Fashion Statements

From the Department of Just When You Thought Things Couldn't Get Any Stupider comes this report from CNN: Fliers' Saggy Pants, Skimpy Garb, Tests Airlines. This is the picture that accompanied the article ...

Yes, it's a man wearing ... well ... somewhat unusual clothing for an airline flight. For anything, actually.

This excerpt from the article summarizes the point:

Saggy pants, exposed underwear and flashes of skin are getting some fliers in trouble and prompting questions about what's acceptable to wear when you're stuck in a metal tube with hundreds of strangers.

Times are, indeed, changing. So, what does constitute "acceptable wear?"

I'm like most men - under most circumstances, I'm at my maximum point of clothing comfort when I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Sometimes I might dress up a bit and wear a polo shirt. But I understand what's appropriate for the time and place (and for those times and places I'm not quite sure, I have Agnes to deliver the you're not wearing THAT are you? look). I'm even one of the few people you probably know who actually owns a tuxedo.

But more and more, as I watch some people I have to ask myself: what on earth are you thinking going out in public looking like that?

When did people stop taking pride in their appearance? One doesn't always have to look like one's on the way to a GQ cover shoot, but there ought to be some degree of concern about the image that's being presented. Why on earth would any normal person want to slouch down the street with his pants hanging halfway down his backside and his underwear showing, or a baseball cap worn with the bill at a useless and silly angle?

And why would an otherwise lovely young lady want to cover herself with garish tattoos that will someday turn into saggy, bluish-gray blotches?

I enjoy watching clowns, but they belong in circuses.

What are people thinking? Last month, I wrote about the tendency of many people to use ... um ... very loud and very inappropriate language in public - you can read that post here. Where's the civility? Where's the pride in self-image?

I think they're in the same place as courtesy, common sense, and rational political discourse ... all of which will be in increasingly short supply as we approach the 2012 elections. But at least the people running for president will just act like clowns, not look like them.

Check the mirror before you go out. If you would cross the street to avoid meeting yourself, you might want to consider going back and making a few changes.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo