When I was in the airport before we left for Japan, I couldn’t help but notice how everyone was dressed or rather not ‘dressed’. They weren’t naked, although it was touch and go for a few younger ladies but they definitely weren’t what I would call ‘dressed’. I know when people are flying, they want to be comfortable, especially if it is long haul, but practically everyone was in track-bottoms/leggings and hoodies/sweat-tops. Now, I can understand it to a degree but there is a fine line between comfort and Wayne and Waynetta slob, and it wasn’t just confined to the airport.
I have noticed in the last few years that, in general, everyone looks as if they are on their way to, or coming back from, the gym. Practically everyone is wearing sports gear, football tops, tracksuit bottoms and leggings, all the time. My absolute pet hate in the ‘comfort’ look are grey fleece pants, I absolutely detest them and would happily burn every pair on the planet. They are the cheapest looking item of clothing ever invented. No one looks good in grey fleece pants, absolutely no one. They are fine, if you’re an athlete and put them on to retain heat after training or training in cold weather but, outside of that, they just look like crap.
A few years ago there was a trend for wearing pyjamas all day. It died away, thank God, but I’ve noticed this is starting to creep back in again too. I’ve recently met women out walking with pyjamas on.
My other issue with the ‘comfort’ look is that some of the leggings aren’t exactly opaque and I really don’t find it appealing looking at some person’s cellulite or the cheeks of someone’s ass and thong, and if you’re carrying a bit of extra weight, lycra is not your friend unless it is in your underwear.
I really noticed the difference when I arrived in Japan, everyone was dressed in actual clothing. Women and girls in dresses, skirts, and trousers and jackets, men in suits or at least in shirts and trousers. I did not see one football top on anyone, anywhere, apart from my own son, and I noticed some people looking at him and probably wondering why they didn’t hear that Kerry were playing in Tokyo that week.
On the train in rush hour, every man was in a suit, and it was so nice to see because even the saddest looking old sack can be greatly improved by putting a suit on. When I visited the US back in 2010, I was surprised too at the lack of style among the populace. Most men in the US wear overly large tops and shorts. Dr Jordan Peterson sees this as an issue about self-respect and how you present yourself to the world and has remarked on ‘seeing grown men dressed like 10 year old boys’.
However, it does seem to be indicative of a general malaise among the population, no one seems be bothered to make an effort anymore, and there is a general air of depression hanging over our towns and cities not helped by the relentless low-hanging, featureless, grey clouds, that never seem to dissipate.
The best dressed people in the airport were the flight attendants who still maintain that old school glamour look. Now, I’m not advocating for women having to parade around in 4 inch heels every day but surely we can do better than this. There is absolutely no sense of style at all especially among the young. Paradoxically, they all seem to have a full face of make-up on and nails done to perfection and when they get dressed up for a night out, they are done up or overdone up like mini drag queens but still slob around all day in sports gear. There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground and I feel we’re only a short step away from the Wall-E big, red Babygro.
I’m not the only one who has noticed this, there have been a few threads on Twitter about it recently, after someone posted old film from the US, London and Edinburgh. Everyone looked fabulous, men in suits and overcoats, ladies in dresses, tailored coats and hats. Not only were they well-dressed, or very well dressed when compared to today, they were also all slim.
I know that diet has played a big part in this and there is more and more coming out in relation to the damage processed foods and seed oils cause, and how they could be to blame for the health and obesity crisis so I’m not blaming the population as a whole for this. But changes are needed before we sink forever into an abyss of colourless social nihilism so, for my part and in order to combat this, I have decided, like Dr Peterson, to be the change I want to see in the world. I have banished leggings (except when I’m working on the allotment) from my day wear. I have added dresses and skirts back into my wardrobe and even a few hats. I now make a conscious effort to ‘dress’ especially on the weekend, even if it is only to go shopping, in the hope that it will encourage others to do the same and from a psychological perspective, it makes me feel better too. This is part of Dr Peterson’s philosophy too, to put my house in order before I criticise others. Now, where’s that girdle?