Usually, there's no compelling reason to dress up at a college radio station. A KCOU general manager, however, once got behind on laundry and wore a suit one day because he had no other clean clothes. On another occasion, another station executive was semi-dressed up in business casual clothes. I was the first person to arrive after he'd gotten there. We had this exchange:
Me : Going a bit more formal today, I see.
Exec: Yeah, I'm going to my job at the newspaper after I leave here. It's in an office, and we all dress up a bit because sometimes, people come into the office.
One by one, others arrived at the station. Each person who walked in asked him why he was dressed up. The fourth and fifth exchanges about his attire went like this:
DJ: You're looking formal today.
Exec: Yeah, I'm wearing this for my job later today.
When the eighth DJ to arrive asked why he had dressed up, the exchange went like this:
DJ: So, why so formal today?
Exec: I GET DRESSED UP OCCASIONALLY, OK?!
I then walked out of the office and walked back in, pretending I'd just arrived. Our exchange:
Me: Gadzooks! What on Earth are you doing, showing up here dressed like that?
Exec (moaning, while smiling slightly:) Arrrrrgh!!!!
The lesson here? If someone's attire at a college radio station is uncharacteristically formal, it's probably best not to ask why.
