People no longer have pride In how they drsss.

[Welliesandtweed]

I've increasingly noticed that people are getting scruffier and scruffier in how they dress.

Some of the secretaries where I work come in, In trainers, band t shirts, coloured hair, loose fitting, cheap tops. I wouldn't do the garden in some of the outfits I see. They aren't typically patient facing but on occasion are. I think it really lacks professionalism to turn up scruffy to work.

Same for people out for an evening meal in jogging bottoms.

On Saturday we had sports day at school and every woman was in a nice dress and men in chinos / short chinos and shirts. Children all in proper PE uniform. It was so refreshing to see.

I‘m pearl clutching with my left hand in horror!

Ok?

It was a MH setting. Every so often someone would suggest uniform. Everyone, patients and staff alike said no thank you.

I do think some people seem to be a bit more scruffy as you say. School uniform is usually smart dress really and kids told off for trainers. In the workplace seems no longer to apply.
.maybe younger people? Dragons Den for example, most of them smart dress and suits. Stephen Bartlett very casual in jeans an trainers. Very smart knowledgeable guy.when I worked in an office in the 80s we were sent home to change if we had a strappy top!

It only indicates a lack of care in my job if you are someone who judges people by shallow criteria. I expect people to judge me by my skills in clinic or even by the list of letters that I can put after my name.

I'm closer to retirement than you are by some distance and your world is clearly very different to mine.

Was it sports day at one of these funny little private schools that think they're actually public schools, where every mum drives a white Rangey and every dad sells either cars, houses or drugs? There are several such schools round here and they make me die. The parents always think they're a cut above because they're PRIVATE, you know... so funny.

Interestingly, in my workplace, we do have a dress code, and people do get spoken to if they look too scruffy.

I have a sudden urge to dye my hair pink for sports day.

I'm 44 and totally with you......

I wore shorts to DT’s end of year sports day and prize giving as I’d be running in the parents race before having a picnic and Prosecco!

The opening post immediately made me think of another thread currently on the go. Something about the tone seemed very familiar.

@Welliesandtweed is this a private or state school sports day, you are referring to?

Depending on where you lived it would been possible to go out in a comfy outfit in the 90s and 2000s, minimal makeup. In London anyway. I used to enjoy being able to go out in cargo pants, vest tops and trainers (a la All Saints 😆). No-one wants to travel home from a night out in London in heels on the tube. Makes perfect sense. As far as I'm aware it's still quite casual in London now unless you're going to a fancy restaurant or something?

Totall different to somewhere like Liverpool or Newcastle where the accepted look now amongst a lot of people out in town is to dress up to the 9s, tottering down the street on massive heels in a tiny mini skirt (tugging it down because you know it's not really long enough to hide your buttocks), a LOT of skin on show. I have no idea why young women insist on wearing high heels and clothes that are really uncomfortable and that they clearly feel self-conscious in. So alien to me, who grew up in Liverpool the grunge era with Doc martens or trainers on a night out.

And punctuation! .

Was there not a mum's race?

I personally find jeans the least comfortable item if clothing known to man - or woman.

OP I too prefer to be on the smarter side but really, I don't have the energy or inclination to be so snooty and judgey about what anyone else is wearing. I think unclenching might make you feel happier.

I couldn’t give a shit how you judge me.

I'm a community healthcare AHP and uniform's optional for us post-Covid - most don't wear it, I tend to wear jeans, a smartish top and trainers for patient visits - and purple hair.

I don't lose clinical skills with the application of hair dye incidentally.

They dont have... gasp... tattoos and piercings as well do they OP??

OK Hyacinth.

Smart clothes would be slightly odd at our sports days too! Mostly because of parents races etc so it wouldn't be practical

Oh but I also work with non uniform nurses.

I've worked in multiple nhs settings for 15 years never uniformed except a covid redeployment! Mostly in jeans, Mental health though

Good grief, coloured hair? 😱 And, gasp, horror of horrors, cheap tops? 😳 Pass the smelling salts immediately!

I'm so glad people are mostly getting away from the idea that how you look says anything about your competence, ethos and behaviour. The 'style over substance' culture you advocate is incredibly shallow, OP. Anyone can dress up nice. Actually doing the job well - that takes a lot more.

I am an excellent PA. I have sea green hair. Live with it.

I've never surveyed the other parents to ask if they are drug dealers. They don't look like drug dealers but maybe they don't have a type?

No white Range Rovers either that I've noticed.

Not really a funny school. Mostly, lovely down to earth families. Of the parents I know, there are quite a few business owners of varying sorts, a farrier, a bespoke carpenter, couple of doctors, some farmers and some in family businesses.

That’s what I’ve been living in for 3 years but I can’t bear anything with a waistband because of a medical condition I was waiting for surgery on
I looked 7 months pregnant most of the time
with the number of women with endometriosis it doesn’t surprise me people are wearing joggers etc

Mental health nurses, learning disability nurses. I’m a nurse and work in a general hospital. I got given two uniforms at the start and they’re sat in the wardrobe. They are there in case there’s another pandemic or similar!!

You sound like an old-fashioned matron 😆