Dress For Disrespect

It appears that the old axiom, "dress for success" which once was the rule of thumb for most intelligent people in our society, is just one more obsolete idea relegated to the proverbial dustbin of history. "Dressing down" has been going on for decades, I'm sorry to say, but this week it got a major push thanks to Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer, a man who has proven skills when it comes to doing wrong and stupid things. Simply put, the man is a jerk.

Schumer has declared that the U.S. Senate will no longer enforce a dress code for members of the upper house, allowing Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., to wear his trademark hoodie and gym shorts while working for his constituents. Schumer "secretly" sent the directive to the Senate's sergeant at arms, proving he's not only a jerk, he's a cowardly jerk. At least one expert has said that decision could impact the confidence and productivity of lawmakers as society continues to become more and more casual. Author Jasna Burza, who spent years studying how our environment and wardrobe impacts everyday life, believes the dress code reversal could become a problem. By wearing a certain shirt or a tie, we feel a little bit more confident, a little bit more productive, a little bit more ready for today, she said. "It's almost like a reverence and respect for oneself."

The good news is that the decision to relax the informal dress code that members wear business attire on the Senate floor erupted into a firestorm of criticism by Republican senators. Even a moderate like Sen. Susan Collins, while joking that now she could wear a bikini on the floor of the Senate, slammed the stupid dress code directive. "It debases the institution," she said. Nearly every GOP senator (46 in all) signed a letter blasting Schumer's decision to relax Senate attire rules. Only three, Sens. Mike Braun of Indiana, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Josh Hawley of Missouri did not sign the letter. Why they didn't sign is a good question for their constituents to ask them. As far as I can determine, there was only one Democrat who wasn't happy with Schumer's directive, Sen. Joe Manchin from West Virginia. Manchin said he recently spoke with Fetterman and informed him that he felt the change was "wrong."

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and 45 of his fellow GOP colleagues on Tuesday wrote a letter to Schumer stating the following, "The Senate is a place of honor and tradition, and the Senate floor is where we conduct the business of the American people. It is where we debate the policies which impact every American family and, when necessary, it is where we must make the gravest decision imaginable Ð whether to send our fellow Americans into battle to defend the freedoms we all hold dear.

"The world watches us on that floor and we must protect the sanctity of that place at all costs. Allowing casual clothing on the Senate floor disrespects the institution we serve and the American families we represent." The 46 senators expressed their "supreme disappointment" in the change and call on Schumer to "immediately reverse this misguided action." But of course he won't. Did I mention that Schumer is a jerk?

Sadly, many Americans couldn't care less about all this, in fact they go along with the whole dressing as a slob idea. In a Gallup survey earlier this year just 3% of men said they wear business dress (such as suits) on most days. That is down from 14% about a decade ago. Women largely follow the same trend. Only 3% of them normally wore a suit or business clothing to work in 2023.

In a poll conducted in part by the Wall Street Journal, Americans were asked what type of clothing was appropriate for the workplace. Now get this, 58% of them said shorts (like the ones Fetterman wears) were appropriate in a professional work environment at least some of the time. Only 41% said they were never appropriate.

And what about the Fetterman sneakers? Well, that's okey dokey with most of those who were polled. The respondents agreed that either running sneakers (73%) or dressier sneakers (about 86%) could be appropriate for a professional office environment at least some of the time. "Dressier" sneakers? That's like saying "dressier" baseball caps or hoodies. Oh wait. I think they already make those.

By and large, most people want to look like slobs. Is it a comfort thing? Wearing a pair of nice slacks is just as comfortable as wearing a pair of jeans. More comfortable, actually.

Thanks Sen. Schumer, for turning the United States Senate into just another day at the beach. By making the Senate less formal you've given us yet one more reason to disrespect its members.

When our elected representatives look no different from gardeners, garbage collectors, or the punks who break into stores, why should we take anything they say or do seriously?

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