Dressing for Success: Harder than Ever

In the old days a wife took the blame for letting
her husband go out like this (Urban/WSJ)

Wearing a coat and tie during the sweltering days of summer was uncomfortable, but that was the businessman's lot during most of the 20th century.

Being required to wear the "uniform" had its advantages, though: men didn't have to spend a lot of time deciding what to wear. The basic wardrobe consisted of blue, black, and gray suits, blue and white shirts, and black shoes. We expressed individuality through ties.

Today it's much more complicated because there are more combinations that are possible and more ways to go wrong. Also, being classy and casual doesn't come cheap.

P. Johnson Twill Linen Corbu Vest, $490,
Oxford Shirt, $175, Ice Cotton Tee, $245,
and Tony Jeans, $370 (WSJ)

Alternatively, you could dress like a suave guy who just happens to work with money. [Alex] Seo loves classic-but-not-corporate jackets from the Armoury, including the safari styles. Zach Garst, a trendy Houston tax consultant, 28, pairs cotton slacks with “something a little more spicy,” like boxy shirts and cardigans from Auralee and Frizmworks.

For style inspo, Le Alfré founder Brandon Snower recommends @schoonerscorer, an Instagram account popular with finance guys. It features videos of a charismatic Brit—Alex Hendy—rating beers at pubs. He’s stylish but never mentions clothes. After bingeing clips, I can tell you that I won’t be slurping the ho-hum porter at one central London pub, but I do need Hendy’s cream cable-knit sweater and red Ralph Lauren shirt. I like that he’s not a “fashion influencer”—outfit-dissecting accounts often come off cringe—just a cool guy doing his thing.

One menswear account I do enjoy: @the_daily_mirror. Founder Manish Puri, who works in financial services and writes about menswear, radiates unprecious elegance with flowy trousers, suede chore coats—and a cartoon chicken head superimposed over his own.

Another benefit of the old dress code is that business attire could hide a man's defective physique. Now his flaws are accentuated.

I'm glad I'm retired.