Big Sartorial Dude Series: Valentine's Week at Work

Happy Valentine's Day, Mi Gente!

I hope today's newsletter can give some big dudes an idea of how to up their wardrobe for the occasion. So today's post is a sartorial one. Let me know what you think.

Let’s start with a confession: Sometimes, when I’m feeling really down I turn to my wardrobe to try new combinations of clothes that would make me feel good about myself,?

This is NOT an easy hobby to have. I’m 6 ft. 1n (1.85 mt) way north of 200 lbs. That means that this Latino dude is an XXL kind of guy and the whole clothing thing for me is a bit of a challenge. Adding the fact that I’m a cheap buyer, and that inflation is alive and kicking, it means that I really need to get rather creative with my affinity for finding good clothes that fit me. One of the ways I dealt with it was with my pivot into a men's clothing store a year ago.?

So, I decided to allude to that side interest and dedicate it to those of us dudes who could update our wardrobes every now and then. I'm just an aficionado sharing his sartorial ideas with y'all.

Today’s look

I thought I’d step up my game for my wife, especially With Valentine’s Day coming. So, here’s a candid view at my clothes selection from top to bottom:

Fedora Hat - 1917 Biltmore brand: It’s actually the last article of clothing I picked. It just felt it belonged with rest. Price range: original $60.00, clearance: $5.99.

Tan Sports Coat - Joseph & Feiss brand: the color is an unusual color for winter, but I felt like trying something new during the season. Original Price: Unknown. I paid $8.00 for it at a Goodwill store and then took it to the cleaners for about $14. I’d lost weight at the time, so, I had it altered for around $30.00.

Second-Hand Pink Shirt - Land’s End brand: Yup, I got this at a local second hand store. It was in great shape and the color was amazing, so I sent it to the cleaners and voilá! Original Price: I have no Idea, I paid about $7.00 for it.

The shoes are another story. I did invest a chunk of change for the sake of comfort... ok it was still under $100 but as I said, I'M A CHEAP BUYER. I knew I was going to be on my feet for hours and hours when I started working retail. I recommend you take a look at the shoes from an innovating company called Kizik, while you’re at it follow Monte Deere and Brent Swensen.

Implementing Color Schemes Into the Wardrobe

The palette (this is one of the words I still have a hard time pronouncing in English).? Let’s just call it the color scheme for now:

Cream: I think cream symbolizes a lack of malice. It does have a calming effect that transmits trust. According to Adobe Express:

“Cream color offers the purity and peace of white. Cream also has the optimism and openness of yellow. Put it together, and cream is a color you can count on.”

Not too shabby for winter, people.

Pink: I just wanted to allude to Valentine's Day. According to menswear firm Hockerty:? wearing pink in a business setting can make you stand out in presentations or meetings (and for the right reasons, y’all). People connect pink with positive emotions, empathy, and approachability, potentially fostering better interpersonal connections.

Earth Tones: Another site worth checking out was Your Color Guru, which says.

Earth tones transmit stability, reliability, and warmth. That can translate into your own personal comfort and confidence, enabling or enhancing your personal expression.

But Why is this important, anyway?

When you're sales you need to make sure your first impression is conducive to business. You want to avoid distractions that arise from a 'wardrobe malfunction' or give the impression that you really don't care about whomever you're conducting business with. It's called being professional.

And yet this begs the question, do I have to sacrifice my personality for the sake of being professional? My opinion is you shouldn't have to, and if you're finding yourself in a professional situation that forces you to do so, start a transition into something that suits you and your personality.

Creativity

Injecting a bit of personality and variety on your day might keep it bright. Feeling creative can help you in the problem solving tasks of the day, communicating with customers and clients in a synergistic way, and finding ways to grow as an individual as well as a team.

I think that wardrobe can be one of those things in which we can exercise creativity, even if it's with small stuff. Hence, today's newsletter.

What do you think, Mi Gente? Should do more of this Big Sartorial Dude Series? Should I touch more on clothes, prices and colors for big dudes? Suggestions on any front? Let me know. Love

Gonzalo