So, what’s suit-able?

They say that the suit makes the man, and while many argue that these are the days where appearances are irrelevant and only results matter – the harsh reality of it is that people make first impressions within the first three seconds of an encounter.

They then spend the next 90 seconds trying to “endorse” those first impressions.

This means that before you even open your mouth, you’ve been sized up and profiled. Knowing this, a person should always dress neatly, professionally, and appropriately.

The fact is, you never know whom you are going to meet; at anytime you may run into a potential client, a future employer, or for those singles out there, the love of your life.

And like it or not, they are going to form their initial impression of you based on how you look.

Taking care of your appearance tells them something about who you are and they respect that. It portrays the standards you set for yourself in life. A well-dressed man is more confident, appealing and if not already so, more likely to be successful.

One of the powers of clothing is that it can transform an individual’s state of mind. Dress like a professional businessman and you’re more likely to act like a professional businessman.

There has even been reports that students perform better when they dress-up for an exam.

From the Roman Legion to the US Marine Corps, the world’s finest militaries have known that sharp dressed soldiers are more disciplined than ragtag militias.

Military dress inspections have persisted not because shiny boots win wars, but because the exercise teaches a military force to pay attention to the details.

And it’s in the details that battles are won.

In the same way, a person who dresses professionally learns the value of self-discipline. They learn that planning and allotting enough time are paramount for consistent results.

They prepare for the day by thinking through it, anticipating their needs, and taking the proper steps to ensure they can meet the challenge.

Numerous communication studies have demonstrated the power of visuals in human interaction.

Some studies have shown that visual cues are three to five times as powerful as audio cues and considering that clothing covers 90 per cent of your body, it can’t be stressed enough as to how important a role it plays in how you are perceived by others.

Well-dressed people are given a leg up in many respects – they are often perceived as being smarter, funnier, and more enjoyable to be around.

Taking this a step further, dressing professionally can help you appear more important to the success of your company and may even help you hold onto your job. Assuming all other factors being even, who does management let go – the technician who dresses well and can be put in front of a client or the guy who doesn’t own a suit.

ROI on dressing up well

There is an unseen return on investment (ROI) for dressing up which has been highlighted by many people including Neil Patel who has helped companies like Amazon, NBC, GM, HP and Viacom.

The man who was recognised by President Obama as the top 100 entrepreneurs under 30 noted that, “people judge you based on the clothes you wear. I don’t care if you’re walking down the street or sitting in a business meeting; people are constantly looking at what you’re wearing.”

From Gucci suits to designer shoes to five-figure watches, by dressing up for the corporate world, not only was there a huge ROI, but also successful business owners will start to take note of you as a person.

Lim Ing King of Formula One Tailors told the BizHive daily:  “If I were to talk to you dressed up only in casual wear and talk serious business with you, what are the chances of you listening to the proposal assuming you did not know who I am. Very little.

“However, if someone were to approach you wearing a well fitted suit, decent leather shoes and groomed himself properly, the suit itself commands a certain level of respect. You would not joke around with the person from the word go as this person portrays an aura of professionalism and should be treated with respect.

“Successful people like to hang with other successful people as they tend to feel comfortable around people like themselves. By no means, am I saying that all successful people dress nicely, but chances are if someone comes up to you wearing clothes that fit a CEO, he probably is a CEO.

“When you start talking about business with these successful people, they know that if they do business with you, it’s going to be costly because the energy being exuded tells them that you know what you want, and you know what you’re worth.”

But locally, many still opt for a over the counter suit with a large majority of Sarawakians spending roughly RM1,000 for a good suit. This thinking that all suits were made equal is far from the truth noted Lim.

“Looking at a person wearing a well fitting suit accentuates a man’s features while hiding the more undesirable ones – while an unfitting suit will make someone look messy and unkempt.”

The main reason for the lack of investment towards looking good mainly stems from the lack of knowledge of the said ROI. Many view it as a superficial way to gain wanted attention, add on the price of a well made suit, many would choose an easier option of just getting one off the shelf and let one’s talent show itself.

Another reason for the lack of properly tailored suit among Sarawakian corporate officials is that it does not look as trendy for the price.

New trends in corporate men’s wear

Many young executives who are more fashion conscious would opt for a more “Korean” styled suit due to its popularity among pop stars said Lim. But this doesn’t change the fact that this is still a “fad” and that the suit’s cut is too short for a proper formal event.

“The ‘Korean’ style suit may look good enough for something that’s semi formal like a gathering or maybe even dinner but when presenting at a board meeting or meeting the chairman, the suit may not fit the occasion,” said Lim.

The Kuching based tailor who has attended a multitude of fashion shows throughout Asia highlighted that these new “Korean” inspired suits were rather short, hence making it appear less formal. It may pass off during certain events but those who understand the impact of presentation would still go for the basics.

The corporate world has become very presentation-orientated; most men nowadays have to be ready in an instant to perform in presentations.

There is a psychology to image, and what a person wears sends subconscious signals to those around them.

But just because a good suit sends a clear image, doesn’t mean it should all be the same.

Local designers are taking the modern suit to a new level by introducing a more local twist to it.

“I have been to many countries, attending fashion shows in the process and I’ve always managed to catch the attention of models and designers through my Sarawakian designs as it cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

“Even the local designs taken from the multitude of ethnic tribes here are different, making it a good way to ensure people notice us and remember us,” Lim highlighted.

Lim noted that the company has participated in a multitude of international shows held in Singapore to other parts of the world.

The company is also involved in a myriad of other tailoring conferences regionally for the past few years, gaining valuable information on new trends and breakthroughs in the industry.

“I believe that it is up to local designers and local companies like Formula One to showcase what we have to the world.

“I have modeled suits with local designs, a modern fitting Baju Melayu as well as other garments lined with local designs and motifs. I’m not saying that this would be a good choice for very formal occasions but since in many local formal functions people would wear batik shirts, why not add a twist to it and make it a modern ‘Sarawakian’ piece?”

The concept of combining traditional batik and a suit seems an odd concept but Lim feels that this could work.  But whether or not his trend of making a batik suit would pick up among the younger generation remains to be seen.

Although hypothetically it may sound like a good idea to merge cultures together for something of a hybrid, making it into a trend is something designers have been struggling with for awhile, especially if it is made for the corporate world where black suits and dresses have been the cultural norm for decades.

Local designers including those from Kuching’s De Batique, noted  that most youngsters would rather not use batik as it is far from trendy.

Despite many claims that batik could be considered “vintage” in the corporate world, rarely do multinational companies hold a boardroom meeting wearing the material. So with style and image playing such an important part in the corporate world, now begs the question, will batik be part of this culture?

Beguiling batik for the boys’  club?

Since the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established batik as an intangible cultural heritage from Indonesia in 2009, jubilation washed over Indonesia and Malaysia – the world’s native batik citadels.  

Unesco’s endorsement instantly triggered an explosion of batik in posh malls, swanky corporate offices and fashion runways on both sides of the Straits of Malacca. Suddenly, the motif-peppered fabric, which was once considered archaic and octogenarian, became a ubiquitous trend – inspiring fashion designers to take its intricate patterns as the medium of their creation.

But Malaysian or specifically, Sarawakian batik is different from Indonesian batik. The motifs and designs are primarily influenced by the variegated native-ethno tribes of the state, ranging from the Ibans to the Bidayuhs and the Melanaus.

A firm believer of this idea of using batik as a formal suit for the boys’ club in corporate corridors is Amy Lim, marketing manager for De Batique.

Lim says that there has been an increase in demand for modern batik couture as the new generation of young male corporate eagles perceive chic batik designs as both formal and also as smart casual wear.

Trendy batik has more vibrant colours and designs can range from being very simple to intricate with both long and short sleeves readily available.

“Formal working shirts with some batik essence are also available for those who prefer something different, as they can be worn as formal attire with slacks or as smart casuals with jeans for the corporate environment,” she says.

On the question of whether batiks can build up a trend among the younger corporate executives locally, Lim says that the company’s exclusive Sarawak motifs have gained traction with local and foreign batik enthusiasts.

“Many people both local, especially West Malaysians and foreigners have shown interest in our creations which they consider as being unique editions, not found in West Malaysia.

“We have also received lots of interest from other batik entrepreneurs and retailers to buy our products. So whether or not this trend could pick up, it is hard to say, but from our end, it seems that they are growing in popularity.

Lim says her boutique is planning to host some fashion shows to showcase “all our batik creations in both formal and smart casual genres as well as the trendy modern designs.”

With some image consultants agreeing that one should always dress their best every day, and with the country’s aim to create a stronger bond among Malaysians, wearing batik may strike a “collective chord” with the nation’s corporate folk.

As people who succeed in business come in every shape, size and personality-types, we should do our best to represent and include them all within the company’s ranks. Obviously smart and successful people bring their own adherent dress sense in every case.

While not every day requires the time and attention (or the budget) for formal business attire, every one of us could gain from learning a little about how to put out best foot forward or rather, in this case “to bask in our best batik upfront”.