The Limitations of a Great Suit

Consider this analogy: two attractively wrapped boxes are sitting side by side. The paper is striking. Bows are symmetrical. Corners are crisp. Tape is discreet. They both look good.

You open the first box, which contains perfectly shaped chocolate truffles—each dusted with cocoa, sprinkled with edible gold, finished with an embossed sugar medallion, and secured by a pleated foil cup. You then open the second box which contains truffles, too. But these are covered by a filmy white haze, crushed throughout, partially melted and stuck to the lid.

From the outside, both boxes are works of art. But on the inside, only one set of contents matches the quality of its exterior.

And so it is with you. What you put out there visually can turn heads, hold attention and make others eager to engage. However…

Clothing does not make the man.
It only helps make the man look good.

A great wardrobe can boost esteem, which can then, in turn, improve stature and confidence. But nice clothes cannot camouflage being unprepared, condescending, dismissive, etc. In fact, a discrepancy between your outside and your inside can create conditions for resentment, and yet worse, contempt.

Don’t be fooled by the allure of looking good if your well-tailored wardrobe is a smokescreen. The “fine packaging” of clothing is ideally a finishing touch that reflects the quality housed within.