8th
Your suit sucks.
Great. Business horizons week/month is upon us and that means a few things. A bunch of creepy old guys recruiting on campus and women so frumpy you pledge NOW to never be like them. Additionally, this means that our peers will be walking around campus in suits and I am not one to diss any man in a suit but if you do decided you MUST wear one… please keep a few things in mind. The ultimate goal is to get a job, not look like you’re swimming in your 400lb. brother’s hand me down pinstripe pleated pants suit. Gross.
Some rules of thumb:
1. There are very few people that can pull pleats off - take Jesus for instance. In other words, that means that YOU cannot wear pleats EV-ER. EVER EVER. So if you’re staring at your closet on business horizons day for your college… skip over the pleats.
2. Please please please wear pants that fit properly. You are not a part of the italian Mob as depicted on TV. If you were a part of the italian Mob, I hope you’d holler at an italian suit, more fitted in the legs. Keep in mind - you’re not aiming for EMO fitted. The last thing you want to look like is a person ready to slit their wrists at a moment’s notice. You’re trying to get a job.
3. Get a jacket that fits. Do us this one small favor if you’re not willing to budge with the pants. Make sure it hits a little below your natural waist… and not oh 3 inches above your knees. It has to fit in the shoulders and through the arms. It can’t be hanging off of you like skin after lipo. GROSS. Do you want to look like Joan Rivers? I think NEG.
4. Get a tailor. Just freaking do it. They will work wonders on a suit that needs to be fitted to perfection. Consider it a small investment. You want to present yourself to companies in the best light possible. You want them to look at you and think, wow I can take him to a exec meeting and have people not think it’s take your son to work day. If all else fails and you’ve got the change, go all out and have a suit custom made. You will never look better, trust me.
5. Ladies, freaking ditch the heels. This campus is far to large to be killing your feet in heels. I get it, you want to look great at the job fair but let’s be honest, you will only be at the job fair for 2 hours tops. Bring an alternative (NOT SNEAKERS because that’s freaking tacky)… try a nice pair of flats. You’ll be comfortable all day and they won’t take up too much room in your bag when you switch them out for the heels.
6. Final point. Don’t be the d-bag that goes to class in a suit. Seriously, do everything possible to NOT be THAT guy/girl. Bring your fav. pair of jeans with you (dark denim will probably work best). After you’re done wooing the recruits with your sweet skills and resume, keep your blouse and jacket on and throw on your jeans. Greanted you will probably look a little more dressed up then the average Tech student but at least you won’t look like a d-bag.
As this week comes and goes, I hope you guys take some of these “rules” into consideration. If you think it’s dumb, let me just say that chicks dig a guy in a great suit - maybe that will give you some incentive you know aside from the whole getting a job incentive.
PS: for ideas check out Thom Brown for Brooks Brothers —> brooksbrothers.com
or for inspiration see what The Sartorialist has to say —> thesartorialist.com
