Fun thing to do

[Carole Hill]

One thing that I have enjoyed for many years is attending Xmas concerts by various choral groups. These give me an opportunity to wear some of my nicer outfits. Unfortunately, the current fad to dress casually for any event is all to prevalent. At a recent concert I and one other woman (whom I knew) were the only ones wearing dresses.

[Ginny Jones]

Carol - I went to see "Prescilla queen of the desert" recently at Plymouth Theatre. The women wore a mix of dresses and casual wear. The curious thing for me was noticing that (as far as I could tell) - we were the only CDers there - despite the subject matter!

hugs Ginny x

[Eileen (SO)]

It is a shame that so many people have no personal pride. Attending public events, like concerts, does not require a suit and tie or formal dress. But cutoff shorts and sandals are taking casual too far. I see this in Church all the time, no respect for the venue in which they are at.

Eileen

[Carol Ann]

Eileen,
So sad what you say and I have to agree 110%, growing up my mother made me dress proper at all times except to play outside.

Where I dress to go out for what ever outing I to this day still dress as a proper lady, nothing to drew stares but casual nice.

[Eileen (SO)]

Thanks for the moral support, Carol.
When a little girl, my Grandmother wore white gloves anytime out of the house. We don't have to go that far. While I admit to wearing dress slacks to Church when weather demands, and after house or yard work, I change before shopping for dinner supplies. The husband can go from car work to auto store, after a quick wash up. Public events like concerts, art shows, Village meetings, demand more than clean and casual.
Having a CD husband made it more clear that women, and men, don't dress nicely as much as they should. He has brought back the good feeling of getting dressed up I had enjoyed. For him and friends, trying to blend in is hard to do when you're the only ones wearing a dress. We laugh knowing that the best dressed ladies in a crowd are likely CD's.

Well, I'll do my part to bring back proper attire as mainstream fashion, if you ladies will do the same!

Eileen

[Trudy]

I have to agree with Carol and Eileen here. It seems like we have forgotten when it is time to dress it up a bit. When I was younger you would never see a lady in church in anything but a dress or a skirt, hose, and heels. Now you are lucky if they wear something besides jeans. I understand the comfort issue but it wouldn't hurt to put on a skirt and a pair of nice shoes, they don't have to be 4" heels. My sister and I have discussed this at length many times and while neither of us is ready to go back to the "good old days" perhaps a compromise is called for.

[Karen Ski]

I do have to agree with you ladies. People seem to have taken the casual look a bit far for my tastes. Living here in Southern California and working in the entertainment industry I was exposed to the casual look perhaps well before most of you. Still there was a time and a place for it and when required we put on the suits and ties. Nowadays it is almost shocking to see a gentleman in a suit. My BF took me for brunch at a very nice place this past Sunday. As he is a gentleman he wore a sport coat and nice dress slacks, no tie. I wore a skirt and heels as I like to do with him. I was shocked how many people there were in jeans in this very upscale restaurant! I do believe that I was the only woman there wearing hose. Hopefully the pendulum will swing back.

[Deidre Taylor]

I can't wait foir this casual dressing phase of mankind to end, not soon enough for me! I can't tell you how many times I have gone somewhere like dinner, concerts, etc. only to see people wearing clothes I find almost disgusting! My mother raised her daughters, she had 3 genetic ones and me the youngest who she and my sisters accepted as number 4, to be ladies and we still dress and act that way! I guess it is up tp us girls to show them the way!

[Heather W]

I have very mixed emotions on this one. I guess you could say I was coming at it from 2 different sides. When I am in drab I am the first one to dress to as low a level as I can, jeans and a t-shirt is just fine with me. To me dressing when I am in drab means khakis and a polo shirt. I can't remember the last time I wore a tie.

Then there is heather. Heather loves to dress up and show off! I went to a concert in the park with my one GG friend. She wore shorts and thong sandals. Heather on the other hand wore one of her maxi-dresses and some cute wegie sandals. Not too sure about the hose thing some of you talk about. I do wear hose but it is not an issue to me for dressing up. Call it a generational thing.

[April Rose]

What I hate about men's clothes is that they are so hierarchical. I love it when men dress colorfully, but suits and ties have nothing to do with that.

[OliviaM]

I also lament the dressing down trend. My mother always said if you look like you have money people will treat you like you have money. She always was dressed to the nines and I never saw her in pants or sneakers. Maybe we don't have to go back that far, but there is a time for uber casual and a time to dress for the occasion. I also think it is a generational thing. And a part of the problem, I believe, is that that for the past few decades there has been a emphasis on making men and women the same. Men and women are equal, but not the same. And that's a good thing. In the past, it was the women's responsibility to keep men in line, whether sexually, attire, or behavior. Not only have women abdicated this responsibility, but also they have crossed the line, and in the name of equality, to act as foolishly, whether sexually, in attire, and in behavior, as men. Hopefully the trend will begin to reverse when the right example is given.

Olivia