<p>This thread is hilarious. I guess I will add my two cents to the FORTY-FOUR pages on sweats as attire on college campuses.</p>
<p>I remember vividly the days when I wore my sweats 24-7 as a grad student cranking out major papers. I have no shame. I think it’s a riot than anyone visiting campus on one of those days would have thought less of me. pfffffffft.</p>
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<p>oldfort – Does that mean that if they are asked to dress up for picture day (which most schools seem to request), it is not normal to wear dressier clothes?</p>
<p>No, the reason a school would request sweats is because if they don’t ask for a specific type of exercise clothing, some students won’t wear clothes that are practical for exercising. That doesn’t mean that sweats are not normal school clothing; it just means that they are specifically needed on that day.</p>
<p>But to some people even wearing them anywhere outside of gym class, including academic classes is offensive. They aren’t going to look any different on the kids today than they would on a college kid wearing them “just because”. That was the point.</p>
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<p>This is true, but so what? If you don’t care how other people feel about the clothing you select, then there is no reason for you to care if they are offended by your choice. Why do you upbraid them for feeling offended?</p>
<p>Because I think being offended by clothes is just silly. It’s judgmental and could even be cruel, depending on the circumstances of the wearer. It’s fine to have opinions on how people look-everyone does. But to be offended to even have to SEE clothes that are not one’s norm and to have hurt FEELINGS for having to put up with them is kind of over the top for me.</p>
<p>Okay. Why do you get to judge the validity of my feelings as “silly,” but I am not allowed to judge the choice of your clothing as “silly?”</p>
<p>I think there’s a HUGE difference between feeling “personally offended” by someone’s clothing and thinking it’s silly to wear this or that or to think that what someone thinks is silly. </p>
<p>You can judge clothes as silly all you want. I do it when I see people dressed up in funny clothes- heck, I saw someone dressed up as a Leprechaun last week around campus and I definitely got a good chuckle out of it- but it’s quite another thing to be personally offended.</p>
<p>So there is a rule that I can think clothing is silly, but I am not allowed to be offended by it.</p>
<p>No. An opinion is not a rule. I gave an opinion. There’s a difference and really I think that’s the crux of this whole thread. Some people think their opinions are hard and fast rules.</p>
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Probably not, just like it is not normal to wear sweats to school everyday. But maybe it is normal to wear a pair of jeans/pants/skirt and a top.</p>
<p>I’ll give an example of a time when someone’s clothing offended me. This morning on my way to my office in a corporate setting I passed two women who hold similar jobs. One was wearing a red tailored suit with a cream blouse, and I briefly admired her look as I went by. The other woman was wearing black leggings, black flats, a clingy cotton grey dress, and a racer-back shirt or bra was showing on her back. Why did this offend me? Because I don’t want to be able to see every nook and cranny of an older woman’s body just because she chose to wear comfortable and strechy clothing, on top of that none of it was appropriate for our work setting. The company has a clear dress code and she is not showing respect to her managers by choosing to disregard it. </p>
<p>Anyway, nobody here from the no-sweats crowd is saying they will ever verbally express their thoughts to someone who’s clothing offends them. We are just pointing out that plenty of people will judge you for it.</p>
<p>oldfort – When I said “dressier clothes” I was actually talking about a collared shirt and jeans vs. a T-shirt and shorts. “Dress clothes” would be like one’s Sunday best. I guess definitions vary depending on where you are.</p>
<p>romani,
Is it not obvious that everyone’s evaluation of the “appropriateness” of attire is merely opinion? Is someone anointed with the power of deciding whose opinion is valid and whose isn’t? No. No one on this thread said their opinion is a hard and fast rule.</p>
<p>FYI and advance warning: if you wear a T-shirt that says “***** Marriage!” to my D’s wedding, I will be offended.</p>
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<p>They also signify character traits which don’t reflect well on the one holding the opinion/judgment…such as being small-minded, judgmental, and acting stereotypically like petty tyrants/bullies many folks hoped they left behind once they’ve left/graduated from ye olde mainstream US high school. </p>
<p>I also feel I have better things to do with my mindspace than caring what anyone wears in venues where there isn’t a dress code for the sake of mere fashionista sensibilities/good appearance sake. More importantly, it’s highly presumptuous it’s the job of other folks in such venues to cater to your fashion/appearance sensibilities. </p>
<p>To me, that’s behavior fits more with a petty tyrant type monarchs and aristocratic-types used to enforce on the lower orders and a factor in why most are relieved such social systems have mostly been consigned to the dustbin of history and heartily mocked.</p>
<p>Then again, many upper-middle class Americans I’ve encountered in the NE who feel the same as Bay does would be happy for the British Monarchy to retake “the colonies” and reign over them. Funny considering most British folks I’ve met either don’t really pay too much attention to the British monarchy and quite a few enjoy mocking them and their groupies…whether British, Commonwealth, or especially American.</p>
<p>I love that after all is said and done, we all might still be on the guest list for Bay’s D’s wedding. Dress code noted! ;)</p>
<p>Cobrat: Really, this notion of equating opinions about appropriate clothing, even strong opinions, to tyranny is utterly jejune. It also trivializes actual tyranny, IMO.</p>
<p>Bay, most people wouldn’t wear a t-shirt to a wedding. That has already been stated over and over and over and over again. We’re talking about things like running to the store or going to campus. We, for the last time, understand the difference between going to a wedding and going to the store or to class. I give up if you can’t understand that we DO understand.</p>
<p>abs, I highly doubt I’d be on the invite list. And if I was, I wouldn’t go. No desire to accidentally offended the mother of the bride at her own D’s wedding ;). I do wish her D the best of luck in marriage though (sincerely).</p>
<p>Fwiw, you’re invited to my wedding. It’s going to be on a beach and my dog is going to be in the wedding. So if you come with some cat hair or even a cat sweater, I won’t be offended :D. Heck, I’ll probably have a little doggie fur of my own stuck to my wedding attire (haven’t decided if it’ll be a dress yet).</p>
<p>Re: school dress codes</p>
<p>The school uniform requirements in this school in Singapore (usually thought of as a “dressier” place than the US) do not seem to be especially dressy:
[School</a> Uniform](<a href=“404 Error”>404 Error)
Note the requirement for white socks and white-based shoes – pretty much means sneakers or athletic shoes that some find offensive, as opposed to dress shoes or “cute flats” or whatever.</p>
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<p>And that’s why I dubbed it the behavior of “petty tyrants” you’d encounter every so often in public if you’re fortunate.</p>
<p>cobrat,
You sure have a lot of hate for people who care about proper attire. I wish I was as non-judgemental as you.</p>
<p>Whatever, cobrat. You seem to live in a very stressful world. I have been in the work world for 31 years, and have encountered my share of a&&hats. I have never observed the level of conflict and “petty” tyranny that seems to have been the norm in your life, starting with your high school days.</p>