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Men's Fashion and Grooming Crimes at Work

By careerbuilder.com today:
Dude, have you taken a good look at yourself lately? Your fashion-sense (or lack there-of) could be offending the eyes of your colleagues and recklessly endangering your career!

Here are 10 of the most common fashion crimes along with tips on how to avoid them:

1. Backpacks. OK, maybe this is just a misdemeanor, but you're trying to climb the corporate ladder, not hike up a mountain. Carry a briefcase or messenger bag -- and if you need something for your gym clothes -- invest in a nice-looking gym bag.

2. Clashing or too many colors. A coat of many colors may have worked for Joseph, but you, my friend, should limit each outfit to just three colors or shades. Stick to complementary colors (those opposite from each other on the color wheel) or colors from the same pallet. Match pale clothes with light-colored shoes and dark clothes with dark shoes.

3. Stained clothes. Don't be that guy who's unwittingly walking around with red sauce on his shirt. Make it part of your daily routine to inspect your clothes when you take them off and when they come out of the wash to make sure you don't miss a spot. Watch for yellow circles under the armpits, soiled collars or cuffs. You may even want to keep a stain stick in your desk at work.

4. Ill-fitting pants. Even if you're sure of your size, always try on pants before buying them, because different brands have different lengths. Jeans can be worn to the bottom of your heel, but your khakis or dress pants should end at the top of the heel. Make sure they don't reveal any sock as you walk-- or more than a couple of inches of sock when you sit. Too tight or too baggy won't cut it either.

5. Ponytails. You're neither a wizard nor a rock star. And even if you were, admit it, doesn't Michael Bolton look much better now that he's cut his hair? If you must keep your hair long, make sure it's neat and clean and doesn't fall past the base of your neck.

6. Novelty ties. It's okay to express your individuality through color or pattern. But stick with the classic width of about three-and-one-quarter inches and make sure the colors and patterns complement the shirt you are wearing. And one more thing: When it comes to how a tie hangs, it should reach the top of your belt buckle and have a dimple in the center of the knot.

7. Too much cologne. If you must wear cologne, get a quality brand. And since the same cologne smells different on each person, make sure to test it out and get some opinions. Beware of mixing too many smells at once. Remember, if you wear an anti-perspirant or aftershave, the scents can mingle for an unpleasant effect. And don't be too liberal in your application. The safest bet is to avoid wearing cologne all together and let the clean smell of soap do the talking.

8. Funky facial hair. If you're going to do facial hair, do it right. Keep any mustache or beard trimmed. Don't wear a soul patch (that little rectangle of unshaven hair beneath your lower lip) or uni-brow (try waxing or laser hair removal). If you're prone to stray nose or ear hairs, please invest in a special trimmer.

9. Too much jewelry. A simple watch is all you need outside of a wedding band or class ring, if appropriate. Save the gold neck chains, bracelets, pinky rings and facial piercings for after hours.

And the most heinous crime of all:

10. Comb-overs. Draping or otherwise "arranging" those nine hairs on top of your head into an elaborate comb-over doesn't actually work for Donald Trump. He only gets away with it because he's the boss. If you are follicly-challenged, embrace it. Keep your hair cropped short, or shave it all a la Michael Jordan, Andre Agassi or Howie Mandel.

Aside from the tie length, sounds like good advice. :D

Regards,

J
 

Marc Chevalier

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Excellent advice.


I have a problem with this quote from the article:

jamespowers said:
... stick with the classic [tie] width of about three-and-one-quarter inches ...

Practically all ties made today are 4 inches wide. The man who wants a 3 1/4" new tie that's classic, rather than neo New Wave, will have a very difficult time finding one.

.
 

Paisley

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jamespowers said:
8. Funky facial hair. If you're going to do facial hair, do it right. Keep any mustache or beard trimmed. Don't wear a soul patch (that little rectangle of unshaven hair beneath your lower lip) or uni-brow (try waxing or laser hair removal).

Every time I see a man with a soul patch, I feel like saying, "You missed a spot shaving."

Other than ill-fitting pants, I just don't see many of these fashion crimes. Mostly, I see men wearing their hats indoors, or just looking like slobs.
 
Marc Chevalier said:
Excellent advice.


I have a problem with this quote from the article:



Practically all ties made today are 4 inches wide. The man who wants a 3 1/4" new tie that's classic, rather than neo New Wave, will have a very difficult time finding one.

.

I did mention I had a problem with the tie citation. ;)
There is an about in there. I think they are advising against too skinny ties and too wide ties. You know the 1970s super wide monsters and the 1960s stringbean ties. :D

Regards,

J
 
Nick D said:
That's an improvement from the last one I read that exhorted all men to shave off their beards.

Coming from someone who had a beard for a while, a well trimmed and groomed beard is not a bad thing on many men. My problem with it was that it took far too much of my time to keep it that way. :D
You have to agree with the monobrow thing though. You really shouldn't want to look like Bert or Ernie. ;)

Regards,

J
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
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18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Back in the '80s, many dry cleaners and tailor shops offered "tie narrowing" services. Bring in your wide '70s tie, and they'd make it narrower.


Tailors can do the same today ... and they'll make a pretty penny when tie fashions become narrow again.

.
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
jamespowers said:
Why would you narrow a 1970s tie? They are still ugly thin or thick. :p:eusa_doh:

There were a very few '70s ties that looked all right. Repp stripes and small prints by traditional makers, such as Brooks Brothers and Atkinson's. Silk, Irish poplin, wool, linen. As classic as they'd always been -- except very wide. Worth saving.

.
 
Marc Chevalier said:
There were a very few '70s ties that looked all right. Repp stripes and small prints by traditional makers, such as Brooks Brothers and Atkinson's. Silk, Irish poplin, wool, linen. As classic as they'd always been -- except very wide. Worth saving.

.

Notice you said very few? ;)
For the price of altering the 70s tie, you could have a new or vintage better looking tie. Faced with that choice, I would buy a new one. I mean who would really want to save this?:

2007_0504_142750.JPG


or this:
2007_0504_142719.JPG
 

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