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Posted on 03/28/2026 6:42:05 AM PDT by DoodleBob
Several years ago, I joined some friends on a trip to Mackinac Island, a place famous for its Victorian culture and ban on automobiles.
After bicycling around the island, we decided to splurge and have tea at The Grand Hotel, which is as polished as its name sounds. Before trooping in for tea, however, we stopped in a nearby restroom to exchange our sports clothes for something a little classier, for the hotel requires its patrons to dress up before entering its domain. Such a change was a bit of a bother, but in the long run, it made me value my experience far more. Because my outward appearance was more polished, my inward self could relax and savor both the food and my surroundings.
The good ol’ Grand Hotel isn’t alone in its dress standards anymore. Ruth’s Chris Steak House recently announced a new dress code for its patrons, posting the following on its website:
BUSINESS CASUAL – PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED PLEASE.
Kindly remove all hats when entering the restaurant. Guests wearing ball caps are asked to dine in the bar/lounge.
The following attire is not permitted in our dining rooms:
Gym wear, pool attire, tank tops, clothing with offensive graphics or language, revealing clothing or exposed undergarments.
The famous steakhouse was mocked for these (rather minimal) standards by fellow restaurant chain Chili’s, which claimed that you only have to be dressed in order to enter their restaurant.
It’s an admittedly touché response … but does it really win Chili’s any points in the long run? Put differently, if money were no object, would we rather go to the trouble of dressing up to sit and enjoy the upscale Ruth’s Chris than go to Chili’s just so we can bum around in our shorts and t-shirts? Most would choose the former without question.
Some might consider this snobbery. The dress controversy between Chili’s and Ruth’s Chris, however, is really a microcosm of the larger culture war which has raged over of how we present ourselves to the world for years.
The viewpoint of Chili’s is the one toward which our society has been slouching for many years. “Come as you are,” they say, “we won’t judge!” Thus, what once was considered acceptable dinner attire – a nice dress for women and a sport coat for men – gradually morphed into jeans and a blouse, then booty shorts, crop tops, or sweatshirts and pajama pants.
Americans cling to such clothes, loving the comfort that they bring above all else. Yet at the same time, we also complain about how difficult it is to get ahead in the world and how hard it is to get others to respect us. What if the two are related? Might we see more success in our relationships, jobs, and other aspects of life if we didn’t cling so obstinately to the Chili’s dress code of “anything goes”?
Famed Hollywood costumer Edith Head would have said yes. In her book, “How to Dress for Success,” Head wrote, “No matter in which direction your strivings for success are pointed, what you wear and how you look can make the difference between moving steadily toward your goal or just rocking back and forth in the same spot.” In other words, if you want monotony and stagnation, keep choosing those casual, comfortable clothes when you go shopping, dine at restaurants, attend church, or even go to the office.
But those who want to move forward in life should consider a different tactic. Although it sounds a bit crass, Head encourages us to think of ourselves “as a product” that needs selling. And in order to sell that product, one must seriously consider how to improve it.
“The difference between ‘packaging’ you and a static product like a can of beans is considerable,” Head goes on to explain. “The beans are going only one place. You are going many places, and the way you look in each special situation, at different times of the day and on varied locations calls for a variety of looks, a number of moods and a diversified wardrobe.”
If we can control nothing else, we can always decide how we dress, Head says. “When you know what you want out of life—the areas of success you desire—then it is easy to dress ‘in character’ to create the most exciting, pleasing, attractive appearance for your audience.”
Yet so many of us do the exact opposite. What, after all, do our sweats, ripped jeans, and skimpy shorts and shirts say about us? Do they signal that we are a “product” that is clean, neat, alert, responsible, and quality material worthy of advancement … or do they signal that we are dumpy slobs, more interested in lazing through life and getting by with minimal effort?
It’s completely our own choice as to which of these options we’ll follow … but just remember, that choice may be the difference between a Ruth’s Chris or a Chili’s life.
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how about Ridge Cut, Carhart, Ariat etc. Work Boots for real work, imho.
For many guys finding a suit that fits is near impossible unless you have one completely tailor made from scratch. Today’s clothes are made for a few sizes fits most approach. Try finding a suit with 45 jacket,36 waist pants with modern fit and long rise. Even the more expensive so called custom tailored suits are not tailored.
Or go to court. I’ve been to court several times this past winter over someone trespassing on my property at will. I was dressed casual, but still looked like I just stepped off the cover of Gentlemen’s Quarterly. The judge was looking at me like who the **** is this guy, lol. I believe he thought I was from the state and monitoring his court. And yes, I still continue to be a victim. He’ll be seeing me again.
My favorites brown shoes:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=clarks+trek+shoes&ia=images&iax=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.80scasualclassics.de%2Fimages%2Fclarks-originals-desert-trek-shoe-tan-leather-p15401-85722_medium.jpg
A woman can wear a dress and still look like a ho because the dress is too tight or skimpy.
A man could wear Dockers that are way too big and just let them fall down below his crack.
See? It’s not the clothes. The problem is with the people.
Similar to, “It’s not the guns, it’s the criminals”.
Americans need to return to God.
I instead appreciate people having the freedom to let me know what they're thinking and not hide behind a suit.
The worst people you see in your daily life wear a suit - hacks on television wearing a suit to aid them in their charade, pretending they're an authority on something, while lying to you.
I’m willing to accept boots as office wear when there is snow and salt all over.
Otherwise, boots in a white collar setting is no different from people wearing flip flops to a department meeting.
I believe it stems from a lack of respect for anyone. You don’t have self respect, so you dress like a slob. You have no respect for others by dressing like a slob where everyone else is appropriately dressed. You see nothing wrong with wearing pajamas around others wearing suits. It is their problem, not yours. Nobody cares anymore. I never liked wearing a necktie, but I wore one when it was called for. Best I can do is ignore the sloven. It is almost like a team uniform at this point. I avoid the hoodie wearing crowd over those who wear suits, but even then I tend to avoid those wearing bow ties (unless also wearing a tuxedo).
Every year I watch Ken Burn’s Baseball.
The archival footage is amazing.
Forget the narration, there is a history lesson to be had in just looking at the still photos.
So many folk wore a white shirt and tie with a suit coat to the games even in the hotter months.
Had a hat on not a baseball cap.
Now people dress in the team “merch” as it is referred to.
Pay silly money for jerseys when they could have used the money to buy something tasteful.
I admit to wearing a baseball cap with a team logo of a team I don’t particularly support.
I chose the cap because I like the neutral color of taupe and the light blue NY logo.
I actually bought it over twenty-five years ago as it’s a New Era Fifty-Nine all wool Made in the USA.
I let the kid who sold me the cap at store at the mall that just sold caps sell me a “cleaning” kit to go along with cap.
In those days I think that was called a upsale and the kid probably scored brownie points.
Later I thought that was foolish of me.
Little did I know that it would keep a 25 year old looking pretty good for that long.
“In before people post about dressing up to fly back in the day. So strange how people keep selling this outdated dress uncomfortably mindset. Form over function.”
Form over function, eh?
Every time I fly I wear a sport coat: The inside left breast pocket holds my tall leather wallet with my passport, printed itinerary, rental car documents and a printed ticket...my wallet is in the other inside breast pocket, the outside coat pockets are for miscellaneous and a money clip with small bills for tips.
That’s FUNCTION with a BIG F for you.
I’m a 500,000 miler with Delta and have spent more time in First Class than coach over the years...
If you dress nicely people are nicer to you...
Maybe I’ll regale you about the time Dennis Quaid helped me with my carry-on bag while I was exiting seat 1 - A at BZN someday...
To be fair, if you're a tech guy, you don't want to wear a suit.
“America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between.” - Oscar Wilde
Edith Head was right: at least among strangers, you are marketing yourself and your clothing defines you. Even if you are wearing a uniform which is designed to make everyone’s appearance the same, how you wear it and its quality are what people will notice and form their initial judgment of you on. Take, for example, the tuxedo, which is intended to function exactly like a uniform. The fit and quality of the material, and the subtitle choice of accessories, elevate one from appearing to be on your way to the senior prom to being James Bond.
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