I'd be more concerned about young conservatives up-and-coming in the movement who may be placing themselves in compromising positions that could come back to haunt them.
Yes. That's the concern, but think about the steps that often take unwitting young folks from point A to The Haunting.
I hate to sound like an old fogey, but it often does start with attire, and sexist, it is more often with females. Young ladies who want to be taken seriously will find it more difficult if they're wearing skirts up to there and shirts cut down to there, if for no other reason that it distracts the male of the species from properly focusing his attention. A more modest style of dress does not have to be unfashionable or unattractive, but it does convey a soberer demeanor and influences not just the way other people interact with you, it affects your own attitude. Do you not carry/conduct yourself a little bit differently when you're wearing a coat and tie than when you're clad in jeans and a tee shirt? Do you not find yourself treated a bit differently by folks who don't know you as well?
Young women who put "it" out there (fashion) are more likely to find themselves having sent the wrong signals, resulting in -- I'm going old fogey again -- compromising positions, "the after-party meat-market", which may lead to "The Haunting".
I see I went the long way around in an attempt to demonstrate this equation: dress>attitude>behavior>outcome.
I acknowledge that entire dynamic, and don't discount it entirely or even mostly. I get everything you're saying and in general, agree in principle if not entirely in how I would apply the standard. "Clothes make the man", they say, and that is a good bit of wisdom. Even I at my ripe young age of 49 am recognizing some "old fogeyness" settling in, and find it to be a thing of value on balance, so I definitely hear ya. I guess I'm just saying that rather than looking at attire and drawing the conclusion that if it
may send the wrong signal that it should be avoided, I look at it and allow for the person's actions to speak louder than their clothes. I place more importance on the actions, and if they're in line, then the dress becomes inconsequential to me - up to a point, obviously. And I don't know exactly where that point is, but I think I'd know it if I saw it.
Regarding my conduct when I wear a suit and tie, and the treatment of others - absolutely. Without a doubt, you put on a coat and tie, and you stand a little straighter, act a little more refined, dignified, etc - and people generally treat you accordingly. It's a nice feeling. But I can also say this: I hate the ever-loving guts out of a coat and tie. I avoid them whenever and wherever possible. I bring casual clothes with me to weddings and funerals, and the very first moment I believe it's appropriate to get out of the monkey suit, I do. Sometimes that moment doesn't arrive, sometimes it arrives but not until late into the event - sometimes it arrives between the church and the reception hall and I've had a chance to get a lay of the land, as it were. It all depends.
But suffice it to say, I've never been one who goes too much for formality. I can gladly accommodate the requirements of a given situation. But that's how I view them - requirements. I wear a suit because it is expected, and to do otherwise would be inappropriate and disrespectful - not because I want to feel like I look refined.
Which (this is total stream of consciousness, hope you don't mind) brings me back to CPAC and expectations for attire. Whether the attire expectations were "Black Tie", "Business Formal", "Business Casual", "Comfortable Attire", or "Come-as-you-are" would have a significant bearing in my mind as to what is or is not appropriate attire. Without knowing, I would guess that an event like CPAC would either be "Business Casual" or "Business Formal". Taking Tina Korbe's outfit as an example, I think she would reasonably fit into either category. I'm pretty certain the dress code was not "mid-calf or lower". Current fashion trends allow for leeway. I don't think that she should expect that if she shows her thighs in a shorter skirt, that she will not be taken seriously, as long as what she wore fits the dress code. Placing an additional burden on her to choose more modestly because she is a conservative woman is a standard that I don't feel comfortable expecting from her, unless her subsequent actions were to indicate that the skirt > attitude > behavior > outcome.
