Why don't people dress smartly any more?

[MilkTrayLimeBarrel]

More and more recently, I have noticed that people in general just look scruffy whether for work or leisure. My DH is a prime example of this. He always used to wear a suit and tie or trousers with jacket and tie for work - he looks lovely in a suit - this was one of the things which attracted me to him! Now it's jeans and a t-shirt for work every day (he works in an office so it's not physical work) - and he just looks as if he has fallen out of bed! He tells me that 'nobody' bothers to dress smartly for work any more. Why have standards fallen so far?

If you go to Italy, Rome in particular, it is noticeable how smartly the people dress. Especially men with smart suits and of course many of the women. It is more of a thing with them to keep up appearances,

Ah, I adore the concept of Bella Figura but ye gods it's stifling.

I work in wills and probate with quite a lot of client meetings. Our clients are generally elderly and they do have expectations so I dress in quite "traditional" smart office attire. Most of the office does to be honest apart from the gorgeous goth receptionist

School uniforms wind me up. Detaining Them For the wrong attire ... oh fuck off

Exactly. I mean, schools have to enforce their rules. But that means that they should choose their rules very carefully and only have ones that genuinely have a good impact on kids' learning and behaviour. Uniform does not imo. It just creates a whole extra category of stuff to tell kids off about. The idea that very smartly-dressed teachers inspire respect in kids is also total baloney.

I think it's absolutely possible to look like you've made an effort/chosen interesting clothes etc. without dressing "smartly" as such. But it's also probably easier for women than men, especially in the summer when women turn up to work in floaty dresses and sandals, and men are still expected to wear smart trousers and a shirt.

The idea that very smartly-dressed teachers inspire respect in kids is also total baloney. I don't really care what the teachers wear - it's just weird that the school make such a hooha about the kids being dressed in a suit - interview-smart every day because it supposedly prepares them for the workplace and then the people the kids see in a work environment most - the teachers, look scruffy as hell - it's not lost on the kids either.

To the person who said they wished we all dressed like the 1920s: the only part I like is the cloche hats. The thought of having to wear girdles and suspenders and all that stuff though...

I tend to agree with you Op. I was only thinking a couple of days ago that I need to smarten up my wardrobe.
If I go shopping, I wear jeans, sweatshirt and trainers.
If I go out to the pub / for a meal (no matter how fancy), I wear jeans, nice sweater, and flats.
My problem is I’m 60 and I have quite specific ideas of what I want to wear and I can’t find any shops that sell the type of clothes I would like.

I broke my leg 16 months ago and can't wear certain shoes anymore and so my smart clothes look stupid with the footwear I can wear.

@SquareOnTheHypoteneuse eBay? Or maybe try online? Though I can understand if you're like me and you prefer trying clothes on first.

Thanks @PhilSwagielka
Like you, I prefer to try on first because nothing ever fits properly - but that’s another story 😀

I’ve recently moved from a company with a smart dress code to one with a ‘dress down every day’ policy.

I miss my jackets, tailored dresses and heels! I like to make an effort, and people definitely take you more seriously in the traditional professions when you wear business dress. Plus, tailored clothes are often more edgy and chic than casual alternatives. Nobody looks their best in a tracksuit and bloody ugg boots.

I’m an accountant and I work at a very senior level. Most of my colleagues are men. Despite the dress down policy, it is noticeable that the more senior men will wear ironed smart casual shirts, dark jeans and good quality leather ankle boots. The more junior men show up in hoodies and scruffy trainers. There is still a demarcation, but the junior men can’t see it, which is a shame for them. They can’t see the difference between dressed down and scruffy.

I’m working in Manchester at the moment, and it’s noticeable that the reducing numbers of people in suits and smart coats are coming out of the law and accountancy firms. Some men make an effort with the tweedy hipster look, which I like: looks miles better than jeans and an anorak, which seems to be the going to work uniform for lots of men.

No way am I showing up for work in a bloody parka or puffa jacket, dress down policy notwithstanding. This time of year, I wear a tailored wool coat, fitted jeans or trousers and decent boots. I hope that my next job is at a business with a smarter dress code so that I can wear some of my lovely tailored outfits to work!

This is quite a good article on the subject of workwear.

www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/oct/20/the-new-workwear-has-the-suit-finally-died

I think it’s just in step with the general ‘loosening up’ of societal norms and also the world of work where presenteeism and what you are wearing is secondary.

I think making an effort can improve your mood and sense of yourself but that isn’t necessarily the case for everyone.

In the past, eg 1960s, in the cold weather you needed a warm coat and not just outside. Shops and buses weren't particularly well heated so you needed a coat. Now shops, cars, offices are well heated so few layers and a zip up hoodie or quilted jacket are enough.
Also it is supposedly a levelling with everyone in sports or casual wear but trainer designer labels have replaced expensive clothes brands as symbols.

I work at a university and have noticed that students nowadays all wear tracksuit bottoms and trainers. Not even jeans. Mind you I am a right scruff bag so can't comment but young people used to try a lot harder I think.

People are more stretched now than they ever have been

I guess the fashion industry, which has made a lot for U.K. industry in th past, will fizzle out. All those poor kids on fashion and design courses - there's only so much iou can do with black leggings!

I still dress smartly, but less smartly than I used to when I was young and less confident about my role in the professional world. Now am mid-30s and lucky enough to have risen remarkably quickly, I can dress a bit more casually and still expect to be taken seriously as I am known for being good at my job and even (most of) the older men respect me.

By 'more casually' I mean that I wear smart tailored dresses and jacket, midi pencil skirts, polos, jackets and gorgeous jewellery, cropped trousers, silk blouses and tailored jackets. But no longer a skirt suit and heels all day every day!

Am much smarter than most of the other women in the office (only one other woman at my level) but either they are more junior or in a less client/external-facing (I have to do a lot of public speaking) part of the firm. I notice that the men at my level - who could dress down - still wear suits every day.

I have made similar changes, but I consider that I look smarter and more fashionable than when I was wearing a boring grey work "uniform".

My dh works in finance and they went through a period of dressing down but most of the senior management has gone back to business shirts and chinos as a minimum. Not sure about this concept of "smart" though, it's very dated.

Nope. I refuse to let my standards slip due to anything I take after both my parents who always made an effort when going out of the house. I might wear black leggings almost everyday but they're always clean, with a nice slouchy top/tunic/shirt (collar up lol) or its fitted jeans and shirt. I don't wear trainers in winter only knee boots or my lovely hiker boots and my fitted MW/Regatta/Barbour coat. Make up always done and my hair too. I have zero reason the shleb around outside. My DM looks so lovely when she goes to work (legal, the City) and it fills me with pride that after nearly 40 years her standards haven't slipped once.

I think people are less groomed: shoes in good repair and polished, clothes clean, ironed, brushed, hair clean and neat.
Plenty of people look quite mucky. Men are worse than women for this.
I have no issue with being casual, I don’t like people being slovenly.

"Smart" though. The word itself is so dated and prim. I always make an effort, I am never scruffy. I would not call myself smart (& noone I know under 40 would describe anything as "smart").

When I worked as a legal secretary, and this was a few years ago, all solicitors in the firm wore suits. Male and female. Admin staff wore what I call smart/casual. Like, I didn't have to wear a suit but I didn't wear trainers either.

@HighNetGirth I tie my hair back because it gets messy and in my face. It's very thick and it has a life of its own.

I don't see many students in trackie bottoms where I live, not going to uni anyway. People wear all sorts. Some students at Manchester are very smart. Back in the '00s I used to have classmates who'd turn up at 9am lectures with immaculate make-up on.

I think fast fashion has a lot to answer for, clothes are so cheap but fade and lose thier shape after the first few washes. In times gone buy people had fewer outfits that were better quality and were taken care of.

I'm all for dressing for comfort but the amount of mum's bums I see on the school run thanks to cheap leggings is rediculous. You can see a complete outline of thier pants and the pattern of said pants. If they were wearing a sanitary pad I reckon you would be able to see the outline of that too. Why not just check your leggings aren't see through?

I'm scruffy as fuck just now because I'm going to my job working with dogs in the pissing rain wearing trackies and trainers. Luckily the dogs don't care about looking "smart" but if I had a different job where people apparently sit around looking at each other all day I might give it more thought.