The entire point of having a wardrobe is the ability to dress appropriately, whatever the occasion, and to make a positive impression on others. Being a clothing chameleon makes it possible to fit in anywhere. From black tie soirées to business negotiations to sales presentations to casual get-togethers to leisure activities, dressing correctly is a necessity. This column will explore ways to accomplish this.
Obviously, attire for any and all business or career-related functions should always take precedence over after-hours, casual, and leisure clothes (which most of us have plenty of already). It’s an excellent idea to sit down and devise a master plan to acquire clothes and expand your wardrobe. Don’t just go out and buy stuff willy-nilly. Put together a list of items to buy and carefully, deliberately and methodically make your purchases. This will ensure that you buy precisely what you need. You’ll also save money because you won’t be spending it on items you don’t need.
How should you go about expanding your wardrobe? The key is variety and flexibility. You need a range of clothes to dress for any occasion. Mixing and matching is the primary technique for varying your appearance. Width is the goal, not depth. For example, buy suits that are very different from each other: a solid navy, a medium grey solid, a teal three-piece pinstripe, a tan Glen plaid, a charcoal double-breasted pinstripe, and so on. Don’t buy a half-dozen similar suits, even if they’re on sale at significant discounts.
A variety of dress shirts is important too. Having point collars, spread collars, and button-downs in different colors and fabrics (broadcloth, oxford, end-on-end, etc.) is good. But for shirts a bit of depth is also desirable. I recommend having at least six each of white and pale blue broadcloth point collar shirts (these are a mainstay of business attire) so you won’t run out of clean ones.
Ties are the most versatile item in a professional wardrobe. They can be purchased inexpensively, so it’s worthwhile to have many of them. A nearly infinite range of colors, patterns, and textures is available. Changing only the tie can make it appear like you’re wearing a completely different outfit.
Sport coats, sweaters, vests, and dress pants should be acquired with an eye for variety. For more casual occasions, polo shirts are another option. All these items can be combined in a multitude of ways for distinctive and different looks. But remember that your clothes should always be clean, neat, and well-fitting, not ratty, raggedy, and sloppy. Be a clothing chameleon and you’ll be well dressed for any occasion!
