A few years ago, the International Herald Tribune ran a story about a seismic shift in Italian fashion standards.

Some Italian companies were allowing their male employees to go tieless, and even suitless, during the summer months as a way to help fight climate change. Not requiring a tie might equate to less demand for office air conditioning, which in turn could help reduce overall demand for electricity. (More recently, Chile’s energy minister promoted the same idea.)

While probably a non-issue in the casual-fixated United States, Romans and Milanese ditching their ties at work was no small matter. Those ever so elegantly-knotted creations that men the world over vainly attempt to duplicate, gone for the summer? Well, the story made it to the IHT, didn’t it?

Though interesting from a cultural perspective, this story is an excellent argument for paying attention to what you wear, buying for quality, and focusing on real, timeless style. With Earth Day 2012 only a few hours behind us, this is a wonderful teaching moment and the lesson is this: focusing on classic style does actually help the environment – as it should.

When you buy quality clothing, you are making an investment that lasts. By quality, I don’t just mean well-made; I mean a purchase that is well thought out. When being self-aware about what you buy and thoughtfully editing your wardrobe, you are less likely to make an impulse purchase that eventually winds up in a landfill.

For the most part, clothing – whether dress or casual – is now cheap and abundant, but there is an enormous price to be paid for such mindless convenience. The environmental costs of manufacturing, transporting, storing, selling, and, eventually disposing of these cheap products are large and global.

As opposed to Americans, most Europeans tend to be more selective in their clothing choices. Due to higher prices and limited storage, each piece must be thought out and chosen for its quality, longevity, and versatility.

Does that pair of pants go with more than one outfit? Can you re-sole those shoes? Do you actually need that jacket or another shirt that’s virtually identical to your favorite one? These are the things we should always consider before pulling out the wallet.

As seen here, an Italian ditching his tie or swapping out a suit will most likely still look naturally sharp, without having to run to the department store for a new “corporate casual” wardrobe. It is probable that his wardrobe already has a purpose and a sense of continuity and relationship among its components.

Redefining how you dress is not, as they say, rocket science. But it does take some time and effort. Make deliberate choices; don’t buy cheap shoes that get thrown out when they wear out. The same holds true for tailored clothing. While often expensive, a well-made suit or custom shirt will last for years. A classically styled bespoke blazer or suit will always transcend fashion and adjustments can be made as your dimensions change.

By being selective, you can build a wardrobe that both meets your needs and reduces pointless waste and duplication. And apart from environmental considerations, when your wardrobe consists of items that fit, are well-made, and possess a timeless and stylish quality, you will wear them.

Certain brands, like Slowear, actually design their clothes to not go out of style. Slowear’s family of classically-focused labels evoke a culture of sustainable luxury. They want you purchase a pair of Incotex trousers or a Glanshirt shirt and keep them for years; sacrificing volume for long-term brand devotion. By focusing on the design and construction of their garments, Slowear is able to market what Alan Flusser refers to as “permanent style.”

Reducing your retail carbon footprint extends to accessories as well. Why cycle through five or 10 cheap to mid-grade briefcases or day bags when you could take a little time, define what it is you really want in a bag and then invest in one or two of heirloom quality?

For example, this Frank Clegg English Brief will not only never go out of style, it will become more desirable the more it gets used. It’s the type of bag everyone is always looking for and while not inexpensive, it is a solid capital investment.

Choose ties you love and that pair well with a variety of shirts and jackets. Pick up several pocket squares which can quickly add flair and personality to a tieless suit or odd jacket. Make certain style elements your signature and stick to what works with your body type, skin tone, personality and lifestyle.

That, in a nutshell, is the point of classic personal style. By making choices that take into account long-term investment and near-term benefit, building a wardrobe and curated collection of accessories reduces waste and increases value.

If nothing else, it also clears out your clutter and allows you focus on the things that truly matter. The items in your life should be those that you cherish and want to have around, they should each have a purpose and, to me at least, a story.  And when you present your best self to the world – in your dress and with your accessories – you really do tend to be a better person.

LifestyleMirror.com, a new the recently launched e-shopping website, features weekly cover stories of iconic fashion and lifestyle personalities.  Last week’s cover story featured renowned private chef and style icon Daniel de la Falaise.  Shot at The Ritz Hotel in Paris, the beautiful and humorous images give a personal look into Daniel’s personality and wardrobe, among which is lots of vintage Yves Saint Laurent.

de la Falaise is perhaps best known to foodies as a celebrity private chef – though known mostly to celebrities and a rather exclusive clientele.  De la Falaise, talented in his own right, inherited a great deal of style and personality from his parents.  He also inherited a lot of suits.

Testament to his unique take on fashion, cooking, and living, The New York Times T Magazine recently profiled him as well.

His mother, Alexis Richard Dion Oswald Le Bailly de La Falaise, was a furniture designer who also appeared in the Andy Warhol film, “Tub Girls.”  His grandmother, Maxime de la Falaise, was a model, actress, and interior designer who also is remembered as a superlative food writer.  Also a confidant of Warhol, she was even known as The Factory Mother; “The Factory” being the artist’s famous studio.

Joining us at the private club-like Clyde’s at Gallery Place, in the heart of Washington, DC, were Hugh & Crye shirt makers, Proper Suit, Lotuff Leather, and Image Granted style consultants.  Guests were able to meet with the owners of these outstanding companies, chat about their brands, learn about the beautiful products and, in some case, put in orders right on the spot!

The crowd arrived early and stayed throughout the night.  Manhattans and martinis were mixed at the bar and the constant din of conversation and story-telling filled the room.

Thanks to all who joined us and made the night a huge success; and keep an eye for future events and collaborations.

Below are a selection of images from the evening – enjoy!  All photos by Joy Asico.

The Times’ App List is a definitive guide to must-have games, tools and distractions for your iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone 7 or tablet.  According to the paper, The Sunday Times’ app list was compiled by experts in the relevant fields along with input from regular Sunday Times app reviewers. The App List itself allows readers to search for specific aps, look through app categories and arrange results by platform.

Off the Cuff is proud to be part of the BeSpeak team and honored to work with such a distinguished and talented t group of sartorial and technical experts.

Conceived and developed by legendary clothier Alan Flusser, BeSpeak provides style guidance for business attire for men, including the best style of suit, dress shirt, tie, and pocket square to dress your personal best. The app recommends and coordinates the suit, dress shirt, tie and a pocket square customized for each individual based on a personal profile.

BeSpeak employs patent pending proprietary technology to create a personal profile based on hair color, skin tone, eye color, face shape, body shape and size. These algorithms were created based on intense analysis of classical style guides and designer preferences as seen in fashion advertising and runway shows.

It’s an amazing tool that can help you find the colors, patterns and styles that best suit (so to speak) your specific profile.

Use it in the morning to decide which outfit to wear, how to improve an individual outfit or when shopping to help select profile-perfect purchases. Select the most flattering clothes for a meeting, a date, or job interview. Most importantly, BeSpeak can help you better develop the dressing skills for how to look your most stylish every day.

How does BeSpeak work? First, create and store a personal profile for you (or others) based on hair color, skin tone, eye color, face shape, body shape and size. Then, you will receive a recommendation for coordinated outfits.

To see additional outfit recommendations, just tap the “reload” button on the lower menu bar.

You can also input your own individual articles of clothing or potential purchases and the app will make recommendations relative to your profile as well as evaluate and grade your choices. So, you can build your own virtual closet, get expert recommendations on what works best for you and even make sure that new shirt, suit or tie actually fits with your profile and your wardrobe.

You can download the free BeSpeak app from www.BeSpeak.com or from the iTunes store.

In the coming weeks, you will be learning more about a few of the outstanding brands listed below, such as Lotuff Leather.  We are in fact field testing a leather lock briefcase right now; safe to say they are not getting it back after the review!  Recently, we had the chance to speak with the superlative Ira Neimark, former CEO of Bergdorff Goodman, and the man who’s vision created one of the world’s legendary stores.  His new book, The Rise of Fashion and Lessons Learned at Bergdorf Goodman, should be required reading for anyone seeking to understand what it truly means to be an exceptional retailer or influencer of fashion.  Be on the lookout for our review.

Explore, enjoy and Happy Holidays!

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Classic White Oxford Button Down
Lumina Clothing Company
Raleigh, North Carolina

$128.00

Needlpoint Ball Cap
HARDING-LANE
Dedham, Massachusetts

$30.00

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A Man’s Watch: the Polar Surveyor Chronograph
Kobold Watch Company
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

$8,850.00

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Possibly the Best Jeans You Can Buy
Raleigh Denim Workshop
Raleigh, North Carolina
Around $285.00

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The Blue Crab Belt
Knot Belt & Clothing Co.
Boston, Massachusetts
$38.00

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Lessons From a Master Retailer
The Rise of Fashion and Lessons Learned at Bergdorf Goodman
by Ira Neimark
Fairfield, Connecticut

$32.501

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Colored Dress Shoe Laces
hook + ALBERT
New York, New York

From $14.00

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Leather Lock Briefcase
Lotuff Leather
Ware, Massachusetts

$950.00

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Purple Pinedot Tie
Drakes London
London, United Kingdom

£95.00

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CD-15 Notebooks
Apica
Japan

Set of three, $10.80

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The Arte Italiana Milord Fountain Pen
OMAS
Bologna, Italy

$425.00

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Prior to the dot-com revolution, suits were de rigueur in most offices and the concept of “corporate casual” had not yet been birthed; at least not in the mainstream workplace.  As the internet revolution gained steam and started to impact how we did business and even thought about business, our work wardrobes too began to change.

As they shuffled to the closet each morning, men started to pine for the glories of casual comfort.  Just like those Silicon Valley guys who seemed to be living the real American Dream, lawyers and accountants, statisticians and bureaucrats all started to ask for work wear flexibility.  This was the beginning of a sartorial revolution that, ironically, would lead full-circle to the current resurgence of dressing up and dressing well.

Remember the young hotshot exec in those 1998 Westin Hotel TV spots who was so successful that he got away with wearing jeans to the office?  Scandalous! That was big stuff back then.  He was a rock star.

As I have noted before, the resurgence in men’s interest in fashion, personal style and for some, a near-obsession with quality and heritage, is largely due to the current generation looking to their parents for guidance and instead seeing 50 year-old college wanabes.

Today’s 20 and 30 year-olds are rebelling against their parent’s generation because, basically, they are kind of slobs.   Not only do many of today’s dads have little personal style, they also deign to find value in things that even sniff of vanity or taste.

The generation that matured under the influence of grunge music, Old Navy as office wear and a cultural rejection of “corporate influence” was groomed to treat any interest in style as effeminate and undesirable.  To them, the coat and tie was a yoke of bland depersonalization.  It was the embodiment of the “uniform” in all of its negative context.

Truth be told, this was a pretty accurate characterization.

By the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, office wear was, for the most part, boxy and bland, uninspired and uninspiring.  The cool kids wore jeans and Chuck Taylor’s to the office.  They had messenger bags and messy hair.  They worked in California.  They were smart, ironic and edgy and, most importantly, they were individuals.

They expressed individualism through nonconformity and discarding the sartorial symbols of traditional work.  To them, what they did mattered, not what they wore.  Sartorial rebellion was their visible call to arms.  Of course, such things are never so simple: by dressing in a deliberately rebellious and nonconformist fashion, they were themselves creating a new degree of conformity.  Dressing outside the cultural boundaries of the new code (i.e., dressing up) risked exclusion and social derision.

Fast forward to today and we have a near opposite situation.  What had then been new and fresh, innovative and freeing rapidly turned into an excuse to wear sweatpants to the office.  All those amazing perks that went along with the relaxed dress code – game rooms, personal concierge service, loaner Porches, company-provided grocery shopping and dog walking – all went away with the collapse of the dot.com bubble.  That pesky profitability thing just ruined it all.

However, the casual wardrobe stuck in there.  It was seen as anachronistic and unnecessary to once again don a tie or suit if you did not absolutely have to do so.  “Why does it matter” was the thought.  Work and results were the point, not how you dressed.  To be sure, there was some retrenching on dress codes, but it was largely confined to traditionally formal environments like law and corporate offices.

While the dot.com implosion dented casual office wardrobes, it had not totally invalidated the concept.  Khakis and polo shirts persisted.  In the eyes of some though, lack of “appropriate” office dress belied a deeper cultural issue: a lack of respect and accountability for one’s self and work.  This viewpoint is often tied to professions in which earning a client’s confidence is vital (why should I entrust my fortune to a banker in a tee shirt or my international merger to some kid dressed for golf?).

As the economy picked up through the mid-2000s and a new generation of hotshots started looking for ways to express both their financial success and – here’s that word again – individuality, many turned not to their pleated and over sized polo-clad parents, but to each other.

Through revolutionary blogs like Scott Schuman’s Sartorialist, guys saw how to dress with genuine style and flair.  Real people with real taste; not a runway or catalog or magazine but the streets of New York.  And sites like the one you are now reading, Andy Gilcrest’s Ask Andy (the founding father of menswear blogs) and Will Boehlke’s A Suitable Wardrobe, provided the kind of detailed sartorial and style information simply not previously available.

This up-and-coming generation of young men took it upon themselves to learn about the history of men’s style, its variations and traditions.  Most importantly, they started to talk about it with each other.  Bypassing their parent’s generation altogether, the inspiration we now see comes from the golden ages of menswear: the 1920s through 1950s.

The success of TV’s Mad Men has also awakened a belated appreciation of 1960s streamlined, swanky, cocktail-swilling manliness.  An entire subculture has developed, fixated on analyzing the remarkable period execution of the show’s producers and set dressers.

With all this as a cultural backdrop, more blogs began popping up and more Sartorialist-inspired photographers began posting examples of outfits and clothing details.  When OTC first launched six years ago, it was one of perhaps five menswear-focused blogs.  Now there are scores, covering all aspects of men’s fashion.  Some come and go; some last.  Some are shallow vanity projects with nothing of substance to offer anyone.  Others, like the innovative Put This On blend video shorts with clever and genuinely practical advice.

The audiences for these sites continue to grow.  And it’s not just Wall Street I-bankers looking for the right Rolex.  Many of these men want a detailed understanding of proper suit construction, the differences between mechanical and automatic watch movements, the provenance of a Ghurka briefcase or the hallmarks of a handmade shoe.

When the crash of 2008 tore the confidence and pay checks from massive swaths of the population, an interesting thing happened.  As expected, a degree of formality and sobriety returned to many workplaces.  Some companies chose to reestablish guidelines for work attire; some tightly defining office casual and others requiring traditional business dress.

The reaction among menswear and style bloggers was not to rise up against conformity but to double down.  They demanded from each other and the fashion world more choices, greater quality, customization and the rediscovery of, for lack of a better term, dandyism.  And while sites like IVY STYLE revel in the joys of East Coast preppy culture (incredibly popular in its own right), not all influencers have their gaze set to the rear view mirror.

For some of these bloggers, taking classic style traditions and breathing into them new life is a goal in and of itself.

Last year, I organized a blogger meet-up for Alan Flusser, the noted menswear designer and author who created Gordon Gecko’s wardrobe for the movie Wall Street.  Normally accustomed to captains of industry and fashion royalty, his audience that night consisted of young menswear bloggers; a new generation looking to blend traditional style with modern sensibilities.  It was eye opening.

Street Etiquette is a leading example of this classic/urban hybrid which is powering much of the interest in menswear.  Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs, who both attended the Flusser event, are seriously influential guys with creative, detail-oriented points of view.

Alan is adapting to this new generation’s sensibilities.  Recently revamping his showroom to reflect a cleaner, Art Deco feel and tweaking his house silhouette a bit, he understands that the influencers of today are less likely to be him, and more his kids’ peers.  Nonetheless, he and other fashion luminaries like G. Bruce Boyer are not sitting still, reflecting in their past glories.

Still influential and still sartorially authoritative, Alan’s innovative iPhone apps, BeSpeak and Snap Dress, are backed by complex algorithms which attempt to mimic his vast depth of knowledge.  They allow users to create truly customized wardrobe choices matched to their specific body and coloration profiles.  Alan Flusser in your pocket, as it were.

Just take a tour of the websites and blogs dedicated to men’s fashion and style and you’ll find a master’s degree worth of examples in branding, content management, writing, photography and retailing.

I’ve lost track of the number of former bankers who have reached out to OTC to tell me about their custom suit, shirt or tie making venture.  For some, it’s all business and they see a market in dressing well.  For others, frankly more than I had expected, it’s a real desire to express a deep interest in helping people be their best.

Big names like MR PORTER, the men’s division of NET-A-PORTER, combine retail flash sales with blog-worthy content.  Akin to a newspaper with its features and product write-ups, it’s clear that the site’s backers understand the single most important thing about getting a guy’s interest in fashion piqued: content.

For men, content is king and context is a close runner up.  And that is one of the great levelers brought by the internet to this debate; it democratized the issue of fashion and the relevance of style.  The blogs and sites which have succeeded and continue to wield influence present something useful and relevant.  They give their readers something worth reading, content with value and the historical and style-focused context to help put it all into perspective.

Hopefully, this installment provides just that.

Perhaps the only serious examination of classic menswear and men’s style on the news stand today, The Rake is a rich and intellectual celebration of what its publisher refers to as the “renaissance of gentlemanly sophistication and style.”

With that said, the hefty U.S. subscription fee may very well be worth the outlay.

We are also excited to point out that the article was assembled by two other OTC friends.  Christian Chensvold, founder of Ivy Style and a contributing editor at The Rake, penned the piece.  Fred Castleberry, founder of Unabashedly Prep, took the outstanding photographs.  Both of their sites are knowledge-filled resources for those seeking advice, inspiration and, certainly in Ivy Style’s case, the stories behind East Coast / Ivy League style.

Alan himself is a wonderful example of how classic style, or as he puts it “permanent fashion,” while timeless is not immutable.  The Custom Shop, Alan’s famous home base in Manhattan, has received a significant face lift and his English drape inspired house silhouette has similarly been refreshed a tad.

Does this mean Flusser is selling out and going for the trendy skinny look?  Not at all.  While the new Flusser drape suit is a touch slimmer and proportionally closer to the body, its inherent comfort, balance, flow and stylistic longevity are very much intact.  Anyone who knows Alan knows that he is far from a stuffed shirt.  His style and personality are equally colorful and expansive.

No slouch on the technical end of things, his BeSpeak and SnapDress iPhone applications are building a growing and devoted audience.  BeSpeak 2.0 is expected to launch later this year with even more functionality.

The Alan Flusser brand may evolving, but he is not changing its core values one bit.

To that end, the custom shop’s new streamlined and rakish look evokes Alan’s love of the Art Deco period and his proclivity for personal detail and refined understatement.

To learn more about Alan Flusser, visit the Custom Shop’s website, which itself is getting an overdue refreshing.

To view view The Rake’s article in PDF format, please visit The Rake Compendium, Alan Flusser.

The backbone of any serious wardrobe, the blue blazer is probably one of the most versatile garments ever designed. Without a doubt, it is the one article of dress clothing all men should have hanging in the closet. the blue blazer is universally useful and chameleon-like when it comes to meeting your needs in a sartorial pinch.  From casual cocktails to formal boardroom, a well made, well fitting blazer will get the job done.

When they hear “blue blazer” most guys tend to think of the classic brass button type found in a Ralph Lauren advertisement. Of course that version is the most traditional, but by no means is it the only option. Blue blazers come in a range of fabrics and styles that can work with almost anyone’s style – from lightweight linens to beefy flannels.

As the king of odd jackets, a blue blazer can fill the gap when you need to dress somewhere between a suit and a sweater, regardless of the season.

Styles vary as much as materials. Some blazers have horn or resin buttons and they can come with single, double or no vents.  Single breasted jackets typically sport notched lapels while double-vented versions should have only those of the peaked variety.

With its nipped waist and dramatic massing of buttons, a double breasted blazer imparts formality. On the other hand, a single breasted sack jacket with no darting and patch pockets can give you a more casual “drinks at the club” New England look.

When it comes to shoulders, there are some cultural variations as well. American blazers often have a soft natural shoulder, while English tailors tend to prefer them padded and more structured. This is particularly true with double breasted jackets. American makers like Brooks Brothers are arbiters of the natural shoulder.

When shopping for a blue blazer, approach it as a major investment. This should be a jacket that can carry you for years to come and something that you are happy to reach for in the morning. A well constructed blazer made from good fabric will be as comfortable as your favorite sweatshirt and its classic styling will conquer the vagaries of many fashion cycles.  that said, you do not have to break the bank when it comes to finding one that’s right for you.

Brands like J. Crew have spent years perfecting their version of the blue blazer  and in the process have made it into a cool must have wardrobe asset.  Online custom clothier Indochino recently launched its take on the classic double breasted blue blazer.  For a mere $300 you can have a blazer made just for you.  While this interpretation, geared toward a slightly more adventurous gentleman actually cuts a balanced and fresh look.

The blue blazer works because of its inherent versatility and balance between formal and comfortable. It’s one of those rare garments that has both stood the test of time and evolved to meet the needs of each generation.

While more inspiration than practical, this style embodies classic Ivy League charm and blends well with the current brainy/East Coast preppy trend.

Having so dispensed with the hypothetical, I felt suitably up to the challenge when one of my closest friends, a high school teacher, asked me to write a column on how he could upgrade his professorial wardrobe.  The real deal, as it were.

His everyday wardrobe is fairly casual; khakis, jeans, polo shirts and sweaters are staples. Though he’s never been a suit and tie kind of guy, Bob (not his real name of course) now wants to dress in a more professional manner. He runs a major department at his school, which also means a fair amount of public exposure, and wants a wardrobe to reflect this level of responsibility.

He wants to project authority and professionalism without looking overdone, and in this case a daily coat and tie would be overdone. He’s not a banker, he’s a teacher; but does not mean he isn’t a professional. Bob is very good at what he does and wants his appearance to project that ability and experience.

What is needed here is an in-between look; professional but not stuffy, relaxed but still grown up. One of the quickest ways to do this is by focusing on fit and tailoring. You don’t have to give up your personal style to pull on a more polished look because you’re not changing who you are. But you do need to pay attention to how you translate your personal tastes into a more refined style.

In Bob’s case, as with many guys stuck in a dressing-for-college-class mindset, that means making a few key changes. Often, the simplest things make the biggest impact. Ditch shapeless worn out khakis in favor of tailored pants and swap baggy, faded jeans for fitted dark washed ones instead. Rather than rely on sweatshirts, try pima cotton crew neck or v-neck sweaters. It’s all about reinterpreting your outdated college-era wardrobe for the grown up you.

For many men, navigating the waters of business wardrobes without the benefit of a business suit can be a little scary. Suits are easy and authoritative. But for someone in Bob’s situation, a suit makes no sense.

In his case, odd jackets and blazers are the best solution. An odd jacket, be it corduroy, tweed, flannel or cotton, will provide the formality and authority of a suit coat but do in a comfortable and relaxed fashion.

Odd jackets can also be paired with almost any kind of outfit and give it a polished, finished look. And these days a jacket does not automatically necessitate a tie. I love ties, I personally think they are a wonderful way to express personality.  But achieving a complete outfit sans tie is easily done with this kind of dressing. Layer a fine gauge sweater over a patterned shirt, or added a pocket square.  These approaches can provide needed texture, color and detail.

Paying attention to fit and detail can lead to innovative discoveries.

Bonobos, for example, makes truly innovative khakis.  Not your plain old wardrobe staple, Bonobos pants are contoured and cut to actually fit a body and fit it well.  They have legitimately changed the playing field when it comes to casual pants.  With a uniquely shaped waist line that wraps around your midsection in a way that eliminates so-called “diaper butt,” where the seat of your khakis bunches up, creating an unflattering silhouette.

A simple strait leg and lightly updated classic designs help Bonobos become the best option for a casually professional pant.  The brand is also moving into jackets, shirts and partnering with other equally innovative brands.

Yes, it does mean investing in a new type of wardrobe, and some of that investing can be pricey – especially if Bob expands his shopping horizons and comes to appreciate the outstanding fit and quality of, say, a Brioni sport coat.

Frankly though, that is not the ultimate goal. You do not need to idealize famous clothing brands in an effort to dress well and project a stylish, confident – and confidence inspiring, for that matter – look.

The real point is that Bob will now be buying clothes that can last for life and can be added to over time. He is creating a new kind of wardrobe that can grow and evolve as he and his career grow and evolve. The fact that he wants to do all this is the most important thing of all. We are judged by how we look and how we carry ourselves. These days, now more so than ever, you are in charge of your career and you are your best marketing consultant.