American National Dress

[Larry124]

Rather than resurrect an old thread may I stir something up with a new one?

My observations:

Dress (male): The off-the-rack or ready to wear Business Suit and its accessories.

But for the most part, USA National Dress is (very) casual rather than dress, formal, or ceremonial.

Chinos (Khakis, Dockers, etc.)
Denim. Anything and everything
The T-shirt
The Polo or Golf shirt.
The flannel shirt.

But IMHO beginning to outnumber all of the above is…

Cargo!
Below the (omitted) belt, in about a half dozen lengths from Crocodile Hunter short-shorts to full length trousers.
For boys and girls and for men and women and for all seasons.
And for all occasions (almost?) short of House of Worship (Sunday, Wedding, Funeral, etc.).
And maybe not for (infrequent) formal dining.
Although I would not bet on those conventions holding.

Should I include shirts with flap pockets on the front and a flapped cell phone pocket on the arm?

[george7]

You might excuse me for looking like the Croc Hunter from time to time. I wear cargo pants whenever I'm out on a hunt. Alligator season starts the 29th and you bet I'll be wearing cargo pants. I don't think they had alligator hunting and air boats in mind when they designed the kilt.

[Larry124]

You might excuse me for looking like the Croc Hunter from time to time. I wear cargo pants whenever I'm out on a hunt. Alligator season starts the 29th and you bet I'll be wearing cargo pants. I don't think they had alligator hunting and air boats in mind when they designed the kilt.

I wear them at swim trunk length for camping -- tenting and stake hammering are not kilt (modesty) friendly.
I wear them at kilt length for errands around town, and with boots and knee hose for cooler camping, and full length in winter.
I actually use the cargo pockets only about a third of the time.

[Zardoz]

One of the few activities I enjoy that I've found that the kilt doesn't work for me with is bowling, I generally wear a cool bowling shirt and either jeans or dockers for it. Last weekend we went to a charity bowling deal, and because it was 100 degrees out, instead of jeans I wore some khaki cargo shorts my wife bought me to wear at work. I don't think I have ever worn them other than at work, I think they are too rumpled and unkempt looking.
Anyway, as I was sitting around between frames watching folks bowl, I realized about 90% of the men and women there were wearing the same kind of pants! So we were all dressed the same, and my cool bowling shirt notwithstanding, looked equally crappy in my opinion.
So I pledge to never wear those shorts in public again!

[dfmacliam]

Why not a pair of wranglers with bullhide ropers, a starched 20x button down shirt, and a 20x Stetson hat.... oh wait... thats the National Dress for the Republic of Texas..

[Detroitpete]

And let's not forget vacation wear:

T shirt or garish flower print shirt
Khaki shorts
"walking" shoes w/ or w/o white crew socks
Sandals or croks
Fanny pack
Camera
Backpack
Ice Cream cone

Look of perpetual bemusement that not everyone speaks "ammeerican"


I think I just described my last trip to Mexico

[Kilted_John]

Only time I'm in 'murican national dress is when I'm wrenching. Either at Pull-A-Part (Seattle area chain of u-pull style wreckin' yards) or here, working on one of my own vehicles.

-J

[beloitpiper]

I don't think there is ONE costume for America. Every region is so different. Like, for instance, in Wisconsin I'm pretty sure they issue out black-and-red plaid jackets to every male when he's born. Seems like everybody has one 'round here...

[CDNSushi]

One of the few activities I enjoy that I've found that the kilt doesn't work for me with is bowling, I generally wear a cool bowling shirt and either jeans or dockers for it.

Bowling? Really? Hm.. I went bowling kilted a few weeks ago with some friends and found absolutely nothing amiss. In fact, I thought it worked rather well. Any particular reason why it doesn't work for you?

[Bugbear]

I'm just glad my thread on this subject wasn't dredged up from the depths...

However, as far as I have found out, the non-traditional kilt is mostly a North American form of clothing that takes it's funtion from the other typical American clothing, just in pleated kilt form.

I think the Wizard's polycotton Freedom Kilts are a pretty good example of this at it's best or nicess. The style is still young, but I think it works.