There are a lot around here now, more often semi casual. Or what I think the English call casual business shirts. I see them here in strange button downs with jeans and non contrasting cuffs.

I think they should always be worn with jacket and tie, suit only really, must be white collar and cuffs, looks weird without cuffs white. Should have rich material and colour on shirt. Probaly blue or pink broad stripes or white stripes on blue or pink background. Could be pattrened say in paisley or flowers although ive never seen this, only imgained it would work. Should ideally on,y show a small triangle of colour between collar, tie and lapels. The white collar is better against skin than pink.

For going out rather than for ordinary business in my mind. Business social dinner etc.

It seems firmly fixed in most peoples mind it now is stereotyped as the FU shirt for dickheads and worn without jacket, with braces, and cigar. I do think though that witha resurgence in availability for casual wear that this stereotype may disapate and enable a discreet wearing again.

You don't have a perm?

Last edited by fxh (2012-04-03 21:14:47)

Watching another episode of One Adam 12, I noticed that several training candidates for the LA Police department were in wild printed shirts in stark contrast to the clean cut officers. I thought that was interesting because you'd think  that there would be a lot of trouble about "hippies". I like that show because it tries to portray its image of contemporary ordinary people which gives me an insight into what the wardrobers believed viewers considered ordinary, normal or current for a given type of person. Young people wear printed shirts, rich older dudes wear light grey suits; nervous department store owners/managers wear brown suits. It's very interesting.

it also makes me wonder if we don't judge clothing with a narrower lens than they did. I say this because there are themes but no discerning uniformity in what people wear. In some respects I feel through the eyes of this show that people were more diverse and individualistic than they are today and less likely to react to what someone else is wearing. Could it be that we are more uptight and conservative than an era we (at least, that I) consider backward?

Coming back from the city today I called into my (semi) local suburban shopping centre or (as our soap dodger friends from UK might say) The High Street.  walking from the butchers ( rack of lamb plus greek lamb shaslicks - BBQ tonight = 28C = autumn) to the supermarket  I nearly bumped into an elderly couple, I estimate in their mid 80s.

Both noticeably tall but stooped over. Him in black polished shoes, beige/ tan neat pressed trousers, high rise, nicely hitting shoes, shirt = white with large blue window panes AND contrast white collar and cuffs with cuff links, plus very very bright plain red tie. Didn't look weird or out of place at all. Nothing forced.