Posted on 03/09/2005 9:47:25 AM PST by qam1
NEW YORK – They've been part of the American "uniform" for years, worn to casual restaurants, house parties, and some workplaces.
But as jeans become more expensive, they are also becoming more ubiquitous, showing up everywhere from Midwestern churches to Broadway shows. Nothing is off limits, it seems. Or is it? Among those who buy high-priced, designer denim or who simply don jeans frequently - there's debate about where it's appropriate to wear them.
The tug of war over jeans etiquette is particularly prevalent in New York City. Here, people tend to be more creative about their appearance, and are often more demanding about how fashion-conscious people should look, says Dannielle Romano, editor at large for DailyCandy.com, a fashion and trends website.
Many 20- and 30-somethings here have theater backgrounds, for example, and often say it's inappropriate to wear jeans to theater and other cultural performances out of respect for the performers and the surroundings (even though the venues themselves have no official dress codes).
"I am all in favor of the current denim revolution that we are having, but I do feel that there are times when jeans should be left at home," says Lisa Kerson, a jewelry designer in her early 30s, whose parents insisted that she look nice when going to a play or traveling on a plane. "I still get bothered when I see people wearing jeans to the theater, ballet, opera, etc.," she says in an e-mail.
Melissa Popiel also prefers not to see denim at the theater, or at an engagement party. To her, jeans are OK for a house party or a casual dinner, but not for traditionally dressy places. "I don't like going to cocktail parties and seeing people in jeans," says the advertising executive, who's in her late 20s.
Ms. Popiel estimates she owns about 15 to 20 pairs, including premium brands, and has paid as much as $200 for a pair.
Many others are also paying big bucks for their jeans - from $150 to $1,000 or more per pair. Celebrities, in particular, are making jeans their garb of choice for appearances on talk shows and at some red-carpet events.
That, say fashion experts, sets the tone for the masses, who are encouraged by features like one in the Jan. 24 edition of Us magazine, "Hollywood's 10 Hottest Jeans," complete with suggestions for buying "premium" denim ($140 or more).
The concept of designer jeans is not new, however. They were also hot in the 1970s and 80s.
Are these jeans made for parties?
Etiquette experts offer few hard and fast rules about jeans, but among them are the obvious: Leave them in the closet when you're attending a wedding, or if your workplace bans them.
"A lot of it has to do with the appropriateness of the kind of jean you're wearing," says Peter Post, grandson of manners maven Emily Post and author of the book "Essential Manners for Men."
It comes down to determining if the jeans are for fashion or work. A pair that you do yard work in, for example, are "probably not appropriate to be wearing to a restaurant that night," he explains.
Mr. Post has seen men show up in quality restaurants wearing denim, which doesn't bother him as much as how sloppy their appearance sometimes is.He recalls seeing a man dressed in a T-shirt and old rumpled jeans. "He hadn't taken any care to step it up just a notch, to say to the woman he was with, 'You know, you're really important to me. I want to look good. I want you to look at me and be proud of me,' " he says.
Dark denim is making it easier for men to comfortably wear jeans in the evenings, especially since black jeans are no longer "in." But no matter how hip a certain style may be, some places are still off-limits.
"I probably won't wear them to a funeral," says Robert Smith, a 30- something businessman in Rockton, Ill. But in the past few years he's started wearing them everywhere else - to church and to most work-related functions.
Not the fabric but how it's used
The good news for jeans devotees is that standards for judging people on their appearance are loosening a bit - at least among women under 40. A recent study by Cotton Incorporated indicates that Generation X-age women (26 to 39) are less concerned about first impressions when it comes to dressing than they were 10 years ago, and more often are taking the approach that "you can't judge a book by its cover." The reverse was true for women boomer-age and older.
Alice Harris, author of the book "The Blue Jean," attributes the rise of jeans to casual Fridays in workplaces, which shifted the way people viewed dressing.
"We've actually gone back to a much simpler way of looking at it," suggests Post of the changing attitudes. It's not that certain materials, like denim, are bad. "It's what you've done with that material."
Sad isn't it? And she had the nerve to say that my entire family, and the entire congregation at my church, including the pastor have no respect for God. Amazing arrogance isn't it?
Who is that?
"In one word: Yes."
You must be worshipping a different God than the one I know.
I think it depends who died... I went to the funeral of a high school friend who played in rock and roll bands, and we wore the t-shirts of bands he had been in and jeans.
We had a dixieland band at my mother's funeral service, and the ladies from her jazz society wore their fancy roaring 20's fringe and sequined flapper dresses to her service becaused they loved her. I wore pink.
I got married on the beach at our home, and made sure to be clear that everyone should dress for the beach, in shorts, sandals and/or whatever would be comfortable for them. It would have been out of place and uncomfortable had anyone showed up in heels only to try to stand on sand, and find there was nowhere appropriate to sit on the beach in a dress.
I dress according to the situation, but there is a lot more depth to it than that. There's being sloppy when it's out of place, and then there's flexibility that fits the person involved.
Unbelievable.
But Jesus said not to worry about what we wear.
"......Amazing arrogance isn't it?"
Yes, arrogant beyond belief. Funny, or not so funny actually, how some people use God's teachings in a perverted sort of way to try and become as my grandma would say, "too big for your britches".
Standards of dress are not arbitrary. There are well-established rules as to what is appropriate in a given situation.
The rules are "well-established" only by rigid and hoary tradition that had its origin in the whims of the likes of Beau Brummel and were enshrined by status worshipers determined to visually distinguish themselves from the hoi polloi.
Or are you the sort who wears a morning frock, then afternoon wear, then dinner clothes, followed by a tuxedo for evening, and finally a smoking jacket for cocktails? Are you seen in public without a hat? If so, you show no class.
Don't know, Did a Google image search and she was the 1st to come up from a non-porno site.
Sad part is that people like her keep people out of church. They kept me out of church for a long time. I hated the people I thought were Christians so much that I even started saying that I was an atheist out of spite. After a while, I started to believe it myself. It wasn't until I found this church that I allowed my heart to melt enough to quit hating everyone I thought was judging me.
"We have a section of the church (like a large walk in closet) which is filled full of dress clothes (for men and women) in various sizes for people who want to dress more appropriately for church but can't afford to do so."
May I ask what sort of "dress clothes" you are referring to? I mean, are there suits and ties for the men, and some nice dresses for the ladies? Or are women allowed to wear nice slacks & jackets?
I don't either but...wouldn't it be strange to see someone all dressed up in a ball gown and wrap at a b all game or something like that? Same would be to see someone in a ball cap and jeans and T-shirt at the opera (which I don't go to by the way). It's not judging...it's just wearing what is appropriate for the event we are attending. I would never wear jeans to someone's wedding. Especially a church wedding. To me it wouldn't show respect for the bride and groom nor the church. That's all. There did use to be certain things people wore to certain events. No one was trying to be mean or judgmental...it's just the way it was and...there really wasn't anything wrong with it. The right clothing for the right event. But...things are different today that's for sure. Anyway, have a good weekend no matter what people are wearing. :)
:) good one.
If it's a Sabbath/Sunday morning meeting, yes. If it's a meeting outside of church, like a church potluck, beach weekend, camp out, etc., No.
Levi Strauss is my tailor. Makes all my jeans for Bullridin' events and rodeos. :)
Yes, but at least they don't have to worship amongst the unsightly.
No, of course not. But the thing is that we have clothes, washing machine, food, etc. right at the church to help the "poorest of the poor" who need them. We don't send people away to the Salvation Army or the Welfare office to take care of their basic needs.
And certainly much of the clothing (men's and women's) of 60-80 years ago is passe. Unless you're going to a gangster-themed costume party or you've got some kind of thrift-shop po-mo thing going on. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Or, evidently, teaching a university-level class to students who are more interested in your shoes than the quality of your lecture. (I certainly hope you brought that issue up in your evaluation of the class, or personally during office hours.)
And sure, I'll bite and say the increased prevalence of body modification is a sign of progress. As conservatives we are not required to reject all forms of expression, pluralism, or tolerance.
That's the key to dealing with weddings, bar mitzvah's etc. Make it clear in the invitation what you expect of the people you invite to the event.
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