Are you gonna wear that?

Boy it’s great to be on dry land. My recent cruise brought to light an issue that is dear to my heart. I’ve always considered myself a fashionista even before the term was coined. I haven’t always had the money for clothing but always had a passion for it. I’ve even had a co-worker call me a clothes whore. She was playing on the words clothes horse. Or at least that’s what I think she meant. Come to think of it; she may have been calling me out.

Anyway, the cruise line is very specific about dining attire. Casual clothes like summer dresses and button down shirts for men. Nowhere in the cruise info did it say ratty peg-legged jeans and Bahama Momma/Daddy T-shirt. I’m not talking cool casual Friday togs but BBQ by the double wide fashion.

I know I’m about to sound like an old fart here but what happened to the days when people dressed for dinner. I’m not saying black tie but a pressed pair of pants and shirt for gentlemen and nice slacks or dress for women. . I was so excited at the chance to shave my legs and go out that I dressed up every evening. When did this all go wrong? I should have known something was amiss when I saw a girl wearing jeans to a Broadway show. Broadway. Not community theater.

With age, I’m slowly realizing I’m liberal on some issues and conservative on others. Gays should be able to adopt and marry. Women should be able to choose whether to birth a baby or not. ALL people should dress appropriately for formal dining and the theater.

I blame pop culture for making us believe that denim can replace satin and linen. Just because Mariah Carey pays $1,000 for a pair of jeans doesn’t make it eveningwear. She’s a celebrity. If you haven’t noticed, celebrities live a more dramatic public life that leads to wearing sunglasses at night and Gap T-shirts with your Vera Wang skirt. That’s a glamorous façade that doesn’t hold up in the real world. The minute our public figures and movie stars started wearing casual fashions, we soon followed.

With that said, below are a few items you MUST have:

A timeless suit

I don’t care if it’s from the Jaclyn Smith Collection, a smart suit is mandatory. Suits can be found every where from thrift shops to high-end department stores. It doesn’t matter if you only dust it off when Uncle Lenny passes. Everyone should own a suit. They come in handy for job interviews, weddings, baptisms and other occasions.

Dress shoes

Women generally don’t have a problem with this but men do. Let me tell you something fellas, it’s a turn off to date a man that doesn’t have hard soled shoes. A closet full of sneakers makes you look like a man/boy and that ain’t good. You don’t have to wear them everyday but they should have them in your closet.

Sweater or wrap

Ladies when you finally go out for that special evening, don’t cover that lovely ensemble with your distressed jean jacket or retro burgundy Member’s Only jacket. Invest in a cute little sweater or pashmina-like wrap. There are tons of look-a-likes out there. While you’re shopping, look into a small evening bag in a neutral color.

What else should people have?