When is overdressing acceptable?

[avedwards]

Let's face it, to wear vintage suits we are usually overdressing. So post when you think it's appropriately to dress more smartly than an occaision may require. For example, are there times when you wear black tie because you have no occaisions to wear your tux otherwise?

I'll start. Today I was meeting a friend in town. I asked her whether I should dress casually or wear a suit and we decided I would wear a pinstripe suit, a grey tie and my grey fedora. I was obviously overdressed as we spent most of the time in the park on a bench talking. I don't regret dressing like that at all. I was called Inspector Gadget by one group of people (since I carried my trench coat with me as it was forecast to rain later on), I was thought to be in the mafia by another (though I started that to prevent one of them snatching my hat) and I was asked if I was a private detective my another. I was also told I was well dressed by a man in a stingy brim fedora and a leather blazer who I complimented first.

So when do you like to overdress?

 

[Dr Doran]

At all times and in all places, but I'll keep the hat in my hands if I'm getting a frequency of dumb comments on any occasion.

But if I'm helping someone e.g. move furniture, I'll dress "workman vintage," not in a suit. That means trousers, workboots, a coarser dress shirt and a cap, perhaps with suspenders, and not necessarily a tie.

 

[Viola]

For me, there's gradations.

It is now acceptable to wear absolutely excreable things in public. For instance, you could make the case it is appropriate for me to wear pajama pants and a tank top and flip-flops to the store, or, better, my "nice sweatsuit." It is over-dressing, by that logic, to wear a nice little floral daydress and a flower in my hair and possibly even heels. But that level of "formality jump" is going to look a lot less goofy than if I wear an evening dress.

For a guy, it's the difference between, say, a tweed or linen jacket, and a tux, which is overkill most of the time unless you are James Bond. But you don't have to be "normal" especially if normal is an XXL sports jersey over XXL cargo pants when you are a L.

I try to stay within a couple grades of the occasion.

EDIT: Doran basically said it. There's times it doesn't make sense to be *formal* but you can still look *nice*.

 

[funneman]

You know it's funny, but since I've been visiting the lounge my whole
attitude has changed. I think I've turned into a snob.

I am disgusted to see a guy in a sloppy tank top, baggy shorts and (horrors) sandals out in public. And this is South Florida in the summer! All I can think of is Carl, the hairy, nasty neighbor on "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."

I wear a suit and tie or at least a blazer and tie to work everyday even though I don't have to. I won't even drive my daughter up to the bus stop without first changing out of my shorts and into a pair of jeans and throwing on a hat. And yeah, I do feel kind of out-of-place picking my son up at his soccer game in full out DB suit, fedora and trenchcoat on my way home from work, but I look a darn site better than most of the guys out there.

I'm with Doran here. I always try to carry off some type of vintagy look, even if I'm going to the grocery store to buy milk. A nice short sleeve shirt with a collar and a pair of jeans with a nice straw hat makes me feel really good about myself.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

I personally love to overdress, and do so wherever and whenever I can...

Have for years. I think its acceptable to overdress, in more settings and occasions than people realize. But it must be truly YOU. This coming from a lady with more than a dozen modern but mostly vintage-inspired full length evening gowns, and there's more if you count the cocktail length evening dresses and all the evening separates too. The important thing is that those clothes actually do get worn on a fairly regular basis. Given that, I'm a full time stay at home mom, and don't have even the necessity to dress for "business" per se M-F.

I've overdressed for virtually every day long before I entered the wonderful, magical world of true vintage clothing, and before I discovered FL. That's why a place like FL and vintage clothing is such a perfect fit for me. Getting into dressing 1940s vintage has added just another facet of the well dressed, well heeled look I already had.

For me, being well dressed (it would be called overdressed by some) and/or overdressed is part and parcel of who I am. I'm more comfortable at an Orchestra concert or a Ball in an evening gown than I would in grubbies (I don't have any grubbies anyway- okay, maybe one t-shirt with a little paint on it tucked away in the garage for painting the fence). I never wear sloppy looking or messy clothes.

As others have mentioned on this thread, I too am sick and tired of the frankly trashy and horrendous way a lot of people dress, even at places such as a church, a dressy music concert or even at the store.

A worst case "casual look" for me- be it washing dishes, trimming the roses or picking up dog food or an RX -whatever- is nice slacks or jeans with a belt, a Gap favorites t-shirt tucked in but more likely I'll choose a RL or RL Chaps linen blouse. Most days when I am out of the house I have on a skirt and blouse WITH pantyhose, nice flats or low heeled shoes. Rare indeed here in Northern California!

I don't dress like any other gal around here, nor do I want to. I've never had a negative comment for being well dressed or overdressed. Maybe I carry it off well enough that it looks very natural on me. Does that make me a fashion/style snob? If it does, good! I gave up worrying about what people thought about what I wore a long time ago.

The way I dress, especially vintage- I feel takes good measure of aplomb and strong character-its not for the timid! It takes guts and maturity to dress like I do, and I've worked on it, researching clothing and fashion for many years. I've been told often I'm an inspiration to other gals. Many gals have come up to me and said they wished they could had the nerve to dress like I do.

If that sounds arrogant to some- its not, just a healthy dose of self confidence, and knowing who I am and what looks good on me.

 

[metropd]

I wear silk top hats and tailcoats in San Diego. I like them, I look good in them, if anyone doesn't like they can sue me. So in fact you all under dressing.

 

[pigeon toe]

I tend to dress down, but still with a vintage/rockabilly vibe. I'm a student (art major, so I'm usually getting dirty) and have a job, so I need to be comfortable and wear clothes that can be washed easily.

But when I do dress up, I tend to reserve the evening/cocktail dresses for night events only, like a date or a special dinner. I tend to wear skirts and blouses, day dresses or light colored fancy dresses during the day. I just think the look of evening wear to go out doing your grocery shopping is a little tacky and over the top.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Raccoon Coat

I think this racoon coat is my limit

 

[chanteuseCarey]

a typical look...

This is not vintage at all, maybe its vintage-inspired a little. A good example of a typical, not even really that much dressed "up" look for me. I've worn my evening gowns in the afternoons to all the California Pops Orchestra's Sunday concerts this season.

Occasionally I'll need to pickup up a pair of panythose, water bottle or some bucks at the grocery store on the way to somewhere, or we'd need to get $$ for the babysitter and milk on the way home- so I have worn an evening gown to the grocery storelol . I guess over the top works for me.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

not me honey...

I like your healthy attitude metropd! You sure you ain't my kid?

I wear silk top hats and tailcoats in San Diego. I like them, I look good in them, if anyone doesn't like they can sue me. So in fact you all under dressing.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

nice!!

love the coat! For a man, I think a full length raccoon coat is as overdressed as one can get...

I think this racoon coat is my limit

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"Hollywood at Home"

Mrs Chanteuse, Oh I think that's the best photograph you have posted, it looks like something from a "Movie magazine" the star relaxes at home, by her gracious fireplace, you need to commission a portrait to hang over the chimney piece! P>S I think the larger hats suit you very much

 

[avedwards]

I wear silk top hats and tailcoats in San Diego. I like them, I look good in them, if anyone doesn't like they can sue me. So in fact you all under dressing.

You make me feel like a slob now as I don't take it further than a three piece suit usually or a dinner jacket on occaision.


As for when I'm just at home or walking around town/to the shop I always wear a long sleeve dress shirt and black or khaki trousers (weather dependant). Usually it's the same if I'm doing outside work such as mowing the lawn. After all, I would wash a T-shirt if it got dirty, so why can't I wash my dress shirt if it gets dirty.

 

[metropd]

You make me feel like a slob now as I don't take it further than a three piece suit usually or a dinner jacket on occaision.


As for when I'm just at home or walking around town/to the shop I always wear a long sleeve dress shirt and black or khaki trousers (weather dependant). Usually it's the same if I'm doing outside work such as mowing the lawn. After all, I would wash a T-shirt if it got dirty, so why can't I wash my dress shirt if it gets dirty.

It is wonderful for me that we live in a time where everyone can make their own standards.

 

[Macheath]

It would seem to me that most of us are following the dress standards of a bygone era, so going by current standards, a lot of us will ALWAYS be overdressed.


Most people today are completely ignorant about levels of formality (and I have to admit, I knew bupkis before I found this joint), and wouldn't think that you were any more "dressed-up" in a three-piece suit than in a blazer and chinos. To a lot of people, ANY kind of tie is dressy. For many that I know, anything above a t-shirt and shorts is dressy.


I think it's all moot, then, and since many of the rules of dress that we follow today are either too archaic or too unknown to matter, you can do whatever you want.


I think it's a wonderful thing that people are no longer expected to dress a certain way except in special functions, and even there, we cut each other a great amount of slack. The undesirable side effect that we are all too familiar with is that people stop giving any kind of thought to what they wear, and ostracize those who show any amount of good taste.


For me, personally, it starts with the suit. Suits were commonplace in the time period that many of us try to emulate, so I think anything more formal than a suit should be called for by either the setting, the occasion, or the company of people you will be spending time with.

 

[metropd]

It would seem to me that most of us are following the dress standards of a bygone era, so going by current standards, a lot of us will ALWAYS be overdressed.


Most people today are completely ignorant about levels of formality (and I have to admit, I knew bupkis before I found this joint), and wouldn't think that you were any more "dressed-up" in a three-piece suit than in a blazer and chinos. To a lot of people, ANY kind of tie is dressy. For many that I know, anything above a t-shirt and shorts is dressy.


I think it's all moot, then, and since many of the rules of dress that we follow today are either too archaic or too unknown to matter, you can do whatever you want.


I think it's a wonderful thing that people are no longer expected to dress a certain way except in special functions, and even there, we cut each other a great amount of slack. The undesirable side effect that we are all too familiar with is that people stop giving any kind of thought to what they wear, and ostracize those who show any amount of good taste.


For me, personally, it starts with the suit. Suits were commonplace in the time period that many of us try to emulate, so I think anything more formal than a suit should be called for by either the setting, the occasion, or the company of people you will be spending time with.

Said very eloquently .

 

[Miss Sis]

I'd rather be over than underdressed.

This is by modern standards, rather than vintage ones. I like to be the dressier end of 'well dressed', always.

This, I LOVE:

[/QUOTE]

 

[avedwards]

You know it's funny, but since I've been visiting the lounge my whole
attitude has changed. I think I've turned into a snob.

My attitude to dressing has changed a little bit as I used to wear suits and hats anyway before I came here, but now I feel more comfortable knowing that there are other people who do this. But rather than feeling snobish I think that if anything I have learned to accept. As well as accepting unusual dressing (overdressed by modern standards) I can accept sloppy dressing more easily as well now. Note: accept, not copy.

 

[Esme]

I always think it is better to be overdressed than underdressed. It is quite embarrassing to be underdressed, but overdressed can challenge the others present to live up to it.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Wearing a suit to work, I would never dream of wearing a suit in my free time, Whenever I see a young person in a suit I think


A. They are due to appear in court

B. Attending A Job Interview

C. Going To/ coming from, a wedding

"I prefer a "Tweedy Brideshead look"