What Ever Happened to Being Properly Dressed
The Baby Boomer is appalled at how people dress or maybe don’t dress today. Growing up “back in the day”, we always dressed properly and it was expected in our society that you exhibited proper dress. Yes, in fact, there were dress codes you were required to follow at both school and in the workplace where standards and conformity were the norm.
Today, a standard of dress is non-existent as people will wear almost anything, or almost nothing, wherever they go showing no remorse nor any respect for themselves whatsoever which really just sickens me to see. It’s my belief people dress and look the way they look today because parents no longer parent and children without direction turn into adults who are still trying to find themselves.
Certainly, there aren’t any dress codes in school or the workplace which I know has had a significant impact on our standards, civility, and our entire American society as a whole. At least, that’s this Baby Boomer’s opinion as, now, the “troops appear to be running the fort”.
“Back in the day”, while attending public school, boys were required to wear a dress shirt, dress pants, socks, and dress shoes while girls were required to wear dresses of a specified length above the knee along with closed-toe dress shoes. Even when I got to college, Vanderbilt expected the men to wear a dress shirt with a tie, dress pants, socks, and dress shoes while the women could either wear a dress, dress slacks with a blouse, and dress shoes.
Throughout my entire 52-year career I wore, at least, a necktie, and for most of those years either a sport coat or suit. This was what was expected and it was considered to be normal.
You go near a public school or college campus today and the students are wearing just what they want and, quite frankly, they look like they’ve just fallen out of bed. Of course, this carries over to the workplace and while many companies do have a dress code it’s one that is very relaxed. Those working in the retail world and the restaurant industry today must’ve lost their minds just looking at what they’ve done to themselves with the worst part being how our American society has accepted it as the new normal. So sorry to be on my “stump”, but accepting this as the new normal is despicable.
Please don’t try to convince the Baby Boomer that dressing any way you desire, having your hair a color other than black, brown, blonde, or gray, tattoos all over your body (including your face and neck) along with a menagerie of piercings, and nary a clean-shaven man’s face which appears to be unkept and dirty is normal because it isn’t.
One example of how abysmal things have gotten is how people dress and look getting onto a commercial airplane. Personally, I can’t believe some of the “getups” people wear and how embarrassing it is to our society. I remember “back in the day” when people “dressed to the hilt” when boarding an airplane.
Way back when, the Williamsburg Inn required gentlemen to wear a suit or coat and tie in order to enjoy dinner at their Regency Room. If, by chance, you forgot your necktie, one would be provided to you so you would be allowed into the restaurant.
Upon some reflection, we properly dressed when we would visit Washington, DC showing the respect we had for our nation’s capital, attending a professional sporting event, going to see a play or concert, and, of course, eating at a fine dining establishment.
Alright, okay, I get it! But I just had to get this off my chest once and for all! So, in closing, I’ll will leave you with the following wish.
I’m encouraging a return to normalcy. Hey, folks, let’s get some pride back and please come to terms with your identity. Remove the anger and hatred and begin to practice civility thinking more about “we” rather than “me” as we learn to conform. Return to the days when we “dressed for success” and our personal appearance with proper grooming was important to us and was a symbol of our American society.