Don Canney

Admittedly, a fashion icon I am not. I have never been confused with Beau Brummel. But a recent trip to England prompted me to think about the days when one would not think of going to dinner, church, a movie, or any night out, without a tie and jacket for the gentleman and a somewhat formal dress with maybe a string of pearls and earrings for the lady.

While in England, we were fortunate enough to stay at an upscale hotel in York, where we befriended the concierge and greeter, whose typical garb was a jacket with tails, a tie and sometimes a top hat. I was so impressed that I asked them if I could take a photo to show the folks back home what a properly dressed gentleman looks like. They were more than happy to oblige.

I can remember growing up in Nashua and how we were brought up to dress for certain occasions. I harken back to when most men in Nashua would shop at stores like Avard’s, Bergeron’s or Lynch’s for clothing and most women would frequent Miller’s, Spear Dry Goods or Marsh Parsons, where the latter was known for their unique register to office shuttle system when payment would be put into a small basket and whisked away through a cage-like channel to the second floor with a receipt returning in the same basket within minutes. These establishments sold fashionable, high-quality clothing.

I can remember watching several old TV shows like Ed Sullivan, when the cameras would pan the audience, revealing a sea of suits, ties and formal dresses worn by all those in attendance. Most men would even be sporting a pocket handkerchief. When Wally or the Beaver would go out on dates or be invited to parties, Ward and June ensured they were properly attired. Heck, June would wear a dress and pearls just to clean the house! The same held true for Jim and Margaret Anderson (Father Knows Best) and even Lucy and Ricky.

Some restaurants, until just recently, still required jackets and ties for dining in their formal dining rooms. Employers back in the day such as Sanders Associates, Royal Business Forms and Nashua Corporation, required ties for the men and dresses for the ladies while at work in the office.

What was the turning point? When did it all end? It’s one of life’s mysteries. Maybe after Woodstock? When flower power encouraged everyone to tune in, turn on and drop out. When the populace was looking to connect with nature and clothing became less important, and more of an optional thing?

It seems like there was a point in time when a switch was flipped, and t-shirts became the attire of choice. Who ever thought that we would be paying upwards of fifty dollars for a t-shirt and providing free advertising for its manufacturer to boot each time we wore it? (Maybe the same people who thought we’d be paying upwards of four dollars for a bottle of water).

Today, ties and dresses are rarely seen in most office environments. Casual Fridays are the norm (along with casual Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). An unpressed pair of shorts or jeans and a t-shirt are common dress for about any occasion. Hoodies are also quite common, be it a freezing day in the dead of winter or a hot, sweltering day in July.

There is nothing wrong with being comfortable, but I don’t quite get the shorts or pants being worn as if the person’s waist started at the knees. Or pants being so long that the legs appear to be stacked on the ground at the ankles and quickly become frayed and dirty from the friction caused by their constant contact with the sidewalk.

And let us not approach the conversation around plumber’s butt (or electrician’s, carpenter’s or whatever’s butt one can think of) when these pants ride so low that certain parts of the anatomy that should not be exposed to the public, indeed are.

Maybe I’m a bit out of touch, but I’ll go with Ward and June as my fashion consultants.

Don Canney is a freelance writer and professional voice artist. He was born and raised in downtown Nashua with great interest in Nashua history circa 1950-1970. He now resides in Litchfield.