Closing Thoughts

You've made it to the end of the book. Thank you for letting me ramble at you for this many pages about something that, in the modern era, seemed perfunctory and deserving of little attention. I do hope that you found it useful, I certainly wish that I had known more about these things before I moved to DC. Prior to that, I had invested in some rather poor-quality suits and made many mistakes wearing them.

A critical thing to remember, as I emphasized at the beginning of this book, is that fashion is arbitrary. All the rules and forms we've discussed are only a snapshot in time. While suits have largely remained unchanged in form for about a hundred years, things don’t stay the same forever, especially in a time where the average worker has a great deal of flexibility and choice in what they wear to the office. Use that as an opportunity to embrace change. Go with what works for you. Don't be afraid to wear what you want because that is the most important element of your suit. It doesn't matter the color of your jacket, the style of your tie, the material of your shoes, or anything else if you lack confidence. Confidence is the one thing you can't buy. The best dressed person who lacks the confidence to wear it will never be as fashionable as someone who makes the most garish and bold decisions proudly.

A suit is an extension of yourself. It can provide the armor and internal boost you need to operate in certain spaces you'd otherwise be intimidated to enter. But just because you're wearing a suit does not mean you're entitled to be in any particular space. You will rapidly find those who may look the part but do not act the part, and acting the part is the most important piece. You'll need to work on everything else that goes with being a person who wears a suit beyond simply buying it. You'll need to be able to speak confidently, talk fluidly, network well, and, above all, be competent at your job. A suit cannot compensate for deficiencies in any of these aspects. Work on yourself first and worry about the clothes later. 

Having the perfect suit won't make or break your career. Nor will it gatekeep you from a particular job, unless you're at a place where that is a major factor, in which case it's probably not the best workplace anyway. The main purpose of investing in your wardrobe is to ensure you don't hate wearing the clothes you wear. Avoiding that constant mental drag and poor association will only help your mood and outlook as you're doing the rest of your job. One less thing to worry about is always better, and I hope I've given you the tools to achieve that goal.