"Why Are You Dressed Up?"
is a popular question that most young black men get asked when they are dressed up and out in public. Why is that? Do we always have to be dressed up in order to be going somewhere? Can I just be dressed up because I want to? We are not trying to boost our ego's by dressing up nor do we have to be going to a job interview, work, church, court hearing, or a funeral. 
I can't speak for all black men but in MY experiences, it seems as if wearing a tie demands respect. If you are at a retail store, the cashier will greet you with the utmost respect. It's like you are a totally different person. As if the clothes on my back have given me a totally new identity. Why is that? I could be walking down the street in my Rocawear outfit and some gym shoes, and nobody speaks to me as I walk past them, BUT the second I have on a suit and tie and waiting for the elevator, I get a Hello, how are you doing or even some small talk about the weather. Why is that?
