Get loose people, ditch the suit! Photo / Warren Buckland
Get loose people, ditch the suit! Photo / Warren Buckland
OPINION
My fashion sense is a little whack, no doubt about it.
I'm not afraid to wear the infamous sneans (sneakers and jeans), long pants with jandles or slippers in public — pyjamas can stay at home though.
It's all a matter of opinion though when it comes to fashion.
Apart from how people cut their hair, tattoo their skin or pierce noses, tongues, lips and God knows what else, fashion is how people stand out from one another.
There are certainly fads over time, from the leather jackets or shoulder pads of the 1980s or the velour tracksuit and uggs with miniskirts of the early 2000s.
Hawaiian shirts are my favourite fashion accessory but I also love stubby shorts and the Canadian tuxedo, otherwise known as double denim.
Luke Kirkness - a fashion icon. Photo / Luke Kirkness
A colleague at work has recently initiated "Funky Friday" where people are encouraged to wear out-of-the-box clothing.
While my fashion sense is not everyone's cup of tea, I certainly believe in the old proverb: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Unfortunately, not everyone is that way inclined.
I can't imagine Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard from ZZ Top (some of the coolest fellas in rock) would approve of the Hawaiian shirt and stubby short combo — hardly being dressed sharply.
Meanwhile, swampy southern singer Tony Joe White wrote in 1973: "when you look good uh baby you feel good" in Saturday Night In Oak Grove, Louisiana.
There are similarities between both of these songs: They both feature serenading rock'n'roll guitar licks and talk about fashion.
However, I think they miss the mark slightly.
There is truth to wearing a sharp suit or other "in-fashion" clothing and looking great but the importance comes down to confidence and loving what you're wearing.
Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill from ZZ Top say ladies love sharp-dressed men. Photo / Supplied
I've recently ditched the tucked-in collared shirt and boots appearance for rolled-up chinos, funky socks, band or plain T-shirts with overshirts.
This sounds weird but I feel more like myself when I can dress how I please.
Gone are the days when men used to wear a suit and tie to their office jobs — mostly — or when women had to wear full-length skirts.
And while some occupations require specific uniforms, people should feel free to wear whatever they want.
Earlier this year, Māori politician Rawiri Waititi was kicked out of Parliament for refusing to wear a tie in contravention of the rules.
A few days after the stoush with Speaker Trevor Mallard, it was announced ties would no longer be mandatory in Parliament.
Cartoonist Rod Emmerson's take on the tie debate in Parliament. Photo / Rod Emmerson
There will be times when I need to wear the dreaded suit and tie of course but for now, I'm sticking to my guns.
My performance at work has not changed since I started to wear non-traditional reporter clothing and funnily enough, Parliament hasn't come to a grinding halt either.
Fashion is a perfect view as to how society is changing and people should not be afraid to challenge the status quo.
Hopefully, I'll be able — and brave enough — to wear shorts to work in a professional environment too before long.
