Put your best foot forward.  

Put one’s best foot forward

1. (idiomatic) To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.

Try to put your best foot forward at all times during a job interview.

It’s hard not to agree with such a sentiment – how each of us interprets this statement from a clothing perspective though will be considerably different.  What can be agreed upon though is that each time you depart the house you want to feel at your best.  Without delving too deeply into the psychology behind it the power of clothing to influence our feelings is undeniable; and that’s without even pondering the influence is has on others perceptions of us.

Always look + feel your best.

Take a moment and really think about the outfits that make you feel the best.  What do you wear for that critical meeting?  What is your favorite look when you’re going out for an evening? Most of us have “go-to” outfits for these situations.  Now analyze why those combinations work for you – is it the colors?  Is it the cut and fit of the clothes?  Is it a combination of the two?  Is there a lot of variation to the looks or do you gravitate to one particular style?

If you’re all over the fashion map that’s fantastic.  There is a reason that fashion is constantly moving forward and presenting potential new trends each season.  If that is who you are then enjoy the variety and have fun with the possibilities.

A signature look.

On the other hand if you’re consistently pulled toward a specific look and color scheme do not fear!  The fashion world – from stores, to magazines, to stylists – all try to make you feel badly for not being adventurous.  Don’t listen to them – figure out what works for you and knock it out of the park every time.  The only way to achieve a signature look is to actually take the time to develop one – here are a few who have done exactly that:

Gianni Agnelli

The Godfather of Style; Italian industrialist and owner of Fiat.  Undoubtedly the most influential style icon of those in the suiting world.  9 out 10 times he was in shades of grey though he throw in the odd navy to keep you on your toes.  Notice his signature look in the lower right – the watch worn over the cuff.

The Prince of Wales

The undisputed king of the double breasted jacket; worn closed, open or the extremely difficult casual usage.  Considering he is royalty it makes sense that his tailoring is from Savile Row and is impeccable at all times.

Albert Einstein

The rumor – though unsubstantiated – was that he had a closet full of essentially the same suit; like Agnelli they were in varying shades of grey.  His famous quip of course was that he had more important things to do than figure out what to wear each day.  The approach served him well I would say.

It’s how you feel.

The concept behind the signature look is all about feel.  On a personal level I pretty much only wear navy and gray with touches of olive, brown and baby blue. When I go outside of this scheme I simply don’t feel as comfortable.  Other colors and combinations might look great on me but when I wear them I just don’t feel right.  As a result I’m not comfortable and thus there is no reason to step outside of my comfort zone.   That is the point of this article – having your signature look is okay and in fact promoted.

8/10 days I’m in navy or gray suit, a white, baby blue or baby blue & white striped shirt along + brown shoes and plain tie in navy, grey, silver, brown or green. The other two days would be olive or brown.  Those very curated combinations make me feel at my best that is the foot I want to put forward every day.

In the same way during the summer you’ll find me in a white polo or a white button up shirt. The shorts will be seersucker or grey cotton; the pants will either be navy or olive.  This is what makes me feel right.

Some will say this is boring; others will say it makes total sense.

Final thought.

I felt the need to discuss this concept as lately I’ve experienced many clients who have been almost apologetic for not venturing outside of their standard style and color schemes.  It made me realize that a lot of guys feel the power of the fashion marketing machine and needed a bit of reassurance.

At the end of the day it’s about a great fit, amazing fabrics and perfecting the details that make your clothes right for your lifestyle.  That’s what enables you to feel right and put your best foot forward each day.  If that’s boring – so be it.

As always please let me know what you think and if you have any questions or concerns – better yet book a free appointment and we can talk some of these points through and find out if we might be a good fit to work together.

Take care,

Michael

info@martinfishertailors.com