Just a thought on the mind set of men and women at the turn of the last century.

[JamieKerr]

Because of my job I attend many many funerals. The standard of dress for such occasions really disgusts me. I can't tell you how many pairs of sneakers and jeans I usually see. On top of that are the bare midriffs, tshirts, and people texting during services. Blech. The majority of people don't seem to know how to dress appropriately these days.

[ccga3359]

But then this is everyday wear. Clothes made from natural fibres principally wool I'd suspect, and I'm sure that those folks back then had more than one suit let alone closets full. Could sweatpants be made with the use of plastics? Could all our cheap clothes? Back then you wore what you had, In the big city like SF suits were the norm. What about the dirt poor farmerr going to the bank in his best, dungerees, plaid shirt, tie and same said bowler.

To see picture of the 1950's where it seemed every man wore suit and fedora and every female wore a full length skirt. I think thats when the well dressed era started to give way to a casual look for a more hurried time. Respect to those that take the time to properly dress today. Rare is the day that I can count as one of those.

BTW I still think that a 1970's powder blue polyester leisure suit with a ruffled shirt is the height of fashion sense.

[SteveB]

BTW I still think that a 1970's powder blue polyester leisure suit with a ruffled shirt is the height of fashion sense.

Grant, I still have one of those in my closet! Slight issue is that I got it when I had a 27" waist.

"Dressing Up" still is appreciated. Look at the heads that turn, and the conversations that start when one is in full traditional Highland kit. The lasses give you a very long look when you have on the Tank, coloured hose with garter ties, well polished shoes, and sporran, a proper waistcoat and jacket with shirt and tie. A properly worn Glenngarry or Balmoral gets more positive attention than a baseball cap or my flat cap.

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

Imagine those ragamuffins who went out in a nothing but a belted plaid and no shoes. I wonder what fashions sweatpants and flip-flop sandals will bring us in 3 hundred years...

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Yes, let’s return to the days of yore. A world lit only by fire.

Life expectancy for men was 45.6 years, for women 49.9.
Likely from an excess of clothing.

Infant mortality?
Educational level?
Length of workweek?
Retirement prospects?

"Mindset" on race and gender and other social issues?

They lived in their manner in their times.

Let us live in ours.

I quite agree with your last two sentences, although I fail to see why graceful behavior and a certain elegance of manners should not transcend generational differences. Simply because our grandparents may have held different views than those popularly expressed today doesn't, in my opinion, excuse the common vulgarity one regularly encounters on street corners, in places of worship, and in film and on television.

[Bugbear]

Post deleted.

[macwilkin]

I quite agree with your last two sentences, although I fail to see why graceful behavior and a certain elegance of manners should not transcend generational differences. Simply because our grandparents may have held different views than those popularly expressed today doesn't, in my opinion, excuse the common vulgarity one regularly encounters on street corners, in places of worship, and in film and on television.

Hear, Hear!

T.

[tulloch]

Hear, Hear!

T.

I second that.

[thescot]

Hear, Hear!

T.

I couldn't agree more.

Pointing out that in the past people weren't perfect does nothing to negate the argument--which had nothing to do with the objections--that people today are basically slobs with poor manners and habits. Wearing clothing which is condusive to only to mud wrestling and jogging does not make one more advanced than his forebears; it only makes him appear sloppy.

Surely one can see that a youthful pride in a slovenly appearance is not in any way socially or morally superior to all other choices of dress. I could point out that the crime rates, murder rates, and general civility were much better than today, but those facts have nothing to do with dress.

And I can assure you that dressing well was not restricted to the white collar classes or people of means in decades past. Even in the late 1800s, my grandfather's uncle, who was a carpenter, would don a suit to go to work. There, he would change into his work clothes, build whatever it was he was working on (and this without power tools, it was draw knives and hand saws), then he would change back into his suit before returning home. My grandfather the railroad engineer, never went to town with a coat and tie.

And the stated life expectancy of 1906 takes in to account the high rate of infant mortality of the day, so it gives a false impression that most folks died in their 40s. Fact is, if you made it past early childhood, you were likely to live well in to your 60s or 70s.

Kind of like today!

[Arlen]

Diane and I were discussing this a few weeks ago.
We were out to dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory and while it is not exactly the most fancy place in the world we still made an effort to dress for dinner. I had nice hose, polished brogues, shirt, tie and jacket. She wore a lovely dress with one of those tiny cardigans that ladies look so good in.
We just had this moment sitting there and realising everyone else was wearing jeans and ball caps.


While I often wear scruffy clothes around the house (Since I do a lot of dirty work in the yard) I do try to dress smartly when I'm going somewhere.