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."
darn it, I meant "mentally and physically". Gosh, my mind is working well right now and I'm not even overheated. Scarey. lol
AGGGHH!! I meant my mind is NOT working well right now. Oh heck, give it up Chena. ROFL
Kind words, thank you. I hope that everyone, especially Tamar gets it. I think I was unnesccesirily harsh last night when I didn't mean to be. Her comments about my entire church being disrespectful weren't meant to be mean I don't think. I just don't think she understood why we don't dress up.
I even got to thinking that even the Catholics with all of their high ritual, have run missions similar to our church throughout a lot of history.
Sometimes it's very difficult to not react harshly when being personally insulted. I've been there done that. We ask forgiveness and then move on.
Implying that someone's church is not worthy of God's love, or that their parishoners are not respecting God because of their dress code....well, any person who loves God, and loves their church, would have had their hackles up. And yes, I believe you're correct about Catholic missions. Many denominations have similar missions. What better way to do God's work.
I love jeans. I also love a woman in nice snug jeans and a nice top.
My goodness! It sounds like sleep did a world of good for all of us! Apologies are everywhere! This is a much happier place to be today! ;-)
They were WONDERFUL parents/people;unlike you,dear. :-)
How odd to be bothered by jeans. One of the great things about living in the West is that jeans are acceptable almost anywhere. We dress casually out here. You rarely see people with that pinched wish-I-could-rip-off-these-clothes grimace on their face. It's about comfort, not impressing people with clothes. Men are even beginning to get rid of their ties in favor of bolos. Now there's a great look on a man in this woman's opinion -- jeans and a bolo!
Let the barbarians wear inappropriate clothes,behave like clods,talk filth,and accept anything and everything,but,BUT,those here,who imagine that they are Conservatives and "care" about the degradation of our culture and civilization,yet accept this,had best shut up. They are the ones who are the enablers of the very things they claim to NOT want.
As for me and mine,we'll continue to so the RIGHT thing.
That is NOT why men began to wear neckties. And tied correctly,a necktie adds some color and personality to a man.
It doesn't matter which day you devote to publicly worship GOD;it's that you DO worship HIM and show HIM and yourself respect,by wearing something other than play/work clothes.
Hi, nopardons :) It's a lovely day here and I hope yours is lovely as well. I felt bad last night that you were so upset. I wanted to lighten things up with a bit of humor last night, but after your last post I realized you weren't in the mood for any humor. I don't mind, of course, I just felt bad for you and hope you'll forgive me if I said anything to offend you.
When I was in high school girls wore blouses/sweaters and skirts/jumpers or dresses.
In neither era,were dungarees allowed to be worn in ANY school...from grammar through college and girls were NOT allowed to wear pants.
My daughter NEVER was allowed to wear jeans to school. She went to schools that had dress codes.
The worse one is dressed,the worse one behaves. The more formally one is dressed,the more formally one behaves.
And yes, back in the '50s,the worst problems most schools (though there were exceptions,where kids did carry knives and guns to school!)faced with students,was gum chewing and talking in class.
You aren't "funny",you've added nothing of value to this thread,but yes, some people,like YOU, appear to thoroughly enjoy being irritated and irritating.
BRAVO!
I'm happy for you,that you are having a lovely day. It is bitter cold here and we're supposed to get more snow. So,though I had a lovely day with my husband,the weather is not making me "happy".
No, people don't wear jeans to funerals in Texas.
They are a BIG don't!
I would agree with that 100%.
I accept yours as well. :) Sorry to hear about the cold and snow though. We have snow in the forecast for later this weekend, but hopefully it won't amount to much. Supposed to drop to -5 again at night, but at least the day temps should stay in the 30's.
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