Dress Codes

[Shave A Buck]

Without going on my anti politcal correctness rant, would anyone like to see dress codes return. At 43 I remember as a boy being handed a tie at the door just to be allowed in. I remember my father being handed a jacket at the door because he did not have one with him and we wanted to eat there.

I believe this would bring back pride and properness in our culture. I do not believe too many buisness owners today would be willing to turn away money walking in the door however. Having done my fathers day dinner on June 19th I can tell you some people take casual a little too far.

Court appearances, Church..you name it. In this day of Walmart and thrift shops I do not believe people are so poor they could not come up with a set of Sunday go to meeting dud's. May not be cutting edge style, but effort goes a long way.

 

[gaseousclay]

i'd say yes and no. church is an example of where one's wardrobe isn't necessarily paramount. I dress up for church but i'm not going to judge someone who decides to wear shorts and sandles.

higher-end restaurants probably do require some dress etiquette. I doubt a 5-star restaurant would allow someone to dine there if they came in off the street looking like a college frat boy.

 

[Peter Mount]

I'll be 47 next month and I go along with "yes and no".

I see Church as being inclusive and expecting people to be formal would take away from that. Of course if somebody wants to dress formally at Church I have no problem with that.

High end restaurants would be a case for being formal but I like the idea of wearing my good blue jeans, black shoes and black long sleeve top to go to a coffee shop or to the movies or even to most social functions.

 

[echelon3]

I'm not a fan of dress codes.
That said, the proliferation of shorts and sandals in church, ball caps (worn !INDOORS! for (your deity here)'s sake), shorts and Hawaiian shirts at better restaurants, all point to the fact that without guidelines the average American male would dress like a cross between a Hawaiian tour guide and an unemployed gardener without some sort of guideline. Apparently, self-respect is not enough of a motivator.
The average American male is a slob.

No, I'm not trolling. I said, and meant, slob.

 

[Stubblefield]

Court appearances, Church..you name it. In this day of Walmart and thrift shops I do not believe people are so poor they could not come up with a set of Sunday go to meeting dud's. May not be cutting edge style, but effort goes a long way.

Given that a pair of jeans can set you back $200 easily, I'd say your argument has merit.

Not a churchgoer, but in settings like the opera, the symphony and such I always wear a suit.

 

[gaseousclay]

The average American male is a slob.

No, I'm not trolling. I said, and meant, slob.

I have to agree with you. I'm guilty of dressing like a slob myself, and by that I mean jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt. but, I'm also self-conscious about how I dress so if i'm at a social function I dress appropriately

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

I'm all for practicality over appearance. No, I'm not going to show up at a five star restaurant on Madison Ave. in a t-shirt and jeans, but it's 90 degrees in NYC right now and 60 years ago I would've been wearing a suit and looking like I'd just jumped in the pool with my clothes on.

There's something to be said for looking dapper, but not at the expense of comfort. And vice-versa. There's something to be said for being comfortable, but not to such an extent that you look like a total slob.

 

[TenorClef]

I run my own dance orchestra and when i tell the guys in the band its a black tie gig, very few have any idea what that actually means any more, and regardless when I'm more specific, some still turn up for the Mayors ball in brown jackets, none lined trousers or even a standard tie or no tie at all. Very few people now seem to know how to tie their own bow ties, most wear clip on ties. Its a sad state of affairs.

 

[echelon3]

I have to agree with you. I'm guilty of dressing like a slob myself, and by that I mean jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt. but, I'm also self-conscious about how I dress so if i'm at a social function I dress appropriately

I get that, and agree.
I typed my "rant" wearing a pair of rolled up jeans and a University of Puget Sound Law t-shirt. Puget Sound sold the law school to Seattle U. around 1992, so I got my money's worth from this t-shirt.

But I'm home, not at a restaurant.

 

[Walker]

While Church is a great place to dress up, and I do, I think it should stay "Come As You Are". I love to dress up. But it doesn't bother me if someone doesn't.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Courts still do have a dress code. You usually are not allowed to attend in shorts and attorneys are required to have a coat and tie. If you look up the local rules at your nearest courthouse, they will spell out what's required and what isn't.

I wouldn't mind a return to a dress code at some restaurants and other businesses. Coat and tie look great; so does black tie. It would be nice to have a little formality.

However, as someone regularly in shorts and sandals (hey, this is southern California, after all) I don't mind seeing others dressed the same way.

What really cheeses me off are children in adult places (e.g. good restaurants, especially in the late evening, squalling infants in movie theaters, etc.) and people shouting into their cell phones. These people think they have a right to make everyone else listen to their children scream or their private conversations. A pair of torn jeans in a restaurant doesn't begin to compare.

 

[Shave A Buck]

I see the yes and no somewhat. Can we all settle for Kahki's or Docker pants at least out to eat. Especially on say Mothers day etc.

That being said when was the last time someone you know, or even yourself was denied admitence somewhere. Can you tell me you were never a little shocked sometimes at what you saw people wearing at some events or venues.

Two hundred dollar jeans are only two hundred dollar jeans to the person wearing them or wanting them. To everyone else they are...Jeans.

 

[echelon3]

A pair of torn jeans in a restaurant doesn't begin to compare.

A lack of politeness is simply a lack of politeness.
I fail to see the distinction. <shrug>

 

[KarthVader]

Dress codes (or lack thereof) are an interesting phenomenon. When I travel abroad, I think I dressed better than I did at home. Now, if it's past 5 pm, I wear full length pants, be it jeans, khakis or any event appropriate clothing.

Wearing "appropriate" clothing is also going against everything counterculture accomplished. Personally, I believe men should be wearing jackets and ties when going to a nice sit down place, but is that practical for a place like Applebee's or Chili's?

 

[echelon3]

Can you tell me you were never a little shocked sometimes at what you saw people wearing at some events or venues.

LOL, well, uh yes.

Our child was married this year. It was an evening wedding, and the invitation stated "Jackets for gentlemen, please".
One "gentleman" from the other side showed up in a Hawaiian shirt and (admittedly expensive) jeans.
The shock to me was not the fact this slob attended dressed as a theme park ride operator, it was his complete lack of self-awareness in so far as being the only man present in less than a suit.

 

[Shave A Buck]

Should he have been denied entry....

Maybe if he had before a few times he'd thunk first before he showed up like that.

 

[Matt R.]

At every "event", there's a wide variety of dress. I've been to funerals where people showed up in shorts and flip-flops. Concerts, some people will be in a suit and tie, others with a pair of ripped jeans and a stained t-shirt.

 

[Shave A Buck]

Excata-mundo...it has become accepted...we are a society of no judgements....does this concern anyone else but me. No judgement on people..no limits to their behavior.

 

[Sue]

The only thing that I really notice is a ball cap worn inappropriately by an adult male. I think that a ball cap is a 'manners' thing more than black tie apparel that not everyone can afford.

I flicked the ball cap off the male, (a relative) in front of me at church from behind onto the floor; guess that wasn't very nice. (I do like ball caps ).
Sue

 

[Peter Mount]

Excata-mundo...it has become accepted...we are a society of no judgements....does this concern anyone else but me. No judgement on people..no limits to their behavior.

Yes. I can see we do need limits of some sort. I'm still in favour of freedom but there is a place for limits. The real question is where you draw the line.