As a young adult, I did a fair amount of work on our family farm. I also worked off the farm, a blue collar job. I had my own commercial truck, and I’d make deliveries throughout the northern Puget Sound region.
So I wasn’t a snappy dresser.
But, I could be a snappy dresser. When the occasion demanded it. Because I used to do fancy things from time to time, and I enjoyed dressing up.
Then I entered public office, and I began working in a professional capacity. I took pains to look good. Nice suits, nice ties, nice accessories, the whole thing. And at that time, in that place, decades ago, that was expected.
But, society has grown increasingly casual in the time since. I think that I just sort of fell into that.
I still work in the same place, but the expectations are not what they were years ago. Not many at all dress now as we all dressed in my early days there.
Frankly, I started dressing like a schlub. Cheap slacks, decent shirt, (I’ve always been a touch particular about my shirts) whatever tie is handy, and a passable blazer. Everyone else dresses the same way, it’s the uniform of the day.
A far cry from my early days there, when I had 105 ties in rotation.
The thing is, I never really noticed this.
Sure, I remembered how much I used to spend on clothing, and how everyone used to dress much better where I work, but I never really noticed the downgrade to schlub look happening. I suppose because the change was so very gradual.
And of course it is all part of a huge trend in our society to move ever more casual.
Months ago I was sitting in a Lodge meeting, with a room full of relatively young Masons, all of whom happen to be fairly snappy dressers. That’s kind of one of that Lodge’s claims to fame if you will. They make a special point to dress well.
A Lodge room full of middle aged and younger men, all dressed quite well, and I can’t help but spot the one guy dressed like a schlub in the room. Cheap slacks, ill fitting blazer, the whole bit.
To my eye, he really stood out.
And seeing him stand out like that, it really brought it home to me that I look just like him, because when I go to Lodge, I wear clothes just about exactly like he was wearing.
It showed me, really clearly, just how badly my own standards of dress have slipped over two or three decades.
I think that there’s a lesson here about our Lodges.
Standards can slip, so slowly, so imperceptibly over time, that we don’t even realize it’s really happening. Sure, we can look back to when things were better, but we don’t really see how rough things may have gotten over a long period.
Just like me, slowly going from snappy to schlub in dress, maybe a Lodge can go from thriving to schlub, without even trying or truly realizing it.
Maybe, when that has happened, a Lodge could benefit from a shock. A shock like I had when I finally saw my own reflection in another man’s clothes.
Now for those who know me, let’s not get all excited here. GQ man I am not, and fan of casual I am. I’m still going to dress like a weirdo, I’m just going to take a bit more care in doing so.
And maybe that’s all our Lodge really needs if it has slipped. If it isn’t up to the standards that it was years ago. Not revolution, but just a bit more care in all that it does.
Your comment, "Standards can slip, so slowly, so imperceptibly over time, that we don’t even realize it’s really happening," not only applies to dress but also ritual, officer selection and commitment, and dedication. I served in two progressive officer lines, my lodge, and the Shrine. I have watched standards slip in both, as well as the level of leadership ability. When the fraternity started compromising on standards to ensure full officer lines, we created an erosion of quality.
Yes I always see the meetings with members in a suit and tie and hats and others that look like they just got off a logging job and straight to the Lodges
We have the 2 casual dress summer months but we tend to have several that either don't know or don't care what they look like........or have a reason for not having a suits and tie.
I guess we just need to say at the end of a meeting that the next one will have a Grand member visiting and see how that works.......not that you can be at every Lodge meeting even if it is just a test to see what would happen.......only time I am not in the suit is at the Loggers Degree
But then here I am up at 3:30am for some reason