Evolving Dress Code

Tied up.

If you saw me now, you would hope I'm not going outside like this.

I dress down more often than a few years ago. Society is more casual, and that even shows on Sunday Mornings.

The “traditionalist” side of me yearns for a more rigid public dress code.

Many travelers miss the day when passengers dressed up a little higher and elevated their conduct as well.

One look at the refugees boarding an airplane makes one wonder where the camp guards are. It is not only their attire but also their co-occuring behavior.

I recall when a captain denied boarding to a man whose tee shirt was printed with a stream of vulgarities.

In that day the airline captains could deny boarding to anyone for any reason, or none at all.

It is sad that people go out in public looking worse than “The Goat Man.” (If you are unfamiliar with that highway traveler, we need to talk.)

People knew “The Goat Man” was outside of town before they laid eyes on him.

It is hard to put my finger on the date when people started boarding airplanes dressed in what they wore on the back porch, but by the 1990's it seemed that folks didn't care how they looked and were perceived accordingly.

Not only air travelers dressed up but people traveling by rail wore their finest. I think it had to do with self-respect and respect for fellow travelers.

Some Sundays I wear a tie and am one of the few who do.

I favor bow ties over the classic neck tie – “foulard.” I still have ties from the 1970's and even kept a few of my father's, and they contain enough material for a “hijab.”

Some men think a bow tie is hard to knot, but it is far less taxing than it looks. It is the same knot you mastered when you learned to tie your sneakers.

A secret element of why some men prefer bow ties lies in that you never adjust it perfectly horizontal. If you keep the bow tie crooked, some woman will straighten it for you.

I tried to convince a young man to take up bow ties when he had to dress up. He wasn't enthusiastic until I told him that if he wore it looking crooked, some gal will straighten it for him, and she automatically becomes “a candidate.”

I asked a retired cop if he had ever arrested a guy wearing a neck tie. He thought for a minute and said, “Not a lot.”

I asked if he ever arrested a guy wearing a bow tie and his response was, “Never.”

That should do it right there. If you want to avoid cops, wear a bow tie. If you want to attract women, wear the bow tie crooked as if you got dressed in the dark.

joenphillips@yahoo.com