A compliment or a salesmanship
July 4th
I hate suits. I hate fitted dress shirts and trousers. But mostly I hate ties. I just have a viral, hateful reaction when I have to put a leash on my neck. I understand that a suit and a tie are a requirement for many jobs, and I hope I will never fall so low as to be required to wear one just to make money. There are also some occasions where it is necessary to put it on as well for free — although I am sure that during a wedding newlyweds are occupied by something else than what the guests are wearing, and during funerals, I know for sure that the main guest of honor doesn’t care at all if I am in a suit or not.
But anyways, I haven’t bought any formal wear in a while and since over the last couple of years I lost a lot of weight; I decided that it might be a good idea to refresh my ceremoniously conventional wardrobe. Ok, it might not have been completely my decision, but in the end, it was I who started preparations for this buying experience. On Saturday, I visited several high-end stores in my area. I got well measured and tried on many different color combinations, so I had a good idea of what I wanted to buy and what will fit me well. This morning, I went to an outlet mall with the hope that this ordeal will finish soon. And it did! I went to several stores, just comparing the price vs. quality ratio before making a decision. In one of the stores, a salesperson asked me why I am looking for a regular style instead of a slim cut? And then she said — “you are fit, slender, well and proportionally built, and you can pull it off”. I mean, COME ON! Hearing something like that from a twenty-something salesperson made me (an almost fifty years old guy) just smile and literally blush. I had no idea I can still blush, but apparently I can, and profusely like a schoolboy.
And I did try the slim version, which fit me exceptionally well, found a good combination of colors, didn’t even ask what the price was, and bought it. At home, just to make sure I didn’t make a mistake, I put it on again, and I am not even going to try to be humble — I look great in a slim-cut suit. And I know that what happened today to me is what the best salespeople do — they make you feel good and happy with yourself and your choices. On the other hand, a compliment like I got today still makes me smile this afternoon — so I don’t care what the intention was. Deep in my psyche, I am a very needy person, needy for a good word and a compliment and a pat or caress. And I got what I needed. And my new suit fits me well, and I look very sharp in it. So, everything is well and fine and dandy today.
