Ed Harrison models a classic navy and white seersucker suit from Bruce Baird and Company, accented by a pocket square by Randy Hanauer and a belt by Bill’s Khakis.
Staff photo by John Rawlston/Chattanooga Times Free PressGiven the choice, most men wouldn’t reach for neckties and suit jackets in record-setting heat, but there’s little leeway when the dress code calls for professional attire.
The buttoned-down look may seem harsh in 90-degree temperatures, but it’s the customary way to do business for men in many lines of work, said Bruce Baird, owner of Bruce Baird & Co., a men’s clothing store on Broad Street.
“You have a different attitude when you’re dressed in a suit,” he said. “Owners of businesses will tell you that the more professional you dress, the harder you work. And people seem to have more respect for you. I have stockbrokers who require their employees to wear professional clothing five days a week, as do law offices and accountants.”
No matter the outside temperature, lawyers are expected to dress professionally in the courtroom, said retired Chattanooga Judge Douglas Meyer, 78, now living in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla.
“Lawyers must wear suits in court to present the proper decorum,” Meyer said. “I tried to look cool in my summer suits, although I was often soaking wet with sweat.”