I need some style help...work clothes.

[ASH556]

Hey guys, I know some of you are pretty stylish so I'm hoping you can help me. I'm beginning my second year in outside sales in the industrial valve market. My primary customers are paper mills, power plants, and chemical plants. I deal with everything from buyers and engineers to mechanical and electrical maintenance techs, so the attire has to be nice enough for the office, but dressed down enough to relate to the techs. I've been doing the khakis/polo thing mostly and it works out pretty well. I sometimes trade the polo for a button down and the khakis for navy slacks if I need to dress it up more. Now, I'm not afraid to wear a suit, but it just doesn't really fit the environment usually.

All of that said, it's mostly the footwear that's tripping me up. Some areas require steel toe boots, so that's not a problem but sometimes I find myself wishing for something more substantial than my Rockport Penny Loafers when walking through production areas that may have fluids on the ground, but don't require steel toes.

I was thinking about maybe some upland style chukkas as being "dressy" enough but more substantial than loafers. This is in the South, so mostly the Southern Frat Boy style (Costas, Cablz, Carharrt) thing works well.

Thanks for your thoughts and input.

[blues]

You can check this page at LL Bean (https://www.llbean.com/llb/search/?freeText=men%27s+chukkas&init=1) to see if any of the chukkas they offer appeal to your sense of style...

[mc1911]

Hey, I work in industrial HVAC sales so I'm in the same situation. My general day-to-day attire sounds like yours. My daily footwear is Skechers Murilo. Got them at Rack Room for $50.

I have steel toed shoes in my car along with safety glasses and ear plugs when needed. This is my second pair of these Skechers. They are comfortable to wear all day and tough enough to handle different environments, but also have a decent look regardless of whether I'm in the boiler room or C-suite. I can throw on boots if I know I'm going to be spending a lot of time on ladders and rooftops in a given day, but for general day-to-day stuff in both commercial and industrial environments, these work well for me.

[Bratch]

Olukai makes some nice leather shoes that work well with khakis, I also have an old pair of Keen boots that are super comfortable that should work as well.

Not sure if it's your style or would be comfortable but I've seen a lot of guys use nice (Ariat, eat ) steel toe cowboy boots as full time footwear.

[Shellback]

Small world. I've worked for Masoneilan now for the past year, desk jockey now, and previously worked for CCI for 8 years in field service.

If it were me I would always rock the steel toes. Reason being is that you show up on site ready to go check out a problem valve, walk through production areas, etc., rather than having to go to your car, change shoes, etc. and making your site contact wait on you.

Any plant manager, or engineer, worth their salt is going to look past any sort of work attire and judge you based on your knowledge, not appearance. They also work with mechanics and techs everyday and don't think twice about dudes getting dirty.

I've been with enough outside sales guys, who had the typical sales outfit on, and didn't know shit versus the dude's who look like your average mech and were solid on service conditions, valve sizing, how to calibrate a positioner or I/P and knew the right questions, etc. Know your shit and people will look past what you're wearing.

Thorogood are made in the U.S.A. and are a great boot if you want to check them out. I have a pair of these and they're super comfy, have held up well, and you can rock them with some khaki action and go from office to field with no issues: http://www.weinbrennerusa.com/dspNavCategory.cfm?rootID=1&catID=102&prodid=568

[JTQ]

You can check this page at LL Bean (https://www.llbean.com/llb/search/?freeText=men%27s+chukkas&init=1) to see if any of the chukkas they offer appeal to your sense of style...
I buy a lot of stuff from LL Bean, and they are a joy to do business with. Their shoes tend to run a little small, in my experience, though it could be just in specific styles.

Recently, I've found Clarks to have a lot of good options for comfortable shoes. My experience with them is they've been a little more true to size than my experience with LL Bean's shoes.

Clarks http://www.clarksusa.com/us/c/mens

[LOKNLOD]

I'm your customer. Not literally, but you know what I mean. Boots are definitely the answer.

[JohnO]

The most comfortable safety shoe I have found is the Timberland Pro series work boot with the titanium alloy toe. They have a generous toe box that does not feel cramped at all. I use them when I go in shops that require safety shoes. So comfortable I forget I'm wearing them. The one drawback I found is the tread pattern/sole is terrible in snow.

[RevolverRob]

Go with a classic style workboot. Leather, with a good sole. Keep 'em cleaned and polished and you'll look fine with your dressier clothing look. FYI; Duluth Trading is doing more biz-casual fits of their Firehose pants now which could add some variety to your clothes ensemble.

White's Semi-Dress Boots would be a good choice - http://www.whitesboots.com/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=446

Red Wing Iron Rangers - http://www.redwingheritage.com/us/USD/product/mens-footwear/6-inch-boots/6-amber-8111-08111

Buy once, cry once, on this front. I've had a pair of Iron Rangers for 7-years and they aren't even broken in yet...

[karmapolice]

Danner's, lots of styles.

http://www.danner.com/men/lifestyle/forest-heights-ii-piedmont.html

Mountain pass or lights could work too.

[Shellback]

White's Semi-Dress Boots would be a good choice - http://www.whitesboots.com/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=446

Red Wing Iron Rangers - http://www.redwingheritage.com/us/USD/product/mens-footwear/6-inch-boots/6-amber-8111-08111

No disrespect intended, but neither one of those would be a good choice for his line of work. He needs a work boot with steel toe protection.

LOKNLOD and I work in the same industry, and if you want to be taken seriously, then invest in good boots and wear those. Show up prepared to work with the tools of your trade.

[ASH556]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, it's a really big help! I did 7 years inside with a Fisher rep selling Valvtechnologies, EIM, and a bunch of other isolation and automation products, so I have a pretty solid base. Just trying to figure out the customer facing side of things.

What pants do y'all have good luck with? I've been through 2 pair of $70 Izod chinos this year (2016). Preferably not something too thick or hot. Paper mill recovery boilers get hot in the summertime.

Thanks!

[peterb]

With pants, it depends on how dirty and how hands-on your work is. I spent a few years doing field service/customer support for industrial printing equipment, where I might have to do classroom training or meet managers but there was a good chance of getting ink-stained on the factory floor. I settled on the basic Dickies work pants in black at $23/pair. Sounds like you may need something a bit nicer.

The most comfortable steel toes I found were the Doc Martens, but they're probably too clunky for what you want.

[ranger]

I am a senior leader in the Pulp and Paper industry - unless you are at the corporate HQs or a trade show - I always expected vendors-contractors-consultants to come to the mill dressed to go out in the process areas.

[blues]

I am a senior leader in the Pulp and Paper industry - unless you are at the corporate HQs or a trade show - I always expected vendors-contractors-consultants to come to the mill dressed to go out in the process areas.

You're bringing back not so sweet memories of the pungent smell at FLETC / Glynco (Brunswick, GA) back in the day.

[ASH556]

I am a senior leader in the Pulp and Paper industry - unless you are at the corporate HQs or a trade show - I always expected vendors-contractors-consultants to come to the mill dressed to go out in the process areas.

You're not at IP Rome are you? PM?

[DamonL]

Irish Setter makes some work boots that might fit with your Khaki and Polo look. Similar to the Thorogoods that were recommended earlier.

https://www.amazon.com/Irish-Setter-Mens-83606-Aluminum-Toe/dp/B0063C3ZGU/ref=pd_sbs_309_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0063C3ZGU&pd_rd_r=2VP14QWKPN6PEY3XDK38&pd_rd_w=WOpCv&pd_rd_wg=Ngfy8&psc=1&refRID=2VP14QWKPN6PEY3XDK38

https://www.amazon.com/Irish-Setter-Work-Steel-83624/dp/B009EP8YDC/ref=pd_sbs_309_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B009EP8YDC&pd_rd_r=02G8J1Y5YJGBRD30DFE0&pd_rd_w=LHYrJ&pd_rd_wg=nAONK&psc=1&refRID=02G8J1Y5YJGBRD30DFE0

[ranger]

You're bringing back not so sweet memories of the pungent smell at FLETC / Glynco (Brunswick, GA) back in the day.

Smells like money!

[Kyle Reese]

You're bringing back not so sweet memories of the pungent smell at FLETC / Glynco (Brunswick, GA) back in the day.

We called it "Brunswick Stew".


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blues]

We called it "Brunswick Stew".


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I forget what year they shut down that plant but I remember going back to FLETC for a course a couple years later and it still stunk.

[Welder]

When I go out for quoting purposes to any of my customers' jobsites, I'm wearing the clean version of what I wear when I show back up at a future time to perform the work: lace-up Red Wing steel toe boots, Carhartt double-knee dungarees, a tucked-in Lapco or Carhartt long- or short-sleeved collared shirt with snap front, and a leather belt. Safety glasses, earplugs, and leather work gloves with me at all times, hardhat and reflective vest in hand if necessary for that site or in the truck if not.

If there's anything anyone would prefer for me to be wearing as compared to the above, no one has ever said it. And I find that the 'regular' employees relate to me best when I'm dressed similarly to them. Management seems to care less about dress and more about the way I comport myself.

[Up1911Fan]

I'm a big fan of Allen Edmonds, something with a good rubber or Dianite sole would be what i'd get. They've had a pretty good sale going lately. As for pants, when i'm not in uniform i'm wearing jeans or Banana Republic pants.

[Arbninftry]

When I was trying to figure out sports jackets, I found this site. It has about everything there. Suits to whiskey to knife fighting and tracking like an Apache.

http://www.artofmanliness.com

[JAD]

First, I'm compelled to mention that Grandpa was a design engineer at Fisher in Marshalltown his whole life. Mostly oil and gas though.

I've been in outside sales for a little while. Industries include semiconductor back end, telecommunications infrastructure, pcb fab and assembly, and then all kinds of weird techy stuff.

I have always worked hard to dress appropriately. It depends a lot on the day and on what I have available to me in terms of storage, but my rule has always been that I try to dress one 'level' up from the people I'm talking to. If I'm on a floor where they wear t shirts, I wear a polo; if I'm talking to engineers in an office where they wear slacks and oxfords I wear a sport coat. I always have a tie in my bag, and if I'm meeting anyone with P&L responsibility it comes out. I never have worn jeans in front of a customer, but if it's a practical environment all day I can be convinced to wear twill.

If you will frequently be in shop floor environments it would make sense to wear PPE shoes if they will be approved by most customers (I had awesome ESD birkies back when I spent most of my time under a test handler, but only about half of my customers would let me wear them rather than their stink gear).

In such a circumstance I would try to buy boots my customers would be jealous of.

[The Apprentice]

When dealing with the guys in the field such as production managers, operations, or the guys doing the installation we don't care. We want the right information and material on time. I have spent the last 13 years in the process piping industry the last 5 as a General foremen and I want you on time with whatever technical data I need. I spent about a month over the summer rebuilding an 86" bailey valve our sales rep was pretty much useless and because of his bad information we ended up having to pull the valve out twice. Not once was I was I or the plant manager ever concerned with what he was wearing. Unless it was office meetings only I would be in work boots khakis and polo or button down. My bid meeting attire is typically thorogood workboots, duluth firehose khakis and a company polo or button down. However I've walked into plenty of them in dirty greens right off the job and no one has cared because they want me there for what me and my guys can do for them.

[Pistolero]

If you get a chance try the Born Jax boot on.

Lightweight , well constructed and meets your style stated?

I live in South Ga and bought a pair a year ago and have worn them almost exclusively, 5 days a week since.

Btw
Bought a backup pair 11 months ago and they are waiting for me when needed.

Honestly, I am thinking that will be some time away as these are holding up very well.

Just a google find but see this boot at the link below

https://www.shoemall.com/product/born-jax-men-s-/1035869-3?smoptest=false&CAWELAID&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=13856749690&CATCI=pla-324999519357&catargetid=330007400006609710&cadevice=t&gclid=CPnF_6z31dECFYs7gQodIzIEmw

[Shellback]

ASH556 - One other recommendation would be to work with your service guys, or shop techs, and become familiar with being a hands on type guy if you're not already. Carry a small tool bag with the bare necessities in your trunk.

I would suggest knowing how to calibrate some of the more common positioners like the Masoneilan SVI and Fisher DVC using a HART communicator and using a milliamp simulator and screwdriver to dial in the Moore 760 as well. Know how to adjust volume boosters, adjust packing, and don't be afraid to get a little anti seize on your hands.

If you can do some minor things like that on the job site you'll save them time and $1k a day not having to get a service guy in there, and prove you know your shit, instead of just being a salesman.

Just some random thoughts... Good luck and feel free to reach out if you have any questions that I might be able to help with.

[SD]

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