unwrit dress codes

in my country it is illegal

under penalty of scorn

to tuck in your shirt

unless it is under

another, untucked shirt

and even then subject to side-eye

.

in my neighborhood it is risky to dress well

people who loiter at bus stops

or around grocery-store entrances

tend to ask ask ask you for money

and you may get a sarcastic “god bless you”

if you don’t cough up

or at minimum give them a sincere “sorry”

and it is safer to look down and out

but sometimes when you do it will be

“got a lighter?”

or “can you sell me a cigarette?”

in which case a sincere “sorry, i don’t smoke”

is acceptable

unless you do smoke

.

on social media you can dress casually

or goofily

unless your employees are watching/your social-media presence

or you are looking for work

and then you better look as if you are up

for a performance review

or a job interview

sharp but not opulent

.

even in the privacy of your abode

avoid nudity unless hygienically necessary

you never know

you never know

you never know

who’s watching

and how