Going abroad and relearning fashion norms is a culture shock in and of itself.
When I went to Europe this past summer, I was prepared to dress up for classes, dinners, and more. But I quickly learned that dressing nicely went a lot deeper than just that.
American’s fashion norms are lazy, point-blank. Where did we go wrong? Why are we showing up to things like the grocery store in pajamas, to class in sweatpants, and to bars in sneakers instead of heels?
European dress codes are based on respect and tradition, whereas Americans don’t necessarily follow these ideologies. I think it’s time we do.
There’s no need to adopt the extreme where we can’t leave the house with wet hair or feel pressured to look our absolute best at the grocery store. But looking nice is not only respectful — it’s fun!
Every morning I woke up abroad, I was excited to get ready for class. It made me feel good, prepared, organized, and ready to tackle the rest of the day.
It reminds me of what my mom always told me about making my bed growing up: “Making your bed in the morning is the best way to start your day because if you have a bad day, at least you come home to a made bed.”
The same applies here. If you have a bad day, at least you look good.
The Medium wrote, “this cultural norm is deeply rooted in the American value of individualism, where personal choice and freedom are held in high regard.”
This is an interesting perspective I hadn’t considered when comparing the dress codes of Americans and Europeans and why they’re so different.
That said, I don’t think individualism needs to be, or would be, taken away by creating new values and ideals around the American dress code. Individualism would still exist, but in more powerful and polished ways.
For example, statement pieces could be more normalized and praised. That outfit you say you can only wear to a specific event? Forget about it — wear it to lunch, class, or heck, even to get gas!
The Medium argues the American dress code signals a form of freedom, while the European dress code represents conformity and respect. Europeans have an unspoken dress code of their own. I’m sure many Americans would argue the First Amendment protects the right to wear what we want, and that’s fair and respectable.
It might sound like a far reach to get the entire American population behind a new fashion norm, but I think that if we had set values and rules when it came to looking presentable, we’d all benefit.
Though I don’t have much room to talk — I’ve worn sweatpants to class 98 percent of this week — I blame the fact that I’m used to it.
If there were an unspoken expectation, like I witnessed and learned about during my time in Europe, I wouldn’t complain — I’d embrace it.