Wearing a suit as everyday clothes

[bonesquirrel]

Hello everyone.

What do you think about wearing a suit (gentleman's/business man suit) as everyday clothing. I'm not meaning to where it everyday for work or school, I just mean to wear it like it is any other piece of clothing.

I am quite young (almost 16) so of course its uncommon to see a younger person in a full on suit, unless they are a performer of some kind or at a really important event (or go to a school that demands it). I have a cousin (19) who actually has no other clothes but a few suits.

I really like the style (paired with my tobacco pipe and sunglasses lol) on me, people tell me (meaning friends, family etc.) that it suits me.

What do you think would happen if I were to wear it casually, I like in Tasmania, full of bogans. So most people (meaning 99% of people) my age wear hoodies and dumb looking jeans, an the females naturally wear as little clothes as they can get away with. On top of that, its hard to find one without a piercing. An they all smoke really, excuse my language, sh*tty JPS cigarettes.

So obviously I would stand out more than anyone if I was out in public with a pipe or cigar in my hand, with a suit and tie, shiny black shoes and a Rod Sterling like hair cut. But I honestly love the style (I'm a tobacco lover as well).

Thoughts???

[faulty_damper]

I had a friend who did this throughout high school (in the US) and continued wearing suits throughout college.  His personality was the quiet, docile type but when he started wearing the suits, people started talking.  I'm laughing thinking about it now but it was pretty ridiculous the kinds of things people thought.  People didn't know what to make of him and kept their distance out of fear that he was associated with illicit activities.  The fact that he was the best poker player in school added to this persona.

I, myself, did the Suit Experiment.  It only lasted a semester but I wanted to see how others would act.  Overall, it was quite eye-opening how people treat you without actually knowing you.  They make assumptions about your personality, your finances, even your sexual prowess.  Some thought I was arrogant, stuck up, and responded by avoiding eye contact.  Others were threatened (the admins) and ignored me.

Every adult was impressed the first time they met me because of how well I dressed.  But then they just got confused when I didn't turn out to be of significant importance.  I was just a student teacher after all.

The children, on the other hand, didn't treat me any differently.  This is because they didn't have the experiences to associate the suit with any kind of social/political/economic importance.  They were just as kind as other children have been before and after.

It's funny the differences between children and adults.  Adults are preoccupied with appearances and will make conscious decisions to associate with you based on this superficial facet.  But children make the decision to associate with you if you are kind, caring, and supportive.

In the end, what I learned from this experiment is that it quickly exposes peoples' biases and personalities.  While the way certain adults treated me was hostile, it also forced other people to look me in the eye before making a decision to treat me the same.  Adults had to get to know me on a personal level just as the children did.  I learned whom I could be open with and whom I could not trust. It's funny that the people whom I could not trust were the administration but I didn't trust them even before I taught at the school.  But that's another story.

[j_menz]

I learned whom I could be open with and whom I could not trust.

Evidently your grammar teacher at some point fell into the latter category.

(The third "whom" is wrong, too, btw).

@OP - wear what you like (within the bounds of decency, legality and courtesy), but a sixteen year old always in a suit is making a statement, and you should be aware that not everyone will approve.

[outin]

, but a sixteen year old always in a suit is making a statement, and you should be aware that not everyone will approve.

And depending on one's status among one's peers and the level of civilized behavior common in the group, one might need to prepare for a beating as well...

[hardy_practice]

Maybe just dip a toe in, starting with cardigans?

[Bob]

I've heard they don't have to be washed which sounds a bit gross.  I was told sweat, etc. just evaporates.  You're not supposed to clean the suit very often since it damages it each time.  I still think there would be a build up of sweat in it.


I have noticed people treat you differently depending on what you wear.  The more dressed up you, the more "sirs" you hear.  On the flipside I went someone with old exercise clothes on and someone thought I was a jobless person I'm pretty sure.  I must look like trailer trash a bit depending on the clothes, but I suppose anyone does.

[cwjalex]

wear what you like (within the bounds of decency, legality and courtesy), but a sixteen year old always in a suit is making a statement, and you should be aware that not everyone will approve.

this.  16 year olds are also extremely judgmental (well everyone is really) and it may be difficult to make friends with people your own age if you decide to go with the suit.  

there was a kid in my highschool who didn't wear a full suit everyday, but he wore business/casual with a tie everyday and everyone made fun of him.  he was an extremely odd kid.  maybe if he was  a normal kid he wouldn't have gotten teased so much but then again, i don't think a normal kid would even dream of sticking out so much by wearing a suit.  

i believe there is something admirable about the quality of not giving a *** about what other people think and wearing what you want.  just be aware that the majority of people will judge you and make a lot of assumptions about you before you even open your mouth and you should be prepared to deal with that.  to be perfectly honest if i saw a 16 year old in a suit i would think he was kind of weird, but it wouldn't stop me from befriending him or her and if they turned out to be cool i would be friends with them.  

i remember watching this dateline mystery show where this really rich college kid wore a full suit everyday and brought a briefcase to class.  a lot of the people interviewed look down on it even in college and the detectives were saying how they thought it was inappropriate.  like j_menz says, not everyone will approve. 

i'm sorry if i appear to be negative and cynical but i'm being real.  if you don't care what other people think then all the more power to you, wear what you want!

[Bob]

What about dockers and a shirt?


Yes... Drive people nuts.  Carry a briefcase around with you all the time.  They'll develop rumors about what's it in.

[indianajo]

I've heard they don't have to be washed which sounds a bit gross.  I was told sweat, etc. just evaporates.  You're not supposed to clean the suit very often since it damages it each time.  I still think there would be a build up of sweat in it.

Actually, in the fifties and early sixties, IBM required all mainframe service people to wear a dark suit.  Many of these people like computer nerds now, didn't clean the suit very often, so they often smelled of their sweat. My college Fortran (computer language) teacher was like that.  By contrast, bankers and funeral directors usually smelled of camphor , mothballs, or worse, men's cologne.
As these people are all retired or dead, your younger compatriots won't see the reference.    Making a statement in a suit is like any other form of dressup goth, motorcycle colors, whatever, it clues people in to the fact that you are into appearance. If you are a visual artist, fine, appearance and visuals is their life.  Other people will clue in to the fact that you are not a real down to earth guy.  Perhaps you don't want to be, but it sides you with one minority or other.
I'm having trouble I play organ now, pop music mostly, and most people now only encounter organs at funeral homes or high churches. At the first at least very awful music is played, and at the latter, a genre of music that people that didn't grow up there can't relate to.  Then there are the Holiday Inn lounge entertainers that drove everybody nuts in the sixties.  I'm having trouble overcoming all that predjudice.  People sort the world into stereotypes, it is fairly natural.  Certain people of a large religion are sorting all westerners into selfish hedonists. Actually talking to people is a great way to break down stereotypes.