What message do you want to send on the first tee?
“What am I going to wear?” is a dilemma we all face every day. If we’re playing golf, it’s a decision that probably gets made twice before the sun sets, and that can be exhausting. We use clothes to tell stories about ourselves, so the question of what to wear becomes “What do I want to say about myself?”
Most days, I have very little to say about me. As I work from home, I’m usually exclusively talking to yours truly, so I default to a T-shirt, jeans and leather jacket. Still, my staples subtly tell you a bit about who I am. The flipped-up cuffs on my Studio D’Artisan jeans betray my affection for pricey Japanese selvedge denim (I wash them, I promise), and my collection of tees foreshadow the playlist you might hear in my car. Perhaps loudest of the whole ensemble, my Balmain lambskin jacket, reveals that I am neither a vegan nor afraid of capital-F fashion.
Giorgio Armani was a fan of wearing essentially the same thing every day to avoid decision fatigue. Why drain your brain making lots of trivial choices when you could be focusing on the big stuff instead, so the theory goes. Steve Jobs became an icon in his signature black turtleneck, jeans and New Balance sneakers. Author Tom Wolfe did the same in a white suit skulking around Manhattan high society. Uniforms are comfortable, versatile, effortless, and mine is dialed in enough to garner compliments from random dudes on the street, which is actually sort of weird.
As a creature of habit, I have a golf uniform as well. There is always a crisp white polo and a clean pair of blue chinos ready if I wrap up work early and find an open tee time. My golf course uniform skews more preppy, though with a minimalist vibe. Whether we get paired together on a New Jersey public track or merely trade glances on the serene practice putting green of a private club where I’ve been lucky to score an invite, in an instant you would note my preference for natural fabrics and well-made, long-lasting pieces.
Admittedly, I dress as my aspiration of a scratch golfer hunting birdies rather than the golfer I am, constantly struggling to get up and down. The image in my mind is sort of an unpleated Arnold Palmer. As a catch-as-catch-can golfer, most of my rounds are played solo or with randos, and my desire to play well is the only statement worth making. However, for some rounds, I’m glad to have options in my closet that say more.
My first pro-am experience was at the Legends of Golf, a now-defunct PGA Tour Champions event in Branson, Missouri, not far from where I studied journalism in Columbia. I came correct in school colors—a pair of yellow-gold tailored slacks and a black cashmere sweater over a white polo. Mizzou-RAH! The smattering of fans loved it. In a rather surreal moment, Larry the Cable Guy (rocking his traditional University of Nebraska sleeveless camo number) stopped me in the parking lot to rap about Missouri’s program. Sadly, I know almost nothing of football and went to only one game as a student … but I faked it well, so I got to tell my kids I met Mater from "Cars."
When I play important courses, I like to wear something a little punchier as a signifier that I’m not laying up unless I have to. It’s a similar outlook to how pulling off a perfect heroic shot makes a more meaningful memory than saving a bogey. Plus, the photographs will be more interesting years later.
For a recent lap around Pinehurst No. 2, I went with a pink polo and medium-blue patterned pants. On a round in Monterey, I paired a dark shirt with a lighter color bottom for an opposite coast vibe. For trips to Scotland, I pack a fedora, controversial to be sure, but it’s a look that pairs well with a post-round single malt. Plus, the wool is a little warmer, and the shape does a better job keeping the rain off my cheeks.
On the increasingly rare occasion when the boys get together for a round, you can bet I’ll be chilling in something fun and less likely to show evidence of spilled adult beverages. I have a couple of subtle Hawaiians and a few spicy prints bought solely for such days, when scores are irrelevant … unless they must be settled. These shirts comprise my “cab-ride home” collection.
“Vestis virum facit,” or clothes make the man, is credited to the 15th century Dutch theologian Desiderius Erasmus. Mark Twain took the maxim a little further. “Without his clothes a man would be nothing at all; that the clothes do not merely make the man, the clothes are the man; that without them he is a cipher, a vacancy, a nobody, a nothing … There is no power without clothes.” Twain may have been on to something given the indelible visual energy of his iconic white suits more than a century later (which certainly informed Wolfe’s wardrobe).
As a product of the countercultural ’90s I find a certain resonance in George Michael’s refrain—“Sometimes the clothes do not make the man.” I like to think he was inversely riffing on a line from Hamlet, “The apparel oft proclaims the man.” ‘Oft’ but not always, your style is part of how you show the world who you are.
As human beings, we are dynamic and vary how we present ourselves for various audiences and environments. We talk differently in the conference room than we do at the water cooler, and similarly we shift our clothing as a type of visual coded language. We adapt our self-presentation vis-à-vis what we wear in different situations to signal alignment with those present and the contexts in which we find ourselves. As they shift, so do we. To paraphrase my favorite American poet, Walt Whitman, we are all large and contain multitudes, numerous ever-shifting identities and countless authentic selves.
So it goes. Tailored suits help us fit in at cocktail parties and weddings. We might even don a Cubs hat for a game at Wrigley, painful as that may be to one’s fandom. You dress for the moments and situations in which you exist. But how you do it, from the fit and fabric, to the color and design, says something about who you are. A tie bar shows attention to detail. Intense colors or patterns showcase an adventurous spirit. Mixing pieces in surprising ways declares your creativity.
Clothes also work in the opposite direction, too, shaping how we perceive ourselves, offering confidence, energy, and even inspiration. I find a bit of personal gravitas in my custom two-pieces. The perfect fit of my tuxedo makes me feel like I belong even in the haughtiest of crowds. Of course, my daily uniform does its part, too, adding a bit of self-certainty to my demeanor, whether I’m typing or chipping.
Answering the question “What am I going to wear?” will always be a bit heavy, but once you figure out how you want to feel and what you want to say about yourself for the day, it gets easier. The best thing is that you get to decide. It’s your voice. Your closet becomes a toolbox to help you feel confident stepping out of your house and into the world. Plus, like golf, if you don’t get it quite right, you get another shot tomorrow.
Invited to the member-guest
Peter Millar Solid Performance Jersey Polo, Saratoga Striped Quarter-Zip, Dunes Vest.
Playing in a member-guest tournament means you’ll be meeting tons of new people and making first impressions. To showcase your style IQ as well as be prepared for changing temps (think outdoor cocktail party), quarter-zips are right on trend as are lightweight vests. Couple these with a modern five-pocket pant.
A round with your father-in-law
Peter Millar Latrobe Performance Button-Front Cardigan, Journeyman Polo, Bingham Performance Five-Pocket Pant, Crafted Woven Belt, Tempest Sunglasses.
ICHIRO NAKANISHI
Playing golf with your father-in-law (or mother-in-law … or any sort of potential future in-law) is probably a smart time to keep it conservative. This blue cardigan and clean white shirt communicates respect and style.
Buddies trip
Peter Millar Everyday Pique Polo, EB Performance Short,Crafted Woven Belt, Whitaker Washed Twill Hat.
Whether a reunion with old chums you haven’t seen in ages or your regular golf crew, don’t be the guy who looks too serious. Buddies trips are a good time to go for it with a bold color statement. These blue shorts cut at a modern length and orange shirt say you’re ready to have fun.
Client golf
Peter Millar Bingham Performance Blazer, Summertime Performance Mesh Polo,Surge Performance Trouser, Crafted Woven Belt, Robusto Pocket Square.
ICHIRO NAKANISHI
Finding the right balance between work and play is easy when selecting a polo with a Johnny collar (no placket or buttons) and a stylish, lightweight, unconstructed blue blazer. No matter if you’re hosting or being hosted, you want to look discerning. Most importantly, save any business talk for after the round.