Very true! You can, of course, wear the bars if you want, and as a ppl you write your solo hours in the "captain" column of your logbook that is bulging with tens of hours!, so whats wrong with 4 of them?
However, you would appear on a par with those that go to the pub wearing their airport ID or any other ID card for that matter as it makes them feel important.
Wearing gold bars on your shoulder at the flying club will not only get you suffering from urine extraction faster than a Bugatti Veyron accelerates, but will also lead most to form the opinion that you have an overinflated ego, or in other words link No1 in the accident chain!
It is pompous, egotisitical and a poor attempt at oneupmanship. Perhaps a sound display of airmanship is more appropriate, and despite all the long words, to$$er sums it up pretty well! Funny thing is, there are those that still do it!
All that said, nothing wrong with a nice, small, discreet set of wings!!!!!