Dressed for the Occasion
One glance back at photos from a few generations ago, and it is readily apparent that things were different then. For one, these yesteryear pictures reflect stylish and elegantly dressed individuals. Even at afternoon baseball games, men showed up in suits and fedoras, while women wore hats, heels, and gloves. The contrast to the present could not be starker.
This comparison was made abundantly clear to me recently as I sat at the airport gate waiting to board my delayed plane. With time to spare, I sat down to people-watch. What I saw did not impress. I can excuse little children showing up in fluffy slippers and pajamas. I can even make allowances for teens showing up in scruffy sweatpants, skimpy tank tops and clutching full body-pillows. But for the life of me, I cannot imagine what possessed a thirty-something year-old man to accompany his family attired in Mickey and Minnie Mouse character flannel PJ bottoms, a clashing sweatshirt, and worn-out sneakers. Did he press and lay out this fetching ensemble the night before the flight? I spotted many more examples of inappropriate attire. Rest assured, it was a depressing scenario. Was I waiting to board a flight, or had I stumbled into a slumber party?
In my younger years, there was excitement and a level of sophistication associated with air travel. I could recall dressing up if we took a neighbor or relative to JFK airport, even though we were not boarding the flight ourselves. Back then, you parked your car and walked your loved ones to the gate. No self-respecting man, woman, or child would stroll through the airport and not look their best. At that time, you were surrounded by high fashion as the likes of Edith Head, Balenciaga, and Emilio Pucci were the high fashion designers for the uniforms worn by TWA, Pan Am, and American Airlines flight attendants. It was always quite the fashion show.
Sitting in an outdoor cafe on a recent trip to Italy and drinking our Aperol, my husband and I were feeling quite continental. As we sipped our drinks and people-watched, a definite pattern emerged. Our European counterparts dressed decidedly different from the American tourists. They were chic and stylish while our fellow citizens were heavier set, sneaker-wearing, cross-body bag and tag toting, khaki shorts and tee shirt sporting individuals. Of course, it wasn’t lost on us that we were attired in a similar get-up, only worse. For draped around our necks like cowbells were the official Road Scholar identification tags we wore in case we were lost, so we could be returned safely to our tour outfit. In a moment of acute self-awareness, I vowed to do better.
At the start of my business career, I was advised to dress for success. That meant a polished appearance, clean and pressed attire, a coordinated outfit, matching handbag and shoes. In fact, throughout the ages, scholars and writers have weighed in on the importance of presenting ourselves in a way that will impress those around us. Mark Twain coined the phrase, “Clothes make the man,” and most recently Michelle Obama wrote, “Style is a language of its own – a way to instantly send a message about who you are, what you care about, and what you believe.”
Certainly, times have changed and dress codes, once rigid, are rare if they exist at all. What was once business casual Friday, now extends from Monday to Thursday. Adding to it, COVID allowed us to Zoom at our desks, a business shirt or blouse on top, and our Fruit of the Looms on bottom.
To our benefit, relaxed clothing standards gave us an opportunity to show individuality in our style of dress. My hippie, flower power peers and I must acknowledge that our counterculture, fraying, and hip hugging bell bottoms have been stylized, updated and are now considered high fashion. Even the once lowly sneaker has elevated status with a price tag to match.
But freedom from strict codes of dress has caused some of us to forget appropriate attire altogether. And while most of us have no desire to wear a hat and high heels to an afternoon ballgame, some decorum should be expected in certain occasions. An airport and plane ride comes to mind.
What is your opinion? Have we relaxed our standards of dress so much that we have lost sight of what is appropriate and socially acceptable? Or are the current standards simply a reflection of our desire as a culture to be comfortable? Write your thoughts in the comment section below.
Bit by bit…that’s all she wrote.