Ok, So What is Appropriate Attire?

It was my wife who brought it to my attention, yesterday.  "I think it might be something you might want to comment on," she remarked.  It was a radio report on the informality at which millennials approach job interviews.  It seems for some, flip-flops, shorts and tees have become OK attire when interviewing for a job.  Some young adults even bring along a friend, or a parent.  One young lady even showed up for a job interview accompanied by her cat.  "What are they thinking," I was caused to wonder.

Then today I met a young man at the airport that caused me to reconsider.  He was wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt, tattered shorts and sandals.  He hammered away at his laptop while he also chatted on the phone.  During a break in the action he asked me if I knew where the closest Starbucks was.  When he returned I stuck up a conversation.  It turns out he is partner, with a college friend, in a social media consulting business.  They have around a dozen employees and work with other small companies.  They help them use social media to spread their message.  When I commented about the report mentioned previously, he just laughed.  "Our employees work at home, so they might be naked for all I know," he commented.   "I do have a three piece suit, because I know certain clients expect that image," he concluded.

I guess it's a matter of adapting to the situation.  I am sure there is a big difference in the dress code at a law firm, as opposed to a social media giant like Facebook.  Come to think of it, I can draw from experience.  In retirement, we get around to the churches where our kids are involved in ministry.  Most Sundays we attend The Crossing Church in Dallas where our son, Mark, is lead pastor.  It tends to be a younger crowd and the atmosphere is informal.  On those Sundays I can wear jeans and and open collar shirt.  Our daughter is assistant director of music at Prince of Peace in Carrollton.  If we are attending the 8:00 am traditional service I will usually wear a sportcoat and tie, but if it's one of the contemporary services I can get by with an open collar shirt and slacks.  I dress in a similar fashion if we are going to Aledo, Texas to visit The Summit where our other son, Peter, is lead pastor. 

Perhaps that is what we need to be sharing with the younger generation.  It's OK to be yourself, but you also need to consider the expectations of others.  What's appropriate?  That's doesn't just include how we dress, but the kind of language we use and degree of etiquette.   To be honest, I don't think God really cares about how we look.  Rather like in the case of David (1 Samuel 16:7), he judges the heart.