I am curious to see what brands all of you wear for doing business. I guess we could all list what we wear outside of business also. I remember someone telling me about some really expensive golf shirts that are super comfortable, but I can't remember the brand name, anyone know?

So the question is 2 parts.

1. What brands do you wear while doing business? Why?

2. What brands do you wear outside of business? Why?

I wear mostly Express for Men clothing for business and for casual wear. I like it because I think it is great quality, extremely comfortable and very professional looking.

outside of work: white button down tommy hilfiger long sleve shirt (sleves rolled up), not tucked in. American eagle or levis jean. scuffed up brown leather shoes. leather belt.

for work: white button down tommy hilfiger long sleve shirt (sleves rolled up), not tucked in. American eagle or levis jean. scuffed up brown leather shoes. reticulated python belt.

reticulated python was so last week

i know but it was a gift.

I am curious about these golf shirts....

dude.....I have no idea "who" I'm wearing...what is this the Joan Rivers Red Carpet Show?

hahaaa....just messin with ya!

actually, I just buy whatever looks good and is on sale at JC Penney or where ever else....maybe someday after I've made my first million on RE I'll start thinking about that

Quality brands definitely show. It also builds confidence knowing that you are wearing something of great quality.

I get great deals from the clearance racks and from the thrift stores.

sometimes, I just wear Fashion Bug because it looks smart and is cheap.

My favorite brand names: Jones New York, Nine West shoes, Talbots, Apt 9, Liz Claiborne, Christopher & Banks, Laura Ashley, LL Bean, some Alfred Dunner, if it doesn't look like it belongs to my Aunt Ruth, and whatever I can get off the rack at Marshalls/TJ Maxx.

I do not pay a lot for my clothes. Ever. I always get compliments, too, about how I look. I choose well, and I choose to purchase mostly from Salvation Army or consignment shops. That's how I can walk away with hundreds of dollars of clothes for under $50.

I dont have my license yet, but i'd like to chip in on this anyway.

I love designer brands, because as agent 007 says, the quality really shows, and its a great confidence booster... I FEEL great. As far as brands, my current favorite "business" outfit is; Tailored Boss dress pants with a light pinstripe, White Boss dress shirt with a simple, subtle stipe design, Brown Cole Haan shoes with a flat toe and a matching brown belt and a nice set of cuff links.

I find these days, that everyone seems to try and change things up with colorful shirts and ties, when really, a pair of brown shoes and matching belt can make your outfit pop more than anything else you can do and look dang sharp.

Hmm.. I might have a different idea of "designer" than most..

For me shoes are the big thing that makes me look put together. Prada, Gucci, Dior, Jimmy Choo & Juicy Couture (Juicy isn't really "designer" but they are sooooo cute!). I've actually had a lot of success based soley (sorry for the pun) on my shoe choices - I sold a home to a shoe designer - and he didn't even tell me until our third showing! And I've been approached on the street by people complementing me on my shoes (a certain sexual preference is the predominate complimtentor) and converter two to sellers

For clothes.. hmm.. For work my suits are Piazza Sempione, Escada & Chanel (a nice suit will last FOREVER and will always be in style). I wear a lot of nice tops (by a slew of designers) paired with dark trouser style jeans by Citizens of Humanity of Seven for All Mankind.

I am young and dressing fashionable helps to take the focus off of my age. I don't do "flashy" or wear logoed clothing (maybe a Burberry scarf in winter, and I have one parka with a Lacoste emblem, but that's it). As I would rather my clothes compliment me, not a flashy brand be the center of attention.

I really like details, so nice clothes are my indulgence. I don't drink alcohol, smoke, have children, or do other expensive things, so clothes/acessories are my dirty little secret. Okay, I'm out of the proverbial closet now, I feel so much beter.

A couple places to get very nice work clothing at good prices (during sales anyway) are http://www.net-a-porter.com , http://www.shopbop.com , http://www.bluefly.com , http://www.saks.com , http://www.adasa.com , http://www.neimanmarcus.com

Neiman Marcus last call Clearance Centers and Saks Off 5th outlets are super places too! I nabbed a $800 Armani skirt for $79 during my last outlet outing.

Oh wait, this is a real estate forum.. clooooothes...myyyy ppreeeeecioouussss...

DITTO, Perky!

My husband turned me on to the thrift stores when I met him 6 years ago. I'm continually amazed by what I find there. And when my daughter got a job at TJ Maxx last year...who-hooo...10% Employee Discount!!

I may be taking this a bit off topic, but here is a place to get great quality clothes custom branded for you:

http://www.brokenarrowwear.com

As for just regular old clothing, I am a fan of Tommy Bahama, Mens Warehouse (with a good local tailors intervention), and whatever I find at Macys.

My only real rule is no synthetics.

I wear what I like, regardless of brand name. I do lean more towards name brands though. I usually go to Macy's or the Outlet stores and get my clothes. One of my favorite brands is Geoffrey Beene, they make pants and shirts the way I like them to fit me and very comfortable and they have great color choices. Of course I wear the other standards Polo, Nautica, Hilfiger.

I believe it was JFlynn who mentioned the golf shirts. I would try searching for his post.

I remember JFlynn! Whatever happened to him?

Levis, Nike shoes, and what ever brand of shirt my wife buys me from a clearance rack or thrift store.

Hi Auburn--Great post. You have fabulous taste! Now I want to make a run to the Folsom Outlets and hit Saks Off 5th today. See what you've done!

I find it challenging to find quality clothes for my husband without spending too much. BTW, we're in Roseville, so we're kind of neighbors.

I'll have to check out those links later. Thanks again for the great info!

California is a different market than where I am from.

Around here all that designer stuff is not required.A wear a nice dress shirt with slacks,if I am touring land I dress down.Most people here are laid back,in Cali it's all about the image,here in Ga people tend to be compfortable with the downhome look.

It's funny around here people with the image are BROKE.It's the guy in the overalls that owns 500 acres or can buy a house and put 20 percent down.Every market is different.

Well because I’m still young (23) and my Girlfriend loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to shop I wear all different things and shop everywhere. Old Navy American Eagle, A&F Express men, Macys, sax’s Nordstrom’s, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Neiman Marcus. And any other place she drags me into… My closet is a mixture of everything… Most days I am in Kaki pants and an un tucked buttoned down shirt with the sleeves rolled up or a polo shirt . I do wear a lot of jeans to work as well sometimes. For me it really depends on who and what I’m working with. If I’m spending the day showing lake front homes then I may even get out one of my suit’s (hate them damn thing). But on days when I know I will be in and out of the court house, REO’s or was running late it’s a pair of jeans. BUT nothing beats a spent in T shirt, shorts and a ball cap……

That is too funny because When My girlfriend and I were out last week One of them stopped and asked her about her shoes. Then went on and on for what I thought was forever, but really was only like a 2 min or so. They were Shoes!!!!!!!!!!! MAN get a grip......

Shoes say a lot about a person...

Ooooooh, that's scary cause I live in my Wal-Mart flip flops.

Yep. Just like you can estimate a man's income by his shoes, belt and watch - you can estimate how a woman'll be in bed by her shoes.

That is a scary thought.

Wow...I am just fascinated by this thread. Interesting.

I wear Hugo Boss suits. I usually ditch the jacket, just pants, shirt and tie.

oooh..

A little birdie told me that Saks is coming in with the new Galleria expansion.

And a tip for Off 5th - if you're spending more than $100, break it into seperate purchases. Every time you spend $50 you get a little coupon for $10 of of your next $50 purchase the following month. By splitting it up, I get to use two coupons while there and save $20, and I get two $10 coupons to use the next month.

I really have a shopping problem.. this thread is no good for me. I spend more money when I went to REOMAC on shopping than the cost of the trip there!

I take it everyone likes my thread?

I wanna hear more about judging a woman in bed by her shoes? Hopefully it does not apply to men. My shoes are old and tired.

I go back and forth between thinking I need to "dress it up" and wanting to be myself - what I became self-employed for! - and wearing my classic jeans and sweaters and boots.

I think it is pretty goofy.

my bad

Funny question, but I'll bite.

I wear a fair amount of Colombia. Today I was wearing a green plaid Columbia button-down shirt tucked into new Levi's. I wore that to the appointment to list a $975k property! It was a judgement call, based on my perception of the client, and it was spot-on. We talked huntin' and shootin' and trucks and such for a while, then we signed paperwork.

Usually I wear khaki pants, Colombia or Carhartt or Dockers, whatever. Nice Keen shoes that cost about $125. I might wear a North Face fleece or jacket. Nothing extravagent. I yam who I yam, as the man said, no point in pretending otherwise!

To thine own self be true, as Winnie the Pooh says. Be comfortable in your own skin. All that k-rap.

-jeff

Ok, I just noticed you are in Oregon.

How often do you wear dressy clothes like suits and such?

Do you do floor time? If so, do you wear a suit?

Uhhhmmmm.... OK, give it up! Details, man... DETAILS!

(and how do Wal-Mart flipflops fit in? Ducking for cover <g>)

-jeff

I never wear dressy clothes. I don't own a suit. Seriously. Khakis and a Colombia shirt is about as dressy as I get. And a nice belt and nice, virile, firm, supple, sensitive, caring, yet somehow also assertertive and manly, shoes. :-)

No such animal as floor time at my brokerage. We are a small brokerage, informal, casual, borderline counterculture-esque. We are hipper than thou. It works for us!

-jeff

Vineyard Vines when on and off duty...

http://www.vineyardvines.com

Who you talking to Joey???

Good shoes say you really care about how you dress.

Since shoes are on the bottom people think they are rarely looked at. So you might be able to pull off getting a personal shopper to help you between the neck and ankles but your real thought about dressing will come out in your shoes.

If they just look okay or they are unpolished then we all know that everything from the neck to the ankles is fraudulent. You don't really believe it because if you did you would know that EVERYONE looks at your shoes!! EVERYONE.

*** SUMMER ALERT*** No matter how cool you are, if you are wearing sandals get the crust off of your heels before you show your feet!! Ladies and gents now is the time to invest in a pedicure!! Men it's not metrosexual it's personal hygiene.

If a man has on cheap shoes I can spot them a mile away. I don't think there is anything worse than cheap shoes quite frankly. Don't pay full price, catch a sale but don't wear cheapo, unpolished shoes or shoes inappropriate for the type of suit you are wearing. Same goes for women. A great suit or outfit but cheap Payless shoes. Aaaarrrgggghhhh!

I buy my shoes first!! The outfits come next. I may have shoes 2 years before I find the right outfit to go with them.

Even if you are a casual dresser the shoes matter. Wear Tommy Bahama or Levis or Gap but get some great Cole Haan loafers please!!!

Unless you are built like Adonis or Giselle, most of your clothes will need some additional tailoring to make them look great on you. That is how you can look great on a little money.

Shop the sales of all the places you like and find a good tailor!!

while on the topic of shoes, why not hit upon socks!!!!

wear nice socks. have you ever been into a house and had to take off your shoes. if you have holy or crap socks, it does not look as good as if you have some nice socks. plus when you sit down and cross your legs people notice your socks.

I never was one to be obsessed with shoes. LOL. I like my Nine wests cause they're comfortable, but I wouldn't know a Nine West from any other without looking at the label.

I think a lot of this - like with vehicles - has to do with where you are working.

yes perky i agree. about alot having to do with where you are working

i have worked in dc and baltimore, and i can tell you that dc is a more "formal" city than baltimore. but i would say that ny is more "formal" than dc.

i wear khaki pants, nice shoes, socks that match my pants, belt that matches my shoes, dress shirt, no tie(ever). that is my outfit everyday. i wont wear shorts and i dont wear flip flops while conducting business.


i want to be business casual. i am in peoples homes, most of the time people are very casual. i have never been the most underdressed person in the room, if i showed up in a suit it would be out of place.

Oh come on. You don't wear nice shorts, white knee socks, and sandals in the summer? That looks so swell on a guy.

*snicker*

GREAT POST! Couldn't agree more. "estatereal" brings up a good point to though. Socks. I love my cole haan shoes, but I also have a lot of really nice dress socks. Just because people dont see your socks 75% of the time, doesn't mean you shouldn't invest in some nice ones. not only do they look better than ratty old socks, your feet will thank you too. A great tailor will mean the difference between a nice suit and a fantastic suit.

I feel like nice suit pants, nice shirt and shoes etc is a professional business outfit, but I suppose that comes from growing up in Central London. Only if im not meeting with a client would I dress casual at the office, but thats just my feelings on professional dress. To each his own. Also, I'm young, comming in at a wee 20 years, so when people and especially clients look at me I dont want them to say "Oh great, A kid" I want them to say "Wow, this guy looks great!"

I'd just like to emphasis the crust-on-the-heels thing and raise ya yellow toenails. Don't show nasty feet!!

Nasty feet are indeed ugly. I do paint my nails when wearing sandals.

I find it kind of funny that the most popular thread right now is the one about what to wear. It shows that I know little about what interests us. I would have thought it to be a dead topic..
I dress comfotably and professionally.

smgardner,

i thought the same about this thread, but i could not help going back to it. and see what people wrote. i tried not to post on it, but had to do it.

I have found the best way to estimate how good a woman is in bed is to watch her eat a banana.
(Don't act like you don't know what I'm talkign about)!

I am the devil for creating such a thread!

LOL- I really have not read much of it and I probably will later today. I saw some of the designer names and did not recognize them...not certain how much value this thread will provide in that case..

Speaking of clothing and threads, the difference between designer and K-Mart clothing is that there are more threads per inch in the high-quality fabric. A higher thread-count means the garment will keep it's shape and not fall apart in the washer like the cheap stuff does.

I thought I knew how to dress until I got married. That was 30 years ago and I wear what she suggests since.

It is bliss to be ignorant!!!!

I'm sorry...did I just stumble back into high school? What brands do you wear for work? Is this a serious thread? There are far more important things to this industry (ethics, law violations, crooked appraisers and loan officers) than what fellow co-workers are wearing...

And you are more than welcome to withdraw from this thread and participate in those that interest you.

I second perky's post

My computer comes with this cool point and click device. It allows me to just read the stuff I want. In a topic like this that is very accurately titled, I can just click right by it as opposed to stopping and complaining...very cool.

Same here, except I also wear a lot of Trina Turk, Milly, Tibi, Diane Von Furstenberg and in the summer Lilly Pulitzer. I do a fair amount of Vineyard Vines casually because of ties to the company although its not dressy enough for work. Shoes, I am more into Paco Gil, Tods, and Manolo Blahnik.

For pants, I like Ghustavo, Pamino, and Perk Gil8bert. In short sleeve shirts there's really no choice but Izodollini. My shoes will either be Dorkbings, Fizzlebottoms, or Cadbilbo's.

(I have no idea WTF brands you are talking about. I am so glad that where I live, combined with my target demographic, allows me to drive up in my Tundra wearing Levi's and Colombia... I'd be in biiiiiig trouble if I was being judged on the esoteric brands of clothes I was wearing! Ain't gonna happen. Homey don't PLAY that game. Etc.)

-jeff

Dorkbing shoes aren't what they used to be back in the 70's when they had sizzle. Pity.

I actually did the interior decorative/faux paint for the VP of fashion design for Lilly Pulitzer.

I have never even heard of them brands

Oooooh - I want to raid your closet!

(except for the Lilly Pulitzer, I don't look good in bright colors)

Nice to know I'm not the only one with a certain taste in clothes

lol, my thoughts exactly...

You people have no taste. None whatsoever. I don't know why I even hang here.

Peasants.

-jeff

This thread is definitely titled accurately. I think I contribute to enough "serious" posts that once in a while I can post something casual. Thanks for stopping by though.

I think it's a great thread! ^

great THREAD (threads) lol.

harr harr!! LOL

I am still wondering what kind of shoes Artiste wears

I LOVE THE SALVATION ARMY! I get all kinds of express, ny and co, nine west, brands i see at Sears, JCPenny, Bonton etc. there. You get the clothes very cheap and your donating to a very good cause.

I personally love wearing jeans especially being out here in California, but when it comes down to representing my professional demeanor, nothing but Polo, Nautica, Calvin Klein, Armani. Hugo boss will cut it for me.

As far as shoes are concerned Ecco tops em all in my book, really prestige looking leather shoes disguised as running.

My brother in Law an account exec who makes about a mill a year sports Gucci, prada, gator boots etcs. A little too flashy for me though, but hey maybe when I too reach and surpass that volume I may have a change of heart.

agent 007 I used to love structure clothing, but when they became express 4 men the brand lost their identity and became a little more friuty. I too have one or 2 slacks of theirs but they aren't the same company they once were.


Marc Paul

AH To have Structure back would be great.. YES they did become a little too fruity!!

I know someone who lost clients because he dressed sharp!

He spent hundreds on a suit, watch, and shoes so he could land this listing. The property owners told him that they were looking for someone to help them sell their house, not someone who was there just to make money!

He now dresses according to which "class" his potential clients are. The higher class tends to want someone dressed to the "nines" while the middle class tended to want to do business with someone dressed casually.

Of course I have no evidence for this just going off several agents that Ive talked to. Since Im starting out next year I wont be able to afford expensive clothing anyway.

Structure Clothing was great! I still like the switch to Express, just not as much as before. The clothes are more metrosexual now and they have some very odd designs.

Metrosexual LOL!!!!

Vs. Ruralsexual.

lol

Ruralsexual brings to mind the guy with the pig from Deliverance...

That is a skeeeery thought.

Have you guys never heard of term metrosexual?

I've heard it; it cracks me up!

You guys really dress up. I'm sitting here wearing clean, new Levi's and a nice short-sleeve button down shirt... untucked. And nice shoes and socks but...

Then again, this is Eugene Oregon and the market demographic I serve would be more likely to be put than impressed with Gucci this or thats. See, I don't even know what Gucci makes! Shoes? Pants? Suspenders? Cod-pieces?

This is similar to the "what do your drive" thread. I dunno... maybe in 10 years, I'm older and richer, I'll be driving a Mercedes and walking around in $2000 worth of clothes. Maybe. I'm honestly not sure I even want that even if I get it!

-jeff

Yes. Have you not heard of making puns?

I do not want to drive a mercedes. Once the kids are out of the house and we live somewhere that does not ever have icy roads or snow, I am getting a red, corvette stingray convertible.

Once again to each his/her own.

All I know is that what truly matters is what's on the inside. It's all about your belief along with your attitude and confidence. Trust me people will surely notice and want to be around you, but you do have to have at least a certain type of look when it comes to having the appropriate attire.

I'd go for a black 81 vette, plus it's my birth year, although I never would mind a ray any day.


Marc Paul

You people are really, sadly confused about cars.

I want another Jeep. Wrangler, of course. Geared 4.10 with 33's and a Dana 44 axle with a locker in it.

:-)

-jeff (I miss my (totally impractical) Jeep!)

well, in addition to the vette, I want a Hog too.

Prada, huh. I spend most of my time tramping around woods and fields. Jeans, muck boots from walmart, long sleeve and fleece vest or clean t shirts. I own 1 skirt, 1 pair of heels, and 1 blouse. I 'dress up' with a blazer. LOL. I WISH I could justify dressing, but hay hill stream, and horse goo, just don;t mesh with jimmy choos.

It's kind of unfortunate that we are so judged by appearance, but that also means we can use that to our advantage.

However, as a woman, I will not use "sexy" for business, I think it's inappropriate in that context and has the end result of undermining our credibility. I sure hope that when I meet clients, nobody is bothering to try reading my shoes to make assumptions about how I am in bed. Not only is it completely irrelevant, the theory isn't going to be tested by anyone but my fiance.

What can you really tell about a woman, anyway, who wears everything from Doc Martens to punk boots to heeled slides? Try as you might I don't think pigeonholing people is that easy.

Anyway -- this -is- an interesting thread, although possibly more useful divided by gender, since clothes and brands are so different on either side of that line.

My question is, what do female Realtors wear on a hot summer day to show REOs to investors in the largely casual Midwest? I'm still trying to find what I think works best.

I note most of the lady realtors showing REOs to investors in our area, wear *Off* repellent.

I would wear dressy capri's and a dressy sleeveless blouse with cute sandals (and painted toenails!).

In fact, that's what I'm wearing today - except my capri's aren't dressy, they're jeans. Oh well. LOL The blouse is dressy.

Sorry, but I am wearing Payless sandals. They're cute as all get out...and this is the Poconos, not Manhattan.

Thanks for the input Perky.

I go back and forth on the sandals thing in REOs, because of the...interesting...variety of "floor coverings." :P When it's cooler out I -do- wear the Docs, usually with black pants that mostly cover the shoes so they don't look too clod-hoppery.

On Payless -- I have to say I got my absolute FAVE sandals there years ago, they were comfortable, soft-soled, stylish, mod, waterproof, had the perfect chunky yet dressy heel height, and went with absolutely everything. Unfortunately I wore them right the heck out and can't find really good replacements. I got so many compliments on those! Oh well.

I do paint the nails...mine are so small I use glitter polish.

Hahahaha! What a question. I love it though. Its good to have a casual topic to throw in there. I know a guy who plays video games all day at the office and shows up wearing a Chicago Blackhawks hockey jersey. He is in his third year and pulling about $300K in GCI. Just livin the dream!

A must for any agent showing REOs is a great pair of Wellignton style rain boots. You can slip them on, they cover the bottom half of your legs, and are easy to hose off (I keep a jug of water in the trunk just in case).

I buy them when I find them on clearance (a store called "Rave" is going out of business and had tons. I bout 5 pairs at $6 each) because sometimes it is necessary to leave them behind.

]

Uh... well... uhm...

Never mind.

:-)

-jeff

I thought you guys would like this topic. I am trying to see how different everyone is in how they dress.

Where she is in her cycle, for starters.

Nope...you'd be completely wrong about that one. Nothing to do with it, sorry!

Let's not take the quote out of context now...you can tell, I would hope, that she (I) like/s a variety of footwear and attempts to match it to the weather, the terrain, the client, and her outfit. Logical enough...

Attempts by men to sexualize everything about women are just silly. Do you think we can read your bedroom ability from looking at your shoes? We would have to conclude...boooooring!

Now that wouldn't be fair, would it...

^^ you're gonna get a ticket for taking life too seriously. I expected otherwise from a woman with glitter toe-polish.

Pfff...don't be shaking your seriousness-police finger at me.

I take some things seriously and not others. That's kind of my point here...you can't put people in categories so easily. What you -think- you know about them by looking...is only what you -think- you know.

You gotta understand, women by and large are just trying to live life as freely as anyone else...but we are reacted to through a very limited lens by many. And that, to me, is pretty serious, as well as tiresome. Until you've lived life as a woman, you can't very well tell us how we should react to the reactions.

You know, you guys brought it up...not me.

Artiste IS a woman.

I worked very closely 50 hours a week or more with someone as they went through the process of going from a man to being a woman... does that count?

-jeff

^^That sort of stuff always creeps me out.

Perky's right (thanks for posting that!) I'm a chick but if I were a man I'd be a big gay drag queen on heels - I promise you that!