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Mark Twain famously wrote: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society,”
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When our children were young I spoke with them about perception and its effect on their point of view. Our children sometimes commented about the perceived wealth or status of someone based on the type of automobile the person was driving or the clothes they wore. In their minds, larger and more expensive vehicles or more upscale clothing meant someone had greater wealth and status.
My response to them was the person driving the vehicle or wearing the upscale clothing might not have more wealth, and instead may have less wealth because they spend spend more money!
Our adult children now understand expensive vehicles and clothing may only mean that person has more debt and not greater wealth.
These material things create the perception of wealth and don’t mean the person is wealthy.
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In our media-driven world, perception is a powerful emotion. The type and style of clothing worn are common tools that media influencers use to enhance perception. The style and type of clothing a person wears send a powerful message. This message can be positive or negative based on the type and style of clothing worn, and the image that the wearer desires to project.
The saying “clothes make the man” suggests that a person’s appearance, particularly clothing, can significantly influence how others perceive them and how they are treated. Clothing can convey information about style, profession, or social status.
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Since a great part of my working life has been spent advancing dental health and crafting smiles, I’ve been a student of appearance for many years.
This long-term study of appearance caused me to wonder what people look at first when meeting someone new. Research indicates when meeting someone new, people tend to focus on that person’s face. A person’s eyes convey a lot of information about their emotional state and intentions. A person may also focus first on another person‘s smile, which signals approachability and friendliness.
I realized early in my dental career that a winning smile and beautiful teeth are an important part of a winning first impression.
After looking at a person’s face, the second thing people observe is how a person is dressed.
Since clothing sends such a powerful message, I’ve always wanted to dress in a manner that created the appearance of success. One of the first things that I did when I started my professional journey back in the late 1970s was to read a book entitled “Dress for Success” by John T Molloy.
Reading this book started my education about classic clothing styles. I wore nice, but not upscale clothing. After reading this book I realized certain types of clothing are classic. This book stressed it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed.
This older book is considered a classic and may not be relevant today. But reading this book provided the basics of classic clothing and dress style I still employ today!
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What would you think people look at first when evaluating how a person is dressed?
Research indicates the first thing people look at when evaluating clothing is often overlooked.
Most people don’t place a great deal of emphasis on their shoes, but shoes are the first article of clothing people evaluate!
When evaluating men’s shoes, names like Louboutin, Armani, and Ferragamo stand out as classic high-end men’s wear.
Women’s shoes are more diverse, with names like Louboutin, Blahnik, Rossi, Garavini, and Jimmy Choo being recognized shoe brands.
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Does this mean that to be well dressed a person must wear shoes costing between $1000 and $5000?
Shoes in this price range make a statement, but someone can be well-dressed without wearing designer shoes.
Shoes need to be clean and presentable. Dress shoes should be highly polished and without scuffs. Classic men’s dress shoes can be purchased for $200 to $500.
Women’s shoes are tougher. The barrier between designer and standard shoes is high. Still, women can find classic dress shoes that don’t break the bank.
Shoes are an important part of being considered well-dressed, and the first thing that most people observe. Proper shoe care is important and will present your shoes in the best light possible for the longest period.
Three products have become essential to my shoe care arsenal. These three products are cream polish, shoe cleaner, and shoe conditioner.
All shoes will look better and be more presentable if they are clean. Leather shoes will be more presentable, and last longer if properly cleaned and polished.
What is the proper sequence for cleaning and polishing leather shoes? Cleaning and polishing shoes seems elementary, but is very important. This is the sequence to follow when cleaning and polishing shoes:
1. Clean your shoes: Remove any dirt, debris, or old polish with a brush and a cleaner, if needed. I have found Saddle Soap works best to clean dirty or muddy shoes. What is saddle soap? Saddle soap is designed to clean, condition, and protect leather, particularly horse tack, like saddles and other equipment. It typically contains ingredients like: mild soap, softening agents (e.g., lanolin), and preservatives (e.g., beeswax). While its name suggests use on saddles, it’s also commonly used on leather goods like boots, shoes, and bags. In addition to cleaning, Saddle Soap helps to protect and condition leather.
2. Condition the leather: If desired, apply a leather conditioner to moisturize and nourish the leather before polishing. After cleaning with Saddle Soap, I will often apply a leather conditioner. Leather conditioners can be found in liquid and paste form, and may or may not contain mink oil, a leather conditioner. It is important to note that leather conditioners may darken the leather color, and caution is advised when using these products on light-colored leather.
3. Apply the cream: Choose a shoe cream polish color that matches your shoes for a natural-looking shine. Apply a small amount of shoe cream to a clean cloth and work it into the shoe in a circular motion, ensuring even coverage. Shoe cream goes a long way, so apply it sparingly and build up layers if needed.
4. Let it dry: Allow the cream to dry for a few minutes, typically 5-10 minutes to absorb into the leather.
5. Buff and shine: Use a soft brush or cloth to buff the shoe and bring out the shine.
6. Second coat (optional): For a deeper shine or more color, you can repeat steps 3-5 with a second coat of cream polish. Avoid applying too much cream, as it can dry the leather and leave a residue.
Shoe polishes come in three forms: liquid, paste, and wax. Liquid paste is best for quick touchups but will dry out shoe leather. Wax polish will give the highest shine, but is subject to scuffing. Scuffs will detract from the appearance and are remedied by polishing. The best alternative appears to be the cream form of polish. It is a little more expensive but has the advantages of leather conditioners, and the ability to buff out scuff marks without having to re-apply cream in most cases. Cream polishes will not give the mirror-like finish of wax polishes, but create more of a satin finish.
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Tennis shoes with a tuxedo may work if you are a movie star on the runway prior to the Academy Awards, but these clothing choices don’t work well for most people. Classic, conservative clothing will better serve most people in almost every case.
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One of the basic concepts of the book “Dress for Success” is that it’s better to be considered overdressed than underdressed.
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Arriving at an event in slacks and a dress shirt to find everyone else in shorts, deck shoes, and casual shirts may create an uncomfortable situation. Arriving in shorts, deck shoes, and casual shirt to find everyone else dressed in slacks and dress shirts will create a very awkward situation. Anyone in that situation will heartily agree it is better to err on the side of being overdressed.
When receiving a formal invitation for an event, the type of required dress style will often be stated.
Dress styles are often divided into the basic classifications of formal wear (full dress), semi-formal wear (half dress), and informal wear (undress). Anything below this level is referred to as casual wear (although sometimes in combinations such as “smart casual” or “business casual”.) The following is a more comprehensive explanation of dress classifications from the Emily Post website:
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Attire Guide: Dress Codes from Casual to White Tie
Black tie, white tie; formal, semi-formal. Festive! Casual! Hitting the right note with attire can be confusing. Here are the details of how to dress appropriately for any occasion:
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Casual
Casual dress code refers to clothing that is informal and comfortable, yet clean and professional. It’s best to go with nicer casual wear and avoid the baggier items you wear around the house.
Women
- Sundress
- Long or short skirt
- Khakis or nice jeans
- Shorts (depending on occasion and climate)
- Plain T-shirt (no slogans), polo shirt, turtleneck
- Casual button-down blouse
Men
- Khakis or good jeans (clean, no holes)
- Cargo or Bermuda shorts—depending on occasion and climate
- Plain T-shirt (no slogans), polo shirt, turtleneck
- Casual button-down shirt and/or sweater
- Loafers, sneakers (with or without socks), sandals
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Dressy Casual
A dressy casual dress code is a versatile balance between formal and casual. This is the ideal choice for networking (or socializing) after work, fundraisers, or dinner at a nice restaurant.
Women
- Dress
- Skirt and a dressy top
- Dressy pants outfit
- Nice jeans and dressy top
Men
- Seasonal sport coat or blazer, and slacks
- Dress shirt, casual button-down shirt, open-collar or polo shirt
- Optional tie
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Semi-Formal
A semi-formal dress code is best described as being more formal than what you would wear to an office, but slightly less formal than what you would wear to a formal event. Do keep in mind that if the event is later than 6 in the evening, you’ll want to err on the side of formality.
Women
- Short afternoon or cocktail dress
- A “little black dress”
- Long dressy skirt and top
- Dressy separates
Men
- Dark, business suit
- Matching vest (optional)
- Dress shirt
- Tie
- Leather dress shoes and dark dress socks
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Business Formal*
A business formal dress code is characterized by a suit jacket with matching pants or a skirt. The darker the suit, the more formal. There are seasonal variations as well as matching accessories to personalize your look, but they should not be a distraction in any way.
Women
- Suit
- Business-style dress
- Dress with a jacket
- Stockings (optional in summer)
- Heels, low or high
Men
- Dark business suit
- Matching vest (optional)
- Dress shirt
- Conservative tie
- Leather dress shoes and dark dress socks
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Business Casual*
Casual business attire is pretty ambiguous but generally means slacks, khakis, or a skirt with a dress shirt, blouse, or polo. Dresses and seasonal sports coats fall into this dress code as well.
Women
- Skirt, khakis, or pants
- Open-collar shirt, knit shirt, or sweater (no spaghetti straps or décolleté)
- Dress
Men
- Seasonal sport coat or blazer with slacks or khakis
- Dress shirt, casual button-down shirt, open-collar or polo shirt
- Optional tie
- Loafers or loafer-style shoes, and socks
*Always check and abide by your company’s dress code.
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Black Tie
Black tie attire is slightly less formal than white tie, but it is more formal than business attire. It is the most common formal dress code for events such as weddings, proms, formal dinners, and theatre.
Women
- Formal (floor length) evening gown
- Dressy cocktail dress
- Your dressiest “little black dress”
Men
- Black tuxedo jacket and matching trousers
- Formal (piqué or pleated front) white shirt
- Shirt studs and cuff links
- Black bow tie (silk, satin, or twill)
- Black cummerbund to match a tie or a vest
- Dressy braces to ensure a good fit (optional)
- No gloves
- Black patent shoes and black dress socks
- In summer, in the tropics, or on a cruise: White dinner jacket, black tuxedo trousers plus other black tie wardrobe
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Creative Black Tie
A creative black tie is best described as attire with a black-tie foundation with room for some creativity and flair. It maintains black tie formality but allows for the use of textures, colors, and accessories to personalize your look.
Women
- Formal (floor length) evening gown
- Dressy cocktail dress
- Your dressiest “little black dress”
- Fun or unique accessories
Men
- Tuxedo combined with trendy or whimsical items, such as a black shirt or a matching colored or patterned bow tie and cummerbund
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Black Tie Optional
A black-tie optional dress code gives guests a couple of formal options to choose from. Men are requested to wear a tuxedo but can opt for a dark suit. Women can choose either a formal evening gown, a shorter cocktail dress, or dressy separates.
Women
- Formal (floor length) evening gown
- Dressy cocktail dress
- A “little black dress”
- Dressy separates
Men
- Tuxedo (see “Black Tie” above)
- Dark suit, white dress shirt, and conservative tie
- Leather dress shoes and dark dress socks
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Festive Attire (Usually for the Holidays)
A festive dress code is often the choice for holiday or New Year’s parties. It’s essentially cocktail party attire with a seasonal and festive holiday touch.
Women
- Cocktail dress
- Long dressy skirt and top
- Dressy pants outfit or separates
- A “little black dress”
- Feature holiday colors
Men
- Seasonal sport coat or blazer in color of choice, and slacks
- Open-collar shirt, or dress shirt
- Tie—festive or with a holiday theme
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White Tie
Also known as “full evening dress”, white tie attire is considered the most formal of all dress codes. The white tie dress code indicates that guests are high-caliber, royal, or have high social standing.
Women
- Formal (floor length) evening gown
- Long gloves (optional)
Men
- Black dress coat (tailcoat), matching trousers with a single stripe of satin or braid in the US; two stripes in Europe or the UK
- White piqué wing-collared shirt with stiff front
- Braces, to ensure a good fit
- Shirt studs and cuff links
- White vest
- White bow tie
- White or gray gloves
- Black patent shoes and black dress socks
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Of course, a person’s dress should reflect their individuality, and no one wants to be classified based on their attire. But, one must accept the fact that other people will tend to make decisions about you based on how you are dressed and how you present yourself.
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If you arrive for a job interview wearing a T-shirt, pajama bottoms, and fuzzy slippers, your probability of being hired is reduced, regardless of the applied position.
One of my dental school instructors felt very strongly about how one should be dressed. He always wore a coat and tie, and wore a clinical coat whenever he was treating patients. He carried this same mindset into recreational activities and would wear a chef’s apron and Chef’s hat when cooking. It still makes me laugh to think of him dressed this way, but he felt that dressing made him a better cook! Regardless of whether he was a better cook, he appeared to be a professional cook.
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There has been a “dumbing down” of the dress code recently, with a gradual shift to casual dress in social settings.
Many years ago, a trip involving an airline flight required a coat and tie, or at least a button-down shirt and tie.
Days of worship at local churches were dress-up events, and Sunday worship celebrations were more formal.
Past ocean cruises included several Formal Nights. Formal attire was required for Dining. Formal Nights consisted of tuxedos for men and formal gowns for women. Now, many cruises have abandoned or downgraded Formal Nights to business casual attire.
For many years, my wife and I were active in a social dance group. We enjoyed attending Friday evening dances with the associated live music, men dressed in coats and ties, and women dressed in cocktail attire.
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Final Thoughts
Just like Mark Twain, I feel that naked people have very little influence on society.
Humans are still humans, and we tend to make preliminary judgments about others based on appearance and clothing.
Research has indicated that when approaching a stranger, most people look first at the person‘s eyes, second at their smile and teeth, and third at their attire.
The way a person is dressed makes a statement about the person. This statement can be positive or negative.
Dress styles are subject to infinite variability. Most styles are still compared to the standards.
There has been a “dumbing down” of dress standards with a more casual approach to dress becoming common.
How someone dresses is still important. How a person is dressed affects how they feel about themselves, and how others feel about them based on their appearance.
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