How much sense it makes to follow prescribed dress codes can be gauged from the following two incidents. In both the cases, the social clubs in question had a prescribed dress code for special functions and parties.
It was at an uptown club of a state capital that a celebration was announced. The prescribed dress code for the gentlemen for the event was “black suits”. It was a prestigious event so of course, the elite invitees of the city were looking forward to it. As elite traditions go, following the prescribed dress code is a natural given, and a violation of it is unthinkable. In fact, it is preferred, as it lends a welcome gravitas and splendour to the event.
Oops! Spoke too soon and bit my tongue. It seems that not everyone likes to follow rules, least of all being told what one must wear to an occasion. The mere mention of it raises the hackles of such people. Who are this kind?
You guessed it. It’s the local political wannabe. To make his point he’ll do just the opposite just to exhibit his ‘authority’. When the doorman courteously points out the evening’s prescribed dress code to the deliberately non-conformingly dressed sourpuss, all hell breaks loose. The smooth and classy party environment instantly turns on its head as verbal bombs explode around the hapless doorman’s dazed little mind. He is stunned by the gush of expletives fired by this guest.
Very cunningly, the local political wannabe has selected the low positioned doorman to not just fire his tirade at, but also draw everybody’s attention towards himself and be considered as a ‘big shot’. He would not have done the same with, say, a higher position like President or Chairman of the club. They are, after all, the real big shots of the city.
He then begins his next line of attack – pretentious, melodramatic indignation, hyper agitation, and vigorously animated arms-flailing ranting. The by-now alarmed doorman is also informed, in embarrassing public glare, that he is a “disgusting remnant of the colonial era, a menial slave of obsolescence, an anti-national (Ohh?!) and a traitor (Ohh?! Again?!) who deserves to be thrown to the lions”. By the time Mr.Wannabe is done accusing the doorman of all but pre-meditated attempt to murder, the hapless, dutiful employee is already wishing that the Italian marble tile under his feet give way to a sinkhole, so he can simply escape to the safer sanctuary of Satan not far below.
Dress codes bring in a uniformity and standard where these are desirable. Till some decades ago, only the high-end institutions would have prescribed uniforms. And these would be adhered to without a fuss. Over time, the benefits of dress codes became more widely accepted and now many more institutions prefer to have prescribed uniforms. It works quite well for everyone. Also, introducing slight differences in uniforms within an institution (like the colour of the tie, for example) serve as useful indicators of a person’s place in the hierarchy.
But the arrogant gangs will have their baying rights – to dress as they wish even at formal occasions where all other attendees are happy to follow the prescribed dress code.
So what if dress codes are a practice continued from the times of the British rule. When we can turn to American and British laws to draw valid examples and precedents from, then there can’t be anything wrong in following other smart ideas from here and there. Many of our own champions of society, politicians being among them, dress in the ‘British style’. Would anyone label them as having hangovers of colonialism? I guess not.
Now for the second incident.
The star West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards once drove into a famous uptown club in Kolkata on New Year’s Eve some years ago with his date, intending to join in the celebrations there. They were dressed in casuals. The club authorities politely informed them that the dress code for the evening was formals, so they were sorry to have to decline them entry that night. Richards and his date were both popular celebrities of that time. Did they throw a tantrum? No. They just smiled and drove off without any further ado.
That was maturity, discretion, and class on display.
If at all cudgels must be raised against questionable rules, there are some glaring illegalities that some people practice with impunity, which deserve to be questioned.
For example, some children’s institutions and clubs that arrange picnics etc, take signed undertakings from the parents that state, “We undertake that we permit you to take our kids on an outstation picnic/excursion, and we will not hold you responsible for any accident or injury to our ward during the trip.”
If there is one blatantly wrong code, it is this. It needs immediate rectification. For the sheer immorality of it, if anything. And many more like these.
Go after them. Expend your energies wisely.
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