After every fashion cycle as reaction has a brand new silhouette that go in another direction.
For exemple after the full drape cut of 30sand 40s we had the slender and trim silhouette of 50s and early 60s.
But why these changes go to an exaggerated direction?
Why,for exemple, after the very thin lapels of 60s we had been the huge lapels of 70s and not proportionate lapels?
Why from the loose fit of 80s and 90s we did not go to a slender but proportionate silhouette and today have the "pee wee herman" model of suit?
Why the excess ?
I think because in general people need to have clothing and fashion spelled out to them in a clear way. The masses don't comprehend subtlety and finesse. Also we find "new" things very attractive....as long as they aren't too new.
Fashion tends to deal in extremes because they are easily identifiable as a signifier of something new.
I'm not sure whether this is down to laziness on behalf of the fashion industry or the public though.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the basic lounge suit hasn't evolved much since 100 years ago and so, every now and then, the designers like to do something temporary to it to make it look as though the old idea has suddenly drunk of the fountain of eternal youth and has become suddenly hip and worthy of another generation. But I also agree that most people run with the herd of castrated steers and old cows - and follow the brain-washing of the woos fashionistos, the garrulous sensation-seeking media guys, the bent politicos and the nuttiest health freaks.
In fact, en masse, this human kind of ours is really bloody frightening in its propensity for mindless action. I have never liked crowds of people anywhere. In fact a full, trendy restaurant full of braying buffoons and their squeaking dolly-birds is my idea of Hell.
Last edited by Dudley Clarke (2013-10-02 12:55:25)
There are generational influences, political influences, class influences, social influences. They all get baked into what we are all wearing both men and women at any time. You could study them at length.
I also think it's interesting how malleable and versatile the suit is. It is a survivor. It just proved this by almost going down for the count and now rebounding to the point where men are wearing them on the weekend just for walking around...at least in NYC.
heppie - it was my fathers side of the family.
In general in that family the poorer you are, the harder you are doing it, the better you dress.
No, the badly dressed can not claim poverty in todays society.
I did notice there was not one smoker.
Not even after at drinks back at the house hosted by my bachelor uncle who is 84 and was in the Korean war and visited Nagasaki just after the bomb in the Oz Navy..
(thats if you don't count me and two of my sisters who often smoke at parties - we argue about who will buy a pack to share if we are going to the same do. shhh - don't tell shooey)
My auntie who died was 89 - two months short of 90 - lived at home - full faculties - was ranting about politics only two weeks ago when I visited. She was unmarried, no children and chained smoked until she was 86. Who knows if she hadn't smoked she might have lived 'til she was 90!
The last funeral I went to was my grandmother's, a very eccentric and effervescent personality and I was looking forward to the wake afterwards, as it was the first time I had taken my wife to England to meet most of my family. Unfortunately, my aunt who is a school teacher decided to put a dampener if not the kibosh on proceedings by launching into a long winding and utterly depressing monologue in the church, on the indignity of child poverty and travelling on buses with free passes. So depressing was this preamble, it put everyone off their beer and engaging in banter on how successful my grandmother's life had been.
It was a cups of tea all around with faces that looked shell-schocked.
Some more of cats and kings
@
''But there are many Cats of this Kind, which are too much made of, indulg'd, and encourag'd, 'till they fly at last in the Face of sacred Majesty.''
Tightness being trendy saves us from self-consciousness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32TFEwrpgzk
Its like politics isnt it, swings from one side to the other when clearly a balance is key, we tend to go from an extreme to the other... why because balance is difficult to achieve I guess... but it is also static I suppose..and boring? Apparently we need novelty.
Last edited by Dudley Clarke (2013-10-05 08:32:41)