Why make an effort to dress well?

As if he needs any introduction. . .  Acting great Sean Connery as secret agent James Bond in Goldfinger (1964).

Why bother to learn how an adult male -- a man -- ought to dress?  Why  make an effort to dress well when so many others around the world look like slobs regardless of the social, academic, or occupational setting?  Briefly, learning how to dress well, and then making an effort to do so, signals lots of things about you and your character to those whose eyes are open, including the following:

1) Self-confidence
2) Self-respect
3) Respect for others
4) An awareness of, and respect for, settings and occasions. . .  as well as just plain ol' consideration for the people around you
5) Attention to detail and self-discipline
6) Grooming and sophistication


Without a doubt, there are other cues associated with the art of dressing well, but these six points spring immediately to mind every time I see the same old tired complaints in online exchanges about mens' clothing and style.  You know the ones.  Excuses and rationalizations like these:

* "People shouldn't have to dress up if they don't want to." 

* "What's on the inside is the only thing that matters."  

* "Who cares if I want to wear my pajamas, flip flops, and/or sagging gangsta pants with my underwear hanging out in public?"  

* "Dressing up is uncomfortable."  

* "At work, only my performance on paper should matter."  

* "Only 'the rich' can afford to dress like that." (My personal favorite).

 *And so on, and so forth, ad infinitum.  

Obviously, clothes alone do not make the man, but they speak much more loudly and say much more about us than many people would otherwise like to believe.  And whatever happened to putting our best foot forward whenever we are in public? 

As I see it, there are two possible approaches take.  We can either try in vain to change societal views and perceptions, many of which are hundreds of years in the making, or we can take the easier road.  That means getting with the program, picking up the sartorial slack of the last 20+ years, and making a much better effort than we've seen recently to present ourselves in a more serious, adult way.  Really.

Still not buyin' it?  Well, there is all kinds of historical, sociological, and psychological research out there that suggests strong links between our attire, how people around us react, how our sartorial choices make us feel about ourselves, and the paths our lives often take because of it.  Check it out.  It's all over the 'net and easy to find.  

Yep.  Time to leave the  flip flops, hoodies, and cruddy jeans behind, guys.  You're not in the fourth grade anymore.