The Tester
A 29-year old online editor whose style icon is Kurt Cobain
The Goal
To see if dressing sharper can boost productivity and self-esteem. Men feel more authoritative, productive and competent when they’re wearing casual business attire than when they’re in everyday casual, according to a study from the University of Southern Indiana. The trouble is, a lot of men dress “business sloppy”, says Men’s Health fashion and grooming editor Azeez Jacobs. “They may feel comfortable, but their clothes are often either too big or just inappropriate for the workplace.”
The prescription
(1) Learn to pair separates: jeans with a jacket and tie, or trousers with a fine-gauge sweater and tie. Go with dark jeans that fit well –they’re dressier. (2) Don’t splurge on dress shirts. If they’re a bit wide, spend a few bucks and have them taken in. Your shirt won’t look great unless it fits you well. (3) You can wear the same tailored jacket more than once a week by changing up your tie and shirt. Remember: the width of your tie should correlate with the width of your jacket lapels and the size of your shirt collar.
The Verdict
“At first it felt like playing dress up, and dealing with all the ‘Job interview, hey?’ witty remarks was exhausting, but as the days grew into weeks, I got more comfortable and was able to wear the suit with swagger instead of letting it wear me.”
