Has Covid stopped young people from knowing how to dress for an occasion?

[BananaCaramel]

I see it all the time - so many young people don’t make the effort to look nice anymore. Not for weddings, birthdays, other celebratory occasions, it seems to be a “thing” to look like you have made no effort at all.

Is it a Covid thing? They missed a formative period of going out and now they don’t know how to dress for an occasion? That’s all I can think of.

It’s not even about fashions changing eg., people don’t really wear heels anymore, it’s that they literally turn up to events in clothes I would clean my bathroom in.

I think it’s a real shame to be honest!

All in ones are a fashion thing.

The more worrying trend is not dressing appropriately for interviews. DH has been interviewing people for roles in head office most turn up without a suit,

I don’t think it’s just younger people. I think generally people have become more scruffy and less clean. Every time I go out now I end up stuck next to someone who smells like they haven’t washed themselves or their clothes for weeks. Before someone comes along to leap at me “disabilities / finance” etc (I am disabled myself btw) it never used to be this bad, ever. People have stopped giving as much of a shit.

My two are pretty scruffy and are at uni. I have just asked them. They said they would dress smartly for a wedding and funeral and that’s about it. They say, why dress up when we don’t have to?🙄 Nothing to do with Covid apparently.

I have eschewed heels despite loving them previously. But that is because they feel so dated and old-fashioned now. I have stylish flats instead. I feel frumpy even in gorgeous heels!

I have a Dd who goes the other way and dresses like she is going to an important event even if she is just off to the supermarket.
It is actually really interesting to see how people act around her. Most people seem to think she must be someone ‘important’ and treat her like she is the Princess of Wales. Going out with her is great and we end up with the best table and all sorts of freebies.

We had lunch with my son, his wife and the grandchildren recently. I wore a midi dress and trainers, my DiL wore a midi dress and trainers, my granddaughter (21) wore a mini dress and trainers. The men wore polo shirts and shorts.

@BananaCaramelI assume you’re not in the North? Young people up here dress up to the nines. If you are at a train station Friday or over the weekend you’ll see hoards, women generally, dressed up often with rollers in the hair. Went up to Newcastle a few months ago and Friday lunchtime the sequins and bling getting off the train was a sight to behold and these were totally separate groups/people not a one off group. I’m a lot older and I dress up all the time.

Also the term ‘smart trainer’ is an oxymoron.

@LeftOpen i think heels are a red herring here! It’s not about fashions changing in the more global sense so much as matching the fashion to the event. And I went to a wedding last year where a girl in her late teens was wearing shorts and a t-shirt!
@TakeMe2Insanity i have no problem with an all in one in theory…but not when I can see your labia over dinner

I I suppose “dressing up” is an unhelpful phrase, smart casual seems to also have gone out the window. Where has the making the effort for the mid range occasion gone? A nice jumpsuit to a bbq?

I think it’s a shame people don’t want to look nice anymore!

You all sound appropriately dressed!

After getting to wear comfortable clothes during COVID, people are realising they don’t have to wear stuff that isn’t comfy. This can only be a good thing!

But you can make an effort and be comfy - I wore some trousers last night that have an elastic aged waist. They are part of a co ord and look very smart paired with the top. No need to be uncomfortable, you can still look nice though!

We went to a wedding last year and were shocked at how scruffy the kids looked, e.g. track suits and old mismatched clothes. I bought my children new outfits to wear. My children noticed them (cousins) and asked them why they didn't dress up? They replied with, it's only a wedding reception/mum didn't want to buy an outfit just for today. So they didn't seem to feel a wedding was an Important event! Which suprised me!

Why do you care what other people wear? I told people they could wear what they liked for our wedding. We ran the full gamut from suits and kilts to shorts and polo shirt to my niece dressed like a fairy. I don’t judge people on what they are wearing, cba frankly.

That is really poor show - doesn’t get much more important than a wedding for making an effort surely?! I find it a really odd attitude but to be fair I do come from a family who consistently bring it with their outfits. My FIL doesn’t dress up ever but even he wore a proper suit to our wedding - I told him in no uncertain terms he was not to show me or MIL up and he needed to look the part, and he did because it’s what you do!

But why is it a shame. Horrific things happen in the world, why get your knickers in a twist over people’s clothes? It’s very uncomfortable for a start 😁

I'm in my 20s and Covid made a lot of us realise that our presence was more important than our appearance.

It’s not, they’ll likely as not be divorced in ten years.

Isuppose I care because it represents a collective lowering of standards. I don’t want to be part of a society where nobody cares about what they look like or how they come across.

Suits are expensive. I can’t blame anyone for not buying one.

My DS does have a cheap Primark one but only because he plays in orchestras.

YANBU we’ve recently had work experience people in school in vest tops with lots of cleavage on display.

I’m not particularly young but I don’t own a dress longer than mini! For funerals I have a 60’s style black mini that I usually wear with tights, boots and a coat.

The last few I’ve been too have had some crazy looks, including me completely missing the ‘wear bright colours’ memo and coming in all black and someone in a full grey tracksuit. I did see a heavily tattooed young person absolutely rock alternative formal wear though.

I don’t think this is the case, if anything they are OTT insta perfect and put together in ways I could only dream of at their age. Make up, contouring, nails, hair, teeth etc they are like professional stylists. I was lucky to wash my hair, slap on some awful make up and make the most of my sisters cast offs.

What’s wrong with a vest top? I often wear them to work on hot days.

I’m with you, sister!

My youngest adults tend towards sports wear for most occasions. But they are very clean and well-groomed. I am gobsmacked by the lotions and potions that litter my shower. Specialist beard conditioner! Scrupulous shaving. They care how they look. They just don't want to look like us.

I think it's a trend, a reaction to the perfect insta look - I call it homeless chic!