Dress for success

The guys in the lab coats are hard at work on your suit coats, and the results deliver new levels of comfort and class.

Science improving style? Yes, sir, and the future looks comfortable. Take the word of men whose lives depend on what they wear: U.S. servicemen. Recent army studies have shown that uncomfortable clothing can interfere with soldiers' short-term memory and mess with their reaction times. That holds true whether you're literally under fire or only metaphorically dodging grenades. Mark Newton of Gore-Tex brand calls it the comfort correlation: "The psychological and physiological states are inseparably linked." Here are new uniforms for the everyday soldier, judged by their wrinkle and stain resistance, moisture wicking, breathability, and comfort. Why not put every advantage to work for you?

The Job Interview
You flash the suit, they show the money
So it's your second interview for that position with the six-figure salary and the five-star office space. High-tension moment? Not really, if you can ensure that they literally won't see you sweat. The worlds of fabric technology and traditional tailoring meet in this slideshow. Perry Ellis and Hart Schaffner Marx are pioneers in using lightweight, high-tech fabrics that look cool, and feel cooler. Pair them with the Air Clifden split-toe shoes on this page, for the sole (and comfort) of a running shoe, and style straight from the craftsmen of Florence, Italy.

The Workday
If your clothes work hard, you can take it easy
Nanotechnology, the science behind Perry Ellis's Nanotex suit, works on a microscopic level--a nanometer is 3 to 5 atoms wide--to create fabrics that repel and resist stains. So there's no reason to cry over spilled milk (or coffee). Tip: Don't bust out a new suit for a big meeting; wear it a few times first, so you feel comfortable in it. The ease you'll display will encourage people's confidence in what you have to offer. For the rest of your body, remember that fit is as crucial to comfort as fabric. Brooks Brothers, for instance, offers body scanning that can deliver custom clothing to your door in 3 weeks.

The First Date
Underwear can seal the deal, or break it
After weeks of IM innuendo, she agrees to go out. Now it's time to look the part you've been playing electronically. That begins with the layer closest to your skin. The new Calvin Klein Flexible Fit line is made from 91 percent cotton and 9 percent Lastol XLA fabric, for better shape and stretch. Advanced fabric technology helps, but natural cotton is tried and true. In tests by the military, soldiers wearing cotton scored the highest on memory-related tasks--second only to those who wore nothing at all. Keeping your mind sharp and your body cool (nothing breathes like cotton) will make it easier to remain your charming self all night long--until it comes time to remove even the last layer. And as the last stitch comes off, your memory kicks into a higher gear, as the military has shown us. Good thing, too: There's so much worth remembering then, after all.

The Weekend
Kick-back cool
A weekend's activity--that mix of errands, kick-back time, and socializing--can stretch any man's ward-- robe. It comes down to versatile styles in fabrics that stay comfortable during every stop on the to-do list. "In the industry right now there's an enormous focus on improving the 'hand' of fabric--how it feels to the touch," says Maureen MacGillivray, Ph.D., a professor of apparel merchandising and design at Central Michigan University. Her colleagues have used thermal cameras and other technology to measure the "microclimate" between the body and clothing. Combine go-anywhere style with touch-me fabric--and make it moisture wicking--and you have this sweater from Zegna Sport. Your personal microclimate has never felt so temperate.