I remember when my parents took my sister to the bus station in the mid-1960’s for a trip to college. Everyone was dressed like they were going to church. My sister had decided not to wear the elbow length gloves. Then a few short years later the hippies were wearing jeans they’d purposely ripped the knees out of. What a change.
In my engineering career men may have hated each other, but I never saw anyone come to physical blows. We all wore long sleeve shirts and ties. But when people started coming to work in ripped pants and torn t-shirts I witnessed an increasing number of physical assaults and none of them resulted in someone being fired. A couple of men actually quit when the company didn’t fire the person who assaulted them. I believe that part of the violence we’re seeing is a general lack of sartorial deportment. When you’re dressed “professionally” you act professional. Reminds me of an awesome short story, “The Clothes Make the Man.” A criminal is left on lookout dressed as a cop. Over the course of the story he identifies as a cop and blows the whistle on his criminal buddies. It was an awesome story and very true.
I have a different recollection of the torn jean look. During the 70's I had numerous jeans rip at the knew due to wear and washings. I think it's today's impatient youth who buy pre-ripped jeans.
From 'Kingsman: The Secret Service'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT0M2YxFQ50
I worked in a Silicon Valley startup company about 15 years ago. Silicon Valley pretty much had no dress code by then — anything and everything went. Even with that, most people looked somewhat sharp in casual clothes. Our VP of Manufacturing was a really nice Brit and he ALWAYS wore a tie to work. I think he commanded more respect for it. He was self-confident and he seemed to never feel out of place or conspicuous with the tie on.
I think that’s just rationalization. There is no correlation between engineering skill and dress, other then perhaps a negative one with regard to discomfort and forced compliance vs. creativity and productivity. When my former Fortune 100 employer went to business casual, all the employee satisfaction survey numbers spiked off the top of the scale.
I miss the days when you dressed up to go out to dinner. Now, you can probably wear a tank top and have sandals at even the fanciest restaurant.
I also wear a suit and tie to funerals and weddings. No exceptions.
And I have worn long sleeve shirts, ties, pressed trousers and shined shoes for the last 34 years to work.
My wife has been trying to get me to change, but I am not going to budge on these things. I sympathize with her, but I am not going to change. For weddings and funerals it is a show of respect. I don’t care if I am not “with the times”. I am not wearing an open collar shirt to a funeral.
As you said: If you are a professional at something, you dress as a professional, especially if you work with customers or patients. I dress for work. It puts me into “work mode”.
When people dress SLOPPILY, it means they have NO RESPECT FOR THEMSELVES, OTHERS, OR THE PLACE THEY ARE GOING!