I hate business casual.
I look so bad in it, it's so uncomfortable, and it's so...not me!
More and more lately, I find myself pulling out the same half-dozen or so standbys to demonstrate respect at events such as PLA functions, concerts, etc., and just looking in the mirror and cracking up.
I'm not about to stop dressing up; being respectful is one of my greatest priorities in life. I am, however, wondering why we, as a culture, developed such a shockingly bland and impersonal way of dressing for respectability.
Recently, I told my friends that, given the choice, I'd be covered in tattoos and piercings and have half of my head shaved (It would look sick with curls on the other half, wouldn't it?)... that is, if I didn't care about things like being respectful to my elders, getting a job, and, well, being taken seriously. I've always had these inclinations to alter my appearance to my liking, but it's becoming ever clearer that this is out of the question.
So I compromise. I wear thigh-high black boots on non-PLA days, collect skull motifs (Including François, my treasured gold resin, life-sized skull that sits in front of mirror), wear tailed eyeliner, and paint whatever I want.
Now, I'm sure that, if you are reading this and know me at all, this seems really incongruent and confusing...but why? Why isn't body-altering and embracing of "dark" themes considered socially acceptable? Why can't I still seem like a nice person while wearing skull earrings and combat boots?
I understand there are some ways to incorporate my underlying style into even the most business-appropriate of outfits. I have several pairs of gothic-esque earrings and other pieces of jewelry that I've made myself that I tend to throw on, and most of my formalwear is still black. But it still just looks so odd to me in the mirror...almost like I'm being dishonest with people.
Any thoughts as to how and why our business culture has adopted a more or less homogenized "look?"
I look so bad in it, it's so uncomfortable, and it's so...not me!
More and more lately, I find myself pulling out the same half-dozen or so standbys to demonstrate respect at events such as PLA functions, concerts, etc., and just looking in the mirror and cracking up.
I'm not about to stop dressing up; being respectful is one of my greatest priorities in life. I am, however, wondering why we, as a culture, developed such a shockingly bland and impersonal way of dressing for respectability.
Recently, I told my friends that, given the choice, I'd be covered in tattoos and piercings and have half of my head shaved (It would look sick with curls on the other half, wouldn't it?)... that is, if I didn't care about things like being respectful to my elders, getting a job, and, well, being taken seriously. I've always had these inclinations to alter my appearance to my liking, but it's becoming ever clearer that this is out of the question.
So I compromise. I wear thigh-high black boots on non-PLA days, collect skull motifs (Including François, my treasured gold resin, life-sized skull that sits in front of mirror), wear tailed eyeliner, and paint whatever I want.
Now, I'm sure that, if you are reading this and know me at all, this seems really incongruent and confusing...but why? Why isn't body-altering and embracing of "dark" themes considered socially acceptable? Why can't I still seem like a nice person while wearing skull earrings and combat boots?
I understand there are some ways to incorporate my underlying style into even the most business-appropriate of outfits. I have several pairs of gothic-esque earrings and other pieces of jewelry that I've made myself that I tend to throw on, and most of my formalwear is still black. But it still just looks so odd to me in the mirror...almost like I'm being dishonest with people.
Any thoughts as to how and why our business culture has adopted a more or less homogenized "look?"
