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A Guide to Investing in Your
Appearance
A gentleman may like his old clothes. He may, in truth, love them. To him they may feel like comfortable old friends he wishes never to replace. But the time comes when a gentleman has to go shopping. His favorite shirt may have grown frayed around the edges. His one good suit may somehow have shrunk at the waistband. He may actually decide that he would like to come up with a few new choices when he reaches into his closet. Or he may decide that an upcoming social event justifies the challenges of trying on and being fitted. At such moments, a gentleman pays attention to his gut instincts, but he is not afraid to ask for help.
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If a gentleman is an inexperienced,
or recalcitrant, shopper, he does not
attempt to shop in a hurry.
If a gentleman goes shopping for a suit, he
makes sure to come back with a suit. He
does not become sidetracked by the sale
rack of Hawaiian shirts in the corner.
At all times, no matter what the fashion
magazines—or the sales clerks—say, a
gentleman trusts his own instincts.
A gentleman chooses his sales clerk as
carefully as he chooses his
attorney, his real estate agent, or his bartender. All
three, he knows, are valued confidants,
expected to stand with him through the
agonies, excesses, and ecstasies of life.
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A gentleman trusts his knowledgeable
sales clerk. Yet he is never afraid to ask
the dreaded question, “But doesn’t it
make me look fat?”
If a gentleman thinks it makes him
look fat, no matter what anybody else
says, he doesn’t buy it.
If a gentleman does not like the color,
he doesn’t buy it.
If a gentleman does not like the pattern,
he doesn’t buy it.
If a gentleman does not like the price tag,
he leaves it alone.
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If a gentleman is confident in his own
style, he feels comfortable buying new
clothes that look and feel much like the
old clothes he has at home.
When shopping for clothing in
preparation for a special occasion, a
gentleman gives himself—and the store—
plenty of lead time so that he can consider
his decisions and so the store can make
any necessary alterations and have the
time to get them right.
When a gentleman picks up a garment
that has been altered, he tries it on
before leaving the store.
A gentleman never returns an
item that he has worn, unless he
discovers a defect in the item itself
or in its alteration.
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A gentleman does not return an item
simply because he decides, after the fact,
that he does not like the style or color. He
never does this. Never.
A gentleman shops for his clothes as an
investment, in the same way that he shops
for his car. He buys the highest quality
his budget will allow, confident that it will
give him the greatest mileage.
If a gentleman feels he must wait until
sale time before buying his suit, he
watches for sales at the best-quality
stores, where even the sale racks offer
suits he will be proud to wear.
If a gentleman buys his suit, jacket, or
trousers on sale at a fine establishment, he
may be asked to pay for any alterations or
tailoring. He does so gladly, knowing that
he is still getting a bargain and that the
work will be done right.
A gentleman knows that a fine
establishment is always concerned
about its reputation, no matter whether
the merchandise was purchased at full
price or on sale.
A gentleman is not intimidated by
introducing himself to a fine store at sale
time. He and his sales clerk know that
there will come a time when he will be
able to pay full price.