Why the need to "dress up"?

[beyond the blue]

With the obvious safety and comfort reasons excluded, why do people feel the need to “dress up” in a certain way when participating in their chosen hobbies?

These are some of the recent ones I’ve come across.

I’ve recently taken up fly fishing and find that most of the guys dress in the most outrageous attire. Bearing in mind that this is a reservoir on the outskirts of Bolton, and not some Scottish salmon river, many of them wear chest high waders that only get wet when it rains (as the club rules state that entering the water is strictly forbidden) together with tweed jackets and deer stalker hats festooned with flies that are so rusty they have obviously never been used for years.

A neighbour (sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago) would only cut his lawn if he was wearing a pair of brown overalls tucked into a pair of wellies with a piece of straw in his mouth. If he was doing any painting it was done wearing white overalls and a white cap. Anything resembling woodwork was done in denim bib & brace with a pencil behind his ear.

I used to work in a paper mill with a chap who was a member of an American Civil War re-enactment society, he used to turn up for his night shift in a waistcoat with a Confederate flag sewn to it and used to try and talk in the most ridiculous Texan drawl.

In the 90s before the use of guns were banned I joined a shooting club that was based in a cellar of a local mill. But I finished up leaving after a couple of weeks after finding it uncomfortable hanging out with a bunch of guys who were certain that they were cowboys. They wore shoelace ties, leather cowboy boots and one even wore a sheriff’s badge.

Is this a man thing, or are women just as bad?

Or maybe it’s me that’s weird.

 

[Alastair]

Says the man with the sailor suit avatar..

 

[beyond the blue]

Says the man with the sailor suit avatar..

Brilliant.

 

[Ricardodaforce]

Says the man with the sailor suit avatar..

 

[Cobra]

They wore shoelace ties, leather cowboy boots and one even wore a sheriff’s badge.

Well that is most peculiar!
The club I belonged to, we used to wear jeans / T-shirts etc, and of all the inter club shoots / comps. I never came across anything so strange.

Although some falconers feel the need to dress like Robin hood! (Think Richard Greene style)
When Mole skins and decent thick thorn proof jacket are much more beneficial.

 

[Nod]

Not seen anyone dressed like a golfer on the course - no plus fours, no tam-o-shanters and I'm not sure I'd recognise one if I saw it but I don't think I've seen a Pringle sweater there.

Compare that to some of the people who shoot at zoos in full camo (not quite ghillie suits but bloody close to it!)

 

[Cobra]

Compare that to some of the people who shoot at zoos in full camo

Obviously not wearing the right type if you can spot them

 

[Nod]

Exactly! Jeans etc. and they'd blend in perfectly!

 

[onomatopoeia]

I wear a "uniform" when competing at my hobby. Flame retardent overalls to a certain standard, crash helmet to another standard. I actually need to buy new as mine are all out of date now so it will be nomex overalls rather than probans, and a helmet with an FHR ("hans device"), plus flame retardent gloves and boots. The reason - if I don't wear that stuff with the correct certification labels sewn in / applied by the manufacturer, I won't be allowed to compete.

When I'm working at the track, it's jeans and t-shirt - I'm very rarely on a marshalling post trackside, so the bright orange probans stay at home.

 

[Maggie52]

This reminds me of a chap a few years ago. Got chatting to a guy on a FB photography forum along with a friend of mine, he lived not too far from us and we agreed to meet at a local RSPB reserve to take some photos. We waited in the cafe for him to arrive. He turned up in full camo gear from head to toe ie hat and boots and carrying every lens he owned in an enormous backpack. All we did was sit in a hide.

Now I feel mean for laughing at him

 

[viv1969]

Not seen anyone dressed like a golfer on the course - no plus fours, no tam-o-shanters and I'm not sure I'd recognise one if I saw it but I don't think I've seen a Pringle sweater there.

Compare that to some of the people who shoot at zoos in full camo (not quite ghillie suits but bloody close to it!)

How about Lacoste?

 

[Nod]

Not seen that either (had to Google it - crocodile, right?)

 

[nilagin]

How about Lacoste?

I'm not a golfer (hate the game) but although Lacoste do sell golf clothing I always associate them with Tennis, not golf.

Not seen that either

How about Lyle & Scott?

 

[Nod]

Sandy Lyle doesn't play at the same club as far as I know but there is a Scottish chap who plays with us sometimes.

 

[tijuana taxi]

What about people who dress up at weekends and pretend they are policemen/women

My favourite though is the chap steering the little gin palace along the river wearing a peaked hat with an anchor on it.

 

[BBR]

What about people who dress up at weekends and pretend they are policemen/women...
.

You know some weird people.
Doh! Just realised you're referring to hobby bobbies.

 

[tijuana taxi]

You know some weird people.
Doh! Just realised you're referring to hobby bobbies.

Exactly, especially the one who gave me a ticket when my exhaust pipe protruded onto a double yellow line.

 

[BBR]

Exactly, especially the one who gave me a ticket when my exhaust pipe protruded onto a double yellow line.

You should appeal. Good friend of mine is a judge and does parking appeals for several councils, he tells me that if your wheels are not on a yellow line you are OK.

 

[tijuana taxi]

You should appeal. Good friend of mine is a judge and does parking appeals for several councils, he tells me that if your wheels are not on a yellow line you are OK.

I did and the chief constable's letter in reply said pay up in twenty eight days or it gets doubled

Got so annoyed at the fancy dress copper that he called a real one. Slammed the car door so hard that the tax disc fell off the windscreen, pc then asked to see my licence and insurance.
Was staying away from home at my ma's because my dad had just died so didn't have them, rotten copper then gave me a slip to produce my documents at my local nick.

All because of a little megalomaniac into uniforms who couldn't find a boy/girlfriend or a nice hobby like photography (think it was me mentioning the first bit in colourful language that got the real old bill called)

 

[MrDrizz]

Ive played Airsoft for years and the dressing up is part of it. Being all tacticool n all.

 

[omens]

I'd argue there's a few reasons:

1. Necessity- like racing cars/bikes require regulation outfits.
2. Practicality- dressing like carpenter for carpentry, or using blue overalls for mechanical work on the car can help with the job in hand. Overalls protect your clothing and can be replaced/washed etc. They also have useful pockets for storage. Would be equivalent to wearing an apron whilst in the kitchen and cooking.
3. Mindset - for some people, they feel they need to live up to the part. If everyone else is wearing camo for birdwatching, you might feel a fool for being the only one not in camo. Similarly, wearing a suit or appearing smartly dressed at work can make you feel professional or help focus on work.
4. Eccentric - some people roleplay to an extreme. They want to shoot guns because they loved the idea of being a cowboy. They might just dress up and have a laugh. Or they might take it a bit more and act like a cowboy. As long as they're enjoying themselves and not harming anyone, i see no major problem. I know a couple of guys who are into the 50s/rockabilly and dress like they're from that era.

 

[dejongj]

Only dressing up I do ... hmm no perhaps somethings are best kept private

Not seen anyone dressed like a golfer on the course - no plus fours, no tam-o-shanters and I'm not sure I'd recognise one if I saw it but I don't think I've seen a Pringle sweater there.

Compare that to some of the people who shoot at zoos in full camo (not quite ghillie suits but bloody close to it!)

Obviously not wearing the right type if you can spot them

I might have a photo or two of someone like that

 

[Cobra]

I might have a photo or two of someone like that

Banned because I can, ( I know wrong thread, but even so .... )
Very warm, and water proof, who cares if it looks like the forest floor in Autumn?

 

[Yardbent]

 

[beyond the blue]

Or worse still.............

 

[OldCarlos]

'kinell. Please tell me that's not you!

 

[Maggie52]

Jeeees some things you just can't unsee

 

[Alastair]

Right-click, Goggle Image Search..
.. Best guess for this image: really stupid looking people

 

[nilagin]

I'd argue there's a few reasons:


2. Practicality- dressing like carpenter for carpentry, or using blue overalls for mechanical work on the car can help with the job in hand. Overalls protect your clothing and can be replaced/washed etc. They also have useful pockets for storage. Would be equivalent to wearing an apron whilst in the kitchen and cooking.

I don't wear overalls when working on engines at work, I'm not going to do it at home when working on the car.

 

[dejongj]

I don't wear overalls when working on engines at work, I'm not going to do it at home when working on the car.

What? You work on them naked?

 

[nilagin]

What? You work on them naked?

No I wear jeans and a t-shirt. What on earth makes you think I'd be naked just because I don't wear overalls?

 

[dejongj]

No I wear jeans and a t-shirt. What on earth makes you think I'd be naked just because I don't wear overalls?

I didn't just think about it.

 

[omens]

I don't wear overalls when working on engines at work, I'm not going to do it at home when working on the car.

I didn't say that's what everyone else does. I gave it as a reason as to why others behave as per OP.

I don't have overalls etc. I just have an old pair of jeans/trackies that I wear whether it be plastering a wall, fixing a leak, going under the bonnet of my car or doing some wiring. But some people do dress up for it.