It seems that I got under someone’s skin today. That’s something different. Since this is my blog, I can say what I like. Here’s a copy of the letter with which I replied to Holly Lloyd-McDonald, fashion reporter from the stellar publication - The Herald Sun.
Dear Holly,
Thank you for you response. As someone who works in an office as such and has worked across both corporate and (advertising) agency environments for just a few years, I would have to disagree in saying that over the past two to three years the swing has been towards a more casual feel.
In my and many others opinion, the suit saw the peak of its decline in the year 2000. Late in 2000 heralded the start of the return to corporate wear, the suit.
This was due to the casual nature that many dotcom and related firms took to dressing. Erstwhile, their failure issued a statement that the casual mode was out, and the charcoal pinstripe was back.
Notwithstanding this, I quote - “The suit has become a style icon which can transport the wearer from taking the kids to school before a work breakfast meeting to a longwinded boardroom conference to a spectacular dinner date, all within the space of a day and without adjusting a single button.”
The rationale behind such commentary is that you may as well have stated that one plus one equals two.
As a journalist, you are paid to provide ‘information’ and in turn you will of course take criticism, whether it be constructive or otherwise.
That said, I’m completely open to thoughts by others, and in the medium in which I do write (not limited to this website) I have the ability for others, such as yourself to provide return commentary.
Regards,
Benn
P.S. I’ll note that today I’m wearing a bespoke suit and shirt, cuff links and silk tie with a half Windsor knot. That indeed sounds like corporate casual, otherwise I would have been wearing a morning suit today.
As further fuel for the fire, I could well post the email that by a certain media head to his organisation at one point last year that stated that if you weren’t dressed properly (ie. suit), you would be down at Centrelink in a very short amount of time.