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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Dressed To Impress!

Throughout my adult life I have continuously been amazed by the ever declining need for people to "dress up." Over the past year I have noticed it even more. Whether we were attending an evening performance of Les Miserable at the theater, at a wedding, or even a funeral...a good majority of people are dressed casually and sometimes in plain jeans and t-shirts. It seems to me that attending a "special event" has lost it's special-ness.

Ever since I was little I have always preferred dressing up to dressing down, skirts over pants, and heels over flats. I have always thought that attending special events required dressing up as a sign of respect...respect for the hosts, other guests, and the event itself. I also think it would be nice to be able to wear a nice dress, bought for a wedding, more than once. It seems to me that the lazier our society becomes, especially when it comes to physical appearance, the less respect we hold for other people. I have always held the belief that etiquette, and morals/ethics are intrinsically connected. With the decline of one, comes the decline of the others. Consequently, if someone is dressed like a bum, then they can't complain if they are treated like a bum, and vice versa.

Here is a picture of my Grandfather at an event for Cadillac in Detroit.
Have you ever noticed how nice images of 1950's parties are? Everyone is always dressed so elegantly, talking, dancing, playing adult games, and enjoying each other's company. If you are spending an evening with people you really like, and enjoy being with, wouldn't you want to look your best for them? Going to a social event in clothes you just threw on, with barely any thought on what your hair or face looks like, with the attitude of "I don't need anyone's acknowledgement, and/or approval" is such a pessimistic way to live life. In fact, studies have shown that people who put more effort into their appearance on a daily basis have more confidence, interact more positively with other people, and are generally happier with themselves. Now, I'm not saying there aren't occasions for a more casual appearance (picnics and barbecue's, girl's nights in, shopping with friends, etc.), but I think it would be so nice to see people put more effort into their appearance... especially for special events.

How do you feel about dressing up? Would you like to see a revival of 1950's style cocktail parties, or you rather everyone dress more casually?


8 comments:

  1. I love, love, love this ... I am so tired of seeing boys with their boxers and their pants down to their knees ... Girls going out in the pajama bottoms, or with their asses coming out of their pants... Very good post, excellent topic !!!

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  2. I do like seeing pictures of gentlemen in suits and ladies in dresses and wish today's society was more like that! But I never feel comfortable in a dress - I always feel fat. I think I need to put more effort into finding dresses that fit and also lose weight, hehe.

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    1. Jacqueline,
      Not every woman is comfortable in a dress, and there are plenty of very nice pant suits for women. However, it may be a good idea to spend an afternoon trying on different dresses and skirts. There are so many variations in style, fabric, and cut that I'm almost positive you will find at least one you are comfortable in! Make a fun day of it!

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  3. I would love to see 1950's fashion style again, I like to look good most of the time even if I'm just wearing a t-shirt and jeans and also because I make my husband look more handsome ;)

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    1. I dress my husband too! But, mostly because he is color blind! ;)

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  4. I agree, I LOVE looking at old photographs of elegant parties! I wish there were more times/places/events that required such attire, now-a-days. My husband and I both like to dress up, but both work for companies that are very casual. So we end up having a lot of dressy clothes, with no where to wear them!! (Not that we don't just dress-up to go out to dinner from time to time, but thats not something that is done weekly). I vote to bring back the cocktail parties of the 50's!

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    1. Let's start a trend! Vintage 1950's Cocktail Parties... Dress up, or stay home! :)

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