Why do young people (high school/college-aged) wear sweats and ripped jeans to school? According to some of my professors and my parents, young university students used to dress neatly, girls in skirts and guys in suits, some 30-plus years ago. Why can't people my age do that? Sometimes the clothes students wear around campus disgust me. We should learn how to be proper ladies and gentlemen if we are to succeed in the world.
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Name : CC19145, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Anglican, Age : 21, City : Somewhere, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : university student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, I would guess that many of us have little or no desire to be 'proper ladies and gentlemen.' This is a different era; it's more acceptable to dress comfortably or even grubbily, and because most of our contact on campus is with friends and peers, why put on airs? I would hate to sit through a college lecture in tight, itchy pantyhose or a starched shirt.
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Name : SR28445, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Humanist, Age : 22, City : Austin, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, When I was at university (I finished there 2 years ago), just about everyone dressed casually. The exception was a guy who wore a three-piece pin-striped suit to get attention. Generally speaking, I think as long as it's neat, it's fine. Remember, most university students don't have the money for a lot of expensive clothes. As for school, my experience was quite different. At my school, admittedly a very strict one, we had to wear the uniform of 'regulation school jumper; no stockings and socks - only one or the other; red, white, blue or a combination thereof hair clips/ribbons and the combination thereof did not include pink...' Not much room for what you're describing there.
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Name : Priscilla30269, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 23, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, A lot has changed in the past 30 or 40 years, not just what people wear. Personally I am very glad that I did not go to school 30 years ago when students were required to follow a dress code in public school. When my mom went to high school in the '60s, girls were not allowed to come to school in pants. If they did, then they were sent home. Boys were not alowed to wear jeans. As far as learning to be proper ladies and gentlemen for success in the world is concerned, I don't know what career path or social arena you are preparing yourself for. But I can tell you that in the tech industries in the Bay Area, the only time you see people in suits are when there is a BIG meeting or they are on a job interview. Other than that, jeans and Dockers are the norm.
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Name : Lucy22394, Gender : F, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : 26, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, When I was a freshman, I first came to my classes dressed in the trendy clothes I wore to high school, all made-up and hair curled. Then I looked around one day and noticed that all the older girls wore jeans and big sweatshirts and had their hair in pony tails. That was the end of the dress-up act for me. I thought it was great that class didn't have to be a fashion show the way it was in high school. Enjoy it while you can. Someday, you might be expected to wear an uncomfortable suit to work everyday, and you'll miss the ratty jeans.
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Name : Rhiannon, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 29, City : Eden Prairie, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Professor, Social class : Middle class, This is in response to the comment about not wanting to be little ladies and gents. You want to be little ladies and gents very badly. Little ladies and gents just look different today. It's the dress code that's established by mass media and commercials. You can't escape it easily if you want to be part of any group of people (your peers). You might want to try being considered eccentric (at least concerning taste matters) instead.
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Name : Thorsten Roggendorf, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 28, City : Bielefeld, State : NA Country : Germany, Occupation : PhD student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, In my opinion, it has a lot to do with where you live. I go to a school in a small town. There we always dress neat. I have never ever seen anybody go to school wearing sweats or even ripped jeans. I think it's a regional thing. Also it has to do with the size of your school. If you go to a larger school then you can be more comfortable setting trends, because there are all kinds of different people, but when you go to a school where you have known everybody all your life (by the way, I've only went to school with the people there since the 7th grade), then you are less comfortable with trying to be different.
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Name : Amy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : Hinesville, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, I went to George Washington University 1993-1997 and saw a huge spectrum of clothes worn to class - everything from businesswear (suits and skirts/dresses) to 'business casual' slacks and buttoned shirts and maybe sweaters in the winter, to things that looked like they were picked up off the floor a minute before they were put on, to almost laughable grunge and hip-hop wear. Interestingly, the styles often differed based on the courses. In my upper-level business and political science courses, many students had on a suit or business casual wear. There are a number of reasons for this, but a big one was that a lot of students (including me) had a business or government job or internship and squeezed in class along with it. In contrast, my English classes often had the worst-dressed students (sloppy artistes, maybe?). My first semester of Freshman year I dressed however I wanted to, usually wearing jeans and a sweater or sweatshirt (or shorts in the hot Washington fall). But I eventually realized that part of being serious about school was dressing seriously as well, so I picked up the business casual look for most classes. Not everybody feels this way, and wearing nice clothes does not improve everyone's concentration and seriousness, but that worked for me.
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Name : Michael, Gender : M, Age : 30, City : Manassas, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : History teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, You are on dangerous ground suggesting that we need to dress like 'proper ladies and gentlemen' to 'succeed in this world.' To wit, I was watching a bio on Richard Nixon, who dressed and behaved this way at his high school and university, and I guess he succeeded in this world, but is that the kind of success you would see as desirable?
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Name : Ben S., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 31, City : sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : Public servant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, And I assume, Mr Ben S, that you'd attend a job interview or formal dinner in a 1980's heavy metal band t-shirt? That is not appropriate for school either, Mr. S, nor are outfits worn by Miss Britney Spears. I think you need a crash course in a men's finishing school.
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Name : CC19337, Gender : F, Age : 21, City : Somewhere, State : NA Country : Canada, I've known many a wise man who looks like they slept under a bridge last night, and I've known many a fool who wear tailored pajamas to bed. Clothes may make the man in a superficial social sense, and maybe they come in handy in job interviews or at jobs where there's a dress code (I think virtually all dress codes should be abolished), but when it comes down to it, virtue and character are not measured by the shreds of cloth and thread one protects themselves from the elements with.
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Name : Dan31641, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 22, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, i feel that it is a different era so things are different but i also feel a big part of thr grubby (bummy) look is showing how we are maybe FINAILLY learning how looks are not everything and another thing we learn better when we are happy to make us happy put us in some confy cloths and we are ready to learn
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Name : Jenna, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 15, City : Pittsburgh, State : PA Country : United States, I think it is most important that the students are doing well in their studies. If they are learning, then who cares what they are wearing? I think that everyone is a unique individual and people should accept people for who they are even if they do wear raggedy clothing.
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Name : Amma, Gender : F, City : Tampa, State : FL Country : United States, I don't know about everyone, but I know that one thing I loved about graduating highschool and going on to college is that I no longer had to adhere to a dress code. I could dress as comfortably as I wanted and I could express myself through my clothing if I chose to. Don't get me wrong, I'm not out there wearing torn clothes and and with different shades of hair or whatever it is that your imagining. I will say that I personally don't have time to get 'dressed up' for class because I'm not there to impress anyone. I'm there to learn and to get my education. Most people who attend class and are 'dressed up' are only going that way to impress someone and see who they can pick up. On top of that there are other things going on today that weren't happening back then. Most college students are working full time jobs and bearly have enough time to study, what makes you think that they are going to concern themselves what they should and shouldn't wear to class. After a long day of work, i'm sure everyone wants to jump in some comfy clothes and then get started on what they have to do. On top of that there are several single parents out there who also work and are trying to go to college and they are limited on time aswell. Everyone has different reasons for not dressing up for class, however when its time to present there are alot of us out there who can dress, act and be the part.
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Name : Arianna, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Catholic, Age : 22, City : Donna, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Why does it matter what other people wear. You should not judge people by what they look like. If you want to wear a suit than do so. Maybe those people that are wearing those ripped jeans to school are saying 'why do girls have to wear skirts?' or 'why is that guy wearing a suit?' It's all about what an individual perfers.
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Name : Ashley, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : St. John's, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 
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