Do you care how your coworkers dress? Does the decline of formality of dress bother you?

[Greggers]

I think the emotionally healthy response is to say that we don't care how those around us dress.

But I think that in our iGent psyches, there's a lot of aspiration, not just for self-creation, but maybe for a little world-building. I think we'd like to live in a world where our aesthetic sensibilities are reflected and valued. A world where most everyone wore a jacket and tie would be fun, exciting, romantic; a world I wouldn't mind living in; and since I know how to do it pretty well, so much the better.

Is Styleforum is a proxy for this world?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

It is a Haven of sorts.

 

[steffenbp11]

Where I work we are very few who regularly wear a suit and tie, which is fine by me. A lot of my colleagues have a background in teaching, where wearing anything but jeans or corduroys would make you a laughing stock. What I don't like is that some people - and this is probably a danish thing - is when someone deliberately dresses down for an important meeting where at least a suit is expected just to send the signal that they don't want to conform to any rules at all - even if that actually reflects badly on my workplace. I have the pleasure of working quite a bit in Gernamy, and I doubt you would find anyoune doing the same there.

 

[gaseousclay]

my job doesn't require me to wear a suit, so to answer your question, no, I don't care what my coworker's wear to work.

however, when the occasion arises and I am required to dress up, whether it's fine dining, a wedding or church, I do care how people dress. my wife and I went to a upscale restaurant last summer and I was appaled at how many guys showed up wearing a baseball cap, cargo shorts and flip flops. I on the other hand, wore a suit sans tie. I guess for me it's a matter of pride to dress up for an occasion and at least show that I give a rat's ass about how I present myself in public. when I see men that dress like slobs I have this uncontrollable urge to smack them in the back of the head and tell them to get the f*ck out.

 

[allysan1027]



my job doesn't require me to wear a suit, so to answer your question, no, I don't care what my coworker's wear to work.

however, when the occasion arises and I am required to dress up, whether it's fine dining, a wedding or church, I do care how people dress. my wife and I went to a upscale restaurant last summer and I was appaled at how many guys showed up wearing a baseball cap, cargo shorts and flip flops. I on the other hand, wore a suit sans tie. I guess for me it's a matter of pride to dress up for an occasion and at least show that I give a rat's ass about how I present myself in public. when I see men that dress like slobs I have this uncontrollable urge to smack them in the back of the head and tell them to get the f*ck out.

not everyone considers going to an "upscale" restaurant an occasion worth dressing up for. If the restaurant doesn't have a dress code nor mind that its patrons are wearing flip flops, neither should you.

If I am out doing something where I can be dressed very casually, and afterwards I want to go to a nice place to eat do I need to run home to put on a suit to impress the stranger sitting at the other table?

 

[Caustic Man]

not everyone considers going to an "upscale" restaurant an occasion worth dressing up for. If the restaurant doesn't have a dress code nor mind that its patrons are wearing flip flops, neither should you.

If I am out doing something where I can be dressed very casually, and afterwards I want to go to a nice place to eat do I need to run home to put on a suit to impress the stranger sitting at the other table?

Although I don't share clay's strongest feelings on this matter, I do kind of get where he is coming from. Even when restaurants do have a dress code, patrons will often ignore it. It doesn't offend me per se, but I do kind of think "really dude?" Because when it comes down to it we aren't usually talking about changing into a suit and tie for dinner. Most of the time simply throwing on a sport coat will suffice, and some can't even be bothered to do that. But then I remind myself that I have a great slab of wagyu beefsteak in front of me and there are more important things to focus on.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



But then I remind myself that I have a great slab of wagyu beefsteak in front of me and there are more important things to focus on.

The tab!

 

[archibaldleach]



Although I don't share clay's strongest feelings on this matter, I do kind of get where he is coming from. Even when restaurants do have a dress code, patrons will often ignore it. It doesn't offend me per se, but I do kind of think "really dude?" Because when it comes down to it we aren't usually talking about changing into a suit and tie for dinner. Most of the time simply throwing on a sport coat will suffice, and some can't even be bothered to do that. But then I remind myself that I have a great slab of wagyu beefsteak in front of me and there are more important things to focus on.

+1. I also think it doesn't kill people to plan ahead (i.e. if you know you're going out somewhere nice, bring a sport coat to throw on or just dress a bit more formally that day). If you have a reason to be dressed way more formally than most (e.g. going somewhere after or coming from somewhere more formal), there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[Greggers]

Another issue is the fact that as casualization grows, jacket and tie becomes increasingly marginalized and socially inappropriate. Costume.

And I suppose that's fine with some people. This thread is a litany of "I'm the best dressed guy at my office (and I'm okay with that)," which, because of the decline of formality, may be beginning to edge into "I'm suit-guy oddball at the office." And, alas, some of us may not be okay with that.

 

[bertie]



I think the emotionally healthy response is to say that we don't care how those around us dress.

But I think that in our iGent psyches, there's a lot of aspiration, not just for self-creation, but maybe for a little world-building. I think we'd like to live in a world where our aesthetic sensibilities are reflected and valued. A world where most everyone wore a jacket and tie would be fun, exciting, romantic; a world I wouldn't mind living in; and since I know how to do it pretty well, so much the better.

Is Styleforum is a proxy for this world?

I won't deny that I share your desire for a world that is more aesthetically pleasing, a world where going out to the opera, a play, a nice dinner or even my local pub provides a reason to dress for the occasion. I took the QE2 across the Atlantic a few years ago and it was the closest I have come to seeing that level of appropriateness in dressing. In that case, i think a lot of the passengers WANTED to experience the elegance and glamour of a bygone era and dressed the part accordongly. The high standards of dressing made my trip more enjoyable and had I seen a lot of t-shirts and jeans I would have been similarly dissappointed.

Also - I don't feel the same at work since I keep my Walter Mitty deeply submerged.

 

[teddieriley]

I'm "that guy" in the office who wears a suit and tie most of the time even though it is business casual. Everyone is used to it by now. In fact, they expect me to be well turned out. While I don't care about everyone else wears, it's sad to see "business casual" devolve to a polo shirt and khakis in some cases (in a legal environment no less). Don't get me started on teh shoes.

 

[gaseousclay]

Although I don't share clay's strongest feelings on this matter, I do kind of get where he is coming from. Even when restaurants do have a dress code, patrons will often ignore it. It doesn't offend me per se, but I do kind of think "really dude?" Because when it comes down to it we aren't usually talking about changing into a suit and tie for dinner. Most of the time simply throwing on a sport coat will suffice, and some can't even be bothered to do that.

for me it's the implied laziness that gets to me. if a guy can't be bothered to dress up a little at a fancy restaurant then what does that tell you about his character as an individual? this is no different than men who walk around in public wearing sweat pants. I mean, the guys I saw wearing flips flops, baseball caps and cargo shorts would've fit in more appropriately at the Fuddruckers down the street, not a 5 star restaurant where most of the patrons are dressed up.

 

[Harold falcon]

I've had a few at lunch so I'll chime in here. I am easily in the top 5 best dressed attorneys in the local bar. I am also in the top 5 best attorneys in the local bar. While it's not an exact correlation, it's pretty clear that the better dressed amongst us are the better attorneys. Take that for what you will.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I only wear suits that accurately demonstrate my knowledge of Financial Statements.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



I've had a few at lunch so I'll chime in here. I am easily in the top 5 best dressed attorneys in the local bar. I am also in the top 5 of best attorneys in the local bar. While it's not an exact correlation, it's pretty clear that the better dressed amongst us are the better attorneys. Take that for what you will.

Chicken or egg? What comes first success, or suits?