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We recently moved to a rural (but definitely not poor!) location, and I know that the people here don't dress up much at all -- but that being said, I was surprised when we went to a fairly upscale restaurant for a Valentines Day dinner, and it seems that everyone besides us were dressed in "everyday" jeans, the usual attire around here, so I am wondering if most rural people dress up only for weddings and funerals (if that)?
Now, granted, it was about five degrees outside, but I am just curious as to whether our experience is usual for most rural locations? (If you care to answer, would you please tell what state/area you are in? Thanks.)
P.S. We are certainly not snobs, and we love it that the year-rounders here are not pretentious at all, but we just want to fit in and not look like outsiders. (Btw, my husband wore slacks, a turtleneck and a sweater, and I wore a slightly dressy sweater and leggings set.)
Rural SW Washington here. Rural but not poor either!
Washington has a reputation for not dressing up ever. That there is no restaurant anywhere even in Seattle that you couldn't get in and get a table wearing plaid flannel. Even the most expensive places.
One of my favorite stories about differences in cultures between east-coast and west-coast people was when I was working for a nonprofit based out of Seattle, where we would have a national conference every year. The attendees were mid level social work professionals who worked with the homeless... or ran programs that did.... so not particularly snobby types, right? Well, we spent the day wearing office-casual kinds of clothes at the conference, and then a group of us met for a drink at the hotel where they were staying. After having a couple drinks, we started talking about going out to a popular local place for dinner, and the ladies from Detroit and Chicago and Washington DC et al all wondered what they should go change into for dinner. We locals looked at them oddly because we obviously weren't going home to change first (I lived an hour away), we were planning to go as-is. They simply wouldn't HEAR of that! They needed to dress for dinner. And they did! They went up to their rooms and came down dressed to the nines, in pretty evening dresses... and we went in flannels, and the whole group of us went out and I bet few of the locals even noticed the difference within the group. We're just not that into formalities here.
I wear dresses most every day, whether working or home... but they're casual dresses, that I can wear with sneakers or sandals or boots, depending on the weather. If your rural folk are like our rural folk, I'd bet you could wear pretty much whatever you want, and still fit in. Rural people don't necessarily dress up to go out, but dressed up people will be out and about pretty much anywhere. People just don't pay attention either way... No one will laugh and point.
As a further aside on this - here in WA, beyond our normal casual habits, I think we very much ascribe to the 80-30 rule. If it's above 80 or below 30, you can wear whatever works.
Church, and the occasional trip to town for dinner or a movie. I think I’ve put on make up maybe 3 times in the last 4 months. Lol ( don’t normally wear it to church). Lol
I wear the same shorts and T-shirt 24/7, 365.
Whether it’s 92 degrees or 19 degrees.
And I’m coming to your wedding or funeral wearing the same.
That’s me. Take it or leave it.
I really only dress up when I feel like it, since this state is vey casual and utilitarian in the 'dress requirements.' There are a few restaurants I would dress up to go to because they are quite high end and it IS nice to dress up now and then. Special occasions as well, particularly if we go out for our birthdays or anniverary.
There really is a difference in attire from where we lived before, big city California, to where we live now, rural Wyoming. In California I had fancier dresses for work dinners out, and upscale dining establishments.
We've lived in Wyoming for four years now and I have had zero opportunity or need to wear any of these fancy dresses. It's hard to wear heels when you're in a foot of snow in the winter, or crunching down gravel dirt roads in the summer months.
We went to an FFA dinner than said semi formal attire and so I wore a dress and when I showed up everyone was wearing jeans, and a sweater, or button up shirt with cowboy hats. I was definitely the odd duck.
When my husband came to Wyoming for his interview he wore a full suit and they made a comment about how dressed up he was, saying that here the daily attire would be jeans and a polo shirt.
It's taken a year or so to get used to the way things are here, but to be honest I love it, the relaxed styles and I am glad that we live where we live.
I wear a white shirt and tie for Zoom Sunday School. Over the past few weeks, I threw all of my suits in the trash. They were too small, and I will not be replacing them. I had stopped wearing a suit to Sunday School years ago.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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The last time I dressed up was a wedding 8 years ago, before that a job interview 12 years ago. Even at work which is business casual it's khakis and sleeved collared shirts, but no ties, and jeans on casual Fridays. Working from home for a year now, I often wonder if people in Teams/Zoom meetings are even wearing pants!
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