we are just as bad

[julie w]

I like many of you yearn for the days when 80% of women wore skirts and dresses ,I am fortunate enough to have grown up in those days ,But it wasn't
only women that dressed up men were expected to wear a jacket and tie
A lot of restaurants it was a prerequisite to get in , We moan about women
not wearing skirts but when was the last time you wore a suit and tie
unless you work in a bank or law office , I cant remember the last time I did
I dont think the dress up days will come back it seems to be all about comfort
now

[VERONICARH]

You are so right . I grew up in those days too.

[KateW]

That's a good point actually... I'm all for men wearing shirts and ties, as long as I still get to wear skirts!

[Bonnie Lawrence]

I remember those days, also. Even when my siblings and I were kids, growing up in a working class home, when going to the nearest city about 12 miles away, my sister always wore a dress and gloves and my brother and I did not where jeans during those trips. Yes, it was a different time. The unspoken dress code was not a particular burden, it just was.

[VS Fan]

Extremely good point. And for those of us with knowing SOs, but not 100% approval, dressing up like this to take them out to dinner or whatever is a great way to give them some MAN time. You know how hot you think your wife is in that nice dress etc? They see us the same way (I hope ;)) when we're all decked out in a suit and tie...

Good thought for the day...

VS Fan

[Kate Simmons]

Yep.:thumbsup:

[WandaRae2009]

Some women still do on a regular basis. I have a neighbor that always wears a skirt or dress. Even when she is doing yard work, planting or cutting the grass. I have never seen her with pants on. My guess is that she doesn;t own any.

[Danielle Gee]

I remember not too many years back while planning a Thanksgiving dinner at home, I said " I have a great idea.....How about all the men wearing suits & ties and all the woman wearing dresses"?

Those present looked at me as if I were from another planet!!!

Needles to say I never mentioned that idea again..

[Raychel]

You make a very valid point, :thumbsup:

[Frédérique]

We moan about women not wearing skirts but when was the last time you wore a suit and tie
unless you work in a bank or law office , I cant remember the last time I did
I dont think the dress up days will come back it seems to be all about comfort now

I used to wear a suit and tie when I took my professor girlfriend out on a date, each and every time we saw each other. I just knew it was expected of me, by her and her parents, so I gratefully complied – the rewards were manifold, worthy of a little discomfort now and then. I got really good at tying my tie (the four-in-hand way), in fact I almost posted about this in the FtM section! Ah, the good old days – I recycled my colorful ties in schoolgirl-ish outfits, so all was not lost during my changeover…

One day, I was invited to my friend’s house for an informal dinner, a makeshift gathering of her art school friends for old time’s sake. Since my friend’s husband never wore anything but a T-shirt and shorts, even if company was coming, I showed up wearing my best suit and tie purely for purposes of contrast – I was way overdressed, but it was fun! My friend kept asking me why I was wearing a suit, and I told her I just felt like doing it – she told me I looked “very nice,” completely ignoring her husband in the process, which, I believe, was my hidden agenda…:heehee:

[MarciManseau]

My mother always wore a dress or a skirt, with an open bottomed girdle, stockings and no panties. I always thought was very risque. I never saw her being inappropriate tho.

[Hope]

It always surprises me that strait guys never seem to learn that the #1 way they can make themselves more attractive to women is to clean themselves up.

[Alice Torn]

It wasn't that long ago, that people were to dress nice, when flying. I remember having to wear a sportcoat, when flying standby. I have to agree with radio talk show host Dennis Prager, that we are living in the age of stupidity. For 40 yrs, we have witnessed the moronification of America. In Europe, and Canada, it seems like generally, people live healthier, and dress nicer.

[Ruth]

In Europe, and Canada, it seems like generally, people live healthier, and dress nicer.
Oh Louise darling, you wish! The UK has gone to the dogs as far as style and general health and fitness goes. In France and Italy, maybe, people still take a certain minimal care over appearance.

[Karren H]

I still wear a jacket and a tie to work every day and my boss doesn't..... lookin good is looking good no mater what gender......

[Jodi M]

Julie,you are right. I guess that is a double standard many of us are guilty of in our everyday life as Neanderthal males. LOL! we can't expect the gals to dress up if we don't do the same for them.

[AmandaM]

I say burn the suits and the ties! Ties are for corporate slaves!

Well, what do you expect from me? I'm a Californian for God's Sake. :)

[linnea]

I still wear a jacket and a tie to work every day and my boss doesn't..... lookin good is looking good no mater what gender......

I wear a jacket and tie every day to work too, but I'm neither a banker nor a lawyer. Many of my male co-workers wear ties and jackets, and the women often wear dresses or skirts and tops. The women wear pants too, but--you guessed it--the men don't wear skirts or dresses (I wish). I don't work for a super- or even a mildly-conservative organization and there is no dress code for employees.
That latter point is the main thing that has changed, I think: there is much less expectation that people will dress to look good except in very particular occupations and professions.

[sherri52]

Remember those days! I went to the recruiting office in a shirt and tie ( no suit though). School was always shirt and tie, church was a suit. Now church is jeans and a "T".

[janis murray]

I love suits.
Skirt suits.

[gabe]

I have to wear at least a jacket and a tie. I do not mind it at all. It conceals my bra very well.

[Shari]

I miss those days when people cared about their appearance.
It seems now that the grungier, the better.

I attended a wedding two weeks ago and one of the female guests was wearing flip flops!

The slobbing of America.

[noeleena]

Hi...
oh the 60 s . try the late 40 s . i was dressed as a girl . in lovely hand knited little dress . cream in colour . then the 50 s . the sailor suit. & oh dear boy clothes . from then on it was all down hill .till 50 years later . back to dresses .
well at lest i got that right . just took me a long time .
So now most of the time its skirts . un less i m doing building . over all s . still thats okay, oh the bra s & knikers are all way s on ..
...noeleena...

[tricia_uktv]

Its horses for courses isn't it? I wear a jacket and tie for work but can't say I enjoy it.

[Crystal Alberta]

A couple of hundred years ago, the Duke of Wellington was allegedly denied entrance to a particular club because he was wearing long trousers instead of knee breeches. At the time, this was a shocking example of informality. Before that, the fashion was for powdered wigs, and when these began to go out of style, horrified wig-wearers insisted that a bareheaded man could never be properly dressed.

Fashions change, and so do our ideas what is appropriate. I don't think that this is necessarily a bad thing. The question is whether one's clothing and grooming is appropriate by the standards of the day. I don't mind dressing up, but I don't feel the need to do so on a daily basis.

Crystal

[victoriamwilliams1]

I was just telling some of my friends the same thing a few weeks back! I do think the dress up days will come back. I think as the comfy generation grows they will see something is missing.

Now I wore a tie about 4 months ago:(

[Cary]

I do remember those days. I felt more professional when I put on a suit and tie. On a side note, I haven't worn a suit and tie for about four years and counting. I think I have one tie in the back of the closet. I do wear a button down shirt with slacks most days to work.

[JiveTurkeyOnRye]

I actually really love getting dressed up in a suit and tie, I just rarely have a reason to do it. I would have to get a new suit now if I needed to because I've lost so much weight this year that my old suits make me look like I'm a kid trying on his father's clothes.

[Karan49]

I agree with Crystal, times change and still, it is so much fun to go out dressed. One of my closest friends says I dress nicely. Then again she can't find shoes in her size that are both comfortable and go with dresses and skirts. She has spin bifida, so she doesn't own any skirts, dresses or heels. I always ask her if it's okay that I dress up a bit. So far she's been okay with it. But I wouldn't do anything to hurt her feelings.

Another thought; when I've flown to Europe wearing sandles and a skirt seemed to be the most comfortable. With the seat crammed as they are now I wouldn't want to sit next to a man who was wearing a suit or even a sport jacket as after eight to ten hours I don't think I could stand the odor issue. Maybe we could get the airlines to give us more room so people wouldn't have to dress down to be comfortable.

[Emma68]

We moan about women
not wearing skirts but when was the last time you wore a suit and tie
unless you work in a bank or law office?

Every weekday as a matter of course, like everybody else in my office and almost all my friends and acquaintances.

But you are right about the double standards. I've never felt entirely comfortable in a suit and tie and exchange them for a pair of jeans the moment I get home, whereas I hate to see women in jeans or trousers. I guess if they won't wear a skirt or dress I'll have to do it for them :D

[TiffanyMN]

I wear a shirt and tie everyday to work by choice. I work in a relaxed office so most of the men lose the tie and unbutton the top button. I just think it makes them look sloppy. I wear a sport coat instead of a suit simply because of cost. I was just remarking to my wife the other day that I would like to see hats make a comeback in men's fashion. I think there is a level of sophistication that a hat gives to the male wardrobe that just can't be matched by any other item. Of course a hat also is quite a statement in women’s fashion too.

[lingerieLiz]

Well, I like women in jeans and pants. Years ago as a new hire brought in to fix things, working in a ties required corporation, I was the first in mangement to dish the tie and jacket requirement. It was amazing how fast other departments followed suit. I was tired of seeing guys in ill fitting jackets with ugly ties. I did tell my people that I expected them to look good and professional.

About 2 years ago I had a company vice-president tell me that he thought ties and jackets would be great for the guys. I asked him if he was going to mandate dresses and hose for women. He said women could wear nice clothes pants or skirts. After a heated private discussion he backed down. He had no idea why guys should wear ties. He was a dumb idiot who had no idea what he was doing.

Don't get me wrong. If the customer expected it I would wear coat and tie everyday to make a sale. It just does not make sense to wear something your not confortable with to impress someone.