In Victorian times there was a very prescribed dress code, the window of acceptable clothing was fairly narrow. At least this is the impression I have gathered from the many Victorian novels I have read. I also received the impression that this applied less to the lower classes than those more socially advantaged.
Even in the first part of the 19th century, the acceptable styles were very much dictated by society. There is hardly a man without a hat on in pictures from the 20s, 30s and 40s, if they were outside. Men’s clothing was almost always some dull color. Women had a little more latitude, but not much. I was a teenager in the 60s before mother dared leave the house without her girdle on. Heaven forbid that a bra strap should ever show.
I would not want to go back to those times, but part of me admires the sense of style, the sense of decorum that was present in those eras. Of course, there were many other areas of human behavior that were much too proscribed in those times that are very acceptable now, as they should be. Fill in your own blanks.
Push the slider on your time line to the 80s and 90s and the range of acceptable clothing has expanded exponentially. In my mind I attribute this to the beatnik and hippie cultures of the 50s and 60s. However, yours truly was still a bit of a stickler when it came to clothing. I thought then, and still think now that clothing is a statement of self, care should be taken in your self presentation, that certain clothing is appropriate only in specified places. How you are dressed manages your impression with many folks. I also believe it has a lot to do with maintaining a good attitude. Maybe being super casual all the time is great for self-esteem, but I am not betting on it.
It was along about this time that wearing flip-flops (thongs, chanclas) everywhere became all the rage. Being the old fuddy duddy that I was then and am now, I would not allow my kids to leave the house wearing flip-flops. They may have hid a pair in their backpacks, but they did not leave with my seeing them on their feet. I had several other little quirks about their attire, but that is the one they remember most. Now it seems like the whole world is wearing flip-flops everywhere except maybe, maybe to the office.
Push the slider on your time line the first part of the 21st century. A current trend is folks wearing house shoes everywhere. Many of them, for my money, appear to be wearing pajamas along with their house shoes. I just have to avert my gaze. I cannot for the sake of me get into the mind set that allows that to be acceptable public attire.
Push the slider on your time line to the here and now. When I came back from Mississippi Señora was not well. It continued into today. She wanted to eat something, and the only thing that seemed desirable was chicken noodle soup, a staple we normally have on hand, but not today. Being a fine example of a caring husband, I offered and went to the grocery store to purchase the aforementioned coveted soup.
As I stepped out of the truck in the grocery store parking lot, I realized I had gotten side tracked when I went into the bedroom to change shoes. I still had on my house slippers. After a long and painful struggle with myself, I did not get back into the pickup to return home to change my shoes. But just barely. The whole time I was in the supermarket I wanted to apologize to everyone I met, and tell them I was sidetracked leaving the house and did not change shoes, that this is not how I normally go out in public. Instead I did a Tom Dooley and hung my head down low, avoiding looking at anyone.
Oh the shame…but I suspect I will live long enough to commit other such tonterías.
And so it goes.
Thanks. Now I’ll have the Kingston Trio playing in my head all day. Good thing I like their stuff.
So that was YOU there in the store inappropriately dressed. The shame. The shame.
I’ll have you know, my house shoes are quite fashionable and have a sturdy bottom. However, I still don’t wear them to the store. The front yard, yes. To the next-door neighbor’s garage sale today, yes. But to a store? HA! Off with thy foot!