Appearances - do they matter?

I live on a narrow boat. I see boaters on boating forums boasting tgat tgey don't iron their clothes as there is no need. Sorry...It doesn't matter what the clothes are or where you bought them from they should be pressed. There is no excuse for not taking pride in your appearance. I iron everything.

It’s a sign of your self respect I think - dressing nicely makes you feel better, you project yourself to others as on top of things and confident, and we judge other people who don’t because it’s a sign that they don’t respect themselves.

I like clothes so it maters to me what I wear and that my hair is tidy and I have some make up on. What others do is up to them.

Dress code of female teachers when I was at primary school were thick tweeds, lisle stockings and brogues. Suits for the men and a moth-eaten cap and gown worn by the headmaster, who looked like a character from a Will Hay film.
The PE teacher looked positively skimpy in PE skirt and tee shirt

I remember hearing a talk on radio 4 by the late Rabbi Lionel Blue, who often did "Thought for the Day".

He said that for most of his life he had never bothered about his appearance but when he realised that he was looking old and pretty dreadful he started to make much more of an effort because he thought he owed it to everyone else not to look so ghastly.

When I started teaching in the 70's The head teacher said that women teachers could not wear trousers. The lady staff members refused to wear mini skirts, which was then the fashion, so we took to wearing long(er) skirts. Chauvanism and sexism was not acceptable to us. We soon went back to wearing more practical trousers.

Business suits are usually required of business people or their minions. GPs have to reassure patients and so they try to not look frightening either too conservative or too adventurous.
Teachers have to please parents who are often conventional people who would not be impressed by a teacher who dressed with imagination and a sense of adventure.

Social norms make a prison house the pity of it is many people don't see it.

EllanVannin

Dress code of female teachers when I was at primary school were thick tweeds, lisle stockings and brogues. Suits for the men and a moth-eaten cap and gown worn by the headmaster, who looked like a character from a Will Hay film.
The PE teacher looked positively skimpy in PE skirt and tee shirt

Ditto! There were no men but the Headmistress wore her gown.

Divided skirts (like culottes) for the gym mistresses.

It shouldn’t matter about looks and appearance ...but it does!

I think clean, tidy and appropriate are my keywords. I wouldn't go to a parents' evening in tracksuit bottoms, but when I am gardening they are practical. Wash my hair every day, make sure there are no holes/stains on clothes and I am happy. As an aside, when I worked in London at City Hall I used the same hairdresser that Boris sometimes used when he was Mayor of London. He told me that Boris always left the salon looking impeccable, and then he'd see him on the TV later that evening looking like he'd been dragged through a hedge backwards!!!! Deliberate "style message", I think..............

Back in the 1970s I was teaching in a primary school and we had the 3 day week. Sometimes the school could get very cold and we ladies asked permission from the head to wear trousers. No female teacher had ever worn trousers to school before. Nor do I think the girl pupils ever did. I sometimes visit a local primary school and had we teachers turned up at school in the 1970s wearing what teachers wear today we would have been sent home! I still have the notion of Sunday clothes for church a few of which I wouldn't usually wear during the week. I've always tried to look smart and make an effort and it made me feel professional and more confidant when I gave talks before I retired.

It matters very much. I always have a full face of makeup, even when going to the corner shop or to visit relatives and I always have my hair curled. Day to day I wear jeans, a nice top and nice trainers or boots. I am never without my handbag and a nice scarf. If I am going to an event, I always buy a whole new outfit.

I find it appalling when people don't even have the decency to spend 5 minutes putting on a nice top and trousers and comb their hair. It shows a certain lack of self respect to go about your day looking like a bag lady.

The above is even more true for people in a role that means you have to deal with the public. The receptionist in the local doctor's surgery is very unkempt. She doesn't wear appropriate clothes or even comb her hair.
She is a former neighbour of mine and she passes my relatives' house on the way to work, and my relative said she went to work one day wearing baggy 3/4 length trousers, an old top and a pink cap with uncombed hair.
This sounds very very catty but I don't mean it in a bad way. X

Bag lady and proud ?

I'm always trying to straighten my hair, FlyingHandbag!

We're never satisfied are we.

Callistermon you're right! I absolutely love the volume that I get with curls, I don't like straight hair flat against the head. X

I have lovely curls when it's wet but if it dries naturally it's a frizzy mess.

The male GPs in our local practice are usually to be seen in shirt sleeves though they do wear ties. And their reception staff always wear the standard dress provided. I remember when I was working in further education, when the words 'dress code' were uttered...well, they didn't try that again!

What’s wrong with being smart Alexa? How else would you describe someone whose made the effort to be appropriately dressed? Or even clean and tidy for that matter

Yes, they do!

The state of my nails is usually sub-par. Not disgusting, just not as manicured as I'd like them to be. My hands are in the water a lot...)

However, well-fitted clothing, tasteful makeup (with sunscreen!), and groomed hair are a must. For now, I do touch up the greys.

Diamond studs (17th wedding anniversary present!), good watch (I bought for myself at age 40!) and wedding/engagement ring.

I've done jeans at work on Fridays, but colored ones or very dark. No frayed knees. Reasonable cut on the hipbones. Never leggings, unless under a dress.

And never sneakers. I will go to the ends of the Earth for comfortable ballet flats!

Do love Audrey Hepburn's style. Works very well for work at a school...

Can't say I have ever been concerned about how I look to other people, tend to dress how I want.
You have to conform for work maybe or interviews I guess but other than that life is too short to be bothered about how someone else looks.
It's no business of mine if someone wants to wear a mini shirt or tight pants at 8o.
Life is for living not putting time and energy into such a trivial thing.

This topic makes me smile. Being 'smart' and colour coordinated is my aim. My husband used to say 'doesn't matter to me what I wear. It's others who have to look at me'. Mmmm..... Another smile is generated by the full length mirror which is affixed just inside the front door. My Mum said a 'last look' before exiting was always desirable 'just in case your skirt is tucked in your knickers!' The only sight I find yucky is bare cleavage in women, particularly older and more amply endowed ones. Maybe I'm just jealous. Also fancy strapless tops worn during daytime have me bemused but that definitely is an age thing.

TwiceAsNice, I dislike the word and can't explain why I dislike the word. It's like 'hubby' another word which for reasons I can't explain makes me shudder. I like to be clean and tidy and I like to see people who are clean and tidy.

Alexa. Agree about “hubby “! So twee.

However you object to “smart”. But you
Like to be clean and tidy ? That’s really all I was saying!

I always dress for medical appointments but my doctor looks like a country and western singer as he wears jeans and check shirts.
I used to dress for parents evenings and meet DH from work to attend, he wore a suit, shirt and tie at all times.
Our DC went to the kind of schools where all parents were professionals so smart dress was the norm anyway.

Harrigran, if his style is jeans and check shirts and he’s clean etc surely that’s fine ? Better that than an ill fitting suit for example