Americans are famous for their casual dress. T-shirts, jeans, and flip-flops are almost standard for Americans. Not only that, but many people also dress casually for formal occasions. Why do Americans dress casually?
1. Because of the freedom to present oneself; the freedom to blur gender, age, and differences between rich and poor.
The popularity of casual clothing breaks a thousand-year-old rule: the rich wear flashy clothes, and the poor can only wear practical work clothes. More than 100 years ago, there were very few ways to distinguish social classes. Basically, identity is expressed through clothing.
Today, CEOs wear flip flops to work, and white suburban kids wear their L.A. Raiders football hats askew. Thanks to the globalization of capitalism, the clothing market is full of “mix and match” style, and many people are keen to mix and match to create their own personal style.
2. For Americans, casual wear represents comfort and practicality. 100 years ago, the closest thing to casual wear was sportswear, polo skirts, tweed blazers and oxfords. But with the development of the times, casual style has swept all walks of life, from work uniforms to military uniforms, casual wear is everywhere.