Some benefit to the Great Sloppification

It is fairly well undeniable that sartorial standards have collapsed over the past half-century. It has been hard for me to see the benefit. I understand that most people I know in Florida disagree that a long-sleeved lightweight cotton jacket or shirt is more comfortable than a terrible looking T-shirt in the heat. But that does not mean that I understand their disagreement. 

And when it comes to the collapse in standards in more temperate climes, I am utterly befuddled. At least in cold weather people still look somewhat dignified when being sloppy. But once it hits about 60, well, it is possible to dress informally and look good but most Americans do not bother. 

Plus, you really can look quite good and be comfortable in the Miami heat if you know what to buy, even in dark colors:

But finally now I have found a possible benefit! In 1965, women spent 48 minutes a day on laundry and men spent ... uh ... one. By 2012, that was down to 19 minutes for women and up to ... uh ... five minutes for men. (Table 2.1.) So it is possible to argue that the Great Sloppification freed women from the drudgery of washing men’s clothing and allowed men to get away with increasing their laundry time from basically nothing to merely risible. 

Might it be just the spread of washing machines what let people spend less time on laundry? Nope. Household penetration in America hit 75% by 1950. (See Table I.)

Clothes dryers, on the other hand, might account for some of the decrease: they were introduced in 1950 and only hit 50% in 1972. (Same table.)

Still, while I cannot eliminate the hypothesis that the fall in joint laundry activities from 49 to 24 minutes a day might be due to cheaper clothes dryers, I have my doubts. I suspect that the effect is indeed due to the Great Sloppification. 

So there you have it. The world is an uglier place, people no longer show each other respect when going out in public, and is damnably hard for young up-and-comers to signal seriousness. But assuming that men should be spending at least 19 minutes a day on laundry, all those people wandering around in T-shirts with logos on them have a little more than 1½ extra hours a week that I am sure they are spending very well on personal advancement and societal improvement. 

Comments

[Marcia]

Oh Noel. Glorious to read you again. "Merely risible" - I'm stealing that next chance I get.

(What am I doing here? you ask. A Chicago-based friend is visiting NYC for the first time and I thought of you.)

[Noel Maurer]

Great to hear from you again! I was wondering how to get in contact.