Men’s dress, like any other field, is full of urban myths. They are an excuse for those who would rather not invest the time and effort to build a style of their own, based on objective rules that have stood the test of time. Without further ado, this article debunks the 4 loudest myths of classic dress.
1. Myth debunked: elegance is reserved for special occasions
This is a preconception born of ignorance about what elegance and style really mean. Elegance does not necessarily require a suit. It requires good taste, grace and a sound knowledge of a few basic rules of combination. Elegance is the triumph of harmony over vulgarity. Any of the five dress codes (black tie, business formal, business casual, smart casual, casual) can produce elegant outfits. Of these, casual stands out for the chance it gives a man to look good in life’s most ordinary moments. A walk with the dog or a trip to the supermarket requires nothing more. Paradoxically, then, this myth is both true and false, because an elegant gentleman turns any moment of life into an “occasion”.
2. Myth debunked: elegance costs a fortune
In the past, elegance was associated with the upper class. Hence the confusion between elegance and wealth. Historically justified as it is, this idea is fading today. Clothing makers now understand how to deliver premium quality at reasonable prices. Hence the idea of affordable luxury, which our S-Bespoke service fully embodies. Admittedly, a made-to-measure suit will never cost as little as an off-the-peg one. But the quality will be incomparably higher, and the comfort far greater. The cost per wear falls, and the life of the suit grows. Rather wonderful, is it not?
3. Myth debunked: a smart suit is a straitjacket
It is an unfortunate preconception, born of mass-market production, which floods the market with suits cut from predefined patterns in poor materials. A suit made from a blend of cardboard and petroleum can only be dreadful. The suit is not to blame; the source it came from needs changing. Even the most restrictive clothes, such as ceremonial dress, offer comfort and freedom of movement, as long as they are made of natural fibres and cut to measure.
4. Myth debunked: a suit is a hassle to maintain
True, a suit needs more attention than a bargain-bin T-shirt. But that is precisely what sharpens a man’s attention and the standards he sets for himself. A suit is easier to look after than it seems, and we have written a short guide on the subject. Cleaning, pressing, storage, rotation and alterations are the golden quintet that extends the life of a suit. Read and applied, the guide shows at first hand how unfounded this last myth is.
This article has set out briefly why the myths of classic dress have no foundation. The conclusions are clear. 1) Elegance is only for occasions, because an elegant gentleman turns any context into an “occasion”. 2) Elegance costs a fortune, because it later pays its way handsomely. 3) The suit is uncomfortable, because its source was poorly chosen. 4) The suit is hard to care for, because the secrets that make the task easy were unknown.
