Why we should dump “casual” from our vocabulary.

[cmj8591]

Women have a gazillion options to choose from, that's where I get a bit jealous. You gals really can mix and match and still look good.

It's 2023. Why be jealous when you can join in?

There seems to be an inverse relationship between men's fashion and competence. The more fashionable, the less competent. Perhaps it's a way to try to make it look like they are more adept than they really are. Or maybe it's a way to try to intimidate people into believing that you are in control, whether or not you actually are. I tend to look at the highly dressed person with the same jaundiced eye that I would use if they were dressed like a hobo. The reality is that in a professional situation your dress shouldn't be noticed, one way or the other. Which means that you should be clean, neat, respectful and dressed for the conditions around you. I shouldn't be noticing your tie clip or cuff links or wondering who your tailor is.

 

[JJEH]

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree. Summertime, knee length shorts and a t-shirt or a dress that you would consider to be a beach coverup with sandals or tennies. Cooler months, straight leg jeans, cowboy boots and a flannel shirt or sweater.

Thanks for sharing. It's a nice selection, but I need to google teenies Maybe try a nice blouse with your shorts next time

 

[snubbyfan]

And that's okay because you are off to the gym and not at the car dealerships customer service counter

I usta work the front counter in the parts department of a Toyota dealership. Every day I'd wear a white dress uniform shirt, a black tie and black slacks. The service writers wore the same. That was probably 'bout 30 years ago.

 

[JJEH]

The reality is that in a professional situation your dress shouldn't be noticed, one way or the other. Which means that you should be clean, neat, respectful and dressed for the conditions around you. I shouldn't be noticing your tie clip or cuff links or wondering who your tailor is.

I agree that you should always be clean, neat, respectful and dressed for the conditions around you.

However, I disagree with your last sentence. Why? Because if you talk to me and look like this ↓

I will ask you for your tailor. I recently got a compliment from a guy about how I was dressed, going to our oldest son's HS graduation. This was very nice, and I like to give compliments too when someone or something looks good.

Of course it should be noticed in a professional setting, especially if you are a so called supervisor etc and talk to both employees and the public.

But times have changed, I guess, seems like not many people care about that anymore.

 

[johngalt]

I wondered how long it would be before ball caps were brought into the mix. Most places I go lots of folks are sporting ball caps indoors including me. It bothers me not at all. Sometimes I wear mine backwards. I have yet to have anyone ask me to remove it nor I them. Again it's that pesky Persuit of Happiness thing.

What's next on the disapproved list? Ink?

I'm going to go with the Grizzly Adams look.

 

[pawngal]

Thanks for sharing. It's a nice selection, but I need to google teenies Maybe try a nice blouse with your shorts next time

Oops. tennies AKA tennis shoes, AKA sneakers.

 

[WardenRoss]

I'm going to go with the Grizzly Adams look.

Uh-oh! I'm in trouble!

,

 

[Chuck24]

Gotta have my ballcap so I have somewhere to put my reading glasses

 

[cmj8591]

Sean Connery can dress any way he wants. Although it begs the question, do the clothes make the man or does the man make the clothes?

 

[6518John]

^^^^^^ "When the world seems too ridiculous to mock, the line between the serious and the satirical can be hard to make out." Robert Bain.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Nope. You asked others about their opinion about your various photo(s), including the OP . . .

Oh Lord, I'm being asked about my opinion and that makes me force stuff on others? Okay....

And I'm not sure why I would be a stalker by sharing public pictures. Like I took these pics with a hidden camera.

Opinions differ. I prefer this and you prefer that, but I'd never accuse you of trying to force things on me.

 

[smoothshooter]

The next time I go out I will log on here and get a consensus of my planned ensemble.

I'm sure we can fix you right up!

 

[waffles]

I think a lot of us hope we'd look like Connery era Bond or Don Draper if we adopted the fashion standards of the past, when in reality we'd be a "that guy" dork in an uncomfortable and expensive costume. Jeans, joggers, t shirts, canadian tuxedos, whatever. Choose clothes that fit your body type (if you're carrying forty or fifty extra pounds, a suit might be a pretty good choice honestly), don't have your gut hanging out, you're all good. My suits are rotting in the closet, Only time I've worn one in the last four years was a tan suit with a bolo tie I wore as a groomsman. Looked good with a few other dudes dressed the same way, felt nice talking to girls at the reception and bar after the wedding, but by the end it was just drenched in California summer sweat, and if that didn't ruin it the champagne did. Can't complain at all about being treated like an adult and being allowed to wear more comfortable, less expensive, and easier to care for clothes if we look presentable on the rare event we're in-office.

 

[Telecaster]

Some of us quit dressing fancy when we realized our coworkers were being promoted for social reasons, not because of their productivity or intelligence. At that point, it's FTW.

 

[Grayfox]

Around here, a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt with no holes is plenty good enough to go out in public.

Its the suits that make people nervous.

 

[snubbyfan]

 

[Golddollar]

The guys who wouldn't give him the time of day all stood there with their jaws on the floor and their eyes bugging out, when they realized they had screwed themselves out of a couple of thousand bucks in commission, all because they didn't take the old guy in the Walmart jeans and flannel shirt seriously...

Heck, now that I've retired that's pretty much my standard dress for the bar association meetings now. I think everybody else is jealous that I can do it now.

 

[LVSteve]

Nice shoes don't have to have a heel (unfortunately high heels are overrated).

Only because there are many women who wear them too high for their ability to walk in them. It's not a pretty sight. Girl I was dating in the 80s once commented while watching the news that Margaret Thatcher couldn't walk in heels. Want to see a woman who exudes class and elegance in stilettos, check out Dana Delany. She has it dead on, without going into "Can I get fries with that shake?" territory.

The miniskirt is also overrated. I believe it was a lady fashion critic in the UK who said something like, "90% of women wearing miniskirts shouldn't".

My wife gets compliments from far younger women on her footwear. At this point my wife stirs the pot by saying, "Yes, these are nice. Steve picked them out for me". I'm waiting for one of the girls to ask, "Does he have any brothers?" I'm telling you, buying a girl shoes is almost up there with doing dishes on the brownie points scale.

 

[rbmac52]

I dress for comfort, not to make an impression. I haven't owned a suit, sport coat, neck tie, or slacks in almost 20 years. People can and should dress however they want, but what you wear does not impress me in the slightest. What does impress me is cleanliness and good grooming.

 

[Inusuit]

When I was new at my job in the criminal justice system, I wore a suit and tie to attend a meeting in Jackson Hole. I was over dressed. Even the district court judge was wearing Wranglers and a Pendleton shirt.

I wear what's comfortable, appropriate to the situation/occasion, and doesn't stand out from the crowd. In Wyoming, that's usually jeans, boots, and a shirt with a collar.

 

[JJEH]

Oops. tennies AKA tennis shoes, AKA sneakers.

Oh okay, haha. I was confused there for a second.

The miniskirt is also overrated. I believe it was a lady fashion critic in the UK who said something like, "90% of women wearing miniskirts shouldn't".

It's sad really. Many girls think that's how they need to dress to be taken seriously or to feel like an adult. Unfortunately, it has led to its own class of trash appearance.

High heels, short skirt, crop top, skintight, see-through anything, ripped jeans where the whole front leg is missing, etc. It's just terrible.

But people love it apparently, don't care about it, and with that are consistently lowering the standards. I feel like we lose our self-respect with that.

 

[Grayfox]

I own one suit.
If I'm wearing it, somebody is either getting married or buried.

 

[Dave.357]

I had a tie, once.
Used it to drag deer.

 

[WR Moore]

In re: post regarding car sales men, in both shots they're missing the masks many self respecting thieves wear.

I once saw a couple show up at a funeral in shorts, Tees and sneakers. At least they had an excuse, they were on their way back from vacation when they heard about the death and came straight to visitation.

The thing that really gets to me is folks who wear "distressed" pants/jeans that my mother would have had difficulty allowing me to wear while changing oil . Someone in the "fashion industry" kinda poked fun at this by coming out with jeans that had waist band, cuffs and the inner & outer seams that connected them plus the front pockets. Only $800. AND THEY SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cmj8591]

I had a tie, once.
Used it to drag deer.

Your neck must have gotten sore after a while.

 

[mtgianni]

I was visiting with my neighbor after our first trip to Italy, I mentioned we left all our jeans at home and only wore button up shirts to not stand out as Americans. George H. W. was President at the time. This neighbor, who owned two large hotels and several other business's remarked that you could also leave those clothes in the trash when you were coming back, and take more souvenirs as there was no need for that in Montana.

 

[LVSteve]

It's sad really. Many girls think that's how they need to dress to be taken seriously or to feel like an adult. Unfortunately, it has led to its own class of trash appearance.

High heels, short skirt, crop top, skintight, see-through anything, ripped jeans where the whole front leg is missing, etc. It's just terrible.

But people love it apparently, don't care about it, and with that are consistently lowering the standards. I feel like we lose our self-respect with that.

I have to disagree with that generalization. For me, there is a big difference between sexy and slutty. The difference is difficult to define, but I know it when I see it. I suspect it has more to do with body language than clothes.

 

[H Richard]

My Grandfather wore a suit every day of his life. He didn't own any "casual" clothes. When he was home off work, he removed his coat and bow tie, kept his vest and suit pants on. He didn't do any labor around his house, if needed done he hired it done.

When I started work, I wore a suit, (not a sport coat). After about 4 years (1965) Sport Coats (with tie) were authorized. When I changed jobs, sports coats were approved but at all times, suit or sports coat and tie. In the late 80's a "Casual Friday" was declared, and sport "shirts" were O.K.. I retired in 04 still wearing a coat and tie 4 days a week.

Since I retired, I have worn a suit twice in 19 years, and a sports coat maybe 3-4 times. Jeans, or cargo shorts and knit golf shirts. I feel I earned it.

 

[dockmurgw]

Oh okay, haha. I was confused there for a second.





It's sad really. Many girls think that's how they need to dress to be taken seriously or to feel like an adult. Unfortunately, it has led to its own class of trash appearance.

High heels, short skirt, crop top, skintight, see-through anything, ripped jeans where the whole front leg is missing, etc. It's just terrible.

But people love it apparently, don't care about it, and with that are consistently lowering the standards. I feel like we lose our self-respect with that.

The hideous tattoos that so many young women are driven to despoil themselves with are worse than the clothes!

 

[Doug M.]

For certain circumstances, like going to court in another county, I wear good suits. Most of the time, I have no face to face contact with the public, and I look like an escapee from Public Works. Most of my job involves sitting in my office and doing nerd stuff, and providing help by phone to clients about government legal stuff. We are in a rural area of the state, where one can still see real cowboys wearing spurs.

Not standing out and being pretty gray is a matter of safety to me. I do not wear a visible county ID (I call them "shoot me" tags). Once n a while, I have to help cover court for the criminal division. I wear a shirt with buttons, put on one of my ties (all of them are in my office) and use the sport coat that is on the same hanger as my ties. Generally, if I am going to court locally, I look like a lawyer from the waist up. I still wear my cargo pants and running shoes (I have wide feet and they are a lot more comfortable). The local judges have known me for 20+ years and respect me for what I bring to the table, not my sartorial splendor.

Some folks think I am kidding when I say we have a dress code: Please come to work dressed. My boss has been a rodeo competitor, and looks like it most of the time. In front of a jury, he dresses for the environment.