I saw this picture online and it made me think of how much we have changed as a society. Do you remember when we used to go to the grocery store and people weren’t wearing pajamas? It has been a while hasn’t it?
I haven’t gotten that bad with my fashions in early retirement yet, although I am much more casual. In the summer, I typically wear shorts, and now that the weather is changing I switch to blue jeans. I only wear t-shirts if I am playing sports or working in the yard.
I don’t really dress up very often anymore – unless I am going to a meeting. But, meetings have mostly been online during the pandemic. I guess COVID-19 has been a excuse for everyone to dress down a bit. On Zoom, I’ll usually put on a button down dress shirt, even if I have shorts on underneath.
Related: Fuzzy FIRE Lifestyle
In the winter, if I am staying home for the day, I will wear comfy track pants instead of jeans and my fleece slippers. I have even started to wear the track pants if I run some errands around town. That’s about as casual as I’ve gotten out in public.
I guess on those days I am contributing to the unravelling of the minimal thread of fashion sophistication that still holds our society together!
How casual (or not) have you gotten in retirement or during the pandemic?
Image Credit: Good Housekeeping
MrFireStation 
I have worked in technology related businesses my entire career which went business casual in the late 90s because everyone was trying to act like they were a cool startup in Silicon Valley. The company I was working at was probably the last software company to require shirts and ties in the office and suits when meeting with customers. In early 2000, they made the switch to business casual and actually sent out a primer on how to dress business casual. The company got sold within three months, so in retrospect may have been part of their campaign to market themselves.
The last years of my career were spent at an almost anything goes, in terms of dress, software company. I wore shorts into the office almost every day, but still wore suits when visiting with customers.
As a parting comment, on both an inflation adjusted and absolute basis the companies where you dressed up also paid much better.
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My MegaCorp went business casual in the late 1990s. For me that just meant switching from a suit & tie to a button down shirt & sport coat. Sometimes I would wear a golf / polo shirt on Friday in the summer. I went to Catholic schools with a uniform, so I have never been very fashion forward! 😉
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Chief, in retirement, “Comfy” is my middle name. Year round, on an ordinary day, you will find me in Public Rec pants or Public Rec shorts. Super-comfy 4-way-stretch, decent looking for a meeting or just lounging around the house. Summer Dri-Release t-shirts, or a collar polo if I’m going out to dinner. Socks with loafers (Cole Haans) for going out; New Balance for goofing around; Crocs for beach. In cool weather, fleece for casual, sweater for dressy, Orvis coats when needed. Sunday, I dress up for church.
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Public Rec pants … ? I guess you learn something knew everyday! I had no idea what those were and just looked them up.: “A more stylish alternative to sweatpants, a more comfortable alternative to jeans.” That’s a great positioning and they look nice. I’m going to order a pair or two and try them out. Thanks!
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When I retired 4.5 years ago, after +25 years in Big Pharma, I swore I’d never put on a suit again and only wear shorts, flip-flops, and brewery t-shirts after retiring! I’m pretty good at sticking to that wardrobe, but I will occasionally still throw on jeans, a flannel shirt, my old cowboy boots, and a baseball hat during the winter months around the farm. I do still keep one nice polo and a pair of khakis for extreme situations (still no suites!), but that polo has lasted 3 years because it’s only been worn a couple of times!
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That’s very comfortable, indeed! I do like jeans, a flannel shirt, and a ball cap on a fall or winter day. I’m heading up north this weekend in my Jeep for some state park hikes and that will be perfect. Play some country music and enjoy the early fall colors.
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I had a doctors appointment in Hollywood today and my wife went with me to lunch together after. I commented that it felt good to be dressed up again, khaki’s and button down long sleeve shirt, it was cold, mid sixties.
We live two blocks from light rail so rode the rail and subway to our destination. The subway deteriorated during the shutdown. You always see interesting sights, but today a beggar asking people for a dollar ended up buying crack from the guy sitting in front of us and then smoked it across the aisle from us as if he was smoking a cigarette!
I’m not so bothered now with pajamas at the grocery store!
Yes we will continue to ride mass transit
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Wow – that’s a crazy ride. My son was out in Highland Park this summer (off Figueroa) and near a light-rail line, but I don’t think he ventured on it at all. He had his car and took that around LA. We did see a lot of homeless tent cities / encampments, which are unfortunately also starting to become common in Minneapolis (at least until Winter).
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I have fallen into wearing shorts and sweatpants and t-shirts during the pandemic now that I am working from home the majority of the time. I have also been victim to adding a few pounds doing the whole home baking and being too close to the fridge. I have had to travel a few times for work and my dress pants and shirts were a little tight. 😦
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I’ve noticed some of my dress pants are a little tight too!
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My sons have commandeered my dress clothes since retirement.
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Wait, I was supposed to change out of pajamas when I shop for groceries?
All kidding aside – my dress standard has always been just whatever’s most comfortable: sweatpants / shorts + comfy cotton casual shirt. I don’t necessarily have to see any clients for my work or have to interact with anyone, so dressing up has never really been a variable I’ve considered.
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Comfy clothes are especially wonderful now the cold mornings are here in MN!
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