Comments on: Linda Grant Replies

By: Eilish

Eilish — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 04:55:20 +0000

To this day when I visit my grandmother, we dress for dinner. Nothing formal, but the men make sure to wear a clean shirt, tucked in, preferably a polo or button-down. All the ladies make sure to fix their hair and freshen up so we look our best (oh, and don’t forget earrings).

When I was young, I thought it was silly, but it is such a nice way to end the day and I love the idea of making sure you look nice for family and friends at a family dinner, even if it is just a Tuesday!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 04:49:46 +0000

While I agree with almost everything Angelhair says in her comment, she does remind me of one of my pet peeves. Why is it that so many top designers do not offer shoes in narrow and wide sizes? I just took a quick look at the Neiman Marcus website to check and found that a beautiful Armani shoe that was featured and another by Christian Louboutin were only available in B widths. Angelhair, better the orthopedic inspired sandals than the cast applied by the orthopedic surgeon to correct problems caused by poorly fitting shoes. So, thank goodness for Stuart Weitzman and Ferragamo for those of us with AAAA and C!

By: jakjak

jakjak — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 01:35:32 +0000

Looking at that picture of Quentin Tarantino, I’m guessing he didn’t dress up because he considers himself “too cool” or that dressing up is too “establishment” for the art crowd. However, I fear the pendulum has swung the other way – it is now so common to not dress up that to be well dressed is to stand out. Being sloppily dressed is no longer a statement its a standard.
Start dressing well people
Vive la Revolution

By: Livia

Livia — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:18:27 +0000

My brother got married in a church. Our entire family dressed up for the occasion. My brother’s friends showed up in tank tops, dirty shorts, and flip flops. Not kidding. I wondered how he could possibly know so many revoltingly incorrect people. Still haven’t figured it out. It really happens.

By: Meg

Meg — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 22:18:17 +0000

At a friend’s wedding, one of the guests – I believe the best man – was actually wearing jeans and a wife-beater. The bridesmaids were wearing flip flops.

The marriage didn’t last long enough for a proper honeymoon. Need I say any more?

By: Tizzy

Tizzy — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:31:00 +0000

*blushes* Thank you, I am very flattered. And I’m very lucky to have the sort of guy who would suggest it in the first place.

However, I should probably clarify that Mr. Tizzy and I are not married. Looking back I bascially said we were (calling him Mr. Tizzy is so much more fun than calling him the boyfriend). It was the anniversary of our first date. Personally, I don’t think this diminishes out classyness, though. Classyness… is that a word?

Also, I am ten kinds of jealous. I want to spend my evening at the Victoria and Albert Museum in a pretty dress. Heck, I’ll spend my day there in slacks. I am all about 19th century British history.

By: linda grant

linda grant — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:23:41 +0000

Here is a link to amazon uk where you can buy the catalogue. I have it and it is well worth the money wich some superb essays and illustrations

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Age-Couture-London-1947-1957/dp/185177520X/ref=sr_1_1/202-0383355-7376605?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190312045&sr=1-1

By: Annalucia

Annalucia — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:46:39 +0000

“…the new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum on the Golden Age of Couture.”

Upon reading this sentence the Annalucia felt her heart begin to race madly. As she cannot realistically hop on a plane to London, she hopes there is a catalog available.

She will add that there is another reason for dressing properly, as vividly illustrated by Mr. P.J. O’Rourke in his essay “With Hostage and H ijacker in Sunny Beirut.” (Fear not, this will not be a political discourse, but a sartorial one.) The PJ was in Beirut in 1986 when some American tourists were being held hostage there (and all were later released unharmed, so do not worry) and at one point their captors brought them to the Summerland hotel for dinner:

“Let me tell you, they looked terribble. I don’t mean they looked abused. They just looked like American tourists do everywhere — elastic-waisted loaf-around slacks, T-shirts with dim slogans and embarrassing place names, waffle-soled sandals worn with socks. These people had been thrust into a dramatic situation with vast international implications and, frankly, they weren’t dressed for it.”

Perhaps this is something that the Aggressively Casual should consider. “If I am ever taken hostage, which God forbid, and my picture is being flashed across television screens worldwide, do I really want to add to my family’s grief and anxiety by appearing in the garb of a tenth-rate circus clown?”

By: Toby Wollin

Toby Wollin — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:26:06 +0000

The president of our company, in his efforts to “raise the level” here has started to dress more formally on Fridays (sort of the “anti-casual Friday”) and let it be known to his immediate subordinates that he expected them to raise their level of dress accordingly. So far…the best I’ve seen is one manager who now wears socks with his loafers. Sigh.

By: ang

ang — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:15:29 +0000

I’m an attorney and this casualness is even seeping into some law firms. It used to be that at some firms, especially big ones, it was a gray or navy suit (had to be dark) shirt and tie were the only acceptable clothes for a male attorney. Female attorneys had to wear a matching suit (no slacks or skirt and coordinating blazer), stockings, and pumps. I am glad it has loosened up some. I love to wear dresses with a blazer and I hate stockings but it is starting get ridiculous. I’ve seen attorneys (all male) show up to depositions in jeans and go to pretrials (at the court w/ the judge!) in khaki’s and a button down or polo. And once I saw a female attorney attend a hearing in Birkenstocks!