Maybe I'm just getting older but when is casual TOO casual

[Cavebear58]

I've been looking through the gallery and my own collection of kilt pics and I am beginning to realise that I am finding casual kilt wearing becoming a little polarised in my own mind for good taste.

I'm beginning to think that there's only two styles of casual dress that I'm happy with. The first is a larger pullover, fleece or PLAIN rugby shirt that comes down over the gut and belt and rests on the hips or thereabouts.

The second is that any kind of shirt needs a neck tie and either a pullover, waistcoat, v-neck, or similar - again to cover the gut.

With just a few exceptions, t-shirts and other casual shirts, just seem to be out of place.

Any traditionalists out there care to persuade me otherwise?

Cheers
Graham.

[Rex_Tremende]

Out of place where?

[KFCarter]

Well, let's see... a necktie or a pullover or rugby shirt would be very "out of place" in a number of settings in Savannah, especially during the summer, so I agree with Rex's question: "Out of place where?"

[Bugbear]

You know... I wouldn't notice.

[Kilted_John]

To each their own, I guess. A collared shirt with tie isn't casual. Not even with a sweater or sweatshirt pulled over it. In the Pacific NW of the US, it's a bit on the dressy side. Might be fine for someone who kilts only on special occasions, but, not fine for someone like me, who wears a kilt pretty much every day, including to classes at the local community college, where I'm probably the best dressed out of all the male students, even though I usually am wearing a t-shirt with my kilts.

-J

[ccga3359]

I say when the kilt is draped over the back of a chair six feet away in a MacDonalds, that's too casual.

[Andy]

I say when the kilt is draped over the back of a chair six feet away in a MacDonalds, that's too casual.

Gotta go with you on that one

Unfortunately, being in Texas (with summer pretty much upon us), casual is about the most comfortable way to go at the moment. I suppose when things cool down again, I'll start wearing more long sleeve shirts. And to be honest, a tie and/or jacket is pretty much out of the question as far as me dressing up. Maybe down the road, but right now I just don't see the need...that is until I get invited to a wedding or something formal - now THAT would be the perfect excuse for me to splurge a little more...

[The Barry]

To each their own, I guess. A collared shirt with tie isn't casual. Not even with a sweater or sweatshirt pulled over it. In the Pacific NW of the US, it's a bit on the dressy side. Might be fine for someone who kilts only on special occasions, but, not fine for someone like me, who wears a kilt pretty much every day, including to classes at the local community college, where I'm probably the best dressed out of all the male students, even though I usually am wearing a t-shirt with my kilts.

That's the one thing that I hate about the PNW. You see people wearing jeans to the symphony, there's not a single restaurant in town with a jacket rule, the list goes on. Casual has its place, but people should know how to dress for all occasions, not just wear the same crap no matter where they are.

[/rant]

[O'Callaghan]

That's the one thing that I hate about the PNW. You see people wearing jeans to the symphony, there's not a single restaurant in town with a jacket rule, the list goes on. Casual has its place, but people should know how to dress for all occasions, not just wear the same crap no matter where they are.

[/rant]

Not just there. There isn't a single restaurant anywhere in our town in Maryland where you could dress up, because there will always be someone on the next table wearing a T-shirt with shorts and flip-flops. It would be nice to dress up to go out to dinner once in a while.

[Rex_Tremende]

That's the one thing that I hate about the PNW. You see people wearing jeans to the symphony, there's not a single restaurant in town with a jacket rule, the list goes on. Casual has its place, but people should know how to dress for all occasions, not just wear the same crap no matter where they are.

[/rant]

Well, not just the PNW, but almost anywhere. Why, people even attend church these days looking like they just stopped in on their way to the amusement park!

So, as one who spends waaay more time than he ought to spend standing before his closet full of clothes considering what to wear and deciding that there is nothing suitable, I'll be the first to agree that there is a trend toward underdressing for almost any occasion. Grown people should not look like they are dressing to impress their 12-year-old children's friends. Ball caps are pandemic, and most people wearing them are not playing ball!

But I also think that broad generalizations are usually not all that useful, especially when the intention is to draw a narrow boundary, as in "Kilt-wearing these days has crossed the line into utter slovenliness, and the only acceptable attire is thus..."

Which is why I asked for clarification on where Graham meant when he said "out of place."

To be fair, I see that he is speaking for himself here: it's his wardrobe in which he seeks comfort, so long as the place is not at a clambake on a Florida beach, I suppose.

Regards,
Rex.