A Classic Look: A Suit With Vest

There are classic looks in the world of men's fashion, some that have been around for decades. The suit and tie is standard, but additionally, a suit, tie, and vest really pull the look together. It's hard to get much more classic than that.

It seems that for every occasion that could be deemed important, funerals, weddings, prom, interviews, and even business meetings, you'll want to look your very best. The jacket and pants are fairly easy most of the time, gray or black, and then it just comes down to matching the tie, shirt, and vest. With a huge range of color options in all three, there is no reason that you can't experiment with combinations for every occasion.

On days that are too hot or were slightly more informal is acceptable, you can even where the vest without a jacket over it. In fact, it has become more than just something you do every once in awhile. From teens to 20-somethings, to high- power businessmen, the suit with vest is coming back in style and is here to stay.

Here's a scenario for you. Imagine two candidates are interviewing for a job. The hiring manager decides to take each one out for lunch to see how they interview and interact in public. Let's say the job requires a lot of people interaction, clients, other business, etc.

The first candidate shows up to the restaurant in a classic suit and tie, nothing special, nothing too fancy. He doesn't want to seem flashy or arrogant. They sit and talk, discussing the business and how he would like to fit into the company. He asks questions about his potential position, who he would interact with on a daily basis and things like that. The hiring manager is going to really test these two candidates, they are meeting a client at the restaurant after they eat and they need to sell them on this next big idea.

The first candidate approaches the client and strikes up a conversation like a professional, nothing fancy, just two people in conversation. The candidate has a harder time convincing the client that the proposed idea is a good one. While they take a walk, the first candidate gets slightly nervous, starts to sweat a little, but would rather not take off his suit jacket. Eventually, the candidate leaves and the hiring manager speaks with the client about the experience. His impressions are that of someone who seems to be another face in the crowd, not standing out or really being confident that this new idea is worth chasing.

The second candidate is much like the first, however he decides to make himself

Stand out from his application with his interview. Doing some extra research on the company, he takes the logo and with that color palate in mind, dresses accordingly. The tie, shirt, and his vest coordinate as the colors of the logo and it helps him feel more confident about the interview, ready for any question.

As the hiring manager greets the second candidate, the unorthodox color selection catches his eye, though he tries not to think too much on it. The second candidate responds to questions in much the same way as the first, though the hiring manager continues to be more taken with the color of his clothes. The hiring manager cannot stand it any longer and decides to ask the candidate about it. He smiles and recalls his research about the company and how interested he is in working for them.

Next was the test with the client at the restaurant. The second candidate was emboldened by the clothes question, that the hiring manager was intrigued enough to ask. The confidence carries over into the client test and the second candidate really believes in the idea that he is supposed to be selling the client on. With the extra confidence, the second candidate makes sure that he stands out. He is enthusiastic and charismatic, working hard to sell the client on an idea that he himself fully believes in. Nervousness set in and he decided to take off his jacket, revealing more of the colorful garb underneath. The client's eyes grew wide at the reveal and the second candidate took the opportunity to explain the color choices.

I think you can guess who would get the job

Sure that might be an exaggerated story, but in our every day interactions, the way we present ourselves can significantly change other's first impressions of us. The candidate who took the time to present himself well to the company is a much more interesting candidate than the one who showed up looking as professional as he would on the first day of work.

Dressing that way is not wrong at all, but there is a chance that someone will outdo you. Is that a chance you're willing to take? Combining a jacket, tie, and vest is something that you can experiment with in your everyday attire. If you're work doesn't call for something like that, try it for going out on the town. Mix and match, experiment with color choices. Who's to say you won't find a few color combinations that really work well together that you could use in your next meeting or interview to help yourself stand out.

In a world where fitting in is acceptable, be bold, do something different, and help your first impression be the one they remember.