# The plaid (mens) suit and other fashion WTFs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 11, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221 "2011-01-11T15:29:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/1 "2011-01-11T15:29:21Z")
Plaid suits. I don’t get it. [This](http://images.overstock.com/f/102/3117/8h/www.overstock.com/images/products/L10882178.jpg) type of muted, solid-colored plaid suit is perfectly fine by me, but what the fuck is with [this](http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/02/08/0/291/2916226/ef966ec7f23441c3_moschino_plaid_suit.jpg) shit? Obviously [this](http://www.fashionfierce.com/wp-content/plugins/WPRobot3/images/c473d_16568.jpg) is purposely terrible, but [this](http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/esq-1-isaia-plaid-011310-549343.gif) is totally serious and isn’t much better. Even [this](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/415bsh3czCL.jpg) is pushing it for me though I could stand to wear it if I had to (I prefer dark solid-colored suits). Is there something wrong with my fashion sense? Am I just being boring? What popular fashions bother you? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/2 "2011-01-11T15:32:58Z")
You’re right. We can’t have people wearing colorful clothes! It’s against God’s word! We must wear black or dark brown or gray because colors and patterns are evil!!! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/3 "2011-01-11T15:41:16Z")
Color is fine. But that shit is just ugly to me. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/4 "2011-01-11T15:42:42Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Color is fine. But that shit is just ugly to me. I agree with you 100% The muted suit was nice but everything else was just an abomination that I’d never wear. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/5 "2011-01-11T15:48:20Z")
And in [this case](http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/02/08/0/291/2916226/ef966ec7f23441c3_moschino_plaid_suit.jpg) totally ill-fitting. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/6 "2011-01-11T15:57:17Z")
Holy cats! The blue plaid guy is shocking. And resembles Joe Buck. Hmm… ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/7 "2011-01-11T18:37:19Z")
I’m probably in the minority on this one, but my ideal in male clothing styles is [Dean Stockwell in the Quantum Leap days.](http://www.sheilaomalley.com/?p=6803) ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/8 "2011-01-12T00:37:01Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > [snip] but [this](http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/esq-1-isaia-plaid-011310-549343.gif) is totally serious and isn’t much better. [snip] That one screams 1980s Yale to me and I love it! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/9 "2011-01-12T00:41:16Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > That one screams 1980s Yale to me and I love it! Not a plaid. That’s a check. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/10 "2011-01-12T00:50:13Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Not a plaid. That’s a check. True, but it still says Yale to me. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/11 "2011-01-12T01:03:46Z")
Somebody should find some pictures of Herb Tarlek of WKRP in Cincinnati for really bad mens fashions. I think mens suits are pretty much boring uniforms and any teeny little thing different gets a WTF. (Mr. Sali felt like the first man to walk on the moon when he wore a pale green dress shirt to work one day, that daring rebel! :rolleyes:.) the pants-on-the-ground-look bothers me, though I haven’t seen much of it lately. I do enjoy the punk goth look and haven’t seen much of that either, which makes me sad. Somebody should find some pictures from the International Male catalog for a REAL WTF? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/12 "2011-01-12T01:05:40Z")
Street corner con men are required to wear a plaid suit. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/13 "2011-01-12T01:25:07Z")
[Wow! What a Dorcus!](http://www.lileks.com/institute/dorcus/hist4.html) [The Plaidsplosion Sale!](http://www.lileks.com/institute/dorcus/hist6.html) [What’s the Well-Dressed Professional Assassin wearing these days?](http://www.lileks.com/institute/dorcus/assassin.html) ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/14 "2011-01-12T02:03:25Z")
[Here’s my favorite shirt!](http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs377.snc3/24156_378055024951_514789951_3861775_2071489_n.jpg) Very comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/15 "2011-01-12T03:12:30Z")
I wasn’t going to post until I found what I was looking for, and dammit, I did. The plaid suit I was most familiar with was worn by Speck Rhodes on the Porter Wagoner show in the 60s. No doubt the pants matched the jacket. > **[Speck Rhodes (1915-2000) - Find a Grave Memorial](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10012/speck-rhodes)** > > Musician. Born Gilbert R. Rhodes in West Plains, Missouri, he was a country music comedian and entertainer. In the 1930s, with his brothers Dusty and Slim, as the Log Cabin Mountaineers they toured on the Vaudeville circuit. He played banjo and bass... ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/16 "2011-01-12T03:22:11Z")
Fixed your third link. [Assassin](http://www.lileks.com/institute/dorcus/assassin.html) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/17 "2011-01-12T04:51:53Z")
**DCnDC** , like me, works in DC, which is about the most conservative city in the US for men’s fashions. I suspect that the blue plaid would be OK in certain creative industries, and the brown check would work in academia. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/18 "2011-01-12T11:01:08Z")
\>\> [This](http://images.overstock.com/f/102/3117/8h/www.overstock.com/images/products/L10882178.jpg) type of muted, solid-colored plaid suit is perfectly fine by me, bleh. That’s not even plaid. \>\> but what the fuck is with [this](http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/02/08/0/291/2916226/ef966ec7f23441c3_moschino_plaid_suit.jpg) shit? It’s Moschino, you’re an Anglo Yank in a behind-the-fashion-curve snobbish Southern town. Even if you’re gay, you’re not supposed to “get it.” \>\> Obviously [this](http://www.fashionfierce.com/wp-content/plugins/WPRobot3/images/c473d_16568.jpg) is purposely terrible, evs. That’s a costume, not period, right? \>\> but [this](http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/esq-1-isaia-plaid-011310-549343.gif) is totally serious and isn’t much better. Even [this](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/415bsh3czCL.jpg) is pushing it for me though I could stand to wear it if I had to (I prefer dark solid-colored suits). I think those are pretty nice. The first reminds me of something someone of Morley Safer’s era might wear. The second seems plenty conservative & styling to me–though that may be the model–on some random white dude it might just be snobbish. Note that I have no intention of wearing any of them, but I’d consider some of them when trying to look like less of a slacker. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/19 "2011-01-12T11:10:47Z")
Of course, I wanted Fred Dalton Thompson to be a better Presidential candidate in the hopes that his wife would bring some Hollywood style to DC, which is in some quarters so fuddy-duddy that thirty-year-olds try to look 50. Sadly, Missus Thompson did not campaign in the flash frocks, but I had hope that she might break out of the skirt-suit mode once in office. I’m actually pretty pleased with Michelle Obama in that regard; she dresses pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221/20 "2011-01-12T12:24:27Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Street corner con men are required to wear a plaid suit. \*\* Street Corner Con Men\*\* would be an AWESOME band name. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-plaid-mens-suit-and-other-fashion-wtfs/567221.md?page=2)