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#1 2022-05-18 11:25:22

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

On Looking 'Affluent'

The OED definition is interesting - but precise?  Mm.  Thumbs up?  Or down?
This might cause amusement over on 'Dressed Well'.
Frosty was probably the type to tell us he cared nothing about money.  But would we have believed him? 
I hope and pray that wearing Scottish cashmere makes me look as though I've just cashed my Giro.

 

#2 2022-05-18 11:32:42

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Electric cars seem to be the latest sign of affluence around here, ironic as they are often driven by the people whose lifestyles make the greatest impact on the environment. I think they call this virtue signalling.


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#3 2022-05-18 11:47:06

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

LOL.  My elder daughter used to waffle about her 'carbon footprint' - while taking about four foreign holidays a year.

 

#4 2022-05-18 11:56:08

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Thinking about the original, er, notion, the 60s Mods were probably onto something: Clean Living In Difficult Circumstances.  Perhaps increasing affluence has actually diminished any sense of pride the individual had in looking 'sharp' or - at the very least - 'considered'.  My father went from bumfreezer jackets, skinny ties and 'Italian' shoes as an apprentice to tweed and polo neck in his thirties, winding up in Levis, polo shirts and deck shoes much later on.  But he always looked good (the way I remember him): hair freshly trimmed, clean-shaven.  My late father-in-law, on the other hand (a supporter of Liverpool FC) generally dressed like a West Derby tramp.

 

#5 2022-05-18 12:46:06

RobbieB
Member
Posts: 2219

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Electric cars also much in evidence around my way. In case you miss the signals the cars are distinguished by having a green tab at the end of the car number plate. During the weekly rubbish collection, the 'green' car owners tend to be the ones with the most disposable rubbish.


'I am a closet optimist' Leonard Cohen.

 

#6 2022-05-18 12:48:20

RobbieB
Member
Posts: 2219

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Not that I'm obsessed with going through people's rubbish bins but I'm just curious in neighbours lifestyles. Ha.


'I am a closet optimist' Leonard Cohen.

 

#7 2022-05-18 12:50:01

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

AFS - Perhaps increasing affluence has actually diminished any sense of pride the individual had in looking 'sharp' or - at the very least - 'considered'.

100% correct. That and changing social conditions, remember the Sheffield steelworkers who used to dress like country gentlemen in their tweeds to take their wife out at the weekend? A brief escape from the hellish circumstances of their working lives. The 60s mods had no expectation of progressing beyond their parents circumstances other than to be something special in the evenings and weekends. Then came home ownership ‘for all’, well some of us anyway, you bought your house, started a mortgage and by the time you retired you had paid for it - bingo sitting pretty. Well that was the theory, except that somewhere along the way it also became necessary to drive a German car, have a German Giant vibrator, a Swiss watch, go to Oz on holiday, a 150??  television, shop in Waitrose,  build an extension etc etc. (none of which I give a shit about) Also somewhere along the way dressing to impress fell by the wayside. There’s no need to if you spend all your time immersed in the home entertainment hub. Someone we know is having a games room built at the bottom of his garden. I don’t think this is for playing billiards, shove ha’penny or cribbage, it’s more to do with curved screens, surround sound and flashing lights. I can’t think of anything worse. It’s costing him thousands and thousands, but then he is a plumber.


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#8 2022-05-18 12:51:24

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

FS - Perhaps increasing affluence has actually diminished any sense of pride the individual had in looking sharp or - at the very least - considered.

100% correct. That and changing social conditions, remember the Sheffield steelworkers who used to dress like country gentlemen in their tweeds to take their wife out at the weekend? A brief escape from the hellish circumstances of their working lives. The 60s mods had no expectation of progressing beyond their parents circumstances other than to be something special in the evenings and weekends. Then came home ownership ‘for all’, well some of us anyway, you bought your house, started a mortgage and by the time you retired you had paid for it - bingo sitting pretty. Well that was the theory, except that somewhere along the way it also became necessary to drive a German car, have a German k*tch*n, a Swiss watch, go to Oz on holiday, a 150 inch television, shop in Waitrose,  build an extension etc etc. (none of which I give a shit about) Also somewhere along the way dressing to impress fell by the wayside. There’s no need to if you spend all your time immersed in the home entertainment hub. Someone we know is having a games room built at the bottom of his garden. I don’t think this is for playing billiards, shove ha’penny or cribbage, it’s more to do with curved screens, surround sound and flashing lights. I can’t think of anything worse. It’s costing him thousands and thousands, but then he is a plumber.


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#9 2022-05-19 07:29:47

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

I don't believe the notion of 'affluence' should be confused or conflated with some unthinking sense of suburban smugness and complacency.  Some years back, when I still ran a business, one or two of the people who worked with me reported being directed to the back door by clients - often people from a working class background who were now revelling in living in detached houses with gates, intercom systems and several cars in the driveway.  Genuinely middle and upper class people could be totally different, often providing good coffee and sometimes food - and often gifts at Christmas and so on. 
My own brother-in-law grew up in poverty and now divides his time between Calgary and California.  Likes people to know how nicely he's done.

 

#10 2022-05-19 07:31:32

AlveySinger
Member
Posts: 900

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Looking Affluent has moved on.

Once upon a time the signifiers were things like clothing and your lifestyle. A man in a well tailored suit, a club tie and good shoes would pass as being wealthier than the younger chap in a hoodie, jeans and trainers.
Suits were at the higher end of the clothing food chain.

Two things have  changed.

The first and most obvious is the rise of wealthy guys who see suits as an barrier to being cool. Take the IT crowd. They refer to suits as people who typically working in what they deem to be the uncreative part of the business world.

Secondly is the growth of super high end casual clothing. Typically, it's something generic like a sweatshirt that is manufactured in either luxury materials or festooned with a designer logo. Footballer chic.

Beyond "looking" affluent there's also been a seismic shift in class signifiers. A good example of this is Rock, in Cornwell. It's now full of wealthy upper class people who look down their noses at the overseas holidays many of us take.

 

#11 2022-05-19 07:42:41

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Rock certainly acquired a bit of a reputation as a Sloane paradise, didn't it, simply teeming with the kind of twits Strachan and Lally hated dealing with in Richmond.  I'd guess they chose carefully the places where Johnny Foreigner might be encountered en masse with a certain degree of sniggering care. 
Norfolk - or parts of it - are perhaps a bit like Rock.  I know my present wife, brought up poor, felt very out of place in one of the market towns we visited.  I'm a touch less class conscious than she is perhaps - but I've come across some grade-A imbeciles in my time.  'Supercilious' is sometimes the word used.  It fits.

 

#12 2022-05-19 07:45:39

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Actually, in some ways, I regret choosing that particular word.  It seems to have too many unfortunate connotations attached to it.  Yet I cannot think of a suitable alternative.  It's not unlike the word 'conservative' - too loaded.

 

#13 2022-05-19 08:39:42

AlveySinger
Member
Posts: 900

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

I think in the current climate dressing Ivy looks considered. You're interested in a style as opposed to what's fashionable.

It also takes a lot of effort. The time spent tracking things down - either at full price or on Ebay, the exchange rate is against us and a number of brands have changed direction so that they're not relevant to us.

Contrary to this I've noticed that there are increasingly odd single items that fit within the Ivy aesthetic from brands that either have little to do with Ivy or have moved on from Ivy. These fall into the "buy before they disappear" category.

 

#14 2022-05-19 09:18:05

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Alvey, could you give a few examples of the latter?

 

#15 2022-05-19 16:51:03

AlveySinger
Member
Posts: 900

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

J crew are doing a seersucker pop over with LL and third collar button

Lands End have seersucker shirt with a  superb roll, LL and third collar button

Levis Vintage have reintroduced Sta-Press

Batucuda have a patch madras Harrington.Sounds wrong but it's oh so right

Ralph USA is working with Rancourt

Crocketts have got bucks this season

Uniqlo have madras pop overs

 

#16 2022-05-20 00:58:37

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Their manufacturing countries of origin - if you take my meaning - might rule out any or all of the above for me.
A patch Madras Harrington sounds utterly wrong.  I once wore a patch Madras shirt.  Not for long. 
Nothing much wrong - or especially interesting with Crew when Made In The USA.  When does that date back to?  On the same level as A&F. 
RL and Rancourt sounds interesting.  I guess.
The bucks might be nice.  I still like 'em even though I haven't owned a pair since around 2008.

 

#17 2022-05-20 01:39:26

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

After the description of the Crockett & Jones bucks they add ‘This stand-alone ‘Ivy League’ style adds some American inspiration to this year’s Spring / Summer collection.’

They look like the quintessential dirty bucks Alvey, really nice but £450 is an ouch factor for me!


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#18 2022-05-20 01:54:20

woofboxer
Devil's Ivy Advocate
From: The Lost County of Middlesex
Posts: 7959

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

I bought a Grenfell linen madras (not patch) Harrington during the winter, which looks good with  a plain polo and wheat or indigo jeans. It’s a stand out item and a beautifully made garment, but you couldn’t wear it much before people in the neighbourhood started referring to you as ‘the guy with the check jacket’.  I don’t think I would have bought it if I had seen it in a shop, but I saw it going for a song on eBay new with the tags still on, so I felt it was worth a shot. I like it.


'I'm not that keen on the Average Look .......ever'. 
John Simons

Achievements: banned from the Ivy Style FB Group

 

#19 2022-05-20 02:45:22

Spendthrift
Member
Posts: 659

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Those bucks look great.

I've got a Baracuta G9 in a yellow/blue/white plaid. As Woof says, it looks good with plain stuff, but only comes out a few days a year.

 

#20 2022-05-20 02:45:24

RobbieB
Member
Posts: 2219

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

I was in Uniqlo Stratford a couple of weeks ago and for the first time couldn't find anything I wanted to buy. Maybe I was in a bad mood. I just wish they would add 1/2 to 1 inch to the BD collar length. I'm not their target customer ,of course, and if I was 21 again I would probably be more interested.


'I am a closet optimist' Leonard Cohen.

 

#21 2022-05-20 03:01:22

Spendthrift
Member
Posts: 659

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Robbie, I find the same with Uniqlo

There isn't one close by, so I always drop in when I come accross it. Never bought anything. Even by my standards either the detail or quality isn't quite there.

Last time I was in they had some really good khakis, in 34'' leg only.

 

#22 2022-05-20 03:01:34

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

I misunderstood; was thinking white bucks.  I have dirty, that come out every couple of weeks or so now.  Walk Over with the red brick sole.  I liked my old sun-kissed in the Russell Street window better.

 

#23 2022-05-20 03:11:49

Spendthrift
Member
Posts: 659

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

I'll second Alvey's recommendation on the LL seersucker shirt.

I'd have to see Levi's sta press in the flesh. They've brought them back intermittently over the years in some very strange guises

 

#24 2022-05-20 03:22:42

RobbieB
Member
Posts: 2219

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

The Crockett bucks look ok but at £450 I'm out. Are all Crockett shoes made in UK ? I'll stick to my USA walkovers.

Spendthrift- I agree with you regarding Levi Sta Press. Strange guises indeed. I had a pair in 68/69 which looked good on a teenager. Don't think they would suit a pensioner though in whatever guise.


'I am a closet optimist' Leonard Cohen.

 

#25 2022-05-20 03:29:28

AFS
Member
Posts: 2740

Re: On Looking 'Affluent'

Dickies reminded me of Sta-Prest: 'constructed' as the chap in the local 'vintage' emporium said.  I unwisely bought a pair around 2006 and did not get on with them at all.  In fact, a pair of USA-made L.L.Bean chinos I bought a month or two ago remind me of them: not likely to soften and crumple for quite a while is my guess.  They're so unlike cotton Silvermans' it's quite uncanny.  Poly/cotton often seems to make all the difference.  On the plus side, I can wear them when dealing with my five-year old grandson and his mothers dopy labrador.

 

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