Before air-conditioning was prevalent in warm weather Latin American and some Asian countries, property owning men and business executives wore white suits to show that they did not have to engage in physical labor. Perhaps for similar reasons, the pocket on the shirts worn by some businesspeople has disappeared.
Those who want to proclaim their socio-economic superiority through their attire now express this through casual ware in situations formerly requiring formal dress.
Some of us still prefer shirts two breast pockets, one for the ever-present cell phone and the other for a pen, paper and perhaps business cards. Such a shirt is useful in the absence of a jacket. In the case of more casual dress, four pocket shirt-jackets allow for the carrying of wallets and other needs. Of course, it all depends on the culture of the local society, but shirt pockets are indicative of the wearer’s intent to be productive, and the absence is a striking statement that the wearer’s personal productivity is virtual and cerebral.
This is reminiscent of times past when the wealthier and more important person carried a smaller briefcase, if any at all. Similarly, the higher the economic station of the individual, the fewer were the lock-opening metallic keys which they needed to carry. The truly wealthy didn’t need to be personally armed for protection to the same extent as others, because they hired minions to protect them.
Currently, those with wealth, especially if recently acquired, frequently elect lifestyles proclaiming their ability to afford, rather than their need to acquire. Those with long-established wealth are more likely to reduce their flagrant display of affluence, as they are aware of the associated social risks resulting from their visible good fortune.
The bottom-line is that the public expression of wealth involves making a statement, and those making that statement must be aware of its ramifications. There are those who have and those who want.
Arthur Lipper arthurlipper@gmail.com