Ever been called a "suit"? I was yesterday, by a friend no-less, before a client appreciation golf tournament. I felt so type cast - like it's such a bad thing to wear a suit to work every day. I know better, but it got me thinking about why this friend would speak so negatively about someone looking nice.

Today, it seems, wearing a suit means you're one of three types - you have money, you wanna look like you have money, or you're working a retail or sales job that requires suit attire but pays just enough to cover the used car financing payments. I'm one of the latter types. I work 50-60 hours a week selling Information Technology consulting services, I love it, and I wear a suit 5-6 days a week. And while I first thought the required attire was going to be a drag, I'm finding that wearing a suit isn't all it's criticized to be.

For example; recently, I walked in to a department store wearing jeans and a tee shirt and received descent customer service. I've also made a couple short stops at the same store wearing a suit; those times, the customer service was excellent. Maybe something was in the air each day I wore the suit and my findings aren't substantial. But I have experienced this difference in treatment time and time again.

I have countless examples in the workplace, also. Carrying myself professionally - with confidence and style - has lead to meetings and invitations (to events) that I would have never thought possible. In fairness to myself, I know my simple and honest approach have helped create a lot of opportunities, but I know people in the business world respond more positively when I'm dressed to the nines. Maybe it shouldn't be that way, but it is. When I dress like a million bucks and I look like I'm proud to be looking so nice, I receive a more generous helping of respect. Plain and simple.

So, my words of advice to all you "suit" slammers out there are as follows: talk from the heart, dry clean your suits, shine your shoes, pull up your black socks, thread your belt through every loop, don't be afraid to wear a bow tie (tied, not clipped), and present yourself with confidence.

Dressing up for success, if you wanna call it that, works for me. Maybe it shouldn't and there's something not right about being treated better, based on the clothes I wear. But it should be noted, me and my company of "suits" were paying for that friend's golf game yesterday - at a nearby elite golf club - and not him.

So if I gotta wear a suit to be in a place where I'm the one who can afford to pay, size me up and spit shine the walkers...I'm throwin' on a Tweed.

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