Why Do You "Dress Up"?

[Berlin]

I love to feel like a lady! I adore the femininity the 40s clothing style gives me.

For random people -especially in my hometown- I might look 'overdressed' cause most people here wear plain jeans, uggs, and some vaguely printed t-shirt and I can only seperate them from the tones of their peroxide hair. I ,on the other hand, wear mostly {I know I know..it's bad} heels and pencil skirts or dresses. Hats sometimes or a french beret or some vintage hairdo. And yes that gives some quirky faces now and then but also alot of compliments. It makes mé feel good the way I look and it makes me feel secure and that's what counts. I have absolutely nothing with clothing from the 70's uptill now and I feel terrible when looking like a slob.

 

[Steveb1]

It is a lost art and I honestly think the world would be a better place if everyone took the time to dress appropriately. If I want to set that example then I have to be that example. I work in Washington DC and I wear a suit or sportcoat every day to work. Some times I'll forego the tie in the summer. It makes me feel good to be well appointed and it makes others feel good to see me well appointed. I am complimented daily and, truth be told, I like the attention from the ladies. I walk through Union Station every day and have been stopped by ladies just to tell me how nice I look. Makes me feel good.

For me there is nothing sexier then a well appointed lady who has taken the time and paid attention to the details. She exudes confidence and it brings out her natural loveliness. I love that. Mmm.

 

[PrairieSunrise]

I suppose it started out of habit. My Mom always wore skirts/dresses, stockings and heels when I was growing up. She always dressed us girls in skirts/dresses as well. I continued to dress nicely once I got older and came to appreciate what it represented. Guys my age don't seem to like it, but I frequently have older gentlemen and ladies comment on it. And as other ladies have mentioned, doors are often opened, swearing rarely happens, and I'm generally treated with more respect.

I don't dress vintage often for lack of much vintage attire, but I still dress nicely. I've continued to wear skirts/dresses with nice shoes though I save heels for Sunday/s and dining out/nicer occasions.

I'd NEVER leave the house without doing my hair. As to make-up, I can't afford to wear it every day, but my skin is in pretty decent shape since I never wore it in my teen years, so I do save make-up for occasions that I'd wear heels too.

 

[Danny Ocean]

I salute you!




When I do dress up I do so because I want to looking different from the rest. I also like to display that there IS a difference between male and female curves. I also like to slip into different 'characters' when I dress up.


And I enjoy the reactions when I appear dressed up: I do not have to open doors, I do not have to light my own cigarette and nobody swears when I'm present, manners return, just the way it should be

People are naturally more polite, have dignity and are respectful to one another when dressed up.


Let us have some fun while everything else is in chaos and continue dressing up!


Oh, before I forget:

It is not just the 'chaps' that ogle, the ladies do too!!:whistling :whistling :whistling

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Politeness and dignity, are traits that are sadly absent from our society these days. It takes nothing to say "please" and "thank you", it is just unfortunate that you have to dress "differently" let's say, to achieve it.

Jeans, baggy t-shirt, and trainers, or chinos, smart shirt, and brogues..........it's a bit of a "no-brainer" really!

Danny O

 

[PADDY]

Because...

1. I like to look MASCULINE (I can quite happily tap into my feminine side without looking pink, fluffy and girly).
2. My dress code reflects the self respect I have 'for me' and that I hold for those that I choose to come into contact with and associate with.
3. It gets respect from others, my drinks come quickly and more times than enough secures a good table at a fine restaurant.
4. It is an extension of the self confidence that I naturally carry, born from genetics; schooling and other past enviroments.
5. When 'I' make the effort, other's take note and things get done sharply. I like those dymanics and that streamlining.
6. People make assumptions about 'you' very quickly in life, often on 'how' you are dressed and how you carry yourself (done within seconds of meeting). I use 'those assumptions and psychology' to maximum effect and benefit (in a nice, positive way ).
7. As Al Pacino once quipped, "I feel like KING OF THE WORLD." Not a bad way to feel (as long as it's measured, in balance, respects others and not abused).

 

[Mr Vim]

I am going to second Paddy's notion on maintaining the proper image of masculinity. That image is not being fit, or having gravity defining hair, it is the ability to carry yourself in a respectable manner and to always dress accordingly.

 

[Packin' Heat]

Because I've had a thing for the days when suits were common since a youngin', to be honest. I grew up on Golden Era musicals, and later I became obsessed with film noir.

Great thing about suits is that I actually look stylish smoking in them (especially if they have vintage touches) instead of just looking like a loser.

It's also nice to get compliments from chicks on a regular basis on how "sexy" I am, though that might be more my face than my suit, I still don't see that in common clothing just the same.

 

[Big_e]

Dressing well motivates me. If I just put on a t-shirt and jeans, I'll just hang around the house. Once I put on a pressed shirt, tie and sportcoat, then I go out to visit and get into things. Doors open for me and I get better treatment from people in general. One of the waitresses at the diner told me that for awhile she thought I was a detective.
Ernest

 

[Big Man]

I "dress up" because I'm an adult.

 

[Yeps]

By giving me the appearance of having it all together it helps me keep from being overwhelmed by things.

Also, I look best in nice clothes. I am not athletic enough to really look good casual.

 

[Big Man]

... the tie thing is a big one, when you've had some fool try to strangle you with your own tie once you get real interested in having some kind of quick-release option ...

Reminds me of a story ...

Prior to my retirement, I was the Safety Director of a large State psychiatric hospital. We were being surveyed by one of the accrediting agencies, and had a particularly snarky inspector who was giving us a hard time. This guy had a derogatory comment for everything.

Well, we were sitting at the conference table going over some of our safety and security plans when he looked over at me and said, "is that tie you are wearing a break-away tie?"

I said, "no, why should it be?" (I knew there was no "code requirement" that staff have break-away anything.)

"Well," he said, "I could strangle you with it."

I stood up, leaned across the table into his face and, while towering over him, said, "Why don't you try to strangle me and I'll show you what breaks away." :rage:

Our hospital CEO almost had a heart attack at that point, but that snarky inspector was real humble for the remainder of his visit. And, we ended up with a very high score on our safety/security inspection.

 

[Diamondback]

BM, that works very well for someone of your size--downscale your basic proportions to around 1.5-2' shorter (IIRC you're in the high-6' range, I'm in the low-5'), and... well, I think all can see why it wouldn't work as well for someone around my height.lol

Besides, the idiot was hiding behind a seat on a crowded school-bus--the incident in question was a junior-high field trip, and when the breakaway fitting released he got a real unpleasant surprise from both Sir Isaac Newton and the folks in front of him.

@Yeps: well said, also.

 

[cotillion]

My father, having been born in Chicago in the 1920s, always had a classic take on menswear. While he always a conservative and classic dresser he knew his color palette and always dressed appropriately for the occasion. That is image of an old school gentleman that I have always tried to emulate. Growing up in the 1980s I ended up following typical fashion trends and then working right after high school i wore only sweatshirts and jeans.

Now that I am back for one semester at university finishing up my degree I am comfortable cultivating the image of a gentleman that my father always exemplified (along with old school respect and manners). I had a professor that was very stylish that motivated me to find Dressing the Man by Alan Flusser which has totally changed my view on clothes and style. Then I found these forums to continue the journey to bringing back truly old school men's style. I have drawn much inspiration and respect a lot of you fellow ladies and gentlemen who also embody old school values and styles.

 

[Packin' Heat]

Dressing well motivates me. If I just put on a t-shirt and jeans, I'll just hang around the house. Once I put on a pressed shirt, tie and sportcoat, then I go out to visit and get into things. Doors open for me and I get better treatment from people in general. One of the waitresses at the diner told me that for awhile she thought I was a detective.
Ernest

Heh, good thing I'm not a detective. I know I wouldn't be able to resist wearing my fedora every single day I was on the job, and whomever I was supposed to inconspicuously follow would always look and think: "What the...?"

 

[Baron Kurtz]

There are many occasions when you do not have a choice - work, whatever - so we'll leave those to the side. "Why do you dress up" suggests that others believe you are dressed "too much" or inappropriately. The only reason (when you have a choice in how you dress) to do anything is because you like it/enjoy it/feel you look good. In other words, satisfying the drives of the Id.

Every other reason is simply a passive agressive attempt to impose on others. "Propriety" implies that other people, who do not do it as you do, are not proper. "Masculinity" suggests that other people, who do not do it as you do, are not as masculine.

etc. etc. etc. ad nauseam.

bk

 

[Big Man]

... Every other reason is simply a passive agressive attempt to impose on others. ...

Yep, because I'm right and they are not.

 

[Phineas Lamour]

I work in a warehouse so at work 5 days a week I'm in shorts or Dickies work pants and a t-shirt. On the weekends I like to dress nicely. It sets me apart from the rednecks and thugs which make up about 98% of the population here.

 

[Annichen]

Simply because I love beauty, I surround myself with it and obviously I must fit into the surroundings

No, but seriously, I always enjoyed that little extra and slowly that occasional little extra morphed into a everyday routine because it makes me feel good.

So now when I really "dress up" it is all the way over the top glamour and all heads turn lol

 

[Miss sofia]

My Mum always said to put your best foot forward when you step out the front door - that piece of advice has served me well. I may not feel invincible inside most of the time but at least i look it!

Actually i love beauty and glamour and all the frills and frou-frou you have at your disposal as a woman and i enjoy every second of getting dressed and made-up every day. I spent all my school days in a uniform (which i loved) and most of my working life up until now in suits, so i actually find dressing in smarter clothing easier than putting together casual clothes, so i just roll with it.

 

[myshkin]

I'm not sure if this question applies to me since my style is very much a pastiche. I don't think of myself dressing up by definition of going beyond some norm of dress. However, I do highly regard the way I dress. It's completely about self-expression for me. My style of dress is an expression of my taste and values. I appreciate quality, refinement, and classical sensibility. Hopefully, those values are apparent in my appearance. As others have stated, dressing up is a way to announce what I find beautiful. I think there's self-respect in "dressing up".