I just came from Wal-Mart, and on my way in I spotted a woman in a heavy jacket suitable for the cold weather, but with flannel pajama bottoms and furry metallic tinged slippers from the waist down. I would not be caught at the end of the world wearing my bedroom attire with outerwear thrown on top of it as an afterthought, so I wondered what kind of people think it is okay to not at least put some effort into personal pride before stepping out the door, whether it’s Wal-Mart or the Waldorf Astoria.
The appearance of Wal-Mart, with its basic layout and discount merchandise, does not immediately imply that one must appear as if the store has a shopper’s dress code. When one dresses slovenly, they tend also to behave slovenly. I have seen racks and shelves with their contents moved about and not put back, with dented boxes and holes in packages. The parents often scream louder than the children. Some days in Wal-Mart it seems like a parade of what famed author Edward Bulwer-Lytton called “the great unwashed.” To be dressed above or below the mass of humanity in the store is uncomfortable.
In the good old days, no woman with any self-worth would be seen outdoors without gloves on. White gloves. Ask your great-grandmother. Women wore hats, and not just to church. In fact I would like to see an entire church congregation march into Wal-Mart to shop some Sunday after services. It would be like a breath of fresh air. At least they might wear dresses and pant suits, and the men would look a bit dapper.
Speaking of men, what happened to shirts, jackets and ties on occasions other than weddings and funerals? The stores are patronized by, and cater to, the tee and polo shirt crowd. We have dressed down to a style which used to be only designated for farm hands or farriers.
The folks–even the lady with the fuzzy slippers–seemed clean enough, so they must be raiding the bottoms of their dresser drawers to find and wear some of the abominations I’ve seen passed off as public clothing.
For goodness sake, at least wear decent shoes. Don’t make people wonder if you have a pair of underwear between your pudendum and the flannel pajamas, or socks on your feet under the slippers. Make an effort to look good, and even Wal-Mart might thank you for being a better looking patron.
Susan's Scribblings the Blog 