Are we all a bunch of slobs? (generation, support, New York)
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I'm putting this here rather than the fashion forum b/c I want to go deeper into the issue than just what we wear.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I'm 50 and have seen a lot of fashions come and go, but can't believe what I'm seeing these days--mismatched socks, saggy baggy jeans, bra straps hanging out, etc. I know I probably sound like an old lady, "In my day. . ." Oh yeah, and we all weigh about 30 lbs more than we used to in the old days too.
What got me thinking about this was when I was going thru old photos and found a pic of my mom when she graduated from nursing school and she was wearing her crisp white starched uniform. She looked like a professional. And then I remembered when I was a girl scout and we had uniforms that looked a lot like the nurses uniforms of those days and they were hideous but we loved them b/c we felt so grown up and professional. We had a sash with all the badges we'd earned and it gave us a feeling of accomplishment to wear that to school each week so we could show them off.
Nowadays, the nurses run around in their pajamas and I'm not knocking that b/c it's so much more comfortable, but what are they losing in professionalism when they wear scrubs with bunnies on them? And when the girlscouts redesigned their uniforms for comfort, the girls pretty much lost interest in them and I haven't even seen a scout in uniform in years.
My teachers wore skirts and high heels that clicked and they inspired some awe in us, but nowadays I've even seen some teachers wear denim shorts to school.
I don't know that I'm exactly complaining--I like my comfort as much as the next person, but I do feel that we've lost some pride maybe. Thoughts?
Yes, I like that old school fitted, tailored and pressed look too.
Thing is it's expensive, especially if we are talking dry clean only clothes. And don't know about you, but handing my clothes over to someone else to wash them just doesn't suit me. (No pun intended.)
I think several things happened. The 60's for one. And declining effective wages for another. Working longer hours too. So essentially it's the combined effect of less time and money, and the individual freedom of expression thing the hippies ushered in.
I've also heard some folks who are a little "round" say the prefer clothes that are baggy rather than fitted because it disguises the lack of a waistline.
I'm putting this here rather than the fashion forum b/c I want to go deeper into the issue than just what we wear.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I'm 50 and have seen a lot of fashions come and go, but can't believe what I'm seeing these days--mismatched socks, saggy baggy jeans, bra straps hanging out, etc. I know I probably sound like an old lady, "In my day. . ." Oh yeah, and we all weigh about 30 lbs more than we used to in the old days too.
What got me thinking about this was when I was going thru old photos and found a pic of my mom when she graduated from nursing school and she was wearing her crisp white starched uniform. She looked like a professional. And then I remembered when I was a girl scout and we had uniforms that looked a lot like the nurses uniforms of those days and they were hideous but we loved them b/c we felt so grown up and professional. We had a sash with all the badges we'd earned and it gave us a feeling of accomplishment to wear that to school each week so we could show them off.
Nowadays, the nurses run around in their pajamas and I'm not knocking that b/c it's so much more comfortable, but what are they losing in professionalism when they wear scrubs with bunnies on them? And when the girlscouts redesigned their uniforms for comfort, the girls pretty much lost interest in them and I haven't even seen a scout in uniform in years.
My teachers wore skirts and high heels that clicked and they inspired some awe in us, but nowadays I've even seen some teachers wear denim shorts to school.
I don't know that I'm exactly complaining--I like my comfort as much as the next person, but I do feel that we've lost some pride maybe. Thoughts?
Most people don't look good in fitted clothes anymore because they're too F A T. When you're thin, you look good and feel good in anything.
70"s;I guess you thought the hippies dressed well. Atlaest people now are cleaner.
Hmmm, I remember the 70's very well and you're correct that the hippies were sloppy and dirty and some kids went thru a brief hippie phase if they did it at all, but most people were not hippies--the icon is bigger than the fact. The fact is that most people were neat and clean in those days.
Quote:
Originally Posted by temptation001
Even actors are doing it. Look at Brad Pitt with his scruffy beard. And I think that people see this happening with famous people and they want to emulate. Its not long before they start showing up at the Oscars in jeans and tube tops.
Yes, I don't know if Hollywood is leading this or following--but yes, even Hollywood!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jmadison2
Yes, I like that old school fitted, tailored and pressed look too.
Thing is it's expensive, especially if we are talking dry clean only clothes. And don't know about you, but handing my clothes over to someone else to wash them just doesn't suit me. (No pun intended.)
I think several things happened. The 60's for one. And declining effective wages for another. Working longer hours too. So essentially it's the combined effect of less time and money, and the individual freedom of expression thing the hippies ushered in.
I've also heard some folks who are a little "round" say the prefer clothes that are baggy rather than fitted because it disguises the lack of a waistline.
Yes it does cost a bit more money, and taking an example from my family's past: many of them come from a small town in MO where there was very little disposable income but they still managed to dress reasonably well. I guess part of it was pride--they didn't want to be seen running around in overalls like the sharecroppers. If they couldn't afford expensive clothes, they dressed neatly. None of them went to the dry cleaners except the men with suits, but they did use a lot of starch and they knew how to iron clothes.
I think you might have hit the nail on the head with the round folks though--as we've collectively gained weight, we've collectively grown sloppier also. One thing I've noticed is that everyone who is a healthy weight is built pretty much the same, but fat people get fat in their own way--one has a ginormous butt, and another has balloon arms. (dont' worry--I'm not slender by any means!) But it's hard to get clothes that fit when everyone gets fat in such differing ways. Still, it's hard to justify wearing your bunny slippers to the grocery store or letting your belly hang down past your t-shirt.
I don't want to leave the impression that I'm some fashion icon, b/c fact is I have been a bit of a slob in my life too, but nowadays I'm feeling downright neat. I remember when I wouldn't have been caught dead wearing mismatched socks, but my dd's insist that it's the only way to wear them these days.
Maybe what bothers me is that now when we have the tools to make any job easier, we choose to not do the job at all. A perfect example is architecture--our buildings have become so plain and boxy nowadays, when we have the tools to really make them ornate and it's so much easier than it was back in the pre-power tool days. You can get special dryclean at home kits for your clothes and steamers and lint removers, etc and we just don't bother. Oh and I'm not picking on America either--the rest of the world is slobbing down too.
I'm not sure the "clean and pressed" look is essential for human beings. Thru most of history we dressed however we could to stay warm and decent and reeked from occasional bathing.
Beginning in the 1920s in America, corporations sold us to need their products to keep us clean and pressed. It was also an era when cleanliness was next to Godliness.
I personally think people should dress appropriately for their place in life. I don't want to see mothers dressed like Lady Ga Ga or shy unconfident young men tatooed and leathered like tough guys.
Most people don't look good in fitted clothes anymore because they're too F A T. When you're thin, you look good and feel good in anything.
Yet, even in the past, people who were large managed to dress well FOR THEIR BODY TYPE and not look like slobs. My grandmother was never a small woman, but I don't ever recall her wearing anything that let it all hang out, so to speak, in the name of comfort. Even a fat person can dress well.
(I am also saddened that men no longer know how to practice "hat etiquette", leaving those tacky baseball caps on no matter where they go!)
Heres my take on this... We have become a culture of cheap fast and inexpensivbe - which results in the "One cut fits all" mentality. So we as a society then are "limited" to the whims of the fashion world when it comes to whats in vs whats out.. Not all bodies can where the same cut of fabric.
The fashion world and hollywood have put it fashionable for woman to wear "belly" shirts, the skinny jean, and tight fitting, hug your curves clothing. Just because someone isn't "fat" doesn't mean this will look good on them.... Individuals who are self concious of their body image will shy away from this type of clothing - no matter what and stay with the looser fitting clothes making them look even worse.
In the 50s, 60s, and before they actually MADE their own clothes which gave them that great tailored fit. ANYONE at ANY size can look FABULOUS with a tailored look. Instead of spending 100$ for a shirt that doesn't FIT right.. spend $30 and then have it tailored. I have found through my years that just because it's expensive doesn't mean its better quality. Learn the fabrics, get a good washing machine, etc...
Also individuals don't dress and/or don't know how to dress for their body type.. (ie.. i'm a SOLID woman - big chest, I can build a LOT of muscle and my legs show it.. If I wear capris I should really wear some sort of heel to help lengthen my legs and create a softer illusion - The outfit can be ALL put together, but without the heels it makes me look "frumpy")
When people say they don't have "time"... What they really mean is "I have other priorities"... Noone takes their appearance (besides botox and salons) as a priority anymore... People have PILES of clean/unclean laundry scattered about their homes, laundry isn't done properly - ie - darks vs lights, delicates vs whitey whites, ironing, hanging clothes up to dry, etc...
Something else I've noticed is people are "snobbish" about brands so they tend to stick with brands that they feel are more acceptable to society.. These brands are not necessarily cut for their body type. So getting out of the "snobbish - I will only wear xyz brand" will help people "look" better. High end stores - and I mean the boutique type stores and specialty stores generally have clothing ranging from $50 a shirt to $300 a shirt - AND these stores will include FREE tailoring in many cases.. They also include sales associates that assist in making SURE you look good.
I remember when I never went anywhere without being dressed up. I can't go to church without wearing a dress (I used to wear hats to church). My grandmother was in her 70s before she ever wore a pants suit. I just had the "hat" talk with my students yesterday and how it was considered disrespectful at one time for men to wear a hat indoors. Even some of the students thought that it was sad that times had changed in that regard. One of my fondest memories was when we occasionally traveled to Key West. We often saw an elderly couple in the airport and she was dressed in a suit with a hat and white gloves and he had on a suit also. I'm sure that they propbably are no longer with us, but if they were, that's how they would still be traveling. I think that with the boom of technology, unlike what was predicted, we seem to have no extra time today and that can lead to not as much care in appearance.
What others wear is of no concern to me—other than if they stink or have filthy, ragged, or otherwise nauseatingly revealing attire (for instance, they have a “plumber’s crack” [ass is showing]). I wear what is comfortable for me and fits my personality. Hint: I don’t even own a suit or tie. It’s typically jeans and t-shirts of various colors for me. Now… I am NOT a slob! I’m clean. And my jeans and t-shirt are never dirty, stinking, or ripped to shreds.
Personally, I hate men’s formal/business fashions (at least for the past 100 years or so). When women dress nicely, they have tons of options. When men dress ‘nicely’ (if you can call it that) they have one option/look--and it sucks. I HATE the look of suits. They are all the same thing, with variations in shade. And I HATE the dog-collar-and-leash (tie) that men are expected to wear. Sure, you can wear a bow tie (which I’d rather do), but it’s looked at as a bit weird these days. I’d like to kill (okay, not kill, just strangle until he turns blue) the guy that came up with the modern version of the ‘tie.’ It looks like a dog leash—maybe that was the idea. If you look at men’s formal attire from say 150 or 200 years ago, it actually looked kind of cool. And it was quite varied. Nowadays? Boring carbon copy shirt, tie, jacket, and creased pants. What a joke. Looks like a uniform for the unimaginative. So for modern formal wear, women get to dress up, and men get to look like cookie-cutter monkeys.
As for slobs, there have always been slobs. Nothing new. I saw slobs in my childhood; I see them now. Do you think 100 years ago, everyone wore formal wear 24 hours a day? I’d doubt it. I see most people being in the ‘middle ground’ in their daily affairs… then you have the extremes: the slob that smells bad on one end of the spectrum, and the moron wearing a monkey suit to do his yard work on the other extreme.
I say we all wear comfortable carbon copy unisex grey jump suits 24 hours a day (for one day only between washings). Oh, and permanent press fabric. How about polyester? Then there would be nothing to complain about. We’d all look ridiculous… but the same.
Bottom line: appearances don't mean much to me. They are only skin deep. It's what's on the inside that is FAR more important.
Oh, that's it? Should we be happy and content that people are "at least cleaner"? More effort is not needed?
I am not even going to mention how some houses/apartments looks like. Piles of clothes on the beds, floors, between shoes and dirty socks. I don't expect those people to look decent, but where this sloppiness came from?
I liverd in tehe 50's and people did not dress that well. They wore their best clothes to church and other places.Housewife wore plain dress call house dresses ;kids jeans with hole in the knees. They looked little like hollywood.They were lucky if thier clothes fit them if they were not the Kids typical hand me downs the clothes they were too long; to big ;to grow into.It was a common saying that it didn;'t matter what your clothes looked like as long as they and you were clean. Looking today around me people actually dress better than the 50's.Your talking about style which as always varied in dress.Don;t look at movies and say the 50's were glamorous because the reality was quite different.As far as apartments they often came from the start with worn wooden floors; rats ;peeling lead paint with clothes hung to dry on lines.
Traveling in third world countries, the one thing that is most difficult for me to accept philosophically is that often, I am the only slob in the streets. It is very hard to keep nice neat tidy changes of clothing when you are traveling with only a ten-kilo pack and staying in hostels or sleeping outdoors on the ground. Conversely, even in the poorest countries, everyone still dresses up in the best they have to go out in public, even to travel on dusty busses, and their clothing is always spotlessly clean and frequently laundered, often on rocks in the river.
Look at this street scene in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
http://www.wts-trips.com/TECHE09/2805805-Buenos_Aires_is_a_shoppers_paradise-Buenos_Aires.jpg (broken link)
No cutoffs, no tank tops, no sleeveless T-shirts, no baseball caps on backwards, no butt-cracks showing, no flip-flops.
As recently as the 60s, if you had tickets to a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game, and turned up at the gate without a coat and tie, you would not be admitted.
Last edited by jtur88; 04-30-2010 at 12:56 PM..
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