@Janine J Oh Janine...slide over a little on that soapbox so I can climb up with you. I have a major personal pet peeve about the "mangling of the English language"...it absolutely annoys me to no end how inundated we are with illiterates who don't seem to have ever attended an English grammar class beyond grade 2 (8 year old level). It makes me absolutely crazy when I try to understand what someone is attempting to convey in the written form when there is no use of punctuation, capitalization at the beginning of a sentence, or when a proper noun is used, let alone spelling issues of all sorts. I'm so disappointed to realize the internet is inhabited by such ilk. And it's absolutely pervasive. It all comes under the umbrella you appropriately described as "Declining standards in every area of life that involves interaction with other humans". That's bang on!
Your observation about commuting train passengers is the same here in North America. Opaque unattractive tights are commonplace whenever a woman is wearing a skirt or dress. I honestly think it looks hideous, and beyond simply inapproriate for legwear, particularly in mild temperatures. They must think it's fashionable, yet you'll hear the same women raging against sheer nude shade tights, labelling them as your "granny's stockings"! It's beyond ridiculous what passes for fashion sense, or taste, in some people! I hope it's just this fashion backwater of a major western city that exhibits this level of fashion ignorance, but I somehow suspect it's more widespread than just this cow town.
Since the time I transferred here as a career move, I've never been impressed with how the locals dress, even for somewhat classy events, like going to the symphony on a Saturday night to hear the orchestra. Guys would show up in chino denim pants with a button up shirt, no tie and a blazer that doesn't come close to matching or coordinating with their ill chosen pants. And women don't exactly break out the ball gowns or cute little cocktail dresses and pretty high heels for the occasion, either. I was shocked, when as a relative newcomer to this city, the first time I attended with a girlfriend, she and I were so overdressed compared to the locals that we looked like a couple of debutantes in our finest at the father daughter gala!! In Montreal where I grew up, none of the "gentlemen" who wore casual slacks and mismatched blazers would ever be allowed in for the Montreal Symphony. They'd simply be refused entry. But it was not only acceptable in this city, but default attire to attend the philharmonic...despite the orchestra themselves being fully decked out in tuxedos and the women in long elegant dresses. That experience wasn't even in recent times...It was back in the early 90s, well before "casual Friday" work attire days, and the genesis of a relaxed corporate dress code that spread quickly through industry.
To me, shoddy dressing speaks of a lack of respect. Period. They don't respect themselves enough to try to do better, and they certainly aren't showing any respect for the establishment or the traditions and customs associated with the event itself when they show up like they're just going out for a beer with their friends at a local watering hole.