<p>^^ So sorry if I wasn’t clear. I’m sure you show respect for yourself by choosing clean, neat and well-fitted sweats! Your choice of sweats instead of “dressing up” is fine if that’s the culture of your grocery or class. I might not think that’s the culture–but it’s more than okay if we disagree on that part. I don’t judge–like you said, my opinion as to the applicable standard is definitely just my opinion!</p>
<p>I’m not sure I’ve EVER seen a grocery store where the culture is to dress up in ANY fashion. I suppose if I wandered over to the grocery closest to Bill Gates’ community, maybe…my grandmother lived in a pretty tony suburb of NYC and I ran to the grocery store for her more than a few times. I don’t recall the shoppers there looking any different than in cow-town NH, and the shoppers here in Seattle don’t seem any different than anywhere else, except maybe for the “Bring Back the Sonics” tee shirts I keep seeing with the sweats…</p>
<p>While I like dressing up as much as the next person, the idea (and I’ll say it again for those newly joined in this discussion) that one is disrespectful to others by wearing clothing that is too casual is just odd to me. We’re not talking about walking around naked or unwashed-we’re just talking about casual clothing. That some people find it offensive is of their own making. Sweats don’t make anyone less kind, more dishonest, less personable, more loyal, and so on. They have nothing to do with intelligence or drive. All they mean is that a person views clothing differently that those interested in fashion. That’s all.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I’ve EVER seen a grocery store where the culture is to dress up</p>
<p>I grew up on the Eastside and H & I used to live just south of Bellevue square. Our neighborhood grocery store was the Safeway on Bellevue way. ( we lived in Enatai, just south of BG)</p>
<p>Lets just say that when we were ready to buy a house, we decided to move to a neighborhood that was a bit less formal.</p>
<p>People like to focus on what they want to focus on.</p>
<p>TXArtemis - like your #798 post.</p>
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<p>This does vary by region, city, and neighborhood. </p>
<p>My college town in NE Ohio…almost the complete opposite due to college campus culture and most of the local community outside of the minority employed by the college or few remaining businesses having been largely under/unemployed for so long that the county was one of the two poorest in the entire state in the '90s. Did I mention some Profs dressed far worse than sweats and yet, no issues as much due respect was still accorded to them based on their teaching ability, intellect, and more?</p>
<p>Boston was very student casual to the point that sweatpants and pajamas on campus were somewhat commonplace and more importantly, no one gave a damn what you wore so long as you didn’t come across as a jerk or a potential creepy ax murderer or something like that. In short, unpretentiousness over appearances. Even at Harvard. One of the things I LOVED about that city while living there for several years. </p>
<p>NYC, especially those on the upper-east side, Soho, Village, and other similar neighborhoods tend to have folks who dress very formally to casually walk the street or go grocery shopping. In my old or current neighborhoods in NYC…not necessary.</p>
<p>Soho and Village very formal? Village is very similar to UES?</p>
<p>In terms of being a haven for fashionistas, trendy expensive fashions, and judgmental about appearances, yes. </p>
<p>It’s become a running joke among several recent NYU graduates and a few friends who TA courses there. </p>
<p>Funny part was this happened within the last decade as denizens of those areas were far more accepting of clothing choices back in the '90s and before. Times have changed…and for the worse IMHO.</p>
<p>So where in NYC you wouldn’t find
Not that I agree with you…but if you find people from those neighborhoods are judgmental then where do you find more acceptance?</p>
<p>TXArtemis, I also like your two pennies.</p>
<p>Romani 799 and emaheevul 800 - why do you keep using the term “dressed up” when no one is TALKING about dressing up? What Txaetemis describes in 798 isn’t dressing up. It’s about wearing jeans!</p>
<p>I agree with the erroneous constant reference to being “dressed up.” I think to some people, wearing anything other than sloppy sweats and pajamas must mean being “dressed up.”</p>
<p>“Boston was very student casual to the point that sweatpants and pajamas on campus were somewhat commonplace and more importantly, no one gave a damn what you wore so long as you didn’t come across as a jerk or a potential creepy ax murderer or something like that. In short, unpretentiousness over appearances”</p>
<p>How does one “come across as a jerk” in dressing? I mean, if sweats and pajama pants don’t say anything about one, what could one wear that would paint that person as a jerk?</p>
<p>And I love the choice of the word “unpretentious.” is there something pretentious about being polished, styled yet still casual/in jeans? Because that’s all we’ve been talking about, not tuxedos for the Stop n Shop. </p>
<p>If its “pretentious” to care, then half of Tokyo is pretentious. txartemis 798 is right - the same care that is used here in the presentation of food (absolutely beautiful) is used in the presentation of self in clothing choices (all over the board, from designer to harajuku girls).</p>
<p>Actually, you know what, in that case I DID mean dressed up. As I used it in reference to feeling awkward. ** TO ME ** cute jeans, a cute sweater, a cute top, and cute flats IS relatively dressed up. That is fairly above what I normally wear (which is old jeans, t-shirts/hoodies, and tennis shoes).</p>
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<p>What sometimes passes for jeans around here is often not any nicer looking or dressier than some kinds of sweat pants.</p>
<p>Do people wear jeans to work out? Do people wear jeans to bed? </p>
<p>Do I think some of those very expensive tops which show off someone’s bra is appropriate for everyday wear? No.</p>
<p>People wear jeans to do physical labor, which is often more exercise than what people do in the gym.</p>
<p>People who wear jeans to do physical labor, which means sweating and getting them dirty, probably should change out of them before they go out too. No? Maybe a nice clean pair of jeans. A little bit of common sense should go a long way.</p>
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<p>Things may have changed since the all-important-90s, but one thing I never did see while visiting Harvard is students wearing pajamas. My D told me that most Harvard students were actually quite fashion-conscious, phrasing it as, “Harvard students are competitive about everything, you know, mom.”</p>
<p>If you search google images for “Harvard students,” you will see an array of attire, but none of it sloppy sweats or pajamas, at least that I could find. Granted, most of the photos are of special events, but even the candid photos show most students well-groomed in jeans and nice tops, and collared shirts on the men.</p>
<p>I don’t see going to the grocery store as going out. Many people grocery shop on their way home from work rather than going home, getting changed, etc.</p>
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<p>Regarding the sentence about jerks and coming across like an ax murderer creep…it was just in the context of exhibited behavior, not the way they dressed. </p>
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<p>Agreed. It’s one reason why several Japanese friends who came from other areas where they’re more casual have poked fun at Tokyo and Tokyoites for that demonstrated “pretentiousness” and the much greater expense to be there in relation to other parts of Japan. </p>
<p>Not only that, it came across loud and clear while studying Modern Japanese history from various literary accounts written by those who aren’t native Tokyo/Edo residents. </p>
<p>Not too different in some ways to how folks in other parts of the US put in their digs about NYC or LA.</p>