To masivta alawyer: a. What does “chap” mean?
b. I am annoyed – not upset – that frum bochurs in rumpled black suits and rumpled white shirts and unkempt shoes think they look more pious, and are more pious, than a Jew in properly pressed clothing. If proper attire is part of being pious, then they should be attired properly.
c. I don’t think the Torah gives us much guidance on “proper attire.” Twenty years ago, when Microsoft was the world’s most successful company, Microsoft was the arbiter of “proper attire”, which was a button-down shirt opened at the collar, no tie, casual slacks. That style was set by its then president, a very nice gentile. (I know little about Microsoft’s business behavior, and so my characterization of its then president does not reflect Microsoft’s business behavior.)
d. So what role do non-frum and non-Jewish society play in shaping “proper attire” for purposes of Halacha.