Should I Buy a Suit?

     For over 30 years, I wore a suit and tie to work every day. Get up in the morning, button the top button of my shirt, cinch the tie, struggle into the jacket, lace up the tight shoes.

     One of the great joys of retiring was the freedom to wear what I want, when I want -- in my case, chinos and a polo shirt in the summer; chinos and a sweater in the winter. And then either sneakers, or my clunky brown Rockport shoes, or very often, for most of the day, my comfortable sheepskin slippers from LL Bean.

My entire tie collection, circa 2014

     Actually, for the last few years of my career, my company went "corporate casual" in the summertime, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. But even then, when September rolled around, it was back again to the suit and cinched-up tie.

     I bought my last suit in 1998. I was let go in 2002. I have not worn a suit since. A couple of years ago I gave that last suit to the Salvation Army, hoping someone else could put it to better use than I did by hanging in the closet to gather dust. Along the way, I pared down my tie collection to a total of three ties -- two Christmas ties and an elephant tie my daughter gave me when she got back from her internship in Africa.

     But now B wants me to go buy a new suit. Why? We have a wedding to go to in October. And B's son is getting married next spring. She thinks I would look much better in a suit -- or to put it more bluntly, she wants to be seen with a guy in a suit, not some schlumpy guy in chinos and a golf shirt.

     But I say, you might as well ask a federal prisoner, after he's paid his dues to society, to wear his striped uniform again, ten years after he got out of prison. And to add insult to injury, I'd have to shell out $300 or $400 of my own money to purchase this uniform.

     To be honest, I do still wear a tie occasionally. I have two Christmas ties. There are always a couple of holiday parties that seem to call for me wearing a tie. And once or twice a year I wear my elephant tie. But for the most part, I figure I'm retired and should have the freedom to dress the way I want.

     Now I know women like men in a suit, a lot better than they like men in jeans or a rumpled polo shirt, or even a jacket and tie. But I also know that women like to be comfortable as well. When B comes home from work, the first thing she does is head upstairs into the bedroom and slip on softer, more comfortable clothes.

     So what do you say? Do I have to buy a suit?