I wrote this some years ago

America's Demise Rests on a Pair of Sweats

For many, Edward Gibbons’ classic opus "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" has served as a warning of the fallacies of placing greater emphasis on power than on the needs and concerns of the general populace.
Gibbons wrote that Rome fell due to a combination of its own barbaric and self-serving practices and the emergence of the Christian faith that spoke to the persecuted masses.

It has been felt that our own nation is on the verge of collapse dues in part to a variety of factors such as increased crime, marital infidelity, moral and ethical decay, the globalization of industries, and an apparent decline in church attendance.

I agree that some of these are contributing to America’s slow decent, but I feel that a greater threat is not coming from some foreign power or the dollar’s devaluation on the world market. We need look at Madison Avenue and our changing attitudes about how we dress as a sign that our days are surely numbered.

We are “dressing down” too much!!!

Blue jeans were once considered to be the clothes of the “working man.” Sneakers were worn on basketball courts and the playgrounds of America. Stocking caps did not leave the confines of one’s bedroom. And one’s choice of boxer shorts was a private matter between the wearer and the pants that covered the underwear.

Not any more. Ever since Brooke Shields has us wondering what “came between her and her Calvins back in the early 80’s, this country has been obsessed with the look and fit of jeans. With big-name athletes touting their signature “shoes,” everyone wants to wear what Mike, Shaq, or Allen wears.

Usher and other contemporary pop stars have made it acceptable to wear a stocking cap as a complement to one’s ensemble. And actor Mark Walhberg opened the world’s eyes to the endless possibilities of “undies” as a fashion statement.

Although much of the marketing strategies have been geared toward impressionable youth, it is the more mature individuals who are also jumping on the “dress down” bandwagon. Major retailers carry clothes for those days when the boss lets you “hang loose.” National publications are filled with “cool” fashion ads from the likes of Ralph Lauren, Fubu, Karl Kani, and, Phatt Pharm, making it unhip to be seen in traditional wear.

Just the other day, I saw one of my contemporaries walking down the street in a sweat suit. It was not the outfit the bothered; it was how she was wearing it. She concurred that is was “chic” to have one leg rolled up like popular rapper L.L. Cool J. Maybe she wanted to be like her teenaged kids, but in reality, she looked ridiculous.

I do not desire to wear a pair of pants with the name of some multimillionaire fashion designer embellished on my hindquarters. I have secret wish to be attired in any oversized outfit larch enough for the front line of the Denver Broncos and myself.

I am a realist when it comes to the impression given by the clothing we wear, especially on the job.

One cannot deny that the suit and tie is the standard of the professional image. It conveys status, breading, and education. Another message sent by the suit and tie is innocence. If this were not the case, then lawyers would not have their “guilty” clients dress in such a manner for the benefit of the jury.

These views may seem to be a bit elitist, but it is the truth.

CEO’s of major corporations do not wear baggy jeans or shoes with basketball players’ names on them!

It must be noted that when I use the word “suit,” I am speaking in the general sense. Women wear suits, also; therefore, their image is also enhanced by the appropriate workplace attire.

If anyone, regardless of gender, wants to forge ahead on his or her job, he or she must be "dressed for success."

By continuing this dress down mentality, the powerbrokers are making sure that the rest of us never make it out of the stockroom. We are allowed to be "casual" so as not to be a threat to their position of power. We are even told that they envy our "freedom' to not be bound by the restrictions of fashion.

And therein lays the eventual demise of America as we know her.

When we "fall into The Gap," we are creating a wider chasm between the haves and the have nots.

I seriously doubt that Tommy wears his own clothing!