Tan is taboo?

I can't tell you who I sent this to, but he's a yeshiva owner/principle/heiliga-admar-rosh yeshiva/Gaon/HaRav who, to my happy surprise, is really a good guy and quite approachable. He reads my blog, and we've developed a warm relationship.

Anyway, I've been needling him because I recently discovered that tan pants aren't permitted in his school. He says he's allowed to establish any kind of dress code he likes. And -hey! - what about shorts and tee shirts?

I answered:

Tee shirts aren't respectable; neither are shorts. You couldn't wear either in a courthouse, let's say, or on the floor of Congress. Polo shirts are a little better, but also not really appropriate for nice public places. A good resteraunt wouldn't let you in, and no politician with any self respect would do anything serious in a polo shirt.

But tan pants?

The president of the United States does the country's business wearing tan, but your yeshiva proscribes it? This is fear of neighbors, not fear of God, because you can satisfactorily express your awe of heaven and your respect for the Torah wearing a nice pair of tan trousers. They are in every way the equal of good pair of black or blue pants.

Your thoughts?