Advice on dressing for business

frobisher

I'm about to have a series of very important meetings with work. An older colleauge yesterday said to me, "I hope you bloody don't look like that going into any of these meetings". The cheek!

I'm a guy and realy like to dress well but in a trendy, loose, slightly funky way. Alot of business people are incredibly conservative so I think my silver old school asics and g-star jeans ain't cutting it!

Any tips on dressing for business but still keeping it a bit trendy? Or should I not even try? What are the good shops in Dublin?

Miss Fluff

frobisher wrote:

I'm about to have a series of very important meetings with work. An older colleauge yesterday said to me, "I hope you bloody don't look like that going into any of these meetings". The cheek!

Oooh, obviously need to make the effort then. I'd use other members of staff as a yardstick. What's the general dress code at work? Are people in suits? Or are we talking smart casual? VERY fine line between smart casual and downright scruffy you know!


I'm a guy and really like to dress well but in a trendy, loose, slightly funky way.

When pubbing or clubbing that's fine. In work, ALWAYS dress for the job you want as opposed to the job you're in.

frobisher

Miss Fluff wrote:

Oooh, obviously need to make the effort then. I'd use other members of staff as a yardstick. What's the general dress code at work? Are people in suits? Or are we talking smart casual? VERY fine line between smart casual and downright scruffy you know!


I'm a guy and really like to dress well but in a trendy, loose, slightly funky way.

When pubbing or clubbing that's fine. In work, ALWAYS dress for the job you want as opposed to the job you're in.

I run my own business so there's no-one to directly compare to! My industry has a alot of creative types so normally my clothes fit right in. Now that I have to go to all these big meetings I need to find a new balance. It's not easy changing whole sections of your wardrobe over night!

Miss Fluff

Fair enough, I thought you might be in advertising/media or something from your email.;) You can't go wrong with a good blazer and chinos, you could then funk this up with a nice shirt from Paul Smith who does smart/casual to a T. http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/ Have a great selection in BT, his stuff looks great and show's you've made the effort without looking like a stuffed olive

metrovelvet

Ok what industry are the people you are meeting with in?

What is the context for these meetings, how big and where are they, your office, their office, lunch, big conference centres? And are you securing contracts or are these clients you already have?

How old are you? How much do you have to spend.

You should probably invest in a very good but fashionable suit. Try Hugo Boss.

And pay attention to your shoes and your grooming.

REDZ

try Zara for the suits, they are class-y

WexCan

Try House of Fraser in Dundrum for Paul Smith stuff, nice selection from the smart/cas range.

nick23

Always dress to impress. The better you look the better you'll feel and it will also make you feel more confident which will be very useful in an important meeting. Also if you dress smartly you will b taken as a serious business man and immediatley gain more respect.

Keep well groomed and if this is a path you are thinking of continuing down invest in a good suit. Doesnt neccesarily have to be expensive but if you are goin to spend a bit of money make sure it is something that will stay in fashion for a while and that you can constantly re-use.

I reccomend a black, dark navy or a mid-to-dark grey suit with very fine pin stripes worn with smart black lace-up shoes. If you want to try and go trendy maybe try messing around with shirt and tie variations i.e. no tie with simple white, open neck shirt etc.

House of fraser stock some nice suits

P.S. If you want to look smart stay away from button down collars!

Siogfinsceal

you own a business?? dress as you like so and be proud of it!!! Im so so sick of peopl ethinking you are only a professional if you wear a bloody suit. You can be professional in any clothes - its a way of thinking and conducting yourself. Ive met plenty o fpeople who wore suits but are downright rude or havent a clue. Its different when you are an employee. If its your company theres no-one to tell you what to do - if these people you are meeting cant see past your clothes then they havent a clue

dudara

Paul Smith definitely does the best range of funky suits. Well made, well cut, good fabric, but always with an edge

frobisher

Meeting people in my industry isn't a problem. It's meeting people in the world of finance etc. that is the issue. It's hard to know how these guys think, you don't want to look like you are forced but they can be very conservative about how someone is dressed. I'm young too and look in my mid twenties so that can go against you too.

I reckon Paul Smith might be the way to go. I have always like his stuff. I'll get decent use out of it as I'm at the age wehere more people I know are running suit required events like getting married and dying.

grumpytrousers

I remember watching that show dragons den recently, and if you don't know the drill, it's people go in to these tycoons and ask 'em for money...and one of them used to basically tell people who were 'not business attired' that "if you come in dressed casually or informally, then no matter how stylish you are, it tells me that you don't mean 'business'".

If you think that the kind of people you meet will have that mindset then you have to come up to their level. Or at least pretty close. If you want something from 'them' then you probably have to play by 'their' rules...

magpie

I'm a guy and realy like to dress well but in a trendy, loose, slightly funky way. Alot of business people are incredibly conservative so I think my silver old school asics and g-star jeans ain't cutting it!

Any tips on dressing for business but still keeping it a bit trendy?

How is your Peter Mark franchise going?

frobisher

magpie wrote:

How is your Peter Mark franchise going?

HA!! That's hilarious! Totaly wide of the mark but funny none the less!