The way people dress these days is astonishing. To quote from Cole Porter’s song “Anything Goes,” “In olden days a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking, but now, God knows, anything goes.” Frankly, there are only two possible explanations for the degenerate nature of popular dress. Either no one ever looks in a mirror, or people have simply lost their minds.
The decay of fashion matches the tendency in contemporary society toward informality. There was a time when men wore suits and women wore formal dresses everywhere. More people used to have pride in their appearance. If someone from the early 20th century were miraculously to resurrect in our day and look at the way people are dressed, they would faint from shock. The bounds of acceptable dress have shifted so far, so fast.
People have simply lost their standards. Comfort has taken precedence over appearance. And this trend is not only seen in fashion. Everything, from our houses to our dining and even our furniture, reflects this depraved desire to be relaxed rather than stylish.
Ironically, people still play lip-service to higher forms of fashion. When that last God-awful adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” was released (God-awful because it turned a classic of American literature into spring break 1920), people talked about how much they wished everyone still dressed like that. News flash: You can dress like that. Men, put away your tank-tops and basketball shorts and put on some khaki trousers and a sports jacket. Ladies, get rid of the obscenely short shorts and leggings and put on a dress or a nice blouse and moderate-length skirt. It really is not that hard.
Anyone who knows me knows that I like to dress a bit more formally. My wardrobe consists of trousers, polo shirts, dress shirts, sweaters and sports jackets. I take pride in my appearance, and there are some serious benefits to dressing better.
Firstly, you can make a good first impression. You never know who you may meet: a future boss, a future romantic partner, etc. What first impression do you want to make?
Secondly, it is good training for life after graduation. Most students will work jobs with some type of dress code. It might be a job in the medical field with the requirement of scrubs, or it might be an office job with a business dress code. Most jobs are going to want more than basketball shorts, so why not start now?
Thirdly, it shows respect. This is especially important in a university setting. By dressing well for class, you are showing your professors that you value your education and their time. But this is also true in everyday life. Show some respect to other people by wearing something presentable.
Lastly, and most importantly, you will feel better about yourself. As the old adage goes, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” If you dress like a responsible adult, you will feel more mature and capable. You will be able to say to yourself, “I look like an adult. I act like an adult. I feel like an adult. I am an adult, and I can handle whatever the world throws my way.”
You have it in your power to make a change. Dressier clothing does not need to be relegated to rare formal occasions and fictional period dramas. There was a time when people dressed for success. It is time for those days to return.
