What to do about sloppy dress?

[Marc Chevalier]

It's true: you wear what's available. In Chile, department stores carry fashions that are mostly in good taste -- with sensible, classic cuts and muted colors. For men, polo shirts, khakis and penny loafers are the weekend uniform; they're the only things (along with jeans) you can find in the shops. All schoolchildren, in fact, wear uniforms with ties. The result is a nation that dresses well. And guess what? I became quite bored with all that "good taste". I wonder if others here would too?



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[mysterygal]

That's true to a certain degree. I do agree that clothes can be expensive at the 'trendy' stores and you either get a selection of either 'clubbing meat material' or welfare sloppy. But if you look around , you can find some neat places. I've got a couple myself that I shop at frequently where it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg to look 'in style' yet at the same time, I can have that 'conservative' look also.
So again, there is no excuse!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Discount clothing stores with merchandise in good taste:

-- ROSS

-- MARSHALL'S

 

[mysterygal]

Ross is awesome. It is one of those places that's a hit or miss sort of thing though.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Some of us Ladies over in the Powder Room are inordinately fond of Target.

-Anywhere- you shop is going to have choices to be made depending on your taste.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

TARGET is wonderful. :arated:

 

[jamespowers]

Just about every high end store has a discount store where they get rid of slightly irregular, soiled, returned or just have merchandise specifically for the discount store. Nordstrom?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s is one but there are many others. Out in Gilroy, CA there is a huge collection of discount stores that encompass just about every brand there is out there. It even includes silverware and dishes!
My suggestion would be to find local branches of these stores. It makes sense and the savings can amount to quite a bit of cash. Like I always say: "You don't have to spend a fortune to look like a million." :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J

 

[20thCenturyTim]

Here at Indiana University, the trend for both young men and women is to where their pajama bottoms to class and everywhere else. Sometimes this includes the fuzzy slippers! Just unbelieveable. Just another reason why I could not teach. I am professional staff. At least the dreaded flip-flops are dying out a little.

Outside of weddings, funerals and high powered business people, the standard form of dress in America is "casual." There aren't any others. Casual is often sloppy. And if I hear one more man or woman whine, "But wearing _______ is uncomfortable!" Like so many men saying that ties are uncomfortable. I ask, "Do you know your necksize on your shirt?" "Uh, no." "Well, if you measure it, you can find the right shirt. Get one half to one size larger if you have to." "Gee , I didn't think of that."

Do any of you watch TLC's What Not To Wear? I get a kick out of that show. How many of their re-makes are just not well informed and walk around in gray sweat pants all day. Until Stacy and Clinton make them see the light.

What to do about it in general? Nothing. It's a free country. I just dress the way I do, because I enjoy it. And if it serves as an example for some other guy, great. Seeing what you all do in the area of style and dress is a great example to me. It wasn't until last year that I started upgrading my style on a daily basis. I was inspire by the FL. If they can do it, why can't I? And have fun with it! :fedora:

 

[Briscoeteque]

Here at Indiana University, the trend for both young men and women is to where their pajama bottoms to class and everywhere else. Sometimes this includes the fuzzy slippers! Just unbelieveable. Just another reason why I could not teach. I am professional staff. At least the dreaded flip-flops are dying out a little.

Outside of weddings, funerals and high powered business people, the standard form of dress in America is "casual." There aren't any others. Casual is often sloppy. And if I hear one more man or woman whine, "But wearing _______ is uncomfortable!" Like so many men saying that ties are uncomfortable. I ask, "Do you know your necksize on your shirt?" "Uh, no." "Well, if you measure it, you can find the right shirt. Get one half to one size larger if you have to." "Gee , I didn't think of that."

Do any of you watch TLC's What Not To Wear? I get a kick out of that show. How many of their re-makes are just not well informed and walk around in gray sweat pants all day. Until Stacy and Clinton make them see the light.

What to do about it in general? Nothing. It's a free country. I just dress the way I do, because I enjoy it. And if it serves as an example for some other guy, great. Seeing what you all do in the area of style and dress is a great example to me. It wasn't until last year that I started upgrading my style on a daily basis. I was inspire by the FL. If they can do it, why can't I? And have fun with it! :fedora:

I wish you were right about the flip-flops, but I go to college in Maine, and I still people dress exactly the way you discribe, even if it's 30 degrees outside, people will wear flip flops and pajamas.

In the beginning of the year, someone wrote a fashion column which discribed the fashion at Bates hibrinated over the winter, and then gave some tips on how to dress stylish and warm. (For me it's the oppsite, I have trouble dressing for warm weather and keeping style). For weeks, people wrote to the editor about how superficial the author was and how most people just don't care, and somehow that made everyone else shallow. One response did group fashions in several catagories, and specificially said the 'guys in suits' (which is me) in the 'Artsy' group, funny because I'm a Biology Major/Russian Minor with no artistic talent.

 

[Mike K.]

Down here in the sunshine state we have the same problem. Flip-flops are the standard footwear for almost everybody. However, instead of pajamas you get something closer to lingerie. For the guys it's either the surfer look or the Abercrombie look. As a professor myself, I'm shocked to see what gets worn into the classroom. I also get a good laugh seeing the same students when it is time for an ecology field trip into the swamp! There is the comfort of knowing that some have a sense of style...not just the latest fashion trend.

 

[magneto]

While I hate to provide excuses, has one stepped out to the stores to see what is available to the middle and lower classes to buy? My wife and I looked for new clothes for her in some of the nice department stores. For the most part, all the clothes were purely trendy, even in the women's department! It was difficult for us to find affordable jeans that were normal, and a decent pair of khakis under $40 were impossible to locate!

Hi Weston, yes! You have hit on one of my pet peeves re: women's clothes--there is a glut of inexpensive clothing production but none of it is remotely "classic" or "normal". I remember last year, I needed a plain, cotton, white longsleeved buttoned blouse ASAP. I live in a major metro area. But I truly could not find one! Yet If I wanted a halter top, or a plunging decollete, or some bizarre wrap-around top, sure! Don't even get me started on the modern dungaree situation!!

(end of huff).

 

[Slicksuit]

It IS encouraging at least to hear that sales of men's tailored apparel has increased by over 50% over last year. Some attribute it to the new NBA dress code for players, the trend of less companies embracing dress casual, and the popularity of hip-hop (where some performers prefer to dress up). I think that many members of the younger generation also never knew what it's like to dress up - never had a conservative/traditional dress code imposed on them - and they think they're discovering something new.

We will never return to the way things were, as Americans have put personal freedom and comfort above all else. I just want to be able to wear tailored clothing out and about, without being regarded with derision, or acquaintances asking if I'm off to go to a wedding/funeral/job interview. It is true that you do get better service when well-dressed, however.

And regarding cost of dressier attire: with the availability of suits and dress slacks at reasonable costs from discount retailers, there really is no excuse. Even the men's suits available from Target, costing about $80, would be better than showing up at a more formal event in jeans. There is too much of a focus on nearly disposable clothing. A suit is an invesment that, properly cared for, pays dividends for years afterward.

 

[Lincsong]

Until companies start enforcing dress codes there will be very little to do about sloppiness. How many restaurants are still around that require a suit jacket and tie? I remember in the '70s how many grandparents used to complain about how sloppy people dressed. Long hair on men? Mini-skirts on woman? Unshined shoes? Even the smallest hole in the knee of a pair of pants and my grandfather would immediately tell me to either change them or give them to him to mend at that moment. (He was a travelling salesman of Singer sewing machines in the 1920's so he knew how to sew and tailor quite well.) I remember a couple of times where my mother had gone to work at 7:30 and I was home until 8:00 to go to school. I was about 9 years old and I'd throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Well, Grandpa dropped by to give me a ride to school, took one look at how I was dressed, went to the closet, picked out a collared shirt, slacks and leather shoes and made me go to school like that. But, today, people tell me I can come crawling out from under the house and not have a speck of dirt on my clothes.