MIDWAY MAYBE?
Can the terms “casual”and “formal” be blended in some way?
The makers and marketers of men's suits report a modest rise in the movement of men's suits in the work-a-day world. One source of that observation credits George W. Bush with re-establishing a mood of formality in our general business affairs. Others,of course, blame him for doing so. One major Wall Street firm has quietly issued an order saying that all male employees with return to wearing suits as in days of yore. The student body of the University I attended before World War II required coat and tie at all times – both winter and summer. When I returned to school after the war, the G..,I.. was both credited and blamed for changing that mode of dress. We went from formal to floppy.
By that time, however, I had grown used to wearing a suit or slacks and sports coat and to this day I don't feel “right” without a coat, necktie and I have even worn cowboy bolo strings to so I can have a feeling that something is where a tie should be. Yet, in spite of it all, I like casual wear when it is suitable.
A slovenly dressed person at the store counter is not exactly an inducement for a customer to step up and inquire about a suit or tie. In some areas of the country is seems that the men and women often dress as if they are participating in some sort of contest to see who can put together the most outlandish outfit. I've seen some real “doozies”, too ...any one of which which seem to merit a First Prize.
For a time sweatshirts were the prevailing dress and just about every sentiment imaginable has been printed on them in full color back and front by the millions. That phase gave way to tea shirts.
Shoes demanded special attention from the start. For a time scruffy was sufficient but once canvas, plastics and foams took over there was no resemblance to shoes other than the fact that were attached to the bottom of feet as pads, stilts or weaponry. Thick, elongated laces were required and they were usually worn untied.
One of the most noticeable features of casual style in that era of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, will be the simple “baseball cap”a popular sport of the era. The curious thing about people wearing baseball caps is that most of them are worn backwards.. They seem to be be permanent, as well ..never removed regardless of the occasion. The long peaked brim at the usual front of the design is there to shade ones eyes from excessive light and it allows baseball pitchers to focus on a controlled area excluding others when pitching to cross the narrow home plate. There seems to be no ready explanation as to why so many people wear baseball caps backward as they squint at you in bright light. It has been said they are worn that way to prevent sunburn and people cannot call one “redneck”. It has also been said the reversed bill catches bird dropping prevents any false punctuation being accidentally added to the social statement printed on the back of your tea/sweat shirt.
A L.M. November 14. 2003 [c562wds]
