State of the Fashion Union
Manolo says, the Fashion Tribes they have another of the State of the Fashion Union round ups over at their most entertaining blog.
One of the favorites from this round up, it is the Fashion Divas exhortation to Look Like the Grown Up!
Probably one of the worst ideas to ever evolve in the workplace was “casual Friday,” which has insidiously snaked itself into “casual everyday,” and it does not improve the work or the image of working women. There was a time, before all this “revolution” in the workplace, when everyone who worked dressed up. Once upon a time, when being a secretary was considered respectable, secretaries dressed smartly and had an air of importance (remember Della Street?). Then somewhere along the line, the position morphed into “just a secretary” and now some ladies feel that wearing “just about anything” is acceptable. A lot of “dressing for the workplace” articles focus on the “professional woman.” Divas, if you are gainfully employed in a company, you are a professional. Dress like one.
The Manolo he could not have said it better himself.
February 3rd, 2006 at 9:01 am
There was a time when everyone would dress up to travel–yes, I am old enough to remember being outfitted, with my mom, for a long planned trip overseas, during which I had to maintain the cleanliness of my little skirt and jacket suit and the neatness of my chignon’d, little girl hair. My mom did the trip in high heeled pumps and a suit dress outfit (suit with a jacket) and both my dad and brother wore suits…all the way over the ocean and then on an interminable train ride after we got off the plane. We were not alone either–everybody was neatly dressed. No one wore jeans or running shoes while travelling back then (and this was in the mid sixties).
I don’t think Business Casual is the real turning point/villain–I think things started to dive long before that. In my mind the aesthetic of faded/worn out jeans with throw-away shoes and strange t-shirty tops started the change way back with the hippies and that’s been slowly infecting things into full blown “casual” fashion statements which include showing up to anything in pajamas and house slippers.
Or worse, pajamas and pumps. I’ve seen it, it happens.
February 3rd, 2006 at 10:10 am
The Annalucia once attended a funeral where certain family members showed up in tank-tops and denim shorts of the cutoff variety. And no, these were not youthful fools, but members of the allegedly Greatest of the Generations.
The Divas of course have it exactly right, and their article dovetails nicely with yesterday’s discussion of How to Dress for the SOTU Speech, Whatever One’s Politics. Sloppy dress encourages slovenly behavior, and is an affront to the eye besides. Worse, it is geared to the Teenage Brat demographic, which means that the Annalucia (who is no longer in her first youth and not as slender as she was before she had the five babies) is often faced with the fashion choice of Slutty or Dowdy, neither of which appeal to her.
Fortunately she has the Mr. L.L. Bean and the Mr. Land’s End, who sell the sweaters and trousers of sufficient sleekness and clean line so that she may go out properly dressed for every day. In short, she feels that there is so much ugliness in the world, that the least one can do is to refrain from contributing thereto.
February 3rd, 2006 at 10:37 am
Today is Friday. In my place of business, this means one can wear whatever he or she chooses. Sadly, this has spilled over into the rest of the work week… My department recently held a meeting regarding the need to dress a little more professionally during the week.
I have just seen one of my coworkers come in this morning wearing an oversized SeanJohn sweatshirt, mesh track pants and yes, flip flops. Even though it is Friday, perhaps the “casual” part has gone a little too far here?
February 3rd, 2006 at 11:27 am
The Texasexile toils in an office where alot of the females come in looking as if they dressed for a quick trip to Walmart (the Texasexile believes that Walmart is the apex of evil - but that is another topic). A lot of these people make in excess of $60k per year and can well afford to outfit themselves properly. Alas, bad taste or worse, no taste prevails. The few of us who are well dressed must survive amongst a majority that believes that Dress Barn is the height of fashion (and those outfits are only to be worn on the Easter Sunday or the special occaision). It is an affront to my sensibilities. After six years, I try never to notice what most people here are wearing as a matter of self preservation.
February 3rd, 2006 at 2:25 pm
LaBellaDonna sorely misses a dear friend who labored in the prison cell next to her at their place of the business. La BellaDonna is subversive by nature, and the young man had the merry sense of humour; between them, in their little section of the office, they instigated the “Dress UP Friday,” and they would take the extra-special pains with their attire, when the rest of the firm would be ambling in the shirts of the polo and the trousers of the dockers.
February 3rd, 2006 at 2:44 pm
I believe that part of the problem is that people are not aware that dressing sophisticated makes one feel sophisticated. I work from home and still choose to put myself together in the mornings and to wear the appropos footwear. I mean, what if I am called out of the house suddenly or simply need to walk to the drugstore? I don’t want to look like some sort of hobo.
February 3rd, 2006 at 3:35 pm
I never cease to be amazed at the things people will choose to wear, be it the work place or elsewhere! But Never teh Bride makes a very valid point, also if one dresses seriously one is taken seriously. A point which more people should take note of. There is nothing wrong with looking like a grown up woman. Especially if you ARE one! The number of women I see every day my age that should be taking their teenage daughters to the proverbial “teen slut store” in the mall- NOT SHOPPING there grows alarmingly! Could I wear the low riders with the crop top? Well not so humbly- yes I could -with no muffin top effect, thank you very much.. Should a woman of my years and dignity be caught dead in public in such an ensemble? I think not. Nor should an adult woman be seen in the “Sponge Bob” pajama pants with the the matching slippers at the grocery store.. or any where outside the boudoir for that matter.
February 3rd, 2006 at 3:50 pm
When I was in junior high school and was worried about overdressing for an event (and therefore not seeming appropriately cool and oh-so-above it all), my mother imparted to me this wisdom:
“So what if you are a little overdressed? What’s wrong with being the nicest-looking one there?”
I still repeat that to myself to this day.
February 3rd, 2006 at 7:08 pm
“Casual Friday” is such a corny concept.
I think the clothing industry pushed the idea, imagining the peoples would buy special clothes to wear only one day a week. Of course, what happened is that the peoples said the hell with that, I’ll just wear what I usually wear on my days off and what they wear is godawful.
Blech.
February 3rd, 2006 at 8:24 pm
The Divas are honored that the Manolo chose to highlight their observations, and the austute observations of his many readers are on the mark! Perhap there is hope! Being somethings of the subversives ourselves (in the most fashionable way, of course) we love the La Belladonna’s suggestion of instituting the subversive “dress UP Friday”!
February 6th, 2006 at 3:34 pm
Yes, down with casual Friday! I think it is on the wane anyway (after corpulent corporate lawyers realized that they looked like beached walruses, no matter how expensive the turtleneck sweater and tweed jacket). The way to send it right over the cliff is to refuse to abide by it. Yes–Dress=Up Friday!
I think that teen (and post-teen) fashion magazines have a lot to do with the ghastly way that so many dress these days. Have you opened “Seventeen” or “Glamour” recently? Those magazines actually encourage young ladies to wear those horrible combinations of raggedy jeans, sneakers, multiple layers of too-tight T-shirts and jackets that don’t go together, “roadkill” fur purses, and cheesy bling that is today’s uniform, not just for the young but for their middle-aged mothers, ever in quest of the fouintain of youth, as well. What ever happened to fashion magazines as arbiters of fashion?