I haven't worn suits in about 20 years due to the change in what is considered business casual and while I enjoyed the comfort of the change, putting on a well fitting suit and looking at myself in the mirror served as a confidence builder and I felt I was at my best. I started off in sales and the suit was my uniform.
I watch movies from the 50's/60's and see all of the men in suits and I miss that. There was something very cool about it and I felt as I was part of something in my suit. I was a bidnessman!
Now, you know it is time for a quick story about suits but not just any suit, The Closing Suit. When I finally started making some good money, my wife, who loved me in suits and I let her pick out my suspenders and ties, decided it was time to upgrade my wardrobe. We went to the Men's Shop in The Promenade in North Dallas to look at Tiger of Sweden suits on the recommendation of my boss. When I put on the first one, a tan 3 piece, I felt magnificent and unconquerable, cannot describe the feeling and my wife wanted to jump my bones right there. I looked at the price tag and gulped, $600 for one freakin' suit? And this was in 1977.
Well I ended up buying it and some accessories but backed off on more suits as my wife wanted me to buy more and I had already run up a 1k tab with just a couple of shirts, ties and a pair of Gucci's. Well, this suit was magic, I was magnificent in it, invincible and I closed more sales than anyone, and we were the high ticket company. I actually had men that became customers compliment me on how I looked. This was The Closing Suit and it became famous among folks in my company and I went back to the source for more but none ever matched up to The Closing Suit. Had I been wearing that suit and been in Glengarry GlenRoss, Alec Baldwin would have prefaced his speech with "this is for all you losers except for CC, the man in the suit, he is ABC in that suit".
As all things eventually perish, the suit began to show wear, lost it's mojo and since I had not been able to find another with it's power, I was saddened even more that it must be retired to the donation bag. I came in on Friday from my trip, I travelled all the time, and my wife greeted me with a glass of champagne and a kiss, took my hand and we headed to the bedroom and you know what I am thinking BONZAI!! but when we entered the room, the lights were turned low, their was some piano music playing and there on the bed laid out with it's arms folded across the chest and one single rose upon it's chest was The Closing Suit. The Closing Suit was getting the memorial service it so richly deserved because once upon a time, it turned a man into something more. There used to be a saying back in the day, "clothes make the man" and I can testify to that as it made me more than what I was.
