Picking up the thread I let dangle in the comments on my post, The Demise of Retail as Therapy, I will define what I mean by “lifestyle segment”. Simply put, different activities demand different clothes. Lifestyle segmentation breaks them down into four categories: leisure, casual, business, and social.
Leisure = The least formal. Includes all athletic-wear and shorts. Jeans are usually leisure, and always when worn with athletic shoes, message t-shirts, and sweatshirts (including polar fleece).
Casual = Nicer, but still fairly relaxed. Due to geographical variations, I prefer to not define this category too precisely. Lunch with your boss, your pastor, or your grandma requires casual clothing. Business casual fits here.
Business = Formal business clothing is mostly suits and “jacket outfits”, sometimes tailored skirts or dresses.
Social = Clothing for social occasions includes floral dresses such as those worn by wedding guests, cocktail dresses, and ball gowns.
At times, especially out here in the Great Northwest, I have been known to lament the lack of opportunities to get dressed up. When I ask you what I should wear, I don’t want to know if I can wear my jeans. Can I wear my ball gown?
I miss dressing up as well. I’d like to see a “Formal Friday” start up, but I know it’ll never happen. sigh.
OK, know this is an old post but was following some linkbacks from todays post and wound up back here 🙂
Just wanted to say that the ONLY reason I joined a sorority in college was so that I would have 2 formals a year to go to 🙂 I just love to dress up. . . .
I find it always fun to fall on a Good blog that has actual good content! The last blog i read didnt have as much info as this one. Thx
I’m always trying to blur the segments so I don’t have to buy separate wardrobes. I now live, 87% of the time in a “casual dressy’ way. If I need a ballgown I’ll borrow one, but otherwise a lot of matte jersey works well for me, with fewer woven blouses all the time.
So I guess it’s gym/yoga clothes and ‘casual dressy’- works for me, for now.
I am beginning to blur the segments more than I was. I have like one of alot of the odd thing I might need here and there, but the things I have been wanting to wear most are the nicer everyday things. I guess that makes sense.
Some of the mistakes I see around me which irritate me the most, though, are just wearing the right thing at the wrong time. I think it was wearing delicate floral dresses to the office and nice tailored suits to church that originally inspired this post.
Opps! I really appreciate the lifestyle segment discussion. Reading your last post lead me back to the definitions for what to wear to church – didn’t find it ;-).
I am fairly confident that you are not an offender in the church segment. 😉
Someday I’d like to discuss, but maybe not here, the ML variations and peculiarities of style.
Peculiar? You mean like “breaking the rules” ;-))
(Please tell me how to get the cute smiley faces you put here……)
peculiar, like distinctives. I’ve been wondering a little lately if there is more peer pressure to conform in a small town. You have said that certain, more fashion-forward, styles wouldn’t go over there. Is that peculiar to ML, or true for most small towns? Is there a regional flavor to ML style or is it just what it is?