John T. Molloy's New Dress for Success

by John T. Molloy

Book Overview

All the changes that have taken place in men's wardrobes in the past fifteen years are incorporated into this highly successful title. Contains 30 percent new information and a four-color, four-page illustration insert.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446385522
• ISBN13: 9780446385527
• Release Date: January 1988
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 390 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

It ain't changed in the Boardroom

This book, taken with due care, is still the Bible for how to dress for success. There have been some contemporary changes in business dress. But if you are not a rock star or a computer whiz, don't bet your career that dressing like one will get you to the Executive Suite. Look instead in business periodicals and you will see that almost all of the top dogs in power positions dress as though they were Malloy's models. Those who want to get there someday will dress as though they already are. I say as a business consultant that this book has enhanced more careers than a lot of the Business Schools have done. A great deal of career success is all tied up in other's perception of you. 21 year old managers wearing pinstripe in a godawful blue/purple color with a shirt with a neck two sizes too small because they hear that pinstripe is 'powerful'. Older men wearing 'Cool Business' thinking it makes them seem more dynamic and 'with it'. Men allowing their wives or girlfriends to dress then for business. Guys wearing ties that make you wonder if their team lost or they're pledging a frat. Men wearing brown suits to a management meeting. All doomed to make their career progression a lot harder than it has to be. Take the straight route. The tried and true. Do not fall for the lines about how 'things have changed'. If things have changed, why do the President and most Senators - where the projection of power and confidence are critical - still dress straight from 'Dress For Success'? Your first impression and perception by others is fast - and permanent. Molloy's book is the inside lane on how to make a great impression and reflect a perception of executive capability.

dated, but the best I've found

I'm leaving the military, and read this book on the advice of a couple different headhunter firms. It is a little out of date, but still is a great book. Here are some great quotes: "You do not want to look like Lou Costello with his pants under his armpits, and you do not want to [sag and] look like a member of the lower middle class." (pg 47). [If your cuffs are higher than 5.5 inches from your thumb], you will look like a Broadway crapshooter, a fashion model, or a dandy." (pg 52). "You can, if you are already very rich and very successful, or if you desire to have an affair with an Italian contessa, wear silk shirts." (pg 71). "You will never, ever, as long as you live, wear a short-sleeve shirt for any business purpose, no matter whether you are the office boy or the president of the company..." (pg 86). "When we showed the picture with the monogram showing, the answers were not positive; in fact seventeen percent of the respondents identified him as a hooker-booker." (pg 87) "One of the things that made the evening so memorable was that at one point all of the young men got together, put their hands on a Beatles album, and swore that they would never, ever, ever, wear a tie." (pg 92). "Do not wear [a bow tie] to business unless you are a clown, a college professor, or a social commentator." (pg 115). I could go on and on. This guy is hilarious, intentionally or not, and gives some good general fashion advice. Sure, things have changed a little, and the "four pages of full color photos" are a little '80s looking, but reading this book will save you from many fashion mistakes. At least it has caused me to develop an agenda as I shop for suits, and I have planned my interview attire. The best part is at the beginning, when he tells you not to listen to your wife. My wife always tells me what to wear, and it's nice to have a legit book that I can cite when I don't listen to her. It's true, the surveys and facts cited aren't particularly academically rigorous, but it's worth heeding, none the less. As a testament of the quality of this read, just look at the cover- despite being forged during the fashion nightmare of the '70s and '80s, the dark pinstripe suit, white shirt and tie are very appropriate, even today. That's his whole point- eschew fashion for the time tested, well respected look. It's a starting point, at least. The controversial point about Afros and hair grease for Hispanics is not controversial, in my book. He's not saying they're bad- he's just saying that in his experience, ethnic looks do not sell well to people from different demographics, which is probably true, even today. He also advises Southerners not to wear cowboy hats and bolo ties to NYC, and that doesn't seem to have stirred up controversy. In my opinion, that's the exact same thing. He's not telling people they can't dress as they like- he's just pointing out that any difference from the norm does not maximize your efficacy. This book is

Do Not Purchase this Book, If -

you plan to keep allowing your girlfriend, wife, mother or frat buddies to influence your mode of dress for the white collar office of the 20th Century. I first purchased John T. Molloy's DRESS FOR SUCCESS (copywrite 1975) in 1987, shortly before embarking upon my initial corporate trip up the proverbial ladder. I reside in Kansas City, Missouri - not exactly a fashion capital of this nation, nor any other. This is also currently (in 2002) the #2 most obese city in our nation (and I think has been in the top 10 most obese cities for the last 20 years). Purchasing suits and other clothing in this city has been more than a difficulty for me, at 6'3" and 185 athletic, trim #'s. However, I stumbled across this particular book, shortly before graduating from college. I used a portion of my last student loan to purchase six suits (3 double breasted), eight shirts (all white, button down collared), four pair of shoes, black & brown, wingtip laced and tassled loafer, as well as a dozen extremely tasteful silk ties in the $30 to $40 range and a dozen pair of over-the-calf nylon socks, in 1989...And I was pretty much set. I never felt out of my league and within 30 months my salary had tripled and I was able to begin purchasing work clothing which more closely mimicked that of my executive VP's. I pretty much memorized entire passages of Mr Molloy's 1975 printing and adapted by observing my 'superiors' tastes and styles, bringing myself up to early 1990's styles.I should add, that prior to 1989.....I had never purchased nor even worn, anything remotely resembling a $600 business suit. Yet I did discover great looking suits (under $400) which required minimal to substantial alterations ( and I followed Mr Molloy's advice to a T ). I've never felt outdressed, overdressed or clownishly inept in business settings on either coast, or anywhere else while working for four Fortune 500 corporations in the last dozen years. My career is within the IT field, yet I've interacted daily with senior executives as well as newly hired staff for 90% of my career.Talent, savvy AND dressing for success (without blowing your bosses OR your customers out of the water) will add up and help you to become successful, yourselves. Business casual doesn't equate to dressing down to the level of casual business. Never wear a dress shirt without sporting a tie; never wear a tee-shirt that can be seen under your dress shirt; never purchase suit clothing which wrinkles too readily; never let your suit jacket bunch up around the back of your neck; never allow your slacks to hike up so far that they expose your calves because you chose stockings which are simply too short and inexpensive; never purchase a cheaply made, inexpensive tie; simple rules like these are so easy to follow and will always pay off for you.Buy this book, read it, pay attention, and apply Molloy's inexpensive lessons. 15 yrs from now, you'll feel like writing a coherent and helpful review, yourself. The moment I fir

A real eye opener

I'm 25 and have worked in the corporate world for about 2 years. I'm in the typically casual area of Technology, but in a large Banking firm (one of the biggest). When the whole company went "corporate casual" I wasn't sure what to wear. We got corporate discounts to some of the more trendy yet sleightly upscale places like Banana Republic and J Crew, so I went out and bought a bunch of pants and shirts.After reading Dress for Success, I see just where and how I went wrong. John Molloy speaks with authority, as well he should. His methods are based on scientific research, not opinion. He's conducted numerous studies on the effects of various types of suits on different segments of the population, most importantly, people in positions of power (your boss, major purchasers, etc.). Also on the middle class, on different regions of the country, women, etc. If you're a salesman in Tulsa Oklahoma looking to increase your sales, this book is just as effective as if you're a young New York Lawyer taking his first case, or if you are a Financial Analyst at the New York Stock Exchange.While it seems simple, and when I try to explain it's precepts to others, they dismiss it as being simplistic, or believe they already know everything they need to know, this book has revolutionised the way I view clothing. You either dress in a way that will impress your audience (i.e. your boss, your customer, etc.) or you don't. When I try to explain the differences to people who haven't read the book, they don't understand. It's too subtle.Most people from a working-class background don't understand, or pay attention to the way the upper class dress. Fewer still pay attention to how their clothing may affect how they are perceived. Any attempt at describing the 'rules' would be an oversimplification.Reading, not skimming, the chapter on how to put a suit together taught me a lot. I'm now confident that I can buy a suit (where just a few weeks ago I would've had no idea where to begin).I even play a game now where I look at the business people, and others who are more casually dressed, and try to guess their income level, where they will peak in their career, what their socio-economic background is, etc. I've even gotten my girlfriend involved in this game. It's great fun in restaurants.What was previously unconscious is now a conscious process. My perception has been heightened, my eyes opened. I now know why I think someone is competent and why someone else is not, and I know how my working class background clearly shows through in my wardrobe, even when I think I'm dressing well.Now that I am aware of how appearance affects myself others, I can Dress for Success.Many will gripe that it lacks in details in some specific areas. For example, there is no mention of how many buttons a suit should have. Let me defend this book by saying that no matter what it will raise your standards for dress. Some things, you will just have to observe. What kind of shoes does your boss wea

Excellent Guide

This is one of the most valuable and useful books I've ever read. Until I read this book I had no idea how to dress appropriately for business situations. Now I can dress right for any situation (if I want to) and don't have to spend lots of money buying the latest fashion. It's not a matter of trying to impress other people, but knowing what's appropriate to wear in various situations, and taking control of how others will perceive you. I agree it would be very helpful to have an updated version (by the same author only). However, that does not diminish the value of this book