Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Kanye West has been trying to make this look a thing for a while. Jeans with holes in them have become really popular. Worn out sweaters and shirts will probably become popular soon. The hobo chic and the worn out look is big in several different communities, I personally like it. It shows a shift in society and culture that doesn't put such a big emphasis on spending a lot of money on brand names, and kind of evens the playing field with fashion.
It's nothing new, though.
When I was a kid in the 80's, there was a brand called "Bum Equipment" where the jeans were all distressed and had holes and such, and my parents angrily refused to buy them for me. In fact when a pair of my regular pants developed a hole in the knee, when I was in 5th grade, I was happy because that was an "in" look...and my stepmother, to my everlasting horror, got an iron on patch that was flat but with a design of a denim pattern with neon "paint splatter" look and ironed it on the outside of the knee of my pants.
Just a few words of background: yes, I'm quite young, not a teenager anymore, though. I live in England, working part time as a waitress in a punk rock pub/club in the South.
For work I always wear a black dress. It's in good condition and easy to wash (I wash it after every shift and hang it dry). So I never have to worry about work clothes.
Yeah, I like to look "different" when not at work. Plus I have many friends living an alternative lifestyle. Like punks, squatters, buskers and so on. Think that influenced me pretty much.
Also, I grew up dirt poor, so for ages I only had hand me downs to wear, which were mostly pretty much worn out as I got them and often not fitting at all. But I never really fell sad about it. Just became "my style".
I could afford to buy new clothes now, no problem. But I don't want to spend money for it and as said I like super worn out stuff. I like them best just before they fall apart, actually. So I feel sad often when I can't wear something anymore cause it would not stay on me anymore or would be too revealing (like pants totally ripped in the crotch area).
I lived in Cincinnati, OH in the late 1990s. I had many punk/squatter friends. Real crusty street people, but they rocked the punk style like none other. And the thing was, the reason they dressed in clothes that were often pinned or sloppily sewn together, ripped up and so on, was because they were scrounging their clothes and repairing and wearing whatever they could. They had no money!
It's exactly the same with many of my friends! Squatters, Buskers, Punks, whatever you wanna name them.
I could afford better clothes but I don't want to spend money for it. So for me it's a choice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic_Spork
And that clothing shop, they sold ripped, distressed, safety pinned and patched up "punk" pants...like pre-Hot-Topic, pre-Tripps right? And they wanted over $100 for them. I about lost it, right there in the store. Laughed so hard.
Can imagine. It's so stupid.
The other day I read a post in a punk forum ... "I want to be punk! Where can I buy cool punk outfits?"
LOL
You either are punk or you are not. And if you are, you would not ask where to buy "punk outfits". LOL
I used to dress like this sometimes in my youth during the 80’s/90’s during my punk/grunge period. I spiked my hair, ripped holes in my clothes, and attached safety pins to everything while listening to the Sex Pistols... I remember buying Izod shirts so I could cut them up and stick safety pins through the alligator logo... ah the rebellions of youth... Have fun with your personal style... Just think carefully before any permanent alterations - like tattoos and piercings...
I used to dress like this sometimes in my youth during the 80’s/90’s during my punk/grunge period. I spiked my hair, ripped holes in my clothes, and attached safety pins to everything while listening to the Sex Pistols... I remember buying Izod shirts so I could cut them up and stick safety pins through the alligator logo... ah the rebellions of youth... Have fun with your personal style...
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCUBS1
Just think carefully before any permanent alterations - like tattoos and piercings...
Yes ... I think about getting one or two piercings. But those could be removed again if I don't like them anymore. I like tattoos basically, but I won't get any on me. Because they would be permanent and what if I change my mind in 10 years? So I agree with you.
Just a few words of background: yes, I'm quite young, not a teenager anymore, though. I live in England, working part time as a waitress in a punk rock pub/club in the South.
For work I always wear a black dress. It's in good condition and easy to wash (I wash it after every shift and hang it dry). So I never have to worry about work clothes.
Yeah, I like to look "different" when not at work. Plus I have many friends living an alternative lifestyle. Like punks, squatters, buskers and so on. Think that influenced me pretty much.
Also, I grew up dirt poor, so for ages I only had hand me downs to wear, which were mostly pretty much worn out as I got them and often not fitting at all. But I never really fell sad about it. Just became "my style".
I could afford to buy new clothes now, no problem. But I don't want to spend money for it and as said I like super worn out stuff. I like them best just before they fall apart, actually. So I feel sad often when I can't wear something anymore cause it would not stay on me anymore or would be too revealing (like pants totally ripped in the crotch area).
So yeah, that's it, basically ...
Nothing wrong with your clothes. It won't kill you to buy new ones, though. Don't let your past define you that much.
Would someone please explain the ripped jeans thing as I don't get it.
My husband and I don't get it, either. Especially where we live where it is cold 9 months out of the year. Why do you want holes in your clothing? And you actually on-purpose buy them that way!? lol
We were kids in the 70s and 80s and back then you had the real jeans that didn't stretch. And as a kid you maybe got one or two new pairs of these stiff 100% cotton jeans every fall. And you'd wear them that Fall, Winter, and Spring... and they would wear out and you would grow of course and you'd ride your bike or skateboard and maybe fall and skin your knees or whatever and the jeans would take a beating.
So you'd get your holes in your knees naturally because there was no give in those jeans. And from climbing trees and stuff and the denim would just naturally wear out.
So then you'd cut them off for summer and you'd have cutoff shorts.
And that was the natural progression of jeans.
But now you have these cheaply made crappy stretchy jeans with the holes already in them. And for our generation it just seems like a waste of money and seems and looks pretentious, like they are crying out for attention. Or maybe they are trying to connect with something real and genuine like the holes we earned legitimately with our real jeans and our real experiences. But they live different lives than we did, so they have to buy it to try to appear genuine and real. I dunno. We don't understand it. It's right up there with all the gawd-awful evergreen tree, triangle, or cactus tattoos everybody is getting. lol Is anybody original anymore?
My husband and I don't get it, either. Especially where we live where it is cold 9 months out of the year. Why do you want holes in your clothing? And you actually on-purpose buy them that way!? lol
I agree. All my worn out clothes are genuinely worn out.
As said, I have many friends who are squatters, street artists, buskers and so on. Traveling around and living this lifestyle (mostly) by choice. They would never buy clothes with pre-made holes as well.
Most of them can't afford to buy clothes anyway. They live from that little spare change they make playing guitar or doing street art. That's barely enough for food and drinks most of the time.
One friend of mine is a street artist traveling in the South of England mostly. She has a holey sweatshirt, a ragged fishing vest and jeans so frayed she told me she is not washing them anymore, even if she has the opportunity. Cause she is afraid they would fall apart in the washing machine. She can't afford even second hand clothing. She could get clothes from a homeless shelter or alike, though. But she didn't yet, so I guess she doesn't mind.
I find that cool!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
