Seeing as you have such a good reason, we will simply have to choke down our disappointment, being deprived of your insights. It will be hard, at first, but somehow, we may find the strength to go on.
One wouldn’t want (in the vernacular of a more civilized era :D) to leave the impression that one has no suitable riposte to one’s adversaries now, would one?
Here’s how dress matters:
Is it appropriate?
Would you offend anyone?
Is it attractive?
Is it contemporary?
Does it fit?
Is it clean?
Is it in one piece?
That’s all you need to worry about when dressing for any occasion. They’re rather common sense questions, and there’s a lot of room there for subjective judgement. Suits have their place in this world, and I agree in most executive offices, commercial or state, suits are the way to go.
But good grief, the jacket is removable for a reason. When the atmosphere is more relaxed or it’s time to get busy, the jacket goes, the sleeves roll up, and maybe loosen the tie. Shit, take off the damn tie.
Besides executive, middle management and sales, the suit shows up only for the most formal affairs in “western” civilization. Anywhere else, and you come off as a douchebag.
Interestingly, methinks all but one of pics support Scylla’s post, which is an impressive track record. (I thought Clinton looked fine in a tie but no jacket, but subsequent pics showed that flannel and tshirts didn’t suit him.)
Bush looked better with the jacket on.
And an orange jump suit with a number on it would be even better!
Until they, too, made the same mistake. And were privately admonished for it. Which is the way discipline in any business structure should work – privately, one on one; not through public lashing and shame.
Maybe there was contention between them? And Powell was being passive-aggressive? Oh, so it would be completely respectful and dignified to lock a staff member out of a staff meeting based solely on some personal bickering? :rolleyes:
The article pretty clearly implies that Bush didn’t lock him out because he wasn’t expecting him. The article also says Powell arrived “a few minutes late,” not towards the end. Bush could have still ended the meeting on time – again, no one’s suggesting that it would have been appropriate to bring the room to a halt to admit Powell late and bring him up to speed. But there’s absolutely no reason why Powell couldn’t have been allowed to enter, quietly, take his seat, and catch up on his own.
Nor do I. But again, I can’t think of a single reason to absolutely disallow Powell entry to the meeting because he was a few minutes late. No good, non-“because I say so” reason. No respectful reason. It’s not like this situation doesn’t come up countless times every day in the real world. We have daily meetings at work. If someone shows up late, they slide in quietly, take a seat, and get notes later if they missed anything.
I’m not offended at all, but I’d find it just as ridiculous.
That would be ridiculous and unprofessional, obviously. But if a real estate agent wants to work in his wetsuit while he’s in his office, or if the investment banker wants to work in footie pajamas in his office, I couldn’t care less – it wouldn’t affect my opinion of their advice or work.
Since the thread was started about Andrew Card’s disapproval of what Obama wears while in the Oval Office, I take those claims with the implied clause of “while he’s in the Oval Office.” Then you came in and counter with some unrelated argument about what he wears while out and about, meeting with public officials – not at all what he was being criticized for by Card, or what other posters were defending.
Personally, I think Obama should take a leaf from Nelson Mandela’s book…tell me this man doesn’t have gravitas, go on, tell me.
Andrew Card is just one of a long list of people from that fuckhead’s administration who’s mouth should not be anywhere near a microphone except to enter a plea.
There wasn’t anything wrong with gym shorts and a t-shirt in my former office. I got promoted, got a home office, and now wear pyjamas to work unless I’m actually on a customer’s site.
I actually work better when I’m comfortable, rather than when I’m sitting there wondering when I can get out of the corporate clown suit. Most of the places that I go are business casual at best, and quite a few of them are flat out casual. That’s probably because the only thing they do care about is results.
I never wear a suit and people hold the door for me all the time.
People behave better when wearing a suit?
It’s not called white collar crime for nothing.
So what was W wearing when he groped the Chancellor of Germany?
What was his dad wearing when he threw up on the PM of Japan?
“Appear to be” is right.
The fallacy-callout-that-wins-the-debate you want is strawman, not ad hominem.
But it’s still going to be okay if he inappropriately touches up female foreign leaders right?
I’m partial to the steampunk look myself. I wonder how President Obama would look with muttonchops.
Yeah, but you have to admit that she has good taste.
Until that happens, I’ll settle for sackcloth and ashes. I think it’d be awesome if there could be some sort of excommunication ceremony, just like the medieval Church did for lepers. Air it on national television and all that.
All kidding aside, who gives a fuck? We’ve seen pictures of Obama in swim trunks, for heaven’s sake. I don’t care if he works in the Oval Office on a weekend in sweats and sneakers. As long as he’s dressed appropriately when it matters, he can dress as he likes the rest of the time.
Robin
Or called out “Yo Blair!”? Or ignored a whole row of world leaders at the G20 summit in November?
What was Cheney wearing when, on the floor of the Senate, he told Patrick Leahy to “go f**k [him]self”?
Is that the sort of professionalism and gravitas you mean, SA?
Wouldn’t it be cool if that were the meeting where the immaculately dressed and therefore better behaved and all-round superior Bush guy, decided to attack Iraq on trumped up charges.
I anxiously await John Quincy Adams’ Pitting for disrespecting the Presidency by not wearing a powdered wig.
In all seriousness, whatever Obama does to change the culture of Washington can hardly be bad. That would include a little informality.
Or decided to get physical with the German chancellor?
Starving Artist, you should look up the definition of “ad hominem”. Hint- it’s not what you’re ascribing it to.
Personally, I dislike any company or person who insists that I need to wear a glorified *bib *just to do business with them. Ties are antiquated and unnecessary. Just get rid of 'em.
Boy, nothin’ gets you people cranked up like the suggestion that someone should dress nicely. It’s telling, that is.