Do people dress like slobs today? Or were people 100 years ago just plain and drab?

G-Dogg said:

Maybe they're Goths?

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Are there still Goths ? I don't see them like I used to , I think they are doing something different , and calling themselves something different .

anoop said:

Because washing machines don't work anymore. They are designed to save water and energy which means they are unable to get most stains out. Most clothes nowadays cannot even sustain a hot water wash.

Black is a safe color. It is guaranteed to come out looking clean.

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I think that's a Big part of it . My brother moved to Boston 35 years ago , turned into Johnny Cash down to his underwear , except his attitude . Washes everything on cold . Big Timer , but even off and working out Black ? I don't get it .

Ice-Man said:

The problem today is the clothing is cheap sorry everything is cheap. nothing is made to last.as the saying goes you get what you pay for.
I buy quality yes it cost extra but it lasts. And fits better I have been known to drive a truck. 44 tons upwards wearing a shirt and tie.

As I take pride in myself and how I look. Dressed nice, smell nice, clean shaven. it all goes a long way.
yes I'm 53 years old

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I would rather go for quality that might cost more , but last , and never go out of style , Classic . I drove a Truck , too . Been everywhere more than once . Except SD , I don't think I ever even drove through there that I recall .

ZJ68 said:

Black is slimming.

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It yucks me out , except at funerals . Yep , Slimy .

oc_in_fw said:

What gets me are the idiots who walk around at night wearing black. One place I drive through to get home has dimly lit streets. I can't count how many times I have almost hit someone because I didn't see them.

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I don't get that either . No common sense . Unless you're lurking , or on a mission . Nefarious ... .

I think it depends where you are and what you're doing. I live and work in the centre of a city so most of the dress I see is if not formal, then well put together. My work uniform if you could call it that consists of jackets/blazers and nice chinos. I'll wear wool pants in the winter and a suit (sans tie) if I have client meetings. On a Friday I might opt for a well cut pair of slim dark jeans. This is normal, or at the more informal end of the scale for my part of the city.

In terms of special occasions, we've been to a couple of weddings over the past year. Most people wore ties and jackets. Once again, I think it's the social groups people move in. If you own these clothes because you have regular use for them, you're more likely to wear them. Nothing wrong either way, just different.

What I will say, is that I think the ultra casual/sloppy dress is the domain of the cruise ship passengers we see here over the spring/summer months. I don't begrudge people their comfort on a weekend or holiday but one thing I do hate is the sneaker and stonewash jeans combo. There are plenty of nice, comfy casual sneakers/shoes with good designs and colours, you don't need to reach for your New Balance trainers. Leave those for the gym. Likewise, you can get some pants which fit without a saggy seat of your pants and yes, they are perfectly comfortable.

ZackP said:

Suits and such are VERY expensive, remember that. It has been expensive for me at 19 to buy these things, especially being a not-so-common size, so Goodwill doesn't fair me well. About pants? I wear them to my navel.

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If you shop on EBay, and get something in your size, you can get like-new dress clothes for a reasonable price. If you want it custom-fitted, a good tailor can accomplish wonders. You still end up paying far less than you would for a new suit at a good clothing store.

I teach school and dress comfortably and professionally.

Pretty good look.

Impressive

#284

That man looks well dressed. But...

Look at his teeth also. They look good. He spent pretty much money at the dentist.

Perhaps I am generalizing, but...I believe the way people dress is a reflection of how they feel about themselves. To answer the OPs original question, yes, some people do dress like slobs. I imagine they existed in days past, but uber-casual dress today seems to be the norm. Pyjamas as daily wear seems to be okay in the minds of some. The caliber of dress standards has changed dramatically. Anything seems to go nowadays...and that's fine...but I still like a crisp edged shirt and bow tie, neatly ironed, a vest, dress pants and dress shoes. Or suit and tie. It just makes me feel good. When I was younger I ascribed to the dress as you please philosophy...but as I age I appreciate the niceties of dress wear.

I never saw anything in the past which resembled the "WalMart" shopper of today, you know, the emails you've received with pictures of the slob who happened to be shopping at WalMart? In the old days, no one would have dared go out in public dressed like that!

I have to add one more comment...and I hope it is not too off topic (offtopicus). My wife is forever reminding me that men enjoying looking at a well groomed, nicely scented, well dressed woman....and women enjoy looking at a well dressed, well groomed, nice smelling man. Just food for thought...

lol, you people don't even wanna know how I dress...

I just wear whatever's comfortable. You'll never catch me in a suit or tie. I can't afford them and wouldn't wanna wear them even if I could. They're just not comfortable at all. I dress for comfort, not to try to impress others. I live below the poverty line so I have other things to worry about that don't include "nice" clothes, and most of that stuff is uncomfortable anyway. If I were a billionaire I'd probably still dress the same way. If that makes me a slob, well so be it.

I don't think one needs a suit and tie to look presentable. It's possible to dress comfortably and look sharp, but it takes investment of time and money--have to keep trying different things to see how well they fit one's body, and shopping like that over the 'net can quickly get expensive if the store doesn't offer free shipping both ways. Also, finding clothes that are durable, low maintenance, and look good are hard to find. Add to boot that they need to fall within a certain budget, and it quickly starts to become intractable.

If you know your measurements and the measurements of the garment, shopping online is quite easy.

The clothes are made today is horrible. They don't last and I am not buying the expensive ones.

joeyboy said:

The clothes are made today is horrible. They don't last and I am not buying the expensive ones.

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I take it you are a nudist then?

paintflinger said:

I take it you are a nudist then?

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-1

StillShaving said:

Smoking: Three homeless people from South Ferry doss houses are in Battery Park on June 6, 1941

A leading question, but I believe that most people today dress less well than the generations before (myself guilty). But I can't understand why, given that modern technology has provided new fabrics, better environmental controls (A/C & heating), and less physical exertion than ever before. Today many men wear shorts, graphic t-shirts, athletic shoes, blue jeans, polo shirts, etc. Add some holes or stains then its even better. While in the past even these so-called homeless people shown above are dressed well enough for church. What happened??? Was everyone just a conformist to a different standard 100 years ago, or did textile state of the art mean that everyone was wearing basic white or dark clothing with little choice. Where I incorrectly equate this drab wardrobe as people dressing more formally?

Above photo from How times have changed in New York City! Extraordinary colour photographs reveal 1940s life in the Big Apple in all its glory

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I have a few thoughts on this.

#1....people dress appropriate for their job. You're not going to see the average joe dressed in a suit if that's not the norm for their job.
I could be wrong here but it seems to me that back in the day, there were a heck of a lot more "salesmen" out roaming around and they dressed like it. There are so many more and different occupations now than there was 50+ years ago and people dress accordingly. Instead of having the majority of the people run around in suits selling things back in the 50's we now have a more diverse work force and as said above.......people dress accordingly.


#2. This kind of coincides with #1 but the times have just changed. The way we dress is just one of many things that have changed from 50+ years ago. What we eat, how we eat, the way we communicate, how we work..........ect.


I agree there are a few more slobs now than what there was back 50+ years ago but there are many contributing factors for this.

Looking at the picture I never would have guessed that they were homeless.

The family of the guy who took the opening photo has posted many of them online. Interesting to see where he went and what he photographed.

They posted a second photo of these "South Ferry bums" living out of their flophouse. These were taken on Jun. 6, 1941 so it was before the USA formally entered the war so maybe there was a slack in labor demand, or maybe they had came to city looking for jobs as they look to have strong hands. But the first guy is definitely in need of new shoes, the soles of his look beyond repair. And judging by the 3rd guy "fun" socks are not just a recent modern day trend.



An aspiring student artist liked the photo enough to paint it as well:

For the brown leaf readers, another photo from his collection taken a few decades later, in June 1964 in Austria