WHY GET DRESSED UP?

Given the overwhelming informality characteristic of our times, and the resolute nonjudgemental attitude that most people have towards dress, it is a legitimate question to ask why one should bother getting dressed up. One reason is work, i.e. at a bank or other occupations, where appearance and decorum are important, although they are declining in number. Another is the reality that dress is the most important way one presents oneself. Another is connoted by the very term "dressing up," which implies some sense of moving towards a more rarified environment. 

Then there are times and situations where one simply does not care how one is dressed. This might be the case at home without visitors, or in the high heat of summer, or dead cold of winter, where comfort and protection against the elements trumps everything else. Obviously one is more interested in being warm than fashionable. Then there is advancing age, to the point where many people don't think much about how they are dressed and could care less. But for everyone else there are times when it is necessary and/or appropriate to get dressed up, or at least be wearing attire appropriate for the occasion. 

But in an age when goofy silicon valley billionaires give corporate presentations in casual dress, why should it matter? The first thing to note is that this casual attire is not something haphazard or accidental. It is a deliberate choice and a conscious attempt to make a statement of sorts, whether it be that they are just regular guys (they're not), or they don't care how they appear (they do, having presented themselves deliberately in this way), or they don't care about style  (which is negated by the fact that they have chosen this particular mode of dress).  Thus the feigned indifference to appropriate attire is simply a juvenile way of saying "I can do whatever I want and no one can do anything about it." But it also says “don’t take me too seriously.”

Why does it still matter then? When you get dressed you are not only presenting yourself for yourself alone, nor is it just a matter of making a good impression. It is, in fact, a signal of how you regard the people you are addressing or interacting with as well.  Being properly dressed for an occasion is also a sign of high regard for others. It is a way of communicating that you take them seriously, hold them in some degree of esteem, and that you care enough about them to want to elicit a favorable impression. It means, in the case of addressing an audience, that you respect them. 

There is a reason that people like newscasters, politicians and lawyers are dressed up. They must convey sufficient gravitas to be taken seriously by their audience. For the fact remains that the man in a suit is perceived differently from one who is casually dressed under many different circumstances. Look at the classic film actors on our masthead. They are men, and look like men in a way that today’s boyish actors, fond of dressing down, do not remotely resemble. They convey a certain authority that is impossible for today’s stars. 

Apart from questionable taste on the wrong occasions, all of this conscientious dressing down simply sets another standard, albeit far more casual. The result is casual wear that escalates in price, beyond all reason, according to fashionability. So even though the man in the suit has, in many circumstances, been replaced by more casual dress, the latter simply becomes another mode of dress with all the considerations that go into wearing a suit. We’ll explore this further next time. 

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN INFORMAL STYLE

One of the most noticeable trends over the past two decades has been the globalization   of fashion, especially in how people comport themselves in casual appearance. While it has been true for many decades that elites, especially, have worn western dress, there is a contemporary universality to it now. There has been an observable change over the years in Europe, most evident in our recent visit. A couple of decades ago in, say, Rome  (and points north in Italy) the people were dressed beautifully. It was easy to spot the Americans in a crowd because they stood out and their attire was generally awful. Not any more. Now everyone looks the same, most often in a ubiquitous uniform of jeans, sneakers, and t-shirt or lettered jumpers, unless in some cases, they are going to work (which is something that much fewer Europeans do these days). They have totally succumbed to the “American” look. Thus tops worn by people who don’t speak any English, contain American phrases, or a numbered jersey of a presumably American team. However, you can often spot logos that emulate sportswear, for nonexistent teams, such as the “US Giants,” that are likely made in China with a strained inauthenticity. (Actually you can also spot similar dress in crowds in the middle east improbably shouting anti-American slogans).

From a geopolitical standpoint it is nice to see Americans and Europeans have more and more in common on various fronts, but stylistically it represents a coarsening of taste compared to the way people have dressed in the past. We are more alike than ever, especially the young, who are observable everywhere with the same smartphones and IPads as in the US. The ubiquity of the Internet ties people together as never before, and in terms of that technology the US is where it is happening,  and thus permeates a worldwide system. 

But there is a kind of feedback loop and the traffic goes two ways. Americans soak up European luxury goods and Italian designer wear, especially in men’s apparel. There are good reasons for this in terms of quality and style, and the appeal is so strong that you often find department stores carrying unknown or made-up Italian sounding names on their cheaper apparel (which are often made in China without any true “Italian” connection). Italians in turn seem drawn to all things American. Then you also get synergies as a result, i.e. all of the big Italian designer houses now create what was originally an American product - jeans, (which are beautifully designed with typical Italian finesse and of high quality, and consequently price). They have added some class to the now universal mass outfit. 

We are living in an informal age, and what originated here is now present all over the world. At this point if you’re traveling to most of Europe, (with the exception of high fashion places like Milan) you don’t have to be overly concerned with what you’re wearing to fit in any more. You can just basically bring what you wear in the US. (There are some obvious limits though, such as flip-flops, which will make you look ridiculous).  For nowadays it is nearly impossible to tell the Americans from the Europeans by appearance alone. Even carrying a camera, which makes the fact that you are a tourist obvious, but not from where you come. The primary reason all of this has transpired is that people everywhere want to be “modern,” with the latest goods, and for the present at least, that emanates from America. Thus, it is a mistake to think they want to be “American,” but rather to be what they perceive subconsciously or consciously as modern. 

CASUAL ELEGANCE

As noted previously, we live in an informal age. I recently had dinner at an expensive restaurant in Manhattan, which in the past would have had some basic dress code, but although I was properly dressed I was surprised at how few other people were. It is true that many, if not most people still dress for work, but outside of the office standards have deteriorated to the point where just about anything goes.  As a result casual wear is big business these days, and even the best designers have tried their hand at it.  Generally this consists of what one wears at home, on the weekend, in the evening, when traveling, or at leisure.  But you are still presenting yourself to other people in one way or another, so you still must consider deportment.  That entails dressing casually with some class and good taste, which we can summarize as casual elegance. 

Casual can mean many things from a jacket without tie, a sportshirt, sweater, or shorts with sneakers and white socks to a sweatshirt and pants. Wearing the latter in public it is easy to look like a slob unless the outfit is unusually well crafted. A sweatshirt or hoodie is better offset with a pair of jeans or slacks. Unless the weather requires it being up, a hood should be worn down to avoid the impression that you’re up to no good. 

A jacket without a tie is now quite widespread as office casual or after work attire. Avoid wearing jackets with pinstripes because it will look like it came off a suit with the pants missing. All of the parameter mentioned previously with regard to sports jackets still apply, but in this case the jacket may frequently be worn unbuttoned. Under these circumstances there is little point in wearing a dressy shirt with french cuffs with more casual attire. This calls for a more casual shirt, but depending on the season could also be a fancy t-shirt, or sweater and shirt worn under the jacket. 

However, it has to be the right sweater. Many sweaters are intended to we worn alone, particularly if they are patterned and bulky. Under a jacket one would wear a slightly lighter sweater that doesn’t bulk up, such as a v-neck (which looks incomplete without a jacket) or light crew neck. At the top of the sweater heap is Missoni, but if you’re going to spring for such high priced goods it is pointless to wear them under a jacket. Top line store brands such as Saks, Neiman Marcus, etc. are of consistently high quality. For excellent sweaters at very reasonable prices check Tasso Elba. However, color, pattern and material should be your primary concern when considering a sweater. 

TIP: When buying sweaters it pays to buy one size larger than you normally would, because manufacturers now size them on that assumption. Thus “XL” is what “L” used to be. It is also far better to err in favor of larger rather than smaller, which will be unflattering. But sizes are still likely to vary so any sweater purchase should be returnable or tried on first. 

Avoid wearing anything with someone else’s name prominently displayed. It is tacky and just says you’re insecure because you want people to know you’re wearing a particular brand. Wear pants that fit properly and avoid baggy pants hanging off the butt, otherwise you will look like a silent movie comedian. 

In anything casual the first consideration is comfort given more relaxed settings. If you’re not comfortable in your clothes that is how you will appear. In addition your outfit should be put together harmoniously with components that go together well. That means coordinating color and patterns so that they do not clash, but rather provide a relatively subdued, but appealing combination. It also means avoiding an incongruous outfit of elements that don’t belong together, such as sneakers and a sports jacket. Paying attention to such things will give you a classy appearance that is pleasing to the eye, while making a pleasant impression on others. 

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