My favorite is the chap with a closet filled with "bespoke" suits (an over-used message board word) which, except for a couple exceptions, are poorly-fitting, poorly-made POSes and, for reasons only he knows,  does not wish to inform the MB public of such.  Perhaps he's afraid of tarnishing his faux image as an authority on clothes LOL

Someone I know who has had encounters with a few MB inhabitants, sees them as rather peculiar and inelegant nerdy types, in contrast to the fora images they have cultivated, or perhaps images others conjur up (Or maybe both).  They are living in the past in their worshipful admiration of Savile Row, in particular, not recognizing that SR's glory days are well in the past.  I guess we all need something to cling to.

I have no idea what this post is about.  Personas?  Internet frauds?  Great Scott!

I locked this because it was getting out of hand and then unlocked it because there is some artistic merit. If we keep to the philosophy of the Internet allowing people to assert that they represent ideas they do not and variations, OK. But if it degenerates into "you know who, is you know what", then I’m deleting it. I have been on a lot of different forums, sports, politics, religion, and chat occasionally dealing with complete nutters. Some of these people were out of prison for violent crimes others were Hackers with a chip on their shoulders, and some of them were fanatics but none of them have been as extreme or rude or nasty as some of the persons I’ve met in the style or clothes community over the last year. I am not exaggerating. I suppose it’s because deep down the former category all stood for something even if they were disturbed and the troublemakers in this community do not and know that they do not.

Personally, I am doing this for fun, and ultimately for myself. If it helps others great, it's nice to contribute. But the forum is for play not for hurt.

I think I make myself crystal.

Too lazy to check the quote - "The clothing oft proclaims the man"...

... But my Cyber Dandy wants to do just that - proclaim himself through his clothing. And if he lacks the clothing in reality then who's gonna know on the net?

Equally other kinds of forum could allow a person to project themselves as they'd like to be (the owner of a vast stable of vintage cars, or whatever... Cars are kept in stables, right?), but I think, as mrwynn says, style forums are that bit more personal. The pose seems 'realer' when it deals with personal style and presentation of self rather than other material possessions...

A Cyber Dandy may well be difficult in real life but endlessly entertaining & engaging on the net because THAT is where he lives...

I love that Mallarme quote, btw.

M.

Very true, Mr. Grayson.
There may be a streak of envy in my imagined Cyber Dandy, but I think his motivation is likely to be more positive than that. I see him as one who surrounds himself in his imagined persona with all the things he loves, creating a whole lifestyle for his online alter ego that he would love to live in reality.
The more I think about this the more creative it becomes. The perfect Cyber Dandy could be quite a work of art. Born out of whatever desire to impress, the creation of this perfect person could be an ultimate form of self-expression - an entirely aesthetic being, uncompromised by reality like the rest of us are.
Purely art for art's sake.
An ultimate triumph of style over substance.

Good point, H.

I wonder if my imagined Cyber Dandy guy could spin a good tale and maybe create a market?
If enough people bought into his fantasy could a demand for goods he recommended be created?
Having created himself as the oracle on whatever style he favours could he then influence the demographics of the style by overshadowing all other voices?
... Not sure... He couldn't fool all of the people all of the time... Surely?
The fantasy would have to be a very seductive one for that to work...

Interesting stuff!

Last edited by Miles Away (2006-09-26 01:48:10)

I'm fascinated by how someone can position himself on Internet message board fora (Is this redundant?) as an expert in an area of endeavor and people believe him simply because...he says so...without any objective empirical evidence.

Some of the more curious personalities are those amateur message board tailors who dispense advice to others on achieving properly fitting suits: "Move the front buttons to the left by 1/4 inch" "Take in 1/8" on the left side, let out the right side by 3/8 inch"  "Rotate the shoulders 5/16 inch"  "A higher gorge would be more flattering to you" "A lower gorge would be better"  "Higher button stance is called for" "More drape, less drape..."  On and on.  Of course, they're utterly unqualified to offer such guidance, but nevertheless feel compelled to do so.  If medical advice were given out by fora residents impersonating doctors, there would be consequences, but assisting in botching someone's suit is rather innocuous.

You can tell me... you're Ted aren't you?
Happy days are here again!