Neckties. Any job that requires me to wear one is a non-starter for me. Don't get me wrong, I love the way they look, I even collected them for a while, but I can't stand wearing them. The main reason is my physiology. Even loose, and with collars that are appropriately sized, it feels like I'm going to pass out when I turn my head. So, I look for jobs where I can wear a nice golf-style shirt and no necktie. Kinda hampers my management track, but, oh well. A man's got to know his limitations. Mine's a necktie.
I wore ties by choice. No jacket (that would have been overdoing it.) I do agree with you though - a man’s gotta know his limitations, and even when dressing nicely, I need to be comfortable or else I’m miserable, impatient, and grouchy.
Reminds me of when I worked as a consultant for IBM. Caste-enforcing dress code. Always had to bring my suit coat into the office even if I never wore it in the heat (Atlanta) because we had to prove we had a suit on. I was winding up the last month on the job and feeling a little irreverent and irrelevant, so on a lark I posted a clipping from Weekly World News on my office door personal space - the bold headline read "Scientists Say - Wearing Ties Makes Men Stupid."
Well, this was too much sacrilege for the hoi polloi, gasps could be heard from my open doorway as my shocked coworkers hurried past. Eventually the head of the division came by to make sure I wasn't an anarchist, after he read the article though he ended up in my office with his tie thrown off, shoes on the desk, telling me his Korean war jet fighter pilot yarns with lots of hands flying action...
Interestingly my consulting contract was renewed the very next week in defiance of the corporate limits on contract terms...and i skipped on wearing a tie from then on.