“Like every good man, I strive for perfection, and, like every ordinary man, I have found that perfection is out of reach – but not the perfect suit.” Edward Tivnan
If you think back on many of the important events in your life, there is often one unifying thread – Suits. Whether for occasions of great joy or events we’d rather forget, from weddings, birthday parties and important business deals to funerals and court appearances, suits are the predominant choice of attire. A suit is a mark of respect, but also used by many as a symbol of power.
The basic construction of a ‘suit’, in the sense discussed here, is at minimum a formal jacket and matching set of trousers. This is generally complimented by a shirt and tie combo. A suit can be double-breasted, pin striped, three pieced or a full-blown tuxedo. The dominance of the suit is clearly expressed at all levels of our society, from high art to pop culture. The very dapper Harvey Specter, lead character in the aptly titled television series ‘Suits’, perfectly embodies the values we associate with suits – wealth, power and prestige. Harvey is the quintessential ‘boss’. He’s a high-powered commercial lawyer introduced as “the best closer in Manhattan” who rocks extremely expensive tailored three-piece suits. When challenged by his young associate as to why he spends so much focus and money on his attire, Specter replies “people respond to how you dress, so like it or not this is what you have to do.”
Bret Easton Ellis’ novel American Psycho (remade into a film starring Christian Bale – the man obviously likes his suits) serves as another prime example of the power and privilege attributed to suits. The novel centres on the psychotic Wall Street investment banker Patrick Bateman. Driven by greed and bloodlust, he goes unchecked on a murderous rampage through the streets of Manhattan. Bateman utilises his Armani suits as a part of the ‘mask of sanity’ that he projects onto the outside world to cover his sadistic and homicidal tendencies. In his own words, “there is an idea of a Patrick Bateman. Some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me. Only an entity. Something illusory.” He successfully conceals the monster that lies within by creating a suited shell that is accepted by society.
In accordance with the transmutation of the humble suit from a formal outfit to the representation of a certain identity, the term ‘suit’ is now used to describe the faceless corporate drone. To become a ‘suit’ is to shirk one’s individuality and assume the role of a cog in the ruthless and unaccountable machinations of modern business. Magritte’s ‘Son of Man’ is an expression of this rendered in paint and canvas. Magritte saw the suit as a mask that his inner self was able to retreat behind when forced to appear in everyday society.
Even super heroes have to wear suits to be successful. Bruce Wayne sports skin-tight black Batman gear when he needs to transform into Gotham’s Dark Knight. But to assume his day job of billionaire playboy he requires sharply cut pinstripe suits.
It should be noted that this phenomenon does not just apply to men. Women in high profile positions also frequently wear suits, suggesting that this form of clothing is deliberately adopted to gain a competitive edge. Think to women in roles of power such as Hillary Clinton, Julia Gillard and Gail Kelly (Westpac CEO) – all are strong proponents of the pantsuit. Whether these women’s wearing of a pantsuit is a free choice or a coerced change – that is to say something they feel is necessary in order to be taken seriously in male dominated arenas – is an important question. A woman’s attire does not affect her ability to lead or her intelligence. Regardless, we perceive these women as powerful and in control (just as with men) in part because of the suits they wear.
But as our old mate Newton said, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Out of this ideal of the suit as representing wealth and power a counter-culture has sprung forth. It is widely said that we are living in the information technology age, and many of the dotcom and social media success stories of the last decade have had their humble beginnings in college dorm rooms. So when the companies have been skyrocketed from students’ basements to the boardroom, the fashion choices of those involved haven’t necessarily followed suit.
Steve Jobs’ black skivvy, jeans and runners combo (junners) is iconic. Mark Zuckerberg prefers repping hoodies and t-shirts over three piece pinstripes. Zuckerberg and other gen x and y-ers represent a new wave of successful professionals who are rewriting the rules on all levels of business, including dress code.
However, this is still just a counter culture, and the vast majority of our society still sees suits as the pinnacle of attire. If the world does become more casual in its dress sense, this will only further serve to strengthen the suits distinguished position of power and privilege in our minds. So to leave you with the words of Barney Stinson: “Suit Up!”
