gowns, etc. and their male escorts are in khakis with their shirt tails out, or nearly so, with Doc Martens or some other ungodly combination of clothing that is best suited for doing lawn work.

Care to 'splain that one, guys?

An addition to my comment: Don't cry cost. If she can afford the dress, you can afford the suit or formal wear. If not, you need to be at home saving your pennies instead of out on the town.

Sound off - both sexes.

[GOPisEvil]

1. I agree.

If my (hypothetical) date and I are attending a formal event, both of us should dress formally; likewise for semi-formal, etc.

I don't much care for the "slob look" for formal or semi-formal events. Dress shirts untucked with jeans or khakis is fine for a casual event, but not formal or semi-formal.

[Aristus]

2. I like dressing up. I've got closet bulging with suits and sport coats

from my days in banking. And I own seven or eight pairs of dress shoes, and thirty or so neckties. I can get decked out when I want to. :-)

My favorite outfit, black slacks, black dress shirt with matching black tie, a dove-gray cashmere sport coat, and lace-up cap-toed Bostonians. My wife calls it "smashing".

[VelmaD]

3. Wow...

you own almost as many pairs of shoes as I do. And about 4 times more than any other man I've ever met. :-)

[GOPisEvil]

4. 7 or 8 pair of dress shoes?

:wow:

I own 2 pair of dress shoes (one brown; one black), 2 pair of casual/semi-dressy (one brown, one black) and a pair of loafers. I thought I was a shoe hound! :D

[Aristus]

7. Well yeah. Can't go around with just one pair of shoes.

Gotta have something that goes with whatever you've got. I have grey suits, tan suits, a plum-colored suit; you need different shoes for each one. Black lace-up cap-toes, black loafers, cordovan lace-ups, cordovan mocs, brown lace-ups, brown loafers.

I don't follow Dennis Miller's dictum for men: One pair of tennies, one pair of church shoes.

BTW, there is no gender inequity in my marriage. My wife must have a hundred pairs of shoes, including a sexy pair of Victorian button-up boots. H-h-h-h-h-h-h-ho-boy!

[GOPisEvil]

8. A plum-colored suit?

Bow chicka bow bow...:P

I have noticed one thing: WOMEN NOTICE SHOES, so it's one thing I am willing to spend money on (although I still compulsively look for sales. I went to Kenneth Cole and found a pair of dress/casual black shoes and a pair of brown dress shoes for less than 100 bucks total. Outlet shopping rocks!)

[VelmaD]

10. You have discovered the secret...

use your knowledge wisely Grasshopper. :-)

[GOPisEvil]

12. Watching Queer Eye for the Straight Guys helped with this.

I noticed that among the first things the women noticed was the upgrade in footwear. Especially when the guy kept his general hair and facial hair situation less than radical. For the guys who went from long hair to short, shoes were probably the SECOND thing noticed. :D

[VelmaD]

13. Chicks dig shoes...

and frankly I gotta say there's something really sexy-cool about the fact that Aristus knows the names for the different types of shoes he owns. Yowza. *fans self*

[GOPisEvil]

14. He uses "cordovan" too.

I thought I was the only geek that used "cordovan". :D

[alwynsw]

24. Cordovan, oxblood (NOT the same)

London Tan, a multitude of browns. My shoeshine box weighs a ton.

[Aristus]

15. Easy, Vel, easy!

you are getting sleeeeeepy......mmmmmmmmmmblack lace-up demi-boots...................brown oxford wing-tipsmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........tan square-toe tassel loafersmmmmmmmmmm................. ;-)

[Loonman]

17. Shoes are the second thing a woman looks at when she

When she sees you for the first time.

[VelmaD]

19. Yup...

but only because our eyes tend to get caught and linger for a second on the way down to the shoes. ;-)

[Loonman]

21. (the first one)

Teeth.


I won't go into what men notice, because it's not news.

[VelmaD]

26. I must be unusual...

cause it isn't teeth for me.

It isn't really what I implied it was either. I tend to look at hair first. Then eyes. Then shoulders. And THEN shoes.

[Loonman]

30. Well not all, but usually

Clean teeth indicates good hygiene(even if they are crooked)

Nice shoes indicate a man knows how to dress and accessorize properly.


A man's belt should match his shoe color, and a tie should have at least one color that complements or matches at least one color in pants or shirt.

[VelmaD]

18. Hee...you own wingtips.

I love wingtips. They're so funky-retro. :bounce:

I thought girls were the only one's who wore black lace-up demi boots. ;-) Hell I have on a pair of demi-boots right now. They have fake leather "laces" up the back and 3 and a half inch heels.

[GOPisEvil]

20. I have a pair of black wingtips, too.

They're due to be re-soled and re-heeled though.

[VelmaD]

23. What a good Austinite you are...

very environmentally sound. Forget "Reducde, Recycle, Reuse". Add in "Re-sole and Re-heel". :-)

[Aristus]

22. These are not your father's wing-tips, Vel.

They are a pair of brown, sleek wingtips from Bostonian. They don't have those ugly little pinholes in them or a chunky sole. They are smooth, brown and beautiful. Me like. :-)

[VelmaD]

27. They sound delicious

Sleek is nice. But there's nothing wrong with the old-fashioned wingtips either if worn with the appropriate attire.

[northzax]

31. well sure, if you want last year's shoes

you want good shoes, you gots to pay for them.

My non-athletic shoe collection as follows:

Boots:

Black Motorcycle.
Cordovan Desert.
Black Desert.
Black leather lace up.
brown suede ankle.

Dress:
Black round toe.
black square toe.
black square toe on inch heel.
black wingtip.
brown wingtip.
cordovan wingtip.
cordovan square toe.
black tuxedo.

loafers/slip onss ARE NOT dress shoes. never, ever wear a slip on with a suit, ech)

black patent.
brown suede.
cordovan penny.

and those are just the ones I wear on weekdays. Others have varied purposes, from dancing to slumming. But for the love of god, don't wear loafers and a tie. it makes you look like a dork.

[Aristus]

32. See here, the south-going Zax said, I say,

You're stealing my shoe-thunder
You're taking it away,
I'm a shoe-nameing Zax
And I always name shoes
Stop upstaging me now,
Or I'll knock your teeth loose!

:-):-):-)

[GOPisEvil]

33. LOL!!!

:thumbsup:

[VelmaD]

9. I love shoes...

I didn't used to but I have become a shoe-slut since my break-up with the evil-ex last year. It's still really hard to get me to buy shoes that aren't black mind you. I have a half dozen pairs just of black boots because different outfits require different boots. Love boots.

And anything with a big chunky heel and buckles or straps or little metal studs - I am SO there. My current favorites though are Mary Janes with a 1 inch platform and 3 inch heels. Hubba.

[alwynsw]

16. I admit to being a clothes horse

right down to the satin bows on my formal slippers. I have no idea how many suits I own, but I do have four complete sets of formal wear, including one formal topcoat and three pairs of patent slippers - yes, hat scarf and cane, too (bum knees -therefore the cane). Shoes??? Who knows? More than I care to count. I once bought the ENTIRE Beatles tie collection because I thought they were cool.

Let's put it this way: my wife and I live in what could be called a 5 bedroom house. We have three bedrooms and two have been converted into closest - mine and hers. Imelda Marcos has nothing on my wife's shoe collection.

[Aristus]

25. What? You've got those satin-bow formal-wear slippers like Oscar

Wilde loved to wear? Dude! That's way too formal for me. :-)

[Drifter]

5. We are men ...

we don't care ... that's what we do.

Besides, when you are late for the open bar, you don't want to be wasting your time gettin all dolled up.

Cheers
Drifter

[Loonman]

6. Men's Wearhouse

These guys:

http://www.menswearhouse.com/home_page/ho10_home.jsp?bmUID=1069261356171


You won't have to worry about being under-dressed, again.

[Ellen Forradalom]

11. "I guarantee it."

--George Zimmer in Men's Wearhouse commercials

[SOteric]

28. If I've accepted a date with a guy, and I gussy up while he's unkempt

I don't date him a second time.

Now, I know that sounds harsh, but we're talking 'date' not relationship. Relationships are a different ball of wax.

Moreover, I have no interest in that whole "don't try to change me" contest of wills that so often goes on between a woman and a man who can't figure out what is appropriate to wear.

Too frequently, the same men who can't be bothered to tidy his appearance will make cruel and condescending comments about women's clothing and appearance (as if he was in any position to act as critic).

Frankly, I've never had to concern myself finding someone else who wanted to date me, I've rarely found or made time in my life for men, and don't feel gripped by any obssessive urges to grab a guy and run to the alter. So, I'm in a unique position of being able to be a bit choosey in the matter of who I'll go out with.

Like I said, though, relationships are a different ball of wax. If I love a man, I don't much care if he dresses funny.

[Chilly_Willy]

29. Superficial?

Not every man has this problem. But why spend time with someone if you want to control their wardrobe? The women at these formal functions don't care about how the men dress because if they did, then they would go out with a better dressed man. Look at the styles in the US, it's not the men it's the trend to dress down, dress casual and if you can get away with it, why not? I would if women would start dressing more casual.

I do agree men dressing formal/casual to fit the function should be taken into consideration. Once you become an adult, usually we all tend to dress for the occasion, but there are some men and women out there that just have their own style.

Of course women always love a well dressed man. And the man I am dating, dresses classy and looks great all the time.

[alwynsw]

34. Kick for the evening crew