The question often arises about whether to dress up or to dress down. Now there are those that wear suits to the gym and those that wear wifebeaters to work. But in between that is a middle ground which must be traversed by the common man, including the teenager.

It is a hard thing to decide the dress code for everyday life. For those who go to high school,  at schools with unrestrictive dress codes it is left almost entirely up to the student. At schools with a more robust dress code there isn’t much to say as the school dictates what is acceptable and what isn’t, often leaving little choice. Now of course, the guidance can also come from social circles, friends, or other outside source, but anything can be worn for the majority of school and related events.

Of course there are events where fancy dress is required, most of these are fairly traditional; weddings, funerals, evening formal parties, and work to a certain degree. These are the mainstays of events where one is socially required to wear one’s best.

On the other hand, there are also situations where being well-dressed certainly isn’t required. Most informal gatherings and parties don’t require nice dress unless specially noted, and while dressing up usually won’t earn demerits, it may affect how other people view someone for better or worse.

So the basic rule of thumb is dress in a way that reflects the way the dresser feels or wants to be portrayed as, trust instincts and the basic laws of fashion and it is hard to go wrong.