It's hip to be square - Dongguan Sport Team Wear Group

"Overthink it" is our family motto, says Sebastian E. Fuhrer, director of Content Engineering and Operations at Mayo Clinic. At the same time, there have never been second thoughts about life in Rochester.

Fuhrer and his wife, Rhonda, have three sons, Xander, Tennyson and Urizen, along with three cats and two dogs. He says he also loves the winters and running outdoors with his husky and shiba, skiing and doing anything in the snow.

After a 20-year career with IBM here, Fuhrer joined Mayo just before the pandemic. Not knowing that a new wardrobe would be unnecessary in the months ahead, he quickly reconstituted his.

"Before I started at Mayo, I didn't know how to tie a tie," Fuhrer said. "I made the faux pas of wearing a pocket square that matched my tie to my interview and a German ontologist on the panel set me straight." Fuhrer said that was helpful advice and the beginning of many good Mayo relationships as well as his newfound professional style.

How do your describe your style?

As a little bit unorthodox.

Would you give us some context?

As I prepared for the photo shoot, I made my whole family laugh out loud. They loved my outfit and I said, "I treat every opportunity to dress up as a chance to audition to become the new 'Doctor Who.'"

And a little more about "Doctor Who" … I was raised by the British sci-fi television show by that name — and the Doctor has become a lifetime joy for me. He dresses 50% clown, 50% English gentleman.

Please tell us about reconfiguring your professional style?

I often like to go deep on any subject, so I started researching sartorial savoir faire and discovered a lot of rules exist around professional dress style. Some I adopted, but as I developed an unorthodox style of my own, I knew that some rules were meant to be broken.

Where did you go from there?

I not only looked for a way to adopt a new professional style all my own, but I looked to follow my thrifty-heart, imparted by garage sale finds with my father in my youth — and the joy of a good bargain. I discovered I could pre-buy all these amazing suits and ties ahead of time and mix and match for years to come.

Any rethinking with COVID shutdowns and now?

In hindsight, I probably should have purchased fewer options and started small — but I am making the best of it. I still get excited for online interview panels or in-person events to pull all those unworn ties and pocket-squares out of the closet. I live very much in the moment and, for once, as a responsible adult, I planned way ahead — life always reminds me to be nimble, to fail fast, to go Lo-Fi first, and then to iterate and build on what you started.

How does your penchant for colors, patterns and pocket squares fit in?

As my style has evolved, I have purchased more bright-color and patterned shirts to wear without a tie under a suit — and I have focused on the joy of the pocket square. Not just the joy of pulling a single color out of the shirt you are wearing, but complimenting it with other colors and also the origami-like pleasure in picking the shape — is it loose, spherical, tight, pointy, structured.

Do you have a favorite suit?

The royal blue Birdseye suit I wore for the shoot is my favorite. It has a lovely texture that helps set it apart from other flat fabrics — and the blue goes with just about anything.

What does your weekend and workout wear look like?

I have a bright purple pair of New Balance shoes I love to match up with a purple hoodie or a purple hat. Favorite colors for my workout gear are the hot pinks and mutli-bright blue/green/white colors of the late '80s early '90s skateboard era. Even my modern skateboard deck I built a few years ago and ride has hot pink/blue/black grip tape in a pattern I designed.

What do you hope to teach your sons about style?

Be yourself.

Do you know someone who has unique style? Send nominations to [email protected] with "Your Style" in the subject line.