Dress clothes

[wvjules]

I guess I wasn't thinking of people that live in the mid-west states not needing suits or nice clothes. I don't live in an upscale/nice area but people do still dress up for funerals, dinners, weddings, etc. I still can't imagine not owning anything but jeans though...no matter where you live.

 

[FireDancer]

I'm guessing you're younger than me. You get to a point where weddings are less frequent and funerals are not frequent yet. I haven't been to either in a couple of years.

I thought that at first but my mom goes to more of both than I do. I figured that the people who are older than me would still be going to funerals. Between grandparents and older relatives (both mine and those of friends) even if all my friends were married off I'd still have funerals yearly. Those of you who are older I'd think would have relatives that are also older as would their friends. I go to the funerals of my friend's grandparents and sometimes parents. The funeral mass I had this weekend was for a friend's mom.

I'm just surprised at how infrequently some of you guys seem to know people who marry or die.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I'm just surprised at how infrequently some of you guys seem to know people who marry or die.

I was going to write that I am one of them, but then I started counting - 3 weddings in the past 4 years (would have been 5 but I was too pregnant to travel both times), and 1 funeral. So that seems pretty average, I guess!

 

[kiddo76]

I have several dresses ranging from casual to formal. DH has a few suits, but does not own a tux. The only time he's ever had to wear a tux is when he's been in a wedding.

I do have some slacks that I could wear for a dressier occasion, but for me the bigger issue for dressing up is shoes. I usually wear sneakers, and for dress up occasions, the shoes are the main monkey wrench in the plans. One can't really wear dress up shoes in snow/ice in the winter here (unless you wear your boots and change when you get inside the venue, but who wants to be carrying their big boots around at a wedding?). Likewise, the coat. I wear a Parka in the winter, and it looks pretty bad to be wearing that when you enter a wedding. But I'm not going to go out and buy a new coat to match my dress.

So yeah, for people who don't get dressed up often it IS a big complicated problem.

We still have snow on the ground here, so I know how much fun it is to try to dress both appropriate for the weather and still be fashionable. For shoes, I still wear dressy shoes even when it's snowy/icy, since you aren't trudging through the snow when you go to a wedding, just usually walking up a walkway that's been cleared. There's usually either a valet or DH drops me off at the entrance so I don't have to walk through the parking lot. Leather high heeled boots can also be appropriate depending on the outfit. As far as dress, a LBD can get you through any season. In the winter, I have a couple different wraps I can use if it's chilly inside. For a coat, a wool coat is dressy and warm.

 

[Handbag Lady]

We haven't had a wedding to attend in 10 years. I guess we're just on that cusp of the "more weddings" swinging to "more funerals" as the latter now out-weighs the former.

But. I have four dresses that can work for weddings in the day time. Three formal gowns (for work, SOMEONE has to attend those award shows), and at least several pieces to work together to create a funeral outfit for any weather situation. And jackets to match all of the above.

And I mostly wear jeans or cotton capris or skirts to work now. I do, however, go to Club 33 from time to time, so I know some of my day dresses come from needing something to wear there.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

As an HR person who makes hiring decisions, I can tell you that anyone who showed up in jeans, khakis, a polo, or basically anything other than a dress shirt and tie, would pretty much not get the job.

I own lots of "work clothes" that I wear to work and can also wear to wakes/funerals/dinner. For weddings, I have probably four or five dresses. One or two probbaly even still fit!

I can't imagine a job interview where DBF would wear khakis and a polo shirt. Dressing like that after getting the job maybe, but for an interview for a professional job? No.

Actually where he works khakis and a polo would be on the occasional casual Friday.

That may be the case where you are, but I have say that here (and in the Dallas area) DH has dressed like to every interview and always gotten the job

 

[Tinkermommy]

I own a suit but have worn it only once for a job interview. I have it if I need it but don't anticipate wearing it again until my next job interview and I wouldn't wear anything but a suit to a job interview. I wear a shirt and tie to weddings, sometimes wear a shirt and tie to a funeral though I wore a black turtle neck to a funeral mass this weekend, and I don't dress up for dinner anywhere beyond a button down shirt or polo shirt.

We switched from a shirt and tie office to logo apparel a couple of years ago so I wear either short sleeved or long sleeved polo shirts here year round thank God. I hate wearing a tie.

Don't you also wear pants!

I have to dress up for work (when I am in the office) so I have several nice pieces for weddings / funerals. If I didn't have a job that required that kind of wardrobe I would have one or maybe two outfits anyway. But I like clothes and shopping.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

I guess I wasn't thinking of people that live in the mid-west states not needing suits or nice clothes. I don't live in an upscale/nice area but people do still dress up for funerals, dinners, weddings, etc. I still can't imagine not owning anything but jeans though...no matter where you live.

Oh we definitely own more than jeans. Like I mentioned, DH has several pairs of black khakis and nice solid polos that he wears to events(which here is the norm). I have a lot of dresses and skirts but none that could be considered formal or semi formal(they are by no mean sundresses, but just not real fancy), but that is also fine for where we live. We've had at least 5 friends get married in the past few years and all of the wedding were casual affairs in a small church and the church hall or small local venue. We fit in and were even sometime dressed nicer than many other people at the weddings(other than those in the wedding party).
I just can't see spending money on a suit for DH or fancy dress for me when we have no reason to have to wear them.

 

[sweet angel]

But I like clothes and shopping.

Maybe this is an important point. I hate shopping, and my wardrobe is primarily about comfort.

When I was working, we were in a casual office (khakis and a sweater). I still have that stuff, but once it no longer fits (too big), I won't replace it until I need something. I don't own "slacks" or "dress pants" -- it's soooo hard to find them the right length (long) and it's just not worth it to me until I may need them.

DH wears work-supplied uniforms, and mainly jeans/t-shirts at home. He's got some button-down shirts and a couple pairs of khakis. I guess his wardrobe would get the seal of approval way before mine would.

I just don't see the point of spending money on something you won't wear -- until you need to!

 

[FireDancer]

Don't you also wear pants!

Only when they make me. Almost everything is more fun without pants.

 

[Katy Belle]

My DH wears slacks and button down shirt to work most days, suits occasionally, jeans on special incentive days. I am a SAHM and i wear jeans most days....but I have about 4 pair of nice slacks, 4 skirts, 4 dresses, lots of nice blouses.

We just bought DS15 a suit. He has worn it for Disrtct and State Science Fair and Winter Formal. He also has black slacks and several button down shirts.

DS13 and DS11 both have slacks and button down shirts.

We have recently moved to Oklahoma and have found things to be very casual. Kids wear jeans to church, with polo shirts. We went to a fundraiser dinner and i was overdressed! I wore black slacks and a beaded white tunic shirt. Most ladies wore khakis and casual sweaters....I was very surprised!
At most school concerts, etc, parents wear jeans.

 

[Poohforyou]

We live in the NYC metro area. DH has many suits and 1 that actually fits . He also has lots of sports jackets, dress slack, dress shirts and ties. I have more skirts than dresses but in a pinch I could put something together for anything but a formal event. No evening gowns or sparkly cocktail dresses in my closet.

I think everyone should have at least one nice outfit in the closet for a last minute event but don't think it has to be a suit. Honestly, my DH could wear dress slacks and a nice dress shirt to a funeral and all but the fanciest weddings here and no one is going to look at him sideway.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

My DH wears slacks and button down shirt to work most days, suits occasionally, jeans on special incentive days. I am a SAHM and i wear jeans most days....but I have about 4 pair of nice slacks, 4 skirts, 4 dresses, lots of nice blouses.

We just bought DS15 a suit. He has worn it for Disrtct and State Science Fair and Winter Formal. He also has black slacks and several button down shirts.

DS13 and DS11 both have slacks and button down shirts.

We have recently moved to Oklahoma and have found things to be very casual. Kids wear jeans to church, with polo shirts. We went to a fundraiser dinner and i was overdressed! I wore black slacks and a beaded white tunic shirt. Most ladies wore khakis and casual sweaters....I was very surprised!
At most school concerts, etc, parents wear jeans.

I so know this feeling! When we first moved to Montana we were overdressed for everything!

 

[TanyaS]

Count me in as also surprised at how many people either don't attend a funeral or wedding every year or two; or who only attend funerals or weddings where jeans would be appropriate attire.

I'm not sure I've had a year as an adult where I didn't attend either a wedding or a funeral, although lately it has definitely been more funerals that I would have liked (I'm 40, BTW).

I'm not sitting in judgement or disbelief, I'm just surprised!

 

[si-am]

I am 36 and haven't been to a wedding in... probably 6 years! And I've only been to 3 funerals ever.

I do have nice clothes, though.

 

[NMAmy]

The most surprising thing in the thread is there are so many people that don't go to weddings or funerals. I've been to at least one of each every year for the last 10 years.

I've been to three funerals in the last three weeks. We seem to be having a bad streak around here--I'm getting nervous about answering the phone. So, yeah, it's handy to have a choice of appropriate funeral attire on hand sometimes.

The weddings haven't been as frequent--our last one was over the summer last year. It was a casual, outdoor wedding. I wore a print summery knee length dress and DH wore a suit.

DH always feels that he's more comfortable wearing a suit. If everyone else is wearing one, he doesn't need to feel underdressed. If no one else is wearing one, he can take the jacket off and even take his tie off if it's really casual.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Are there really that many people that don't own dress clothes? I've seen it on several threads that some don't own suits or nice dresses. What is worn to weddings, funerals, nice dinners out?

Do you own atleast ONE suit or dress for such occasions or do you wear jeans and/or khakis to everything?

Have dress clothes and I love them!

 

[Jeafl]

I guess I wasn't thinking of people that live in the mid-west states not needing suits or nice clothes. I don't live in an upscale/nice area but people do still dress up for funerals, dinners, weddings, etc. I still can't imagine not owning anything but jeans though...no matter where you live.

I live in what is considered to be the midwest and most people around here dress up for weddings and funerals, at least the ones I've been to. It could be our proximity to Chicago that influences that though.

I have lots of dressy pants and skirts because that is what I have to wear to work. I have several pantsuits, some dressier than others, as well as about 7 or 8 cocktail dresses which are required for my husband's business functions.

I do love clothes though, so shopping tends to be more of a priority for me.

 

[Poohforyou]

Count me in as also surprised at how many people either don't attend a funeral or wedding every year or two; or who only attend funerals or weddings where jeans would be appropriate attire.

I'm not sure I've had a year as an adult where I didn't attend either a wedding or a funeral, although lately it has definitely been more funerals that I would have liked (I'm 40, BTW).

I'm not sitting in judgement or disbelief, I'm just surprised!

I'm in my 40's and in the last 15 years I've been to 3 weddings and 4 funerals. Neither DH or I have big extended families and our friends are all pretty much our age.

 

[klacey1]

DBF owns somewhere around 20 suits. He loves dressing up, though, even though he doesn't really have to for work.
I have two formal gowns, a handful of semi-formal shorter dresses, and a bunch of casual dresses. We don't go to a ton of formal events, but I do enjoy looking nice and having nice things in my wardrobe, just in case.
Around here, no one would think about wearing jeans to a wedding. Only a young child would wear khakis. We went to a funeral a few weeks ago and most men and woman wore dress slacks and nice shirts.