I was wandering around the domestic flight terminal at the Vancouver Airport some time ago while waiting for a connecting flight. As I partook in people watching I was struck by the differences displayed across gates. There are gates associated with each airline flying domestically. Air Canada had several gates as did Westjet. Regional carriers, and discount airlines like Lynx (at the time), too, had their own gates. How people presented at gates was revealing. The business traveler waiting at an Air Canada gate had a typical look. Briefcase in hand and either suit or pant suit. They were all business in their attire and decorum. There weren’t many of these types sitting in gates for the discount airlines. Westjet had some business travelers and a wide range of casually dressed people. At the discount airlines, an absence of interest in apparel was apparent. Casual was an understatement. Lounging here were those that looked like they had just staggered out of bed. It was tough to tell whether they were wearing sweatpants or pajamas. They were either seeking comfort or simply didn’t give a hoot about how they appeared. The gate itself reflected the attire of its passengers in that abandoned garbage showed itself in the gate of the discount airlines whereas those of Westjet and Air Canada were a better maintained.
In an article titled “Dear Men: Don’t Dress Like Sam Bankman-Fried” columnist Jeffrey Tucker writes, “The point of dressing well is not to show yourself off. The point of dressing well is to honor others and show that you have a high regard for their dignity and that of the occasion. It follows that slovenly chic is nothing but an insult both to others, who have to look at you, and the venue as well. It shows that you have a low regard for the whole scene and everyone in it.” What your dress says isn’t that it is to impress. It’s not about how you look. It’s about what you’re wearing reflecting your level of caring. I’m sure we all have stories, personal or second-hand, about flight experiences and upgrades received. Rare is the anecdote where one is treated better than expected based on showing up at the ticket counter dirty and disshevelled in sweats and slippers. It seems the common thread is based on the thread of our attire. Those that show up better dressed and polite receive favors and upgrades. The appearances of people at the various gates reflected how they felt about those around them and the environment of an airport.
We used to be more formal even in casual circumstances. Travelling wasn’t about putting on our leisure suits and lounging across the arm rest on planes, it was about showing up looking like we took ourselves seriously. In a separate article, “Ties Are Back, Thank Goodness” Jeffrey Tucker writes “What you wear is not really about what you are saying about yourself; it is what you are saying about others, the occasion, and the venue.” Podcast icon Joe Rogan has earned his success over decades. He enjoys casual wear and happily sports t-shirts and hoodies as his go to outfit when hosting guests of all sorts on his podcast. He reliably expresses a disinterest in style and isn’t the least bit fussed about fashion. Nonetheless, when he does his work as a commentator for the UFC, he dons his uniform of black dress pants and a button-down black dress shirt. Moreover, he broke out of his personal podcast uniform when hosting former President Trump just prior to the latest US Presidential election. He showed up to his own podcast studio wearing a suit and tie. Rogan did this not to make any statement about himself but out of respect for whom he was interviewing.
Whether we realize it or not, we’re dressing for the occasion and the environment all the time. In his book The Appearance of Power Tanner Guzy writes, “One of the major, if not primary, reasons your appearance matters is because of how it affects your relationships with other people around you. Just because you shouldn’t be overly affected by what a stranger or acquaintance thinks of you doesn’t mean you should not care what anyone thinks. … your appearance serves as a primary way to signal.” Our appearance reveals how we feel towards those around us. What we wear speaks volumes about what we think about where we are. Do we care enough about those we’re going to encounter or the event we’re going to that we’ll take some time to present ourselves well?
How do you look to others if you show up to a Halloween party without a costume? What is this decision saying about what you think about your environment and those around you? Not donning a costume is likely to be seen as a poke in the eye to others. Those enthused about the party have put in an effort to prepare their costume. If you show up without this effort, it’s obvious to others you’re not interested in being part of the group or respecting the occasion. How do you dress at a wedding? A funeral? What about a New Years party? How about if you must attend a court date? Do you dress differently for a job interview or a coffee date with an old friend? Are you dressing the same way going to the grocery store as you are to these other settings? What attire is expected in each of these contexts is different. Our dress is determined by the destination. Where we’re going influences how we’re going to get dressed.
Determining what to wear is more confusing today because of the cacophony of choice. Many workplaces used to have formal dress codes or even uniforms. These reduced the freedom of decision making and reduced the worry of figuring out what to do. The clarity calmed. We just followed the rules, fit in, and went about our days. Now, we’re left to our own devices to figure things out. The needs of our clothing on others and ourselves haven’t changed. We are just left to learn on our own. This implies an effort and energy on our part which is now greater. Formality is no longer the default in 21st century. Yet, being a level or two higher than casual is sure to leave a lasting impression. The choices we make with respect to what we wear reflects our respect for others and the environment in which we find ourselves. When you look like you’ve put some time, thought, and effort into what you’re wearing others will see you as a serious and respectful person. What you wear reflects whether you dare to care about where you are.
