Morgan, Sam, jdinstl -
When I first moved to Portland, Oregon in 1994, I remember looking out the front window early on a Sunday morning. I could not BELIEVE the way people who were arriving for mass at the Catholic church across the street: shorts, flip-flops, sandals, cut-offs, dirty tennies. I suppose the church was grateful that they were at least GOING to church.
And dressing for the office: I spent a total of 15 years in various lawfirms, and have also worked in other kinds of offices for about that long as well. I am personally glad I do not have to wear a tie anymore, but I can identify with your comments about what people DO wear in public. When I was a kid, my mother and I would go downtown to The Emporium on Market St. in San Francisco. You did not dare go downtown without getting dressed up. My mother actually wore a hat and GLOVES. Of course, that was more than 50 years ago. Now you're lucky if most folks are wearing underwear.
BTW...the Bugeye is missing a bumper, it appears. I actually think that IS a woman, but not totally sure.
And, jdinstl: you're right. I can't imagine any man chancing giving a gift of a vacuum for any occasion, not unless he wanted to get beaned by it. I know older people who told me that they used to think that the Christmastime vacuum ads were stupid back then as well. Personally, I would have been THRILLED with a Hoover under MY tree! John L.