People Are Dressing Like Slobs: Elizabeth Vincentelli- Page 4

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 3:51pm

Just last night at Wicked I had a couple in front of me dressed nice. He was in dress pants and button down shirt and she was in a dress. They talked and she sang along. I had enough during Popular and finally told them both to stop talking and singing. Young man aside of them was in shorts, a tshirt and flip flops. Very well behaved and quiet as can be. 

 

I'd rather have a full theatre like the young man in shorts over the nicely dressed couple any day.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 4:27pm

kdogg36 said: "After Eight said: "The prevailing philosophy of this  miserable age seems to be..."

Which age would you prefer to go back to? I trust it wouldn't be one where African Americans, women, or LGBT people were legally excluded from full participation in society.
 "

Oh it absolutely would be. There was a thread a while back where some fundamentalist Christian hard right group wanted to ban some play and A8 was wholeheartedly in support of their efforts. Why does anyone on this board put any kind of stock into his comments? He is an unabashed troll, nothing more.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 4:45pm

Cape Twirl of Doom said: "He is an unabashed troll, nothing more."

I prefer the expression posturing troll, because it is clear that's what it is. But we now have em in high places so why should we expect anything else from A8.

[M.O.A.I.]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:14pm

I go to the theater at least every other week, often much more. It's no longer a special event. Sometimes, if my companions are likely to dress up or if I feel like it, I will as well. I normally wear dress shirts on a daily basis anyways. But more often than not, I'll wear jeans.

If you buy into the glitz and the glamor of the theater - and sometimes I do as well - then go ahead, dress up. But there are more class barriers than most of us would like to admit in attending the theater. Tickets are already expensive, marketing for regional theaters often caters to the educated elite, and the stereotypical audience member is elderly and white. As a college-aged student, I've met many young people who've said they haven't attended a play before, or haven't done so since high school, when they were probably dragged on an English class field trip. I imagine many view theater as too expensive, too intellectual, too snobbish, too old-fashioned.

I don't say this to sound pessimistic about the state of the art - Hamilton shows that youth are capable of being passionate and excited by theater - only to say that theater as a "special event" implies one can't or shouldn't attend regularly. And yet everyone who bemoans casual dress also bemoans that theater is no longer the mass art form it once was. Surely we can all agree that both regional and Broadway houses would be a lot healthier, financially and artistically, if they were more accessible to a wider audience. Right now, trips to the theater are a twice-yearly splurge for middle class couples. Pricing is the main issue, but implicit dress codes play a part.

I expect my fellow audience members to be clean, pleasant smelling, and dressed within normal bounds of modesty. I ask that they try their best not to obstruct my view. I hope they turn off their phones, stop talking, and save their snacks for intermission. But I really don't give a damn what's on their T-shirt.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:39pm

@PThespian, "Do I wish there was more of a sense of decorum in that respect?"

Decorum refers to behavior, not appearance. 

[schubox]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 11:26pm

HogansHero said: "@PThespian, "Do I wish there was more of a sense of decorum in that respect?"

Decorum refers to behavior, not appearance. 

 

"

Burn 

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 12:42am

First of all I have begged After Eight to stay out of the liquor cabinet but I do not seem to be getting anywhere.

Secondly, Elizabeth is so droll that I love it. I saw her at a party recently and someone commented how she was dressed like Jane Hathaway. I think she might consider softer colors and a more feminine hair style. I think it would brighten her light when she walked into a room.

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 2:23am

mailhandler777 said: "Just last night at Wicked I had a couple in front of me dressed nice. He was in dress pants and button down shirt and she was in a dress. They talked and she sang along. I had enough during Popular and finally told them both to stop talking and singing. Young man aside of them was in shorts, a tshirt and flip flops. Very well behaved and quiet as can be. "

almost like the way people dress has nothing to do with their behavior!

[binau]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 3:19am

One of the worst things about the world is how superficial we are and how we often focus on style over substance. 

Save your money buying fancy clothes and buy full price (or premium) tickets for the shows you buy: avoid TDF, rush tickets and heavy discounts. The industry will survive if people wear shorts to the theatre. The industry won't survive if people continue to use papered or heavily discounted tickets. 

A man wearing shorts with a full-price tickets is being much more respectful to the actors than a man wearing a suit on a TDF ticket. One pays for the dinner on the table, the other doesn't. 

Updated On: 8/3/16 at 03:19 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 5:56am

"Dressing appropriately is behavior."

 

Burn.
 

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 7:28am

qolbinau said: "One of the worst things about the world is how superficial we are and how we often focus on style over substance. 

Save your money buying fancy clothes and buy full price (or premium) tickets for the shows you buy: avoid TDF, rush tickets and heavy discounts. The industry will survive if people wear shorts to the theatre. The industry won't survive if people continue to use papered or heavily discounted tickets. 

A man wearing shorts with a full-price tickets is being much more respectful to the actors than a man wearing a suit on a TDF ticket. One pays for the dinner on the table, the other doesn't. 

 

"

I wear shorts and buy tickets through TDF.... oops 

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 7:56am

With the price of tickets, who can afford clothes?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 9:21am

PThespian said: "Dressing appropriately is behavior. "
 

In what language?

There is a concept that used to be taught to British school children: "at the expense of others." It resonates here. The appearance of someone else is not at your expense, no matter how self-entitled you think you are. If you are flummoxed by seeing people who do not dress up, perhaps you should consider joining a private club that caters to your kind. In the meantime, Broadway is not a private club. 

[Petralicious]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 9:26am

doublepost

Updated On: 8/3/16 at 09:26 AM

[Petralicious]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 9:31am

Petralicious said: "PThespian said: "I have to say. Not too long ago I sat a family of four. The young boy (I'm guessing maybe 7 years old) was wearing a suit and tie. I thought it was awesome.

When I complimented him on it his father jumped in to say, "He wanted to."

I think it's great that someone that young has the notion that going to the theater is a special event where dressing up is appropriate.

In fact every time I see people come in dressed like that, which is not that often, I think to myself how nice it is, and I will usually tell them so.

 

" That is a great story. Sounds like that family raised that boy is well bred and raised him right. Must be from out of town!

 

 

"

 

[jiff]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 9:40am

I hate to say this, but for people who care about what people wear, you can forget it. People generally prefer dressing down. At church, if a group sing, dressed nicely, about 10 minutes after they sing, most of them have changed into jeans, and sloppy "what would Jesus do" T shirts.  

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 9:51am

HogansHero said: "PThespian said: "Dressing appropriately is behavior. "
 

In what language?

There is a concept that used to be taught to British school children: "at the expense of others." It resonates here. The appearance of someone else is not at your expense, no matter how self-entitled you think you are. If you are flummoxed by seeing people who do not dress up, perhaps you should consider joining a private club that caters to your kind. In the meantime, Broadway is not a private club. 

 

BURN, BABY! BURN!

 

[Petralicious]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 9:58am

PThespian said: "I also find it really sad that people here are saying that going to the theater isn't a special event. 

To me the theater is special. Going there is a special event not because I don't do it often (believe me when I tell you I go a lot), but because it is a special place to be. 

What makes an event special is the nature of the event and not how often it occurs. Going to the theater might be a routine event for you, but it's a shame if you don't find it special. IMO

 

"Yes!  Every day is as special as you treat it. Something like Live theater is always special.  I think in NY people take that for granted 

 

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 10:05am

PThespian said: "I also find it really sad that people here are saying that going to the theater isn't a special event. 

To me the theater is special. Going there is a special event not because I don't do it often (believe me when I tell you I go a lot), but because it is a special place to be. 

What makes an event special is the nature of the event and not how often it occurs. Going to the theater might be a routine event for you, but it's a shame if you don't find it special. IMO"

 

Since when does what your attire dictate how "special" something (or somewhere) is? What a bizarre and silly notion. If the experience is enhanced for you by dressing nicer, than do it. Great! But don't expect others, who you have no control over, to act the same exact way. That's preposterous. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 10:52am

PThespian said: "What makes an event special is the nature of the event and not how often it occurs. Going to the theater might be a routine event for you, but it's a shame if you don't find it special. IMO"

That borders on a non-sequitur but it is actually much more heinous. How dare you try to co-opt the specialness of theatre with your brand of faux-snob judgmentalism. Try this on for size: in place of kvetching about ripped jeans, tshirts and flipflops, substitute body size and shape. Do you also compliment the parents of children you seat who are not big and fat?

[Kad]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 10:58am

I think it's up to the individual to determine how special they find theatergoing, and how they decide to display that in their dress.

If it bothered the producers and actors so terribly, they can mandate dress codes. They wouldn't, though, as that would merely reinforce the idea that Broadway is inaccessible for many.

[Petralicious]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 11:00am

Hogan, you seem to be the one most angry most judgmental of anyone in this thread. Are you that guy at the restaurant, who while everyone is dressed nicely, properly, appropriately, youre in the tshirt cargo pants and flips?

[Kad]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 11:04am

Any restaurant at which that would matter would not allow anyone to patronize it dressed that way. It's up to the establishment to enforce what they deem is "proper" and "appropriate," not you.

[M.O.A.I.]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 1:46pm

PThespian said: "I also find it really sad that people here are saying that going to the theater isn't a special event. 

To me the theater is special. Going there is a special event not because I don't do it often (believe me when I tell you I go a lot), but because it is a special place to be. 

What makes an event special is the nature of the event and not how often it occurs. Going to the theater might be a routine event for you, but it's a shame if you don't find it special. IMO

"

Oh, come now, let's not get trapped in semantics. Of course I find the theater special - it's an absolute thrill, a rush you can't get anywhere else. I treasure every time I've been to the theater. Why would I or anyone else go so frequently if we didn't think it were special?

But just because I love and value going to the theater, that doesn't mean I treat it as an event, at least not one akin to a birthday dinner or family reunion, where I might feel obligated to dress up. To me, there's not much that distinguishes a trip to the theater from a trip to the cinema or to an art museum (other than my feelings about each particular art form, of course). I love doing all three, and get a thrill from all three, and yet only at the theater is there anything resembling a dress code. Sometimes it's fun to dress up, yes. But for the life of me I can't think of any reason, other than historic elitism, that the theater (and opera, ballet, symphony) should somehow be on a "higher plane" of sartorial standards.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 2:52pm

@PThespian you've so lost the silly semantics arguments that I will simply say look up behavior too. 

@Petra I can't fathom what you think I have said that evinces anger or judgmentalism. Do tell....

What I know for sure is that I have never had a pair of cargo pants in my life. But, you see, how I dress is irrelevant, because this is not all about me. In fact, it is not about me at all. Then again, I also don't have to wear a hijab or a turban or a yarmulke or a kilt to know that it is wrong to criticize someone for the way they look.