rnoldh
Stylish Dinosaur
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While I don't disagree with this necessarily, it is also important to see that this is a cultural change of values. Both of my grandfathers were solidly blue collar men in non-managerial jobs (carpenter/farmer and painter). Both were relatively poor and lived in modest means (lower middle class) and relied principally on Social Security (or in one case Railroad Retirement) in their old age. Yet both owned and regularly wore suits. Neither would have ever considered wearing anything but a dark suit to a funeral. They were not always "well" dressed, but they were certainly "appropriately" dressed. Times have changed. 'Twas not always so.
Yes, a lot of this is concerned with changing social attitudes.
Both my grandfathers were lower-lower middle class (a euphemistic way of saying poor). Yet they were able to wear a suit to funerals and such. My dad was lower middle class (it's getting better), and he often wore a suit even when it was not necessary for work.
Very much of this concerns the era we're talking about. There was a great post here or on AAAC. It had a picture of some Australian criminals from the 1920s. And I'm not talking white collar criminals. These guys were burglars and vagrants. Yet amazingly they were wearing suits.
I'm a big fan of TCM (Turner Classic Movies), and I've seen many, many movies from the 1930s. I've noted that even in the depths of the depression there were many men wearing suits. Much more so than now. I guess that is the way it was in the 1930s.
I think it was sator that posted the picture. I hope he sees this post and finds that picture again. My search abilities are not good enough, but I do remember the picture.
I googled "depression era criminals" and this came up:
Bonnie and Clyde from the 1930s. They weren't vagrants but they certainly were not white collar criminals. Note how they are dressed.