Why do people tend to dress up as they get older?

WiT wrote:

A portion of Americans lead a very public lifestyle. The CEO of BigDeal Inc is in the public eye. While you or I might not know him people in the business world do. In a sense he is never 'off duty'. Your cohort is Brit subdued stripes 3piece your dress down is Blazer colormatch pants tie. Your casual becomes Blazer open color contrastpants.

Golf casual is about as down as you get because the 'Right' club requires jackets for men in the barroom.

The older you get the more of a chance you travel in those circles.

Those who dress in such social uniforms do so as second nature.. it's what they do.

Just like a lot of you get up go out and do a run... it's what you do.

Jeans and a race t-shirt are a social uniform too.

runners dress like dorks wrote:

Jeans and a race t-shirt are a social uniform too.

Those who dress in the jeans and a race t-shirt social uniform do so as second nature.. it's what they do.

TLW wrote:

Camazotz wrote:

It would seem that you, and the original poster, are the ones that are (oddly) "concerned" about how other people dress.

It reminds me of people who get bent out of shape by how other people eat (e.g., vegetarian, vegan, whatever). What's it to ya?

Are you seriously asking me why I am discussing something on a message board?

More like: I'm seriously asking you why you care about how other people dress.

Camazotz wrote:

More like: I'm seriously asking you why you care about how other people dress.

I don't care if other people dress a certain way. I do care that they think it makes them superior though.

Sounds cliche, but it's societal constructs. White collar workers in big cities dress up, dude in rural areas don't. It's all about what you do and where you live.

Can it not just be as simple as its how someone prefers to dress? Maybe they just like how they look in more formal clothing.

Lots of factors, and I think where you live is a huge one. As some said earlier in the South it's just too hot for a lot of what's considered "casual dress". Casual here is darned casual because you have to be.

Look at how dressed up people are and it follows latitude lines. How out of place would you be wearing a NYC style business suite in the Carribean? The warmer it gets- the more casual the attire.

ataglance wrote:

Lots of factors, and I think where you live is a huge one. As some said earlier in the South it's just too hot for a lot of what's considered "casual dress". Casual here is darned casual because you have to be.

Look at how dressed up people are and it follows latitude lines. How out of place would you be wearing a NYC style business suite in the Carribean? The warmer it gets- the more casual the attire.

People in the South who are not hicks (all three of them) DO dress up. They just wear seersucker and linen suits instead of wool.

One thing I don't get is people who dress up on airplanes. I fly cross-country several times a month for work and always wear jeans/t-shirt. If I came from the office (where I wear a suit and tie) I'll change in the restroom before the flight. Planes are uncomfortable enough already (I almost always fly first but even that is a bit cramped on Delta), why would you wear uncomfortable clothes as well if you're not going straight to the office/a client?

dapper dan wrote:

One thing I don't get is people who dress up on airplanes. I fly cross-country several times a month for work and always wear jeans/t-shirt. If I came from the office (where I wear a suit and tie) I'll change in the restroom before the flight. Planes are uncomfortable enough already (I almost always fly first but even that is a bit cramped on Delta), why would you wear uncomfortable clothes as well if you're not going straight to the office/a client?

You must wear $200 suits if you think dressing up is uncomfortable, Mr. First Class. One reason (besides general the general self-respect of not looking like an idiot) to dress well when flying is that it often gets you better treatment.

Ho Hum wrote:

They're not dressing up more than they used to, that's just how things were when they were young. Look at old pictures, and you'll see men "dressed up" most of the time.

Correct answer. I'm in my late 20s and dress codes have gotten dramatically more casual even within my lifetime. Look back 50 years and men wore suits all the time. I think I can count the times in my 20s that I've worn one on my fingers.

Well, I'm not OLD, but I'll chime in.

Over the years, I have accumulated work clothing and nicer casual stuff. I do like to look nice for work, and hey, the wife certainly isn't complaining. I have not been shopping at the surf stores in a number of years, so all my "cool" clothes of yesteryear are just mostly worn out. So, I wear what's available on the weekends and down time, which often ends up being a polo or button down shirt.

It's kinda weird, but whatever.

Like I said, the wife isn't complaining.

cytomegalovirus wrote:

You must wear $200 suits if you think dressing up is uncomfortable, Mr. First Class. One reason (besides general the general self-respect of not looking like an idiot) to dress well when flying is that it often gets you better treatment.

Really? Most of my suits are custom-made (I have a couple off-the-racks from Jos. A Bank and Men's Wearhouse I bought years ago), but a buttoned-up dress shirt, tie, and dress shoes (Johnston & Murphy) vs. t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers? And "looking like an idiot" because I want to be comfortable?

I fly about 100k miles per year, have elite status and generally fly first anyway...when you fly that much it is not some "special event," just a few hours to get work done/watch some TV on the way to the next client meeting. I pay for "better" treatment with my status and ticket, plus it wouldn't really bug me if I get fewer pretzels than the guy next to me.

Either you are full of s hit or custom-made does not mean what you think it means because people who wear bespoke suits do not wear Johnston and Murphy shoes. LOL.

I think it's funny seeing you faggy bitches arguing about suits and airline status!