Euro-trash

Just settled in for my extended stay in Ireland. Unfortunately though, most of this weekend was dedicated to actually settling in, like getting groceries, power adapters, etc, so this post is going to suffer a little bit. My apologies. 

One thing I've begun to notice while abroad is how different cultures approach casual dress. So far I've seen a few stereotypical Irelanders (think old men in tweed coats, driving caps), but I've seen far more young men dressed in a garb I'm starting to describe as Euro-trash. The sides of the heads are shaved while the top and back are left normal; combine that with an earring or two and an entire track suit and you've got yourself most of the 20-30 year-old men I see here. I don't know if they're soccer hooligans or in a gang, or what the deal is. Frankly, I was expecting a bit more.

Source

Again here I'll espouse the importance of what you wear. It sets a cast for someone to mold their impression of you. It says a lot about your personality and character. Don't think of wearing a sport coat or trousers as "dressing up," like it's some act reserved for special occasions of required formality. Dress to the level of where you're going sure, but that's no reason to look like a slob. 

For example, I work from home (and by work, I mean browse the Internet between summer classes). You can generally find me naked on my couch. That’s appropriate (in the loosest sense of the word) because I’m at home, alone, where no one can see me (unless they too are on ChatRoulette). 

Would I like to run to the store naked? Or class? Sure, I bet it’s freeing. But I don’t, because I understand that certain occasions require a level of dignity reflected by your clothing. Your basic suit is appropriate for some places (work), but overkill for others (a farmer’s market). Part of growing up is about gaining an understanding of how society works and where you fit in. Hopefully, you already have a decent grasp on the level of formality that most functions call for. If not, just quit now because life is going to get a lot more complicated. A track suit is for a fucking track bro.

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate the patience as I get back up to 100%,

MD