Could you foresee a day where it becomes the norm to dress up in public again?

[Baller234]

Up until around the 1970's or so, it was normal for everyday people to dress up when they left the house. Unless you were at a picnic or at the beach, for mostly everyone the baseline was at least something in the range of business casual. If a man wasn't wearing a suit he usually at least wore a collared shirt and trousers. Women wore dresses, etc. The general attitude was each person was responsible for putting on a good and decent appearance in public.

These days you might walk into a CVS in the middle of the day and see a fully grown adult walking the aisles in their pajamas. Either that or they dress like they're 15 and they look like an overgrown child. It's unseemly and in a weird way speaks to the deterioration of polite society. Sure you can argue that the individual is more free, but at the same time you're being totally inconsiderate of the larger community. I'm not saying I put on a suit to go to the drug store, but I would never go somewhere in public in my pajamas lol. There's something to be said about going out in public and being surrounded by people dressing proper, as opposed to being surrounded by god knows what.

Does anyone see the pendulum ever swinging back on this?

[Nanners]

Does anyone see the pendulum ever swinging back on this?

Probably not.

Two hundred years ago, it was normal for distinguished men to put on a powdered wig and tights before leaving the house, a hundred years ago people were bemoaning the fact that men no longer wore wigs and tights but instead wore these new suits as spoke to the deterioration of polite society... and yet today unless you live in a major city you likely go weeks or months without seeing someone in a business suit.

Anyway, maybe people would go back to dressing like the good ole days if it didnt cost a thousand dollars or more for an entry level business casual suit.

[Baller234]

Probably not.

Two hundred years ago, it was normal for distinguished men to put on a powdered wig and tights before leaving the house, a hundred years ago people were bemoaning the fact that men no longer wore wigs and tights but instead wore these new suits as spoke to the deterioration of polite society... and yet today unless you live in a major city you likely go weeks or months without seeing someone in a business suit.

Anyway, maybe people would go back to dressing like the good ole days if it didnt cost a thousand dollars or more for an entry level business casual suit.

Your first point about fashion evolving is well taken.

I disagree about business attire being expensive though. Generic brand dress shirts are cheap. Generic brand pants are cheap. There's business attire at all price points. You can get decent suits for $250-$500.

People spend that on designer name brand junk all the time. People spend that on sneakers.

[warriorfan]

no it’s easier to just be in good shape and look good in a t shirt

[Nanners]

Your first point about fashion evolving is well taken.

I disagree about business attire being expensive though. Generic brand dress shirts are cheap. Generic brand pants are cheap. There's business attire at all price points. You can get decent suits for $250-$500.

People spend that on designer name brand junk all the time. People spend that on sneakers.

I call bs that you can get a decent suit for $250, for that price you can maybe get a basic chinese shirt/pants/tie... A few months ago I had to buy a young man a shirt/tie/pants/shoes/belt for a job interview, and despite buying some of the cheapest options at a shit retailer like macys the bill was like $800... and that was the price without buying the most expensive piece of a typical business suit (the jacket).

Anyway the people who spend hundreds on sneakers dont wear suits at all, so that just kinda reinforces my point about styles and expectations changing over time

[FultzNationRISE]

Up until around the 1970's or so, it was normal for everyday people to dress up when they left the house. Unless you were at a picnic or at the beach, for mostly everyone the baseline was at least something in the range of business casual. If a man wasn't wearing a suit he usually at least wore a collared shirt and trousers. Women wore dresses, etc. The general attitude was each person was responsible for putting on a good and decent appearance in public.



This wasnt born of a concern for manners and decency, it was because individuals were much more dependent on the community in those days and being accepted was often a literal matter of life and death.

Back then there was no government assistance check because you get anxiety now and then, nor were there $200k/yr tech jobs you could do in your underwear at home. If you wanted any sort of a chance at mobility, your public image was vital. You had to dress the part so that community members would perceive you highly and be more likely to give you a traveling salesman job at the appliance store or whatever. Nobody had college degrees back then, people didnt even have resume's because there were no printers. Your personal appearance and face-to-face networking was everything.

It's just not nearly as important to dress proper anymore unless youre going to a specific function or lookin to chase tail. If youre just going to the drug store you dont need to take 20 minutes to iron your shirt and pants and step out in a three piece suit.

[Baller234]

This wasnt born of a concern for manners and decency, it was because individuals were much more dependent on the community in those days and being accepted was often a literal matter of life and death.

Back then there was no government assistance check because you get anxiety now and then, nor were there $200k/yr tech jobs you could do in your underwear at home. If you wanted any sort of a chance at mobility, your public image was vital. You had to dress the part so that community members would perceive you highly and be more likely to give you a traveling salesman job at the appliance store or whatever. Nobody had college degrees back then, people didnt even have resume's because there were no printers. Your personal appearance and face-to-face networking was everything.

It's just not nearly as important to dress proper anymore unless youre going to a specific function or lookin to chase tail. If youre just going to the drug store you dont need to take 20 minutes to iron your shirt and pants and step out in a three piece suit.

Interesting points. Well taken. It was a different world back then, literally.

edit:

I will say though, people didn't just use to dress up in the hopes of networking. People dressed up and wore suits even if they were visiting family or going over a friend's house for dinner. If you look at old pictures of holiday celebrations amongst family, it's the same thing. Men are wearing shirts and ties.

Just find that interesting.

[diamenz]

look at all of these well put together african americans. you couldn't bring yourself to say that they were inferior back then the way you can now.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyD3HbpvTNs

[Baller234]

I call bs that you can get a decent suit for $250, for that price you can maybe get a basic chinese shirt/pants/tie... A few months ago I had to buy a young man a shirt/tie/pants/shoes/belt for a job interview, and despite buying some of the cheapest options at a shit retailer like macys the bill was like $800... and that was the price without buying the most expensive piece of a typical business suit (the jacket).

Anyway the people who spend hundreds on sneakers dont wear suits at all, so that just kinda reinforces my point about styles and expectations changing over time

Dude, I own a lot of suits. I'm required to dress professionally for work at least a quarter of the time. If you're spending over $1000 it's either the brand or it's a custom suit.

These are like basic run of the mill stores that sell men's suits.

https://www.menswearhouse.com/c/mens-clothing/mens-suits?page=5
https://www.express.com/mens-clothing/suiting/suit-ensembles/cat2430045?ICID=MLP_CB_M_SUITENSEMBLES


I know that people spend hundreds on sneakers don't wear suits. I was just pointing out that it has nothing to do with money. If you can drop $300 on a pair of Jordans, you can drop $300 on a suit.

[Baller234]

look at all of these well put together african americans. you couldn't bring yourself to say that they were inferior back then the way you can now.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyD3HbpvTNs

This is amazing footage and it speaks to exactly what I was talking about. People carried themselves with so much more respect. Compare that to modern day.

Although like Fultz said, it's a different time I suppose. People back then had no choice but to make themselves presentable.

[JohnnySic]

Fashion has more variety now. There was much less in 1900. You either wore sharp clothes or dressed like a dirt farmer.

[jstern]

I always wear a business casual suit.

[Jasper]

we will.

If trump gets reelected we all will be wearing uniforms (see China) and North Korea

[jstern]

The late 1940s wasn't too far removed from 1930, so I'm sure Jasper used to dress up as a young lad when he went out in public with his mom.

[Patrick Chewing]

Bowler and derby hats is a look that needs to come back.

[Off the Court]

For those who do like to dress nice, it is better today because you actually stand out.

And today, if you go to a shopping mall, one that isn't run down, you'll see plenty of women and men who are in high fashion who have clearly taken time to make themselves look nice. The difference is that yes, walking next to them will be some scrub in a tee shirt covered in badly done tattoos. But that just makes them stand out even more.

[warriorfan]

OTC dressing up to go to the mall

https://i.postimg.cc/kg3C7Znv/Screenshot-2023-12-18-13-09-14-11-680d03679600f7af0b4c700c6b270fe7.jpg

[HylianNightmare]

I hope not sounds ****ing dumb