The clothes people wear has been a topic of conversation forever – and are frequently commented upon in the national media. Recently, two public figures in particular have come under widespread scrutiny. I promised not to ever express any political views in these posts – but I never promised not to express an opinion about a politician’s mode of dress.
First of all – news about Senator-elect John Fetterman from Pennsylvania caught my attention. Why? Because the New York Times voted him one of its 93 “Most Stylish” people of 2022. This prompted a backlash on social media, including from the man’s own wife! “No, please not John Fetterman! I demand a recount,” wrote Gisele Fetterman in a tweet – reacting in disbelief to the accolade given to her work-in-progress husband. She had been nagging him for years to clean up his act – and now it’s too late. He’s a sartorial celebrity!
The Times praised Fetterman – whose usual attire on the campaign trail included a hoodie, basketball shorts and sneakers – as “a lawmaker who is going to bring Carhartt to the Capitol,” a reference to the US outdoor apparel company. One anonymous tweet claimed there’s something uniquely relatable about a senator who only owns one suit – shows up to official events hopelessly casual – and clearly prefers comfort over style. Another incredulous soul tweeted that the Times forgot to put “un” in front of the word stylish!
So, do you think this type of casual dress is appropriate for a US senator? Generally, how one dresses shows a modicum of respect for their position. Do I also believe in being comfortable? Of course! Can a man ever really be comfortable in a suit and tie? I think the tie is what causes men the most angst! I personally believe one must start with underwear. If it’s comfortable – the remaining attire may be tolerated – even if not completely comfortable.
Another recent media event was how President Zelensky of Ukraine was dressed when he met President Biden and addressed a joint session of congress. Our own president wore a stylish blue suit with a striped tie. The visiting dignitary was a totally different story. He wore an olive-green sweatshirt with a coat of arms insignia stitched on it, khaki-colored cargo pants, and chunky brown combat boots.
His official mission was to request money for his country. Why did his country need money? To upgrade their dignitary’s wardrobe? No, his country is at war and needs weaponry. Of course, many in the press blasted him for his mode of dress. Some thought he should have worn a proper suit, tie and wing tips. Others thought he dressed appropriately – considering his country’s circumstances. By the way, a fleece-lined jacket worn by President Zelensky sold for $100,000 at a fundraiser for Ukraine held in London.
I went through a brief stage where I became a clothes horse. A dress I bought was quite flamboyant. The background was black silk. The print design was of bright, tropical flora. Proudly, I wore it to work one day. One of the men I worked with didn’t like it. “Roberta, you won’t have to worry about taking birth control pills when you wear that dress!” Of course, that didn’t deter me from wearing it. In fact, I began to call it my “birth control dress.” All was well until my young niece innocently asked me, “Auntie Roberta, why do you call it your “birth control dress?” Uh Oh! Talk about a deer in the headlights!
Recently, Hubby and I went on a cruise. Were we required to “dress to the nines” as in the cruising days of yore? No. Men had to wear long pants at only one of the fancier restaurants – even jeans were okay! Where does that old saying even come from? “Dressed to the nines” is one of the least understood phrases in etymology – the study of words. Now I know why I’m not an etymologist. I don’t want to fret about the meaning of things like, “the whole nine yards” or “to the nines.” Most etymologists believe that “to the nines” doesn’t refer to anything specific – it just means “a lot.”
I lived in Spain in the 60’s during the time of dictator Franco. Women were required to wear dresses. That didn’t sit well with this Minnesota farm girl but I wore them anyway. Why? The constant presence of the heavily armed Guardia Civil was a strong motivator in complying with their laws. Also, being a US military wife – rocking the boat was not an option.
Some years ago Hubby bought a new blue blazer as his old one no longer fit – too tight? – too loose? – you can guess. He had a business meeting in the city. As was his habit, he hung his new coat in the car – waiting to put it on when he got there. He came home in a funk. “My new blazer is already too tight – and I just bought it two weeks ago.” A few days later I was freshening up that coat and I realized he had taken his old coat to the meeting! Now I had a dilemma. Should I tell him or not? My friends and I formed a focus group. The opinions were varied and no conclusion was reached. What to do? After a few days of living with someone so cranky and distraught, I decided to do what was best for me! I told him! He was joyful – and so relieved – that we lived almost happily ever after – notice I said almost!
Another mode of modern dress that puzzles me are today’s swimming suits. As we know – women years ago were required to be fully covered when swimming. Women’s swimwear then was actually called gowns – and made of wool. To make matters worse – weights were often sewn into the hems to prevent the gown from floating up when submerged. WHAT? Were they trying to drown? Carriages were pulled up close to the shore so swimmers could get in and out without being seen. What would those folks think of the bathing suits of today?
I began pondering this swimsuit phenomenon when I saw a Facebook photo of two young women – each wearing a string bikini! Their butts were totally bare! No, I am not a “fuddy duddy” – but I’ve spent most of my life trying to cover up my own butt – or at least trying to make it look smaller! Yes, the times they are a changing! If I were young today would I wear the latest rage? Yes, I probably would. But for me today – the more fabric the better – just love the tankini. Actually the full gown would be just fine – without the wool and the weights!
Another conundrum for me is why some men wear their pants so low so as to reveal their behinds. Are plumber’s butts no longer a joke? Ironically, some young men seem to find this style fascinating – and waddle about like “penguins in denim.” As you age, that’s actually a look you try to avoid. Duluth Trading Company came up with a novel solution – they sell a long tail T-shirt – or as their catalog states – “The three-inch extra shirt body length solves the ‘rear exposure’ problem.” How simple is that?
So then I ask, “Why do men have to wear collared shirts on the golf course?” The main reason is to create a sense of professionalism and respectability. When you walk onto the course, you want to look like a golfer who takes the game seriously. Wearing collared shirts helps one project the right image and make a good first impression on players and spectators alike. Dress codes also help prevent distractions on the course.
So what about the old axiom – Do clothes make the man? There are actually two meanings to this venerable saying; simply put – it means that people are judged based upon the clothing they wear and are treated accordingly. On a deeper level – this phrase can be understood to mean that by dressing in a certain manner you can actually shape your behavior and affect the way you perform.
So, reflecting back upon the dress of the newly-elected senator and the visiting Ukrainian dignitary – I do understand all of the attention it got from the press. I recall a time when my son said he saw our neighbor going out to his mailbox to check his mail late in the afternoon – wearing just a robe and slippers. He said, “Shoot me if I ever do that!” So I remarked, “Maybe he works nights and he just got up!” Oh, he hadn’t thought of that!
Are you a clothes person? Do you enjoy being “dressed to the nines” – or prefer being casual? Please give me your comments. They are appreciated and will never be published outside this website.
6 Comments
For me it’s all about the underwear!
While living in the Twin Cities I spent a number of years selling executive men’s clothing, so I find myself critical of a poorly fitted suit than anyone wearing casual or smart casual. A man’s suit usually almost always needs the pants hemmed, and often the sleeves, back, collar and behind. A pet-peeve of mine is when they are dressed in a 100% pinpoint cotton shirt, with a fitted cashmere wool suit that has perfectly smooth seams, but they don’t unbutton their jacket when they sit down! If they were wearing a polo shirt or a sweatshirt, I wouldn’t notice any of those things.
For myself, I try to cover my behind and make sure the rolls on my back don’t show. My clothing budget is often spent on oversized sweatshirts purchased at every vacation place we’ve visited. I’ve never spent money on jeans that come with holes and although Amazon delivers my textiles often, I also toss a few (sale) items from Nordstrom, Niemen Marcus, etc.. When I have to dress up, it’s typically a blazer with hemmed slacks and a much lower heal than I wore in my (skinny) retail days.
The new dress code is often called smart casual.
What does that mean?
For men, it often means clean and dark jeans, a dress shirt, and a vest (leave the rest of the three piece suit in the closet) and nice leather shoes or brand new sneakers.
I personally love the way President Zelensky dresses! It look like he’s ready to jump into action comfortably. No, it would not look right on other Presidents, but his style is always quality, fits well & complements his image.
I’ve always admired people who dress well, I can’t quite seem to hit the mark, probably because I hate shopping & I’m 5′ 1″. Everything has to be hemmed, including tops! And I hate sewing, mending & hemming! What a waste of time! I scare myself when FB brings up a memory picture of me in one of my favorite “going out” outfits, good God, it’s 10 years old!
It always ticks my hubby off when he takes advise (from Rick Steves) about Italians dressing well, or cruise ships discouraging tennis shoes & jeans – to arrive without his favorite jeans & footwear to find nobody listen to the suggested attire! And the Italians looking spiffy in their jeans, well they do manage to add the obligatory scarf to ward off “catching a chill”! When I grew up ladies wore dresses and skirts everywhere, with high heel shoes. As teens we were hard pressed to find pants that were “fitted”. We had to “peg” then by hand, our mothers weren’t going to have any part in that! My very stylish MIL treated me to the sight of her old wool one piece swimsuit! She had saved it to remind herself how far swimsuit fashion had evolved. OMG! It wasn’t the full length but a shapeless horror for sure. Her advise when I was in a quandary about dress code – “one can never be overdressed”. Ah…..maybe, maybe not. As swimsuits become skimpier and butts augmented – I do love the tankini!
A kinder, less judgmental world as to dressing is better. We can wear whatever want most of the time. I like it. Gone is the need for dress clothes just for church – shoes. I remember one Christmas program – one child came from a large family and could not afford a nice outfit. We got our heads together and had them all be angels and sewed a multitude of angel outfits. Solved the problem! She looked just as nice as anyone. I remember this particular little girl loved to sit by me as I accompanied for the singing- she loved the music she told me. So one day she came with a snowsuit on – I was worried she was too hot – tried to help her out of it but alas – nothing underneath. Uffda.
Actually, the dress code for dinner did not say jeans were acceptable. The code was something like “resort casual”. I interpreted that to mean collared shirt and khakis, which was just fine with me. No coat and tie required! And yes. Fetterman dresses like a slob.