# What is your threshold of "dressing up"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 13, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747 "2011-05-13T02:06:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/21 "2011-05-13T15:07:36Z")
I don’t much like wearing anything dressier than jeans and t-shirts. If I’m “dressing up,” I’ll wear a polo shirt and slacks. I don’t own a suit and haven’t worn one in years. I have twice worn tuxes, both time for weddings ( a groomsman for one, a best man for another), and both times under duress. I will never wear one again. For my mother’s funeral on monday, I wore black jeans, a white dress shirt and a black tie. That’s about the limits of my “line” these days. I don’t wear dress shoes either. I typically own one pair of sneakers which I will wear for all purposes. When the soles fall off, I buy another pair. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/22 "2011-05-13T15:08:29Z")
Work is generally business casual these days, thank goodness. I dress up for weddings and job interviews, obviously, though I haven’t needed to wear a suit in going on 5 years. I don’t mind skirts and dresses, though I prefer if they are machine-washable and/or made of natural fibers; the main problem with them for me is my foot issues. Because of major foot/ankle issues left over from an old injury, I need to wear supportive shoes that fit my orthotics, which rules out many shoes that work well with skirts and dresses, unless I wear pantyhose, which I DETEST. (Bare feet on orthotics get sweaty and icky.) Sometimes I can get away with flat sandals if they have proper arch support. Heels are simply out of the question because of the aforementioned foot and ankle issues; I would be in severe pain within a few minutes. When I dress up for an occasion that allows for some freedom of expression, i.e. more interesting than a job interview-type suit, I tend toward sparkly and/or bohemian things rather than tailored things. I’m most comfortable in jeans and some kind of cotton short or sweater, but I don’t view dressing up as torture by any means. (As long as it doesn’t involve pantyhose.) ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/23 "2011-05-13T15:17:25Z")
I actually got a doctor to tell me that high heels were a bad idea. He thought they were bad for everybody, but now, if someone says something about my not wearing heels, I can truthfully say my doctor told me not to wear them. I just wish they’d find that pantyhose cause some awful condition, so I could use the same excuse not to wear those. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/24 "2011-05-13T15:20:51Z")
My typical work week attire is an undershirt, polo shirt (tucked in) jeans, belt and casual non-athletic shoes. On the weekends, it’s usually a t-shirt or polo shirt, jeans or shorts and either my hiking boots, casual shoes, or athletic shoes. If I think the event calls for it, I’ll dress up as much as required- I have no heartburn about renting formalwear if that’s what’s appropriate. I own 4 suits and 3 pairs of dress shoes, with the shirts and ties to make the outfits. I also have probably 4-5 pairs of slacks/chinos in a few colors as well. All that being said, I get pretty irritated if I don’t think the dressing-up is appropriate. Not because I dislike the clothing, but because the ironing/laundry, shoe-shining, etc… can be kind of a PITA, especially when I feel that jeans/polo shirt would suffice. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/25 "2011-05-13T15:23:22Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > I just wish they’d find that pantyhose cause some awful condition, so I could use the same excuse not to wear those. Pantyhose trap heat and moisture, and are associated with an increased risk of UTI’s, vaginal and labial yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, worsening of eczema, athlete’s foot, fungal toenail infections, hives and rashes. In the elderly or those with ineffective body heat regulation, they can contribute to heat exhaustion, fluid and electrolyte imbalance or hyperthermia. So there, a nurse told you. Give me two more months to get my license, and you can say a Registered Nurse told you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/26 "2011-05-13T15:25:24Z")
I love getting dressed up!!! Basically the kind of thing you’d wear to a wedding or a funeral. I don’t like pantyhose as they’re uncomfortable, so I don’t wear them if I don’t have to, but heels once in a while don’t hurt. At my last job, we were basically allowed to be casual, as long as we didn’t wear jeans, or ripped, stained stuff, etc. Not quite business casual, but not “casual-casual”, if that makes sense. Even then, I sometimes WOULD wear nice button down tops and pants, or in the summer time, I’d wear skirts alot. Around the house I usually wear pj bottoms and plain tops, but if I go out anywhere, I’ll wear jeans and a nice, pretty top. Sneakers or boots. If it’s the summer time, capris and again, a nice top. Sandals. Jewelry. (I love jewelry) And I NEVER leave the house without wearing make-up. EVER. (Hats are awesome, but the problem with bringing them back is that they flatten your hair) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/27 "2011-05-13T15:30:39Z")
I dress appropriately; I’d be more uncomfortable not doing so than wearing “uncomfortable” clothes. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/28 "2011-05-13T15:33:50Z")
I don’t like dressing like a corpse, so I don’t. Those old photos where everyone is dressed up, the OP mentions how impractical it was, I often think how uncomfortable and even inhumane it is. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/29 "2011-05-13T15:37:19Z")
Well, I have to dress professionally for work, but as a librarian “professionally” has a lot of give in it - I like to be near the top of it because I’m trying to get somewhere in this job, you know? Plus I like to look nice. On the whole I’m glad society doesn’t FORCE me to dress up - god knows the pizza man probably thinks I don’t own a bra - but I love to dress up and don’t get nearly enough opportunities to do so. I have the cutest little cocktail hat I’ve only gotten to wear once. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/30 "2011-05-13T15:43:24Z")
It takes all kinds, but I don’t want to wear something confining or that I have to worry about damaging. When I was younger I was hostile to almost all formality, and viewed efforts to appear “respectable” as just a short step from witch trials: a method to punish independent thinking. But I’m unclenching a bit as the years pass. I enjoy Project Runway, and like people who present a interesting image. Still, I don’t think I’ll ever appreciate “nice” clothes. A minor irony is that I’m a graphic designer, and think companies should present a neat, professional image to the world. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/31 "2011-05-13T16:11:28Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > But I love dressing up. Love it. The more formal, the better. Can’t afford it, can’t afford to go to places where it’s appropriate, but once in a while the stars align and I get to dress like a princess. Except I’d be a prince, not a princess the above is true for me. Sadly, most of my actual wardrobe is T-shirts and jeans and I hate it. I feel like a slob. If I could afford it, I’d “suit up” like Barney Stinson does in HIMYM. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/32 "2011-05-13T16:13:03Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t even know what the “Dressing up” line is. Any given occasion calls for different clothes. > > If I’m zipping over to Wal-Mart to et some stuff I’ll wear a casual shirt and jeans with sneakers. > > But if I’m going to the bar to have a few drinks with friends, I’ll wear the same shirt and jeans, but with brown casual shoes. > > If I’m going to the bar to perform live comedy, I’ll wear the same outfit but with a specifically chosen button-up shirt. > > If I’m going to a casual restaurant for a date I’ll wear the best shirt and jeans I have, plus I’ll ensure to put on my watch. > > If I am visiting a customer in a casual office environement, same outfit but with khakis. > > If I’m going into the office, I wear a dress shirt and pants with black shoes, but no suit jacket or tie. > > If I’m going into the office to do a presentation to co-workers, same outfit but with the jacket. > > If I’m going to a job interview, same outfit but with a tie. > > If I’m going to a wedding, same outfit. > > If I’m going to a really nice dinner party, same outfit but I’ll add cufflinks, a tie clip, and wear a more stylish shirt and tie combo. > > If I’m going to MY wedding, a tuxedo. > > Seriously, what level begins “dressing up”? I think you’ve got it nailed on every count. Maybe your question at the end there is why people are confused all the time! Personally, I do the female version of what **RickJay** listed here. There are different “levels” of dressy, and going-out dressy is different from job-interview dressy (moreso for women than men). I’m very casual in regular life, but I don’t mind dressing up if the occasion warrants it. I’m not a one-dimensional person, why should my wardrobe be one-dimensional? ---
**Author:** ![LaurenIpsum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@LaurenIpsum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LaurenIpsum)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/33 "2011-05-13T16:21:24Z")
For me, dressing up is something I enjoy. I respect other people’s right to dress how they wish, but I personally like being well-dressed. I do wear jeans frequently, but with a sweater rather than, say, a hoodie or polar fleece zippered top. I admit that I’ve been heavily influenced by “What Not to Wear” - I still definitely have my own style, but I am very aware of what items of clothing hide my waist and do not flatter me. For me, dressing up does not mean uncomfortable. I’m frequently surprised when I hear other women talking about dresses or skirts being uncomfortable - to me, they are way more comfortable than pants or shorts because there’s nothing fitting snug around the leg. I practically live in skirts and dresses during spring/summer (even when not at work), and if I get cotton ones with a bit of stretch, they are very comfy. Like Guinastasia, I hate pantyhose, and since I do not have a job with a strict dress code, I never wear them. (But I do wear tights in the winter, just so my legs don’t freeze.) Yes, I do sometimes have on a dress when I do my grocery shopping. I’m not “getting all dressed up to do errands” - I’m wearing the same outfit that I was/will be wearing for the rest of the day. So I don’t really have separate clothes for “running errands” like the lounge wear sold at the Gap, for example. Last year, DH and I invited some friends over to watch a movie. I was wearing a plain cotton dress from Target, definitely casual and very comfortable. When one of our friends arrived, she looked at me and quipped, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this was a formal affair!” She is an uber-casual dresser and I was a bit annoyed at the implication that the only “normal” way to dress is jeans and a t-shirt for every occasion. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/34 "2011-05-13T16:28:45Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If it’s a funeral or something like that, I’ll wear the pressed black jeans with **a sedate Hawaiian shirt**. And leather walking shoes instead of my usual cross-trainers. That’s it. (My bolding) Is there such a thing? I love dressing up. Most days at this time of year I’ll be wearing a really nice dress, though my sandals are practical but smart rather than pretty heels. Sometimes I’ll wear jeans a t-shirt, but that’s honestly no less effort than my dresses. The only sportswear I own is for actual sports. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/35 "2011-05-13T16:36:38Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > (My bolding) Is there such a thing? > > I love dressing up. Most days at this time of year I’ll be wearing a really nice dress, though my sandals are practical but smart rather than pretty heels. Sometimes I’ll wear jeans a t-shirt, but that’s honestly no less effort than my dresses. The only sportswear I own is for actual sports. Sure. [This one](http://www.alohashirtshop.com/product_8472_Paradise_Found_Midnight_Garden*.html) is downright somber. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/36 "2011-05-13T16:52:45Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Pantyhose trap heat and moisture, and are associated with an increased risk of UTI’s, vaginal and labial yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, worsening of eczema, athlete’s foot, fungal toenail infections, hives and rashes. In the elderly or those with ineffective body heat regulation, they can contribute to heat exhaustion, fluid and electrolyte imbalance or hyperthermia. > > So there, a nurse told you. Give me two more months to get my license, and you can say a Registered Nurse told you. 😉 “A nurse told me pantyhose are bad for you,” with TMI details if they press me on it. That works for me. > [@Laurenslpum](#): > > I’m frequently surprised when I hear other women talking about dresses or skirts being uncomfortable - to me, they are way more comfortable than pants or shorts because there’s nothing fitting snug around the leg. Your thighs don’t rub together and chafe when you wear a skirt or dress, do they? Mine do. I suppose tights or pantyhose would stop this, but I hate the binding from those even more than the chafing. I also don’t like having to worry about how I’m sitting and whether anything is showing. When I wear pants, that’s not an issue. I can do yoga poses, and nothing will show. My solution to this, which I came up with as a kid, was to wear shorts under my dress. For some reason, that’s not acceptable. I can’t for the life of me figure out why not. It keeps everything decent, regardless of how you sit, and stops the chafing. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/37 "2011-05-13T17:30:38Z")
I wear jeans (or cargo pants, or kahkis), a shortsleeve polo shirt and Doc Martens shoes pretty much every day of my life - my job has a relaxed dress code, and I only wear sweat pants at the gym. There are occasions, however, when I need to ‘dress up’. Once or twice a month I have to wear a tuxedo in the evening, and maybe an additional night or two I’ll wear a shirt & tie with sport coat and dockers. I wear a suit on rare occasions when I go on a job interview or funeral. My all-purpose black suit was getting a little worn (after 10 years of use) and my kids managed to convince me to use it for a zombie costume for Halloween last year, so now it’s done/shredded. My other suit is navy blue, less formal and doesn’t fit me all that well (inherited from my late father in law, who was a little taller than me). If we dine someplace nice I’ll dress appropriately, though we rarely dine anywhere that my normal daily attire isn’t acceptable/appropriate. The Capital Grille is about the ‘fanciest’ place we’ve had dinner in a couple years and dockers/polo/docs was fine (though I _did_ tuck in my shirt. In September, I’m going to Joseph A Banks and hooking myself up with one of those buy 1 get 2 free deals, nd I’ll be set for suits for the next 10-20 years. So, I guess I don’t care much about ‘dressing up’ - I do it when it’s appropriate to do so and don’t mind, but I don’t wear a tie if I don’t have to. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/38 "2011-05-13T17:36:05Z")
Normally it’s jeans (or shorts in summer) and t-shirt for me. The only exceptions are my chorus’ concerts, when we have to wear tuxes or some other prescribed clothing. I own one suit, which I haven’t worn in over 5 years, and no longer fits. I do enjoy wearing my tux, though, but glad it’s infrequent. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/39 "2011-05-13T18:18:59Z")
For work I wear a pressed, button-down dress shirt, but no tie or jacket. That’s about as dressed up as I normally get. For formal events like weddings or funerals I do wear a complete suit with dress shirt and necktie. It doesn’t happen often but I don’t mind it when it does. I kind of like getting dressed up like that. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747/40 "2011-05-13T18:46:16Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > But I love dressing up. Love it. The more formal, the better. Can’t afford it, can’t afford to go to places where it’s appropriate, but once in a while the stars align and I get to dress like a princess. My friend will sometimes put her prom dress on while she’s around the house, just to feel pretty. Then again, at her birthday gathering she wore a formal dress and tiara while the rest of us were in jeans. When it’s time for her to shop for her wedding dress I want to be there so I can see the poofy princess dresses she’ll be trying on. 😃 It’s great to watch ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ with her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-threshold-of-dressing-up/581747.md?page=3)