The trick I use most comes from a biog of Waugh I read way back. He used to ridicule people by excessively agreeing with them to the point of absurdity.

That's how 'Trad' was built up pretty much.

My only point is that 'Trad' is so obviously fake.

And you really can't argue with me on this one - I was one of those who faked it all long before you ever came along.

But buy into it if you like.

Others who pre-date you & know their stuff never will... Unless they're looking to exploit it all & you in the process.


Best -

Sure, I did.

I've said it before, but I think it had something to do with him articulating something (however poorly or well you think he did it) that had been a powerful but inchoate thing for a lot of people, and it was exciting to see this notional idea of a traditional style of dress codified, fake or not.  Some people moved on to explore more on their own, some stuck with the Harris Orthodoxy, and why this disturbs some people so much will always be a mystery to me.

To characterize the WAYW threads in a very general (and therefore very unfair) way, the AAAT thread can seem a bit more about falling in line--got my reds!  got my Aldens!  got my Argyle socks and pocket square!--while FNB's is maybe more about personal statements, more individual takes on the look.  I post in both, like both for different reasons.

The clothing content obviously has huge overlap, it's more about a sensibility:  pleased as punch to be in the club vs a bit smug about being in a less obvious sort of club.  "Vhatever vhatever," as my Russian mother-in-law would say.

^ Brownshoe. That's fair enough.  I suppose it's possible that had I not read a lot of those posts he made around the same relative time frame or I had not all ready discovered these clothes through another route, I might of been more interested in what he had to say. I think your summation of the the two boards' WAYW threads is perfectly accurate.

Last edited by ScarletStreet (2009-09-09 16:30:54)

Brownshoe said it for me too.

I guess bugs me most about the "Gawker" article is their treatment of TinTin. First, they use his picture without his permission (I would assume), then they bash him for the whole article and most of the comments.

They don't know, whatever. But I thought you guys liked TinTin over here?

Conor

That faux-aristocratic, "well, at my club..." business is the bit about Trad (aside from red pants and gratuitous Argyling) that icks me.

The part I like is most of the clothes, though I don't necessarily love the way in which Trad convention (which is at least a 5 year old tradition!) puts them together.  The Garanimals thing.  I think it actually works and looks pretty good, just not for me, dears.