Why American Workers Now Dress So Casually

[HudsonHawk]

So, has it been established beyond a reasonable doubt that American workers dress more casually now, allowing for the different work environments. I assume we have not been talking about people who actually work, like truck drivers, farm workers, welders, masons, construction workers and so on.

We're talking mostly about the *other* people who actually work.

 

[Edward]

I think there's a portion of society that still expects someone in a suit to stick it to them. My parents were this way, and considering their history with "institutions" in which people wore suits, it's a bit understandable. (My mother, for instance, wanted to buy a house and had to go 3 banks to get a mortgage... the first two wouldn't even let her fill out an application because they didn't deal with "unmarried women" in the 1960s. My mother paid her 20 year loan off in 8 years, likely to the disappointment of the bank.)

I think a small part of the casualization may be that we are less wary of someone in casual clothes being money or power hungry.

Also, it does Silicon Valley companies a world of good to advertise they have a "free" and "casual" culture as they work their people for 18 hour days on wages so little they can't afford a one-bedroom apartment on in the valley. But you get to wear jeans to work! And they have professional chefs! (Never mind that you can't afford anything but jeans and you're expected to never leave the office for a meal.)

I've seen many smart students (I used to work in IT) go on to burn out at the alter of Silicon Valley. No one intended to stay very long. Whereas the others I know that are very successful work in the big consulting firms, that while they are worked hard, don't have the culture of "chaining to the desk" encouraged by the policies of much of the valley... which are always veiled in "we take care of you" and "you can be yourself" while they work people very very hard.

Intriguingly, for everyone I've ever known who spoke derisorily about "the suits", when confronted with a bank manager in open neck shirt and jeans, they complain he's unprofessional (even if that's what they're wearing themselves). I do sometimes have the feeling that we might be seeing a glimmer of the beginning of the end of the notion that to be a Big Success means to dress way down at all times to make a show of the fact that you no longer need to dress to impress anyone else. I find that just in some corners it's beginning to become as outre as conspicuous consumption.

 

[scottyrocks]

I think the first time I became aware of 'counter-culture' becoming mainstream was when I saw Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show wearing a neckerchief or bandana instead of a tie, or a nehru jacket instead of his usual. I guess I thought it was cool, but I knew it was a noticeable difference (hey, I was young). I couldn't stop looking at it.

Interesting that I can't find a picture of him in the neckerchief. Maybe it's something everyone would like to forget. haha

Or how about this monstrosity of the early '70s:

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Sixth Doctor called, and wants his coat back.

 

[MisterCairo]

Do not adjust your set...

The Sixth Doctor called, and wants his coat back.

 

[sheeplady]

Intriguingly, for everyone I've ever known who spoke derisorily about "the suits", when confronted with a bank manager in open neck shirt and jeans, they complain he's unprofessional (even if that's what they're wearing themselves). I do sometimes have the feeling that we might be seeing a glimmer of the beginning of the end of the notion that to be a Big Success means to dress way down at all times to make a show of the fact that you no longer need to dress to impress anyone else. I find that just in some corners it's beginning to become as outre as conspicuous consumption.

I'm not sure how my parents would've felt about a bank manager not wearing business professional... it could have gone either way.

In my line of work, I find I often am dressing down to do my research and some of my consulting work (I run my own business on the side). People have a lot of assumptions about those in the academy and I find a simple dress, no jewelry, and nothing too class distinctive helps my participants feel a bit more comfortable with me. I work a lot with older adults around tech issues, and showing up in a suit would make many of them leery to even talk to me... I'm already young enough they think I won't listen to them, so I try to look as deferential and equal to them (as far as dress) as I can.

When I actually interact with clients, I suit up, but I never go into the field to interact with practicioners or older adults with a suit on. I don't want respect, I want honesty.

 

[MisterCairo]

Most of the backlash against Business Casual in the City was on exactly that point. Traditional businesswear was an easier uniform.

Canada's military HQ (such as it is) started out a charity-based casual Fridays, first allowing civilian employees to wear jeans (otherwise verboten) and then, certainly to my horror, allowing uniformed military personnel to wear "business casual" civilian attire on Fridays.

Why anyone joins the military in the hopes of not wearing the uniform 20% of the time baffled me.

The problem of course - what was "acceptable" "business casual". For both men and women, what was too casual, too short, too revealing, etc., etc., etc. became problematic.

Guys started wearing suits and ties or "Just" a collared shirt and tie.

Thus dressing more formally than had they simply put on the issue trousers and short-sleeved shirt they wore on Thursdays...

 

[DocCasualty]

I think the first time I became aware of 'counter-culture' becoming mainstream was when I saw Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show wearing a neckerchief or bandana instead of a tie, or a nehru jacket instead of his usual. I guess I thought it was cool, but I knew it was a noticeable difference (hey, I was young). I couldn't stop looking at it.

Interesting that I can't find a picture of him in the neckerchief. Maybe it's something everyone would like to forget. haha

Or how about this monstrosity of the early '70s:

Here you go, Johnny wearing a scarf hawking his own line of clothing:

 

[BlueTrain]

A bush jacket is still considered fairly dressed-up clothing in some places. But not with a scarf.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Lose the neckerchief, and that jacket wouldn't have drawn a second look in 1949.

 

[DocCasualty]

A bush jacket is still considered fairly dressed-up clothing in some places. But not with a scarf.

I remember when those multi-colored scarves were all the rage. I think I have a 5th or 6th grade picture wearing one.

 

[Fading Fast]

Lose the neckerchief, and that jacket wouldn't have drawn a second look in 1949.

What about the sleeveless jumpsuit underneath it?

 

[Stanley Doble]

Neville Shute told a funny story about office rules in England in the 1930s. In his aircraft factory the rule was that office staff was called by their last name.

That was fine until they hired 2 young ladies, cousins, who were both named Barton.

One of them bred King Charles spaniels so she became known as 'dog Barton'.

This soon became Bitch, as in "Bitch would you take a letter"

Perhaps Mavis and Ethel wouldn't have been so bad after all.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

One particular member of the Bean family is very strongly disliked by most of the natives along the coast, and there's a lot of us who'd rather eat a deep-fried Maine Hunting Shoe than put one more penny in her pocket.

That's funny. And true.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

L.L. Bean himself initially resisted the idea of a woman's department.

I'm curious as to what your source is for this? I'd never heard that before.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I am reminded here of a book about buying a house in the country, written around 1940

Do you mean RFD written in 1938?

 

[BlueTrain]

It's in L.L.Bean's story, a book I received for Christmas a few years ago. Not sure of the exact title. I think there was an older version of their history, too, as well as L.L. Bean's own guide to hunting, camping and fishing published around 1940. It's really a useful little book.

You realize that in the grand scheme of things, L.L. Bean is not really that large a store. I believe Cabela's is much larger.

 

[BlueTrain]

About the book about buying a house in the country, I'll have to check. There is also another book about a house in the country, published post-war. I think both books are New England oriented. The later book is almost right wing in temperament.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

It's in L.L.Bean's story, a book I received for Christmas a few years ago. Not sure of the exact title. I think there was an older version of their history, too, as well as L.L. Bean's own guide to hunting, camping and fishing published around 1940. It's really a useful little book.

You realize that in the grand scheme of things, L.L. Bean is not really that large a store. I believe Cabela's is much larger.

Thank you.

L.L.Bean is iconic and international. Cabela's is a relative newcomer. I don't know what the sales volume is side by side.

 

[LizzieMaine]

What about the sleeveless jumpsuit underneath it?

In the 1950s, real men didn't need sleeves!