Dress Standards Falling?

While I favour the ‘casual’ look for many outings, I sometimes feel we, in this western society, have allowed the notion of casual attire to evolve to one of complete indifference. Although some people still make an effort in wearing occasion-appropriate clothes, there are others who take the ‘come as you are’ concept to a whole new level, and primarily of the lower kind. Flip-flops, cut-off jeans and muscle shirts may be acceptable at roadside food stands but they seem out of place in most restaurants that provide table service. Those restaurants that require ‘smart casual’ or ‘business casual’ for clothing will seldom enforce that normally vague standard unless the customer has the appearance of just emerging from a septic tank. Okay, slight, perhaps big, exaggeration to stress the point. I have to give kudos to women though as they seem to be the ones that will make the effort to dress appropriately more often than men.

What do you think? Is the lowering in the standard of dress good or bad? Considering what is truly important about life one could argue that dress is not that important.....unless that is you are going for a job interview and you know the thinking about first impressions.