Comments on: Baby, If You Look Good, You Play Good

By: Daniel Fleek

Daniel Fleek — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:13:07 +0000

I agree that looking good makes you feel better and makes others respect you more. However, I have never owned a suit so I would need to do a lot of research before I went out and bought a suit at the Chinese market. I like Vladamir’s idea to bring samples of fabric so I know that the suit I am buying is actually good quality. I also think that trying on suits here to know my measurements would help me decide the right style and size. The mafia style suit that the guy in the video bought I thought looked good on him and that’s the kind of the style I think favors me. Also, the price he paid in total was incredibly cheap which is obviously because he knew where to go. I would bet that the suit he bought in China would cost about five times more in America. Also, the suits that are sold here were probably made in China anyways so why not cut out the middle man and buy it at China myself? I hope to find my perfect suit in China at the market and I want it done in about a day so hopefully I only have to pay $100 or just over this.

By: Vladimir

Vladimir — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:04:05 +0000

I think looking good can have an effect on playing good in two ways. First, the person feels like a champ. Second, people who interact with the well-dressed person tend to treat him with more respect, thus reinforcing his feeling of higher status. But you should play good even if you don’t look good.

I’m not sure if I’ll buy a tailored suit in China. My weight’s been going up and down so the perfect fit today won’t necessarily be tomorrow. Also, I don’t like to be in a rush when buying a suit. I’ve only owned several suits in my life and I’m not good at judging quality. I’ll need to do some research, maybe even carry several samples of fabric in my pocket. That way I’ll be able to compare the Chinese fabric in front of me against the fabric of a suit that I know retails for $1000. I do plan on buying some ties.

It’s important to buy what you want, not because the seller convinces you to buy on the spot because the price is good or they tell you how good you’d look. I knew the opening price offers are inflated, but didn’t think they would be by that much. I wonder if the sales people have any idea of the price similar suits would sell for in the United States. Since sellers know people are looking for what they think are good deals, a 50 percent price drop is probably accepted often. To get a better deal, we need to focus on their costs when negotiating, not on US prices.

By: Kevin K.

Kevin K. — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:25:46 +0000

As someone who already has to get custom clothing — being 6-foot-6 and thin means good luck when looking for off the rack clothing. I have found a few good websites based in Thailand that I have bought some shirts from that fit great, but altering suits stateside is really expensive for the amount I need done. This post is great in giving me some tips when I go to China, because I am looking to get a suit, or two, if I find the right place and deal. I’ll be sure to re-read these posts before getting on the plane, that’s for sure. I can just imagine the look on some American store owner’s face when you try to haggle with them on a suit or anything really, pure confusion.

By: Chris Carr

Chris Carr — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:24:51 +0000

@ Tara,

True, these tailors can make anything! Men or women’s apparel.

My own bias is that things like suits can/are harder to make and do well for women than men, but that is just my view and I am a sample size of one. Was also saying I only have experience with men’s clothes and their making, not ladies.

You can and should explore on your own, but as with anything in China, and regardless of gender, always proceed slowly and at your own peril!

Prof. Carr

By: Omar Pradhan

Omar Pradhan — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:06:35 +0000

Great story. I think looking good is half the battle and it’s always nice not to have to pay full price for something when you can. I don’t buy the last bit in the story about the airline flight attendant claiming to have seen the suit. Given what I know about flight attendants from friends in the airline business and also dating one in the past, they aren’t shy about sizing someone up and saying something just to play with them (in a flirtatious way) as they head out the plane (assuming outgoing, female flight attendants). Anyhow, just what ran through my mind as I read that last bit.

By: Chris F.

Chris F. — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 07:07:23 +0000

I agree that when you are looking your best, you’ll exude confidence. This is important both in business and personal life. I am really interested in purchasing some suits in China (or Hong Kong) this summer and will no doubt have to negotiate over price. I agree with others that it is important to do your homework to get a feel for the local market prices on items. My father recommended a place that he purchased his suit at in Hong Kong and said the quality of work was really good. I also got the price he paid and will see if I can do any better this summer.

In terms of negotiating:
1)Know your personal value on the item.
2) Ask yourself if you really want the item.
3) Develop a target price and reservation point.
4)Know the quality of fabrics and the work that will go into the design of the suit (Do your homework).
5) Exercise your right as a buyer - the ability to walk away, if you think things can be done better. If they chase you, they could do better; if they don’t, then you have a better idea what the item costs.

By: J Vail

J Vail — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:39:31 +0000

I don’t feel like there is much to expand upon with this blog, other that being shrewd and frugal in China will get you a long way. I just finished watching the weather’s video, so it was good for me to see that you can go to another giant store and get a good suit without having to travel out of the city. It was very interesting to note that the tailor kept measurements, so you could continue to save the same without having to take the physical trip to China. I think looking good is important to being taken seriously, and no one is going to be checking the stitching of a suit to tell how much you paid. Convenient services like these show a symbiotic gain in China helping both tailors and foreigners looking to save.

By: JP Salazar

JP Salazar — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:34:21 +0000

As soon as I read the title to this blog I immediately thought of some of my friends on my high school football team. They completely embodied this attitude in whatever they did. They were more concerned with how the tape on their shoes (“spat”) looked, how well their socks stayed up, and how tight their jersey was rolled than they were concerned with what their assignment was or how our team stacked up against the other. To them, looking good was just part of being prepared. When they looked good, they felt good, and as a result were able to perform well.
While looks are not everything, I can say that appearances definitely matter. One thing I learned waiting tables for years is that first impressions go a long way in determining how a relationship will develop. Part of this is your outward appearance. I have heard that people make their first impressions about someone within the first five seconds of meeting them, be it for a job interview, a date, or simply someone serving their food. Going back to what was stated in the prompt, Looking good leads to feeling confident, and a confident, driven person is very hard to deny.
Going back to appearances, it will be interesting to see how we are treated by the vendors in the Silk Market based on what we look like. We will probably be seen as doe-eyed, naïve meal tickets ready to be taken advantage of.
But to be a successful in business, we have to look the part. This trip will provide us a unique opportunity to try and use some of the skills we have learned in Negotiations to invest in the package that we will be presenting to the corporate world. In order to put our best foot forward, we have to feel comfortable with the image that we are presenting. A big part of this is looking good in some nice, tailored, suits purchased in China.

By: Kyle R.

Kyle R. — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 04:54:14 +0000

This was an interesting bit of information. I never really thought about buying a custom made suit in China, until I saw the video on the last blog post. I was amazed at how cheap and customized it was. In this post, I found it interesting that the suit was fitted/delivered to the hotel. I’ve never heard of anything like this in the United States and definitely not for that price. With the enormous amount of businessmen heading to China, I bet it’s a great opportunity for Chinese fabric sellers and tailors. Once they get a sell, and if the customer feels it was a bargain, they will for sure have return customers and positive references in the future. I would definitely buy a suit in China if it could be purchased at an extremely low price when compared to a similar one in the United States. It would also be very important for me to know someone who had a positive experience with the tailor beforehand. With the short time we have in each city, I would want to make sure that it was done correctly and in time before departure. With all that said, I think custom suits can be a great opportunity for buyers and sellers in China and serves to be a safe alternative to the controversial selling of counterfeit goods.

By: Matt Streiter

Matt Streiter — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 02:51:11 +0000

I find the negotiation techniques very interesting in China. From what I have read and seen in videos it seems that they bargain to the point where they hate your guts and then once you decide on a price you then become friends again. I guess this is an example of how you have to be on your “A game” being that these people negotiate everyday all day and can spot your weaknesses if you show any. I feel that being an American negotiating with the Chinese may be a disadvantage since they know that negotiating is not a big part of an American’s everyday life. Furthermore, the price difference may be so dramatic in China from here that an American may be so excited about they are saving that they overlook the possibility to bargain even more at a lower price.

The story gives a first hand glimpse of the advantage China holds over many U.S. businesses. Material is a fraction of the price and the turn around time is much quicker. Buying a suit in China because of the extremely low costs would make me feel a little bit hypocritical being that we are complaining that outsourcing is ruining our economy. If I were to go buy a suit or something else in China because of the large discount would make me feel like I am contributing to the problem.