So here's a random moment where political and personal collide:
If I learned one thing at the JJ Dinner, it's this. If you're not wearing a suit, there are large groups of people that will completely fail to take you seriously. So I bought my first suit today. That's quite the experience. Here's a quick guide to preparing for it:
Step 1: Find someone to go with you.
If you can't get your girlfriend, take your mom. If you can't get your mom, just take someone. You're about to be measured, weighed, touched uncomfortably and trotted around like a pet at a dog show. You'll want a familiar face.
Step 2: Be comfortable with who you are.
One of the reasons this was a bit uncomfortable is because I'm carrying around about 30 lbs more than I'd like. So when I started to hit "I've never worn pants this big before" territory, that was a little uneasy.
Step 3: Try real hard not to be stupid.
Here's a great example of something I don't recommend. On about suit #4, my accomplice finally liked a pair of pants. So I sat down to put on some shoes, etc. The following exchange occured (not that it matters, but it's important to the story, my salesperson was an attractive female.):
SALESPERSON: So what do you do for a living?
KL: I work in politics.
SALESPERSON: I see. Around your office, are you familiar with the expression XYZ?
KL looks down.
KL turns and zips.
That's another reason Step 2 is kinda important.
Step 4: Know your credit score, empty your bank accounts.
My final bill was $420. That includes the suit, a shirt, two ties, a belt and some socks. And I got off LIGHT. The first suit I tried on was $600 by itself.
So there you have it. If we held JJ again today, I'd be so ready.
KL
4 comments:
Yeah...really, I guess I knew I could get it cheaper somewhere else, but the draw of having the perfect, custom fitted suit was just a little too much. And actually, if I had just gone with the suit and not the shirt/belt/socks/ties etc, the suit would've only been $220.
Side note: After I had picked out a suit and was looking at shirts, my salesperson put together like five color combinations for me to look at: a blue one with a blue tie, which I bought, two different shades of purple, which I rejected, then she absolutely insisted I had to have a red tie. I tried to explain what "no red ties" meant, and she nodded as if understanding, went away and brought back two more.
The joys of being a Dem.
Always get a better suit.
It will look better longer. It will fit better and make you look better while it lasts longer.
It will look less like you got it at JC Penny.
Yeah, J.C. Penny suits stand out. If you want to drive to Duluth, I can introduce you to my tailor. He's great, inexpensive, and very good at his job.
Also, you and I can party down, old school.
That's intriguing. Perhaps I'll come up after the snow melts...in June.
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