Everything is more informal now. People used to wear jackets and ties to college football games back in the day. However, more formal wear would have been uncomfortable in the heat. Graduation Day wasn’t too bad but the day before on Family Day, the weather at Parris Island was brutally hot and muggy with mosquitoes bouncing off us.
I didn’t mean to offend you personally about the dress, since everyone seemed to have the same idea — “when in Rome...” Just making a general observation about American society’s dress code. I’m sure it was hot.
Back in the day, the men would wear a short-sleeve dress shirt with no tie and lightweight trousers made of cotton or linen.