I love the clothes that the Girls wore on the show, from the beautiful negligee’s that Blanche wore around the house to the vibrant colored, shoulder padded outfits of Dorothy. It was the end of an era when people “dressed” for occasions and special events. Nowadays you see blue jeans, yoga pants and shorts everywhere from the office to church services.

Our society has become very lack in what is considered acceptable appearance.  It’s called everything from comfort to sporty to business causal. To me it’s seems like laziness, not being judgmental because I am also guilty of this lackadaisical approach to clothing. I remember when my top drawer had several pairs of pantyhose, camisoles, and trouser socks. Accessorizing was also very important. Belts and handbags matched your shoes and everyone had a “dress” watch.

As I watch the Girls, I long for the days of “dressing up” . Even at house parties the ladies wore dresses and the men wore suits and ties or at least slacks and a sport jacket.  Earrings were always on and hair and makeup was always in place. I know what your thinking, “It’s a TV show”. True as that may be, I do remember when going to church, a wedding, a funeral,  or a job interview involved choosing just the right outfit. Just going shopping or to a doctor’s appointment required a certain amount of makeup and not wearing what I call “around the house clothes”. I go into stores today and see everything imaginable. We’ve all seen the memes and videos of oddly clad people in the Wal-Mart. We laugh and shake our heads, but in reality carelessly dressed people are all around us.

When I was still in the workforce full time I would get to work early, grab my coffee and sit outside. I would watch the people as they walked into the building.  There were those that were always put together with the right shoes and a hair never out of place and then there were others… lets just say “Bless their heart!”

Many of the departments in my office building had dress codes, some more strict than others. Some would push the rules to the limit and it was often just a big ‘ol mess! One that we had was nothing with spaghetti straps. How to get around that and still wear your cute summer dress? One girls answer was to put on a ribbed tank top under her dress. Not a snappy look. I always had the urge to take her a cardigan and say ” Here, try this!”

I recently started a part time job. It’s in an office and everyone is dressed nicely.  I was never told the dress code, but I think the vibe is business casual. Once again, some push it to the limit. Because I have a closet full of “office clothes” that haven’t been worn in several years, and a few new pieces that have been waiting for job interviews, I usually feel overdressed.  Not that my clothes are expensive or fancy, I just tend to often wear dresses or skirts with the occasional slacks/sweater combination. I like to have my hair and makeup just right too.  I am sure that, unfortunately, as time goes by and I get more comfortable with my workmates, I too will wear my capris with a nice top with my boat shoes. I don’t find anything wrong with a relaxed dress code, It actually can make for a better work environment. But, like I said above, I long for the days when people “dressed up” for things.

My husband works in the oil industry,  he’s not a suit and tie guy, but a blue jean and hard hat guy. Nonetheless, I iron his shirts and jeans every week. He often gets compliments and sometimes teased that his clothes are always so nice.  I think that it’s important to look your best no matter your job or position. I think that it makes him happy and in my opinion, he looks great and very professional.

You don’t have to be what society considers a “professional” like a doctor. teacher or a lawyer to be professional.  From the custodian to the CEO being professional is not about your title or even your clothes, it’s about doing the job that you have with pride. Pride in your appearance and in your work. My son in laws father often sent his kids off with this saying ” Impress somebody”.  I love that! I often wish that I had said it to mine. My kids are amazing, have good work ethics and they all dress pretty well, ( I threw that in because this post is kind of about looking good!). To give your children that little shot of confidence each day is a pretty darn good parenting skill. I am sure that he wasn’t talking so much about their appearance, but their attitude and abilities.  I think that it all goes hand in hand. My grandson got that piece of advice on his first day of kindergarten. It must have worked, he came home happy, had a couple of new friends and was ready to go back the next day!

I know,  I started out talking about pantyhose and padded shoulders, but somehow segued to work ethics and being kind. I guess that, in a nutshell, if you look good, you feel good. To coin a phrase ” Dress for Success”,  you can impress somebody even if you never open your mouth.

So, the next time you leave your house, tell yourself to impress somebody! It’s a great little reminder to always look your best. It’s not totally about what your wearing, but a reminder to not get lazy in the daily grind and to always look for opportunities to not only advance your own skills but to help another person along the way. If you see someone that impresses you, tell them. A little compliment goes a long way!

Until Next Time

Thank You for Being a Friend!

MG