Ridiculously Overdressed

11394 Views 95 Replies 34 Participants Last post by Shaver, Apr 24, 2018

vonSuess

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2018

Some women who work in the same building as I were discussing personal styles of dress. One of them told me my style was to be ridiculously overdressed.

I hope your day is going as well...

Hans

Reactions: 3

21 - 40 of 96 Posts

vonSuess

Discussion Starter · #21 · Mar 6, 2018

JLibourel said:
Out of curiosity, do you think you would have elicited the same comments had you eschewed the contrasting vests and merely been wearing a conventional two-piece business suit?

Well, I don't know. Today I didn't have on a vest when the subject comments were made as I was wearing a double-breasted suit from Burberry's. But, virtually all of my single-breasted tweed and other wool suits have contrasting vests and if I have a look, I suppose that's it.

Maybe I should also mention that when I do see others around here in coats and ties I rarely see them also wearing overcoats on cold days, raincoats when it rains or hats or boots on either occasion. I do wear fedoras and homburgs, overcoats, raincoats and protective footwear when appropriate. Perhaps that all combines to appear over dressed to some. I suppose your guess is as good as mine...

Hans

Orsini

· #22 · Mar 6, 2018

vonSuess said:
I was just at work and wearing a suit like I do every day. I tend to agree with those who suspect that the issue is not so much that I am overdressed as it is so many others are underdressed.

Hans

Doesn't sound like you were overdressed to me.

Reactions: 1

StephenRG

· #23 · Mar 6, 2018

Charles Dana said:
What does Japanese food have to do with this?

Well, the Japanese word does come from the Latin for time, via Portuguese.

Reactions: 1

Flanderian

· #24 · Mar 6, 2018

vonSuess said:
Apparently so, but then this is rural Indiana. Not that I see many others (outside of my firm's offices) wearing suits, but perhaps what I routinely wear that is bit different are suits with contrasting vests such as a black or navy suit with a grey vest. My Norwegian wife calls it the 1930's diplomat look. As simple as that is, it seems to be a look people around here associate with wealth and the upper classes. It's fine with me for them to think whatever they wish. I rather doubt I'll ever think of being accused of overdressing as anything but a compliment...

Hans

Ah, ha! No more half measures vonSuess! Need to go full Stresemann! Appurtenances to be found lower left -

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Reactions: 1

Flanderian

· #25 · Mar 6, 2018 (Edited)

StephenRG said:
Well, the Japanese word does come from the Latin for time, via Portuguese.

Interesting language; I recently learned that during the Taisho Era, a women's movement emerged during which young women became more westernized as typified by the concept of the "modern girl." This term was then evidently incorporated into Japanese as Modan Garu.

vonSuess

Discussion Starter · #26 · Mar 6, 2018

Oldsarge said:
Should a woman tell you that you are 'ridiculously overdressed' you have every right to tell Human Resources that you feel that you are in a hostile environment and demand redress. Let the doxy stew in her own juices for a while!

Well, she's not in my organisation so it's not like she's anyone I have to work with. There is still a firm here in a space they leased before I bought the building and that's where she works - as an accountant, I believe. I suppose that's part of the issue as they don't dress up as much as we do. That could change as they have recently inquired about becoming part of my firm instead of moving out when their lease is up in a few months. Could be cultural differences to address...

Hans

some_dude

· #27 · Mar 6, 2018

Sounds like you were fine. I don't typically wear my double-breasted suits to the office any more, but perhaps I should re-think that. I do wear them on social occasions, though.

StephenRG

· #28 · Mar 6, 2018

Flanderian said:
Interesting language; I recently learned that during the Taisho Era, a women's movement emerged during which young women became more westernized as typified by the concept of the "modern girl." This term was then evidently incorporated into Japanese as Modan Garu.

The story goes that Japanese suffered from a linguistic bottleneck - that is, the founding group of people from whence Japanese originally arose was small and hence the "authentic Japanese" vocabulary is itself small. Consequently importing words from foreign languages is both necessary and unremarkable.

The results nonetheless amuse - e.g., "sarariman" = "salaryman" or white-collar worker; "esukareta" = "escalator", etc. There was a London Japanese newssheet called the "London Dayori" - "dayori" being the transliteration into English of the transliteration into Japanese of the word "diary". When I worked in Tokyo for a couple of months in 1987, my regular order at the local coffee shop was "espressu larju tekato" with a shot of "miruku". And years later, I heard a women at the next table asking the waiter for an "apuru jusu".

Finally, "karaoke" has two phonemes, "kara-" meaning "empty" as in "karate" - "empty hand", and "-oke" from...orchestra.

Reactions: 1

Hebrew Barrister

· #29 · Mar 6, 2018

StephenRG said:
The story goes that Japanese suffered from a linguistic bottleneck - that is, the founding group of people from whence Japanese originally arose was small and hence the "authentic Japanese" vocabulary is itself small. Consequently importing words from foreign languages is both necessary and unremarkable.

The results nonetheless amuse - e.g., "sarariman" = "salaryman" or white-collar worker; "esukareta" = "escalator", etc. There was a London Japanese newssheet called the "London Dayori" - "dayori" being the transliteration into English of the transliteration into Japanese of the word "diary". When I worked in Tokyo for a couple of months in 1987, my regular order at the local coffee shop was "espressu larju tekato" with a shot of "miruku". And years later, I heard a women at the next table asking the waiter for an "apuru jusu".

Finally, "karaoke" has two phonemes, "kara-" meaning "empty" as in "karate" - "empty hand", and "-oke" from...orchestra.

Please tell me this post is true, so I can fall over in laughter. Sarariman? I'm going to hell for my amusement at that one.

Howard

· #30 · Mar 6, 2018

If you are overdressed then you're probably not adhering to the rules of the place. But some places they don't mind but it's OK to be overdressed just as long as you feel comfortable.

Flanderian

· #31 · Mar 6, 2018

StephenRG said:
The story goes that Japanese suffered from a linguistic bottleneck - that is, the founding group of people from whence Japanese originally arose was small and hence the "authentic Japanese" vocabulary is itself small. Consequently importing words from foreign languages is both necessary and unremarkable.

The results nonetheless amuse - e.g., "sarariman" = "salaryman" or white-collar worker; "esukareta" = "escalator", etc. There was a London Japanese newssheet called the "London Dayori" - "dayori" being the transliteration into English of the transliteration into Japanese of the word "diary". When I worked in Tokyo for a couple of months in 1987, my regular order at the local coffee shop was "espressu larju tekato" with a shot of "miruku". And years later, I heard a women at the next table asking the waiter for an "apuru jusu".

Finally, "karaoke" has two phonemes, "kara-" meaning "empty" as in "karate" - "empty hand", and "-oke" from...orchestra.

Thank you! I find that fascinating. I've always had an interest in etymology, as I've enjoyed language. And I also enjoy history, and etymology is combination of both. I've long heard language described as the repository of culture, sometimes rising to even being culture, and etymology is a key to unlocking an understanding of the mind behind it.

Searching_Best_Fit

· #32 · Mar 6, 2018

StephenRG said:
The story goes that Japanese suffered from a linguistic bottleneck - that is, the founding group of people from whence Japanese originally arose was small and hence the "authentic Japanese" vocabulary is itself small. Consequently importing words from foreign languages is both necessary and unremarkable.

The results nonetheless amuse - e.g., "sarariman" = "salaryman" or white-collar worker; "esukareta" = "escalator", etc. There was a London Japanese newssheet called the "London Dayori" - "dayori" being the transliteration into English of the transliteration into Japanese of the word "diary". When I worked in Tokyo for a couple of months in 1987, my regular order at the local coffee shop was "espressu larju tekato" with a shot of "miruku". And years later, I heard a women at the next table asking the waiter for an "apuru jusu".

Finally, "karaoke" has two phonemes, "kara-" meaning "empty" as in "karate" - "empty hand", and "-oke" from...orchestra.

It has been described in literature that Japanese does not invent anything. They copy and improve upon existing stuff, and that includes languages. They first copy and write in Chinese text, then they *invented* kitakana and hirakana. When they get new words from other language, they just tried to pronounce it with their accent and written down using katakana. That is probably not that different for an English speaking person trying to understand foreign item.

So if I got it right, your regular order is Espresso large decaf with a shot of milk, while the lady ordered Apple juice.

Oh, BTW, Tempura is originated from Portuguese according to Wiki. Tempora, I think that is from Latin.

Hebrew Barrister said:
Please tell me this post is true, so I can fall over in laughter. Sarariman? I'm going to hell for my amusement at that one.

Here comes another one: OL stands for Office Lady. This encompasses all the female who work in an office building.

JLibourel

· #33 · Mar 6, 2018

Searching_Best_Fit said:
Oh, BTW, Tempura is originated from Portuguese according to Wiki. Tempora, I think that is from Latin.

And from what language do think Portuguese derived?

StephenRG

· #34 · Mar 6, 2018

Searching_Best_Fit said:
Espresso large decaf with a shot of milk, while the lady ordered Apple juice.

Almost - "tekato" is not decaf, but "take out".

StephenRG

· #35 · Mar 6, 2018

Hebrew Barrister said:
Please tell me this post is true, so I can fall over in laughter. Sarariman? I'm going to hell for my amusement at that one.

Yes, it is indeed true!

Searching_Best_Fit

· #36 · Mar 6, 2018

StephenRG said:
Almost - "tekato" is not decaf, but "take out".

Darn, just realize this myself moments ago.

triklops55

· #37 · Mar 6, 2018

If someone was to say I was "overdressed" I'd respond with: "By whose standards?"

I've never gotten that one. I have gotten: "Why so dressed up?" or "Why are you wearing a suit?" To which I usually reply: "Because why not."

Reactions: 3

SG_67

· #38 · Mar 6, 2018

Given that it’s a work environment and these are women making the remarks, just stay quiet.

To do otherwise is an invitation to be the next #MeToo poster boy.

never behind

· #39 · Mar 6, 2018

I had a female coworker reach down and rub my suede chukkas today. Talk about odd.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SG_67

· #40 · Mar 6, 2018

never behind said:
I had a female coworker reach down and rub my suede chukkas today. Talk about odd.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Suede chukka? Is that what we're calling IT now?

Reactions: 1

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