A horde of trailer-park visigoths can sack the Capitol and Republicans say "what's the big deal?" But let one guy show up in casual clothes and they lose their goddamn minds.
I just think it's interesting that the previous dress code was so much more restrictive for men than for women.
Men had one and only one choice: a suit and tie.
Women could wear suits (also called "pantsuits" for some odd reason -- why not call the alternative a "skirtsuit?"), they could wear dresses with short or long sleeves, they could wear skirts, just not miniskirts. The jacket was optional, although many women wore one. They could wear flat shoes or high heels.
In terms of colours, men had to wear dark colours. Women could wear red, maroon, checked patterns, the variations were huge. They could wear ties, but they didn't have to. Many wore necklaces instead, often with an open-necked shirt. Can you imagine a man being allowed to wear an open-necked shirt, no tie and chains?
I just hate suits and ties. I think they look stupid, and hate that that look is associated with "business wear" for men. If the Senate does go back to having a dress code, men should have as many options as women for a "professional" look that doesn't include suits. (And yes, open necked shirts with chains should be part of that.)
People are upright apes, and looks matter to apes. There's a reason that presidents have historically been significantly taller than the average citizen.