Appropriate Dress Required

The jury duty summons I received read – appropriate attire required. Not everybody was dressed appropriately. Some were sleeveless with tattoos showing… and those were the women.

Your Sunday best,’ is no longer your best; instead of a suit and tie, it’s shorts and flip-flops.

Some restaurants post signs in their front window, ‘No shirt, no shoes, no service.’ I imagine this wasn’t much of a problem until recently when men started going shirtless. I don’t know who started it. I don’t know when it started. All I know is that men running around shirtless are being touted as a ‘curious trend.’ The cover of The Daily News had a picture of Orlando Bloom walking the streets of New York shirtless.  

When I was in New York this summer I saw my share of shirtless men. It’s not that I wasn’t appreciative, but my question is – why? Do they think it’s sexy? To see an out-of-shape guy with shorts around his knees, underwear showing and flip-flops is not sexy. Maybe they’re too tired to put a shirt on, I mean walking around all day trying to look cool and oblivious to women ogling them takes a lot of energy; energy they no longer have to finish dressing.

Even if you have a great build, even if women gawk at you the way men have done to women since Adam said to Eve, “Forget the fig leaf,” my question is – why? In order for it to be considered a fashion statement, doesn’t one have to wear something to be considered fashion? Are they trying to make women feel bad with the silent, yet visual commentary which screams, ‘Ha, ha, men can go shirtless, but women can’t?’ Is this being disrespectful to women?

When I asked my husband what he thought of men permitted to go shirtless, but women prohibited from going topless, he replied with a smile, “Oh, I’m all for women going topless in public.” I think if women can’t do it, then men shouldn’t be allowed to do it. If you’re on a beach and shirtless, it’s fine. If you’re in bed and shirtless, it’s fine. Otherwise… why?