Clothing choices - Look sharp, play sharp?

[DAVE_M]

I was thinking about this the other night. I wear slacks, oxford shoes, button down shirt tucked in, and have my hair slicked at work every day. So naturally, when I go to play, I'm wearing the same thing as I did at work. I enjoy wearing nice clothes, so there is no need to change before I go play.

We had a league match the other night. I showed up early and had a decent number of people watching me practice from afar. When it came time to play, our team put me up first and no one wanted to play me. I'm assuming it had more to do with my looks than my playing ability. I'm a solid B- speed, B/B+ on a good day. I personally was playing better that day, I felt confident and I was comfortable.

So from an outside perspective, if someone sees a player looking sharp, is it automatically assumed they play sharp?

 

[Andrewk1988]

Not to me. I've seen guys dressed sharp who played average or below average. On the flip side I've seen the slobbiest looking guy in the room running racks.

I try not to judge on looks in any aspect of my life, but pool specifically. One of the coolest things about the pool room is that nothing else matters but how you play.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

 

[ideologist]

Whenever I see a 'sharp-dressed' player in any league format, I automatically assume they are a [used car] salesman. This goes along with the fact that their suits are usually tacky and shirts/pants are ill-fitting. Younger guys who have to dress up for work.

They are usually pretty bad.

The ones I worry most about are in a polo and slacks. When someone looks good and is comfortable, it means they chose their outfit to shoot in.

 

[DAVE_M]

Whenever I see a 'sharp-dressed' player in any league format, I automatically assume they are a [used car] salesman. This goes along with the fact that their suits are usually tacky and shirts/pants are ill-fitting. Younger guys who have to dress up for work.

They are usually pretty bad.

The ones I worry most about are in a polo and slacks. When someone looks good and is comfortable, it means they chose their outfit to shoot in.

That's the car salesman look. That ain't me.
I am a younger guy, I have to "dress up" for work, but I don't have to wear that

I wear tailored slacks and shirts. I'm 6'-4" and have a long torso, cheap GAP crap doesn't cut it.

 

[ideologist]

That's the car salesman look. That ain't me.
I am a younger guy, I have to "dress up" for work, but I don't have to wear that

I wear tailored slacks and shirts. I'm 6'-4" and have a long torso, cheap GAP crap doesn't cut it.

I wasn't thinking GAP. I was thinking whatever bargain house that had a special on clothes "only" two sizes too large. It is very popular among younger guys to wear baggy 'dress' clothes. I think it looks more rumpled than Lt. Colombo. I couldn't shoot in swishy clothing, blah.

 

[Fenwick]

That's the car salesman look. That ain't me.
I am a younger guy, I have to "dress up" for work, but I don't have to wear that

I wear tailored slacks and shirts. I'm 6'-4" and have a long torso, cheap GAP crap doesn't cut it.

I'd rather look like a used car salesman then a goat in the ally but to each their own. When I show up players will ask me if I just came back from a funeral or church. My shoes are shined, slacks pressed, I'm freshly showered and shaved. I like being dressed in something other then jeans.

Reminds me of a song by Juicy Lucy back in the 70's. I'm a little pimp with my hair guessed back, pair of pant kaki pants and my shoes died black.

To answer your question I'll point out how the best players where I play dress. Two look like they slept in there clothes. The others range from business suits to casual. I don't judge someone's shooting ability by their outward appearance.

 

[VIProfessor]

The ones I worry most about are in a polo and slacks. When someone looks good and is comfortable, it means they chose their outfit to shoot in.

Yep! Watch out for that Jim Rempe look!

While the clothes obviously don't make the player, they do provide some indication of what his/her mindset was when he/she was getting ready to come to the pool room. In a tournament or serious action, I love to play in a polo shirt, slacks and comfortable shoes. I feel better, and therefore I play better.

 

[DAVE_M]

To answer your question I'll point out how the best players where I play dress. Two look like they slept in there clothes. The others range from business suits to casual. I don't judge someone's shooting ability by their outward appearance.

This was more of what I'm getting at. I don't like to judge people based on looks, but in a pool room it's hard not to when we all try to judge a players speed. I'm curious if the general consensus among average players is if they look good, they will play good? That just doesn't seem right in my opinion.

 

[bdorman]

Quite the opposite: If the guy's clothes are rags and he's unbathed and unshaven, I assume he plays so much pool that he doesn't have a job or time for personal hygiene. He probably sleeps under the table at the pool hall.

 

[VIProfessor]

This was more of what I'm getting at. I don't like to judge people based on looks, but in a pool room it's hard not to when we all try to judge a players speed. I'm curious if the general consensus among average players is if they look good, they will play good? That just doesn't seem right in my opinion.

While we all try to pick up on any clues we can regarding an unknown player's skill (right down to checking the parking lot for out-of-state license plates ), there are really only two ways to judge a player's speed that won't get you broke. One is reliable information from a knowledgeable source, and the second is carefully observing how the player moves on and off the table. All else, IMO, is dust in the wind.

P.S.--Remember that adopting a sartorial disguise, from painters' overalls to the "businessman's suit", has always been part of the hustler's basic arsenal.

 

[Fenwick]

This was more of what I'm getting at. I don't like to judge people based on looks, but in a pool room it's hard not to when we all try to judge a players speed. I'm curious if the general consensus among average players is if they look good, they will play good? That just doesn't seem right in my opinion.

I'm better at reading someone by the way they carry themselves and the way they interact with others. I'm also on my home turf which gives me home field advantage. I don't judge two quickly. First impressions are often wrong but I try to error on the side of caution. You can be dressed to the neighs, (spelling), and be Bipolar.

 

[Cornerman]

I was thinking about this the other night. I wear slacks, oxford shoes, button down shirt tucked in, and have my hair slicked at work every day. So naturally, when I go to play, I'm wearing the same thing as I did at work. I enjoy wearing nice clothes, so there is no need to change before I go play.

We had a league match the other night. I showed up early and had a decent number of people watching me practice from afar. When it came time to play, our team put me up first and no one wanted to play me. I'm assuming it had more to do with my looks than my playing ability. I'm a solid B- speed, B/B+ on a good day. I personally was playing better that day, I felt confident and I was comfortable.

So from an outside perspective, if someone sees a player looking sharp, is it automatically assumed they play sharp?

Come to the DCC and you'll never ask this question again.

Freddie

 

[sunburn]

I was thinking about this the other night. I wear slacks, oxford shoes, button down shirt tucked in, and have my hair slicked at work every day. So naturally, when I go to play, I'm wearing the same thing as I did at work. I enjoy wearing nice clothes, so there is no need to change before I go play.

We had a league match the other night. I showed up early and had a decent number of people watching me practice from afar. When it came time to play, our team put me up first and no one wanted to play me. I'm assuming it had more to do with my looks than my playing ability. I'm a solid B- speed, B/B+ on a good day. I personally was playing better that day, I felt confident and I was comfortable.

So from an outside perspective, if someone sees a player looking sharp, is it automatically assumed they play sharp?

I used to think like this until I played in a golf league at work. One of my foursome was a quiet small-built maintenance man that looked like he just left a rodeo (minus the cowboy hat) who had a 3 handicap. So, my answer is no.

 

[CreeDo]

In my experience, guys who show up dressed unusually sharp often play pretty decent.
In league we have a team where one guy is always in a suit and tie, he doesn't even remove the tie for his match.
He's the best player on their team. On our team a guy is always in button down shirt etc. from work,
and he's only rated a 5, but he's got the best win rate.

Lots of slobby looking guys who can play but I think it's a tiny psychological advantage to
look sharp, like maybe subconsciously suggesting your pool winnings allow you to afford nice things.

 

[Ghosst]

The ones I worry most about are in a polo and slacks. When someone looks good and is comfortable, it means they chose their outfit to shoot in.

That would be me as well. When I play I try to show respect for the sport; I'm not there to get slovenly drunk and sit on the rails, I'm there to win. I'm comfortable in what I wear.

 

[Cdryden]

I was thinking about this the other night. I wear slacks, oxford shoes, button down shirt tucked in, and have my hair slicked at work every day. So naturally, when I go to play, I'm wearing the same thing as I did at work. I enjoy wearing nice clothes, so there is no need to change before I go play.

We had a league match the other night. I showed up early and had a decent number of people watching me practice from afar. When it came time to play, our team put me up first and no one wanted to play me. I'm assuming it had more to do with my looks than my playing ability. I'm a solid B- speed, B/B+ on a good day. I personally was playing better that day, I felt confident and I was comfortable.

So from an outside perspective, if someone sees a player looking sharp, is it automatically assumed they play sharp?

The way you dressed gave you confidence, so, for you looking sharp = better play. Now, as far as other peoples perception of you is concerned, maybe they was picking up more on your confidence level than your attire.

 

[StraightPoolIU]

Come to the DCC and you'll never ask this question again.

Freddie

Exactly what I was going to post.


Brent<------Doesn't own any jorts.

 

[DAVE_M]

The way you dressed gave you confidence, so, for you looking sharp = better play. Now, as far as other peoples perception of you is concerned, maybe they was picking up more on your confidence level than your attire.

I never thought of it that way. Perhaps you are correct; Now that I think about it, if I were watching a player, regardless of skill, you can tell if they are in stroke or not.

Thanks!

 

[Cdryden]

While we all try to pick up on any clues we can regarding an unknown player's skill (right down to checking the parking lot for out-of-state license plates ), there are really only two ways to judge a player's speed that won't get you broke. One is reliable information from a knowledgeable source, and the second is carefully observing how the player moves on and off the table. All else, IMO, is dust in the wind.

P.S.--Remember that adopting a sartorial disguise, from painters' overalls to the "businessman's suit", has always been part of the hustler's basic arsenal.

Good post. I think the biggest tip off to a players speed is their stroke. It takes skilled acting for a expert player to pull off a consistently bad stroke. It's easy to fool beginners, but to fool someone who knows what to look for is something all together different. It always comes off too fake, like they are trying too hard to make it look bad.

The successful hustlers that I have witnessed have about 75% truth in every lie they told. The best I ever saw was two young men posing as college students visiting a college in our town. They spent about 3 weeks setting things up and when they were done they blew town with every ones cash that played them. It was so believable because they probably had some college, they were the right age, they totally looked, talked and acted the part because it wasn't total make believe. They even hooked up with a couple of girls from the local college that everyone knew.... it was perfect.
But what set them apart was that they didn't try to make it look like they can't play. In fact they boasted about how good they were, they projected a overconfidence that made people chomp at the bit to get at them.

If this sounds familiar to anyone I would love to hear about it. It was in the early 90's in northeast Missouri. I always wondered who those guys were and I am sure our town wasn't the only one they pulled this in. IIRC they snagged over 20 grand from people in the area. And in a small town in the 1990's that wasn't too bad.