Dogs Out for Summer (and Other Hot Weather Faux Pas)

With the risk of sounding like a crotchety local who judges what other people are doing, nothing will thrust me out of my blissful podcast-listening walk down streets lined with stunning architecture more than an unexpected visual of the dogs (aka toes) out. Slides and flip-flops invoke the same irrational ick that a rat scampering across the sidewalk brings me. Such an offense can be especially prominent on the hottest New York days when the buildings seem to be melting around you and the ground radiates heat like a pre-war furnace. The symphony of beauty and disgust is like nowhere else.

While experimental fashion choices are a norm in this fashion capital, there is an unspoken and agreed-upon social contract that everyone signs upon entering the city regarding a few confident clothing choices, like flip-flops being an absolute no-go. However, in the blistering heat, those social codes are quickly broken and you’ll be quick to spot the toes out on the streets, tank tops and uncovered shoulders at the workplace, and many speedo or bikini wearing parkgoers sprawled out on the grass like it’s Rockaway Beach. 

Fashion has a way of serving as both function and expression - with degrees of emphasis on either. But at the end of the day, people have opinions about open-toed shoes and other questionable fashion choices in the city. The New York Times published an article titled “Your Feet Are Killing Me” this summer, which dissected the curious phenomenon of some men sporting flip flops and sandals in the city. Journalist Guy Trebay writes, “If for most of recent urban history the preferred form of footwear for men in a city was the shoe, we have definitively entered a new era - the Age of the Sandal.” A Travel and Leisure article claims sandals are a no-go for tourists visiting the city in the summer, and Vogue considered the sticky question of exposed shoulders in the workplace. It’s something people are grappling with this summer heat. So why does the public discourse over flip-flops on the streets and acceptable work attire rile people up so much online? I have a few theories. Let’s first consider some of these fashion faux pas.

Any professional has faced the struggles of trying to dress for the workplace when the weather isn’t exactly working in your favor. The sticky subway station heat can leave the most cold-blooded New Yorkers in an unfortunate bout of sweat by the time they make it to the office. Whether the dress code is casual or business professional, common office practice expects women to cover their shoulders in the workplace: no tank tops or sleeveless blouses. 

While this may be doable most days of the year, a few unbearably hot summer days make the thought of covering one's shoulders absurd. Despite corporate approval, on these days, you might catch a few shoulders out. The risk is 50/50 of whether you’ll get a mid-day HR email to the office reminding everyone of the office dress codes. The unprofessional shoulder cleavage will provoke opinions of anyone you ask, with many relaying the reality that people just need to suck it up. Here lies the first breach of the social dress code contract. 

Then, you might be like me, walking down the street and spotting unexpected dogs out in sandals or flip flops. Toes are out in a city that most people know lacks the cleanest streets. These are the same streets where dogs shit and piss, people spit and spill, and who knows what else drips onto the concrete. Let’s not think about it further, but the sight of a pair of toes so close to the streets is quick to provoke not just an ick of disgust, but an ick of concern for the cleanliness and safety of one’s feet. No matter how much the dogs are barking or how hot your feet might get in those cotton socks and sneakers, wearing flip flops is considered a faux pas and a risk. 

Finally, suppose you find yourself escaping to one of the many public parks scattered across the city for a recovery in nature from the heat of the concrete. In that case, you might spot a bikini or Speedo on an exceptionally bright and high UV day. A speckling of New Yorkers will mentally shift spaces like Sheep Meadow from a grassy field to a sandy beach with skin and buns out, lying on towels, blankets, or chairs and blasting music with friends. All you’re missing is the water to dive into when lying out gets to be too much. But some embarrassment can come with bikinis out at the park and the fear of a few judgmental looks from peers or older adults questioning why you think you can walk around in a Frankie's bikini in the middle of the city that is clearly not a beach town. This is the final break in the social dress codes. 

Each of these moments reflects a break in the system. There are breaks in the free-flowing city, which is usually welcoming to the strangest and most experimental people and fashions. The Puritan roots rise to the surface when it suddenly becomes modest. The real question is, why do these faux pas even exist as a culture of humans with a legacy of welcoming in transplants, immigrants, and tourists? These social codes fail to address the reality and challenges of being in New York in the summer.

Consider the gray area. Central AC can be hard to come by in a city dominated by pre-war buildings, and most New Yorkers find themselves commuting via an extremely hot subway instead of a comfortably air-conditioned car. Most residents don’t have the luxury of a balcony or backyard to lie out in privacy on a hot summer day. Likewise, the heat can be dangerous for several at-risk individuals, beyond being incredibly uncomfortable for those not at risk.

Most New Yorkers can agree that it can be a hard city to live in, and many folks are just trying to get by. Dragging a 20-pound laundry bag down the street to an AC-lacking laundromat, toting bags of groceries onto the subway, and baking in the sweltering heat of the MTA are shared experiences among people in the city and speak to the grit that is necessary for just completing everyday tasks. Applying an attitude of empathy to your neighbor in the city allows us to free ourselves from the judgment of others and practice a shared tenet of a community, which radiates so strongly here. 

While the community has done an exceptional job at embracing the creativity and personal expression of clothing choices, it lacks in accepting the functional side of dress, which might mean the dogs need to be out, shoulder cleavage might need to happen, and bikinis at the park are completely acceptable attire for dealing with heat wave after heat wave. Fashion has always been a balance of function and style, and embracing both ends of the spectrum will make us all more comfortable with ourselves and each other. But really, it’s New York City, so wear whatever the hell you want.