When I was a wee lad, those many years ago, even the bums riding the rails wore suit jackets and hats--often a long time between cleanings, and usually a mite threadbare, but they wore 'em. Men dressed in suits for dinner in a restaurant, and wore suits for indoor work and hats (if not hardhats) for outdoor work.
Things have deteriorated over time. The breakdown seems to have happened during the late 1960's to early 1970's.
I've been working nights lately, doing in-street work on the very busy (and very narrow and winding) Laurel Canyon Boulevard. For a lunch break, I paused for an early breakfast at Jerry's Famous Deli, in Studio City. I've eaten there many times over the years, and though it's a mite pricey, the food makes it worthwhile. Good cooks, fair portions and a New York deli style I learned to value some time ago. And, they're open 24 hours.
Last night (or this morning) I arrived at about 1:00am. Shortly after I was seated, I saw a lovely young woman returning to her booth, directly next to mine, from the bathroom. She was wearing a delightful yellow summer dress, her hair was done nicely and she looked like the kind of girl any man would be proud to bee seen with. The only flaw I could see was that unfortunate predilection many women have to wear their bra straps visible alongside her dress straps. Tacky, but apparently in style with some.
Momentarily, her date joined her in the booth.
This dope was wearing a pair of those atrocious baggy denim shorts--you know, the ones that are so long and baggy that they can be mistaken for jeans for a fat, but very short guy. I blame baxabaw for this sad trend. The short bit of leg that sticks out of these....er....dare I call them garments?--makes them look like Eric Cartman, of South Park fame. Oh, my! To continue the fashion statement, the otherwise good-looking fellow wore a "wife beater" shirt, was fashionably unshaven (fashionable twenty-odd years ago), had his hair cut so short he looked like he's recently taken chemotherapy treatments, and was heavily tattooed on his arms, shoulders and perhaps more.
The contrast was startling!
Now, we all know that many young women are incredibly careless in their choices in men and their lack of feminine restraint in their company. The high numbers of single mothers easily attest to their lack of discrimination and resolve.
This lovely young woman obviously spent a lot of time preparing for her date, and her date looks like he spent the day leaning against a lamp post in East LA.
Women should take the initiative and require that their dates look presentable, be clean and neat as well as polite and respectful.
Darwin was wrong!
Warm regards,
Col. Hogan
Stalag California
6 comments:
You stated, "Women should take the initiative and require that their dates look presentable, be clean and neat as well as polite and respectful."
The knife cuts both ways in that we on both sides should require our counterpart to look presentable, be clean and neat as well as polite and respectful. Your observation was worth noting, thank you.
TF,
In just about any dating (not married) couple, the woman is neater, cleaner looking and better dressed then the man. Of course, there are exceptions.
Also, it's the woman (in a dating situation) who gives the yea or nay. Most women don't have the nerve to say "sorry, you look like a slob," but she can say, "sorry, I have to do my laundry."
"Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man!"--ZZ Top
When the bball gangbangers first started their fashion run, I started calling their new shorts ...skorts. You remember back when we were kids the gals would wear them cause they couldn't wear pants to school. That's another thing that went away. Anyways that's what they remind me of.
I've seen the same thing here. Although usually neither one bother to "dress for success".
Steve,
In LA, working women and actress wannabes (and actual actresses) tend to dress very well for the night club, for parties, concerts and dinner.
Women at the supermarket....well, that's another matter. Sweats and flip-flops (with the required dirty feet) are very common, as are fat women in spandex and elderly women with bright blonde hair. Fortunately, we rarely see hair rollers any more!
As for men, gangster chic is the rule, with sloppy jeans and shorts worn below the butt (what's up with that?) and/or long t-shirts that look like dresses.
The problem is that--with no father in the house--there's no one to teach these guys how to grow up to be a real man.
My friends who sell hats to me know when it started. It started with that fancy hair JFK getting elected president. He would appear in public without a hat. After 1961, sales of hats fell dramatically.
I wear a jacket and hat when I leave the house. Not entirely because I care what anyone thinks about how I look, but almost entirely because I like pockets. A suit jacket or sports coat offers a great many places to...conceal things. Why, I've concealed checkbooks, an entire constitution, two declarations of independence, and quite a few other weapons which would have weighted down my pants to an awkward straddle. lol
You might enjoy discussing fashion and such at http://www.alongsidenight.ar.to/ if you please.
And don't forget what Jefferson said. In matters of fashion, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock.
I suppose is a phase of stupidity or something that the world is going through. Rest assured though, they'll learn their lessons the hard way. To be accurate though, many don't learn, they just keep getting punished for it.
I remember reading a funny one a while ago, you know how some punks wear their pants below the ass and all that, apparently some fool who did this robbed a store or something and the owner caught him outside whilst chasing him because his pants fell down when he was running away and he tripped over them in a heap.
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