Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Fashion Statement
On this morning's drive, I saw a young teenage boy on the other side of the street. He was walking in the same direction as I was driving, so his back was to me. There are plenty of kids on their way down this particular road every weekday to the junior high school. What drew my attention was that I thought he might be injured. His walk was a broken, shambling thing. Night Of The Living Dead.
I slowed down slightly, then sped up again. He wasn't hurt. He was a victim of the Gangsta BeeYotch Fashion Style affected by so many white suburban kids here in northern California. The poor idiot's jeans were so huge and saggy that the waistline was -- I swear it -- hanging down to the middle of his thighs. If his shirt hadn't been large enough for three of him, I suppose his butt would have been hanging out. It's a sharp look. No doubt it makes the girls crazy. Alas, with the waist-line below his ass, the crotch of his jeans had fallen to the space between his knees, which greatly impeded his ability to move his feet.
But it looked cool. I guess. If you were under sixteen and your frontal lobes still had yet to fully develop. My friends and I rebelled, too, trying to look tough in denim jackets and longish hair, but at least we never intentionally crippled ourselves.
I must be getting old.
What is that look really about? Conspicuous consumption of textiles?
I slowed down slightly, then sped up again. He wasn't hurt. He was a victim of the Gangsta BeeYotch Fashion Style affected by so many white suburban kids here in northern California. The poor idiot's jeans were so huge and saggy that the waistline was -- I swear it -- hanging down to the middle of his thighs. If his shirt hadn't been large enough for three of him, I suppose his butt would have been hanging out. It's a sharp look. No doubt it makes the girls crazy. Alas, with the waist-line below his ass, the crotch of his jeans had fallen to the space between his knees, which greatly impeded his ability to move his feet.
But it looked cool. I guess. If you were under sixteen and your frontal lobes still had yet to fully develop. My friends and I rebelled, too, trying to look tough in denim jackets and longish hair, but at least we never intentionally crippled ourselves.
I must be getting old.
What is that look really about? Conspicuous consumption of textiles?
Labels: The Cutting Edge of Fashion
Comments:
<< Home
Sounds like the pants are dropping lower. I remember when Marky Mark first started letting his boxers show from his waistline. In a few more years they will have their pants around their ankles - which has some interesting connotations. Of course they will have to wear moo-moos to cover everything. I'm so happy I'm an old geek!
At least he didn't have three dozen peircings in his head and a road map of lines tatooed on his face. One of the clerks at our local Barnes & Noble looks like that and it's hard not to ask her what the hell she was thinking. Picture all that ink on a 80 year old face!
At least he didn't have three dozen peircings in his head and a road map of lines tatooed on his face. One of the clerks at our local Barnes & Noble looks like that and it's hard not to ask her what the hell she was thinking. Picture all that ink on a 80 year old face!
LOL, Reminds me of Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins when he did the penquin dance in 1964. Little did he know that he started a fashion statement that long ago. Bet he gets a laugh out of it now:)
Dude, that 80-year-old face is going to look AWESOME!!!! ;P
Sherry, you crack me up. I'm sure the whole Gangsta Slop look would stop in a day if some bright boy would just mix that Van Dyke dance into a bad-ass Fifty Cent video. Hee hee.
Sherry, you crack me up. I'm sure the whole Gangsta Slop look would stop in a day if some bright boy would just mix that Van Dyke dance into a bad-ass Fifty Cent video. Hee hee.
Actually, soon the waistline will begin to rise toward midtorso. Pant + bustier = Pantsiers.
I'm saving my old pants just in case. I'd rather wear parachute pants or bell bottoms.
I'm saving my old pants just in case. I'd rather wear parachute pants or bell bottoms.
I think the pants level must be reflecting the DOW.
I remember at that age, we rolled our skirts up at the waistband and then wore REALLY big belts. Ah, good times. You weren't born yet . . .
I remember at that age, we rolled our skirts up at the waistband and then wore REALLY big belts. Ah, good times. You weren't born yet . . .
# posted by 
: November 20, 2008 at 1:03 PM
: November 20, 2008 at 1:03 PM
You rolled your skirts up above your waist? Doesn't that mean you were naked? ;P
And, Jeremy, oh, Jeremy, the Old Man Tweedledum Look is *never* gonna fly with them bad boyz. Bell bottoms, though -- that is smoooooooth. Hee hee.
And, Jeremy, oh, Jeremy, the Old Man Tweedledum Look is *never* gonna fly with them bad boyz. Bell bottoms, though -- that is smoooooooth. Hee hee.
I had to laugh at your description of this poor kid's zombie walk. I've seen it too, just never associated it with the Walking Dead.
Being the youngster that you are, you missed wearing jeans so tight that they were effectively a type of birth control. You also missed the 15lbs of ugly platform shoes. Those two fashion items do qualify as crippling!
Being the youngster that you are, you missed wearing jeans so tight that they were effectively a type of birth control. You also missed the 15lbs of ugly platform shoes. Those two fashion items do qualify as crippling!
# posted by : November 21, 2008 at 5:54 AM
: November 21, 2008 at 5:54 AM
Jeff!
I'm 29. The preference for loose, form-hiding jeans where the waistband NEVER came above your pelvic-bone happened when I was about 12 or 13. I remember it well, as 'tween I was well-attuned to these things.
Over the years, like many fads, there came to be a race (to the bottom?) to see who could over-do it the most. The biggest pants. The lowest waistline. The least amount of "giving a shit" wins.
Still, I'm surprised to see this rant today. For at least four years--roughly since the emergence of Kanye West--the trend has been towards tight pants. The hardcore rappers, the guys who set the tone on this, have moved to straight-up haute couture and, I'm not making this up, the truly fashionable young men now rock some ridiculous fashion known as "skinny jeans" (think: denim tights). No really, you can google it.
I'm thinking that the truly baggy stuff is a remnant, and may actually be sort of cheap, because you don't have to shop for something that, you know, actually fits.
--Thug nasty, Nasty thug
(I still rock my jeans somewhat loose, and I wear them at my hips. But I recognize the times are passing me by.
I'm 29. The preference for loose, form-hiding jeans where the waistband NEVER came above your pelvic-bone happened when I was about 12 or 13. I remember it well, as 'tween I was well-attuned to these things.
Over the years, like many fads, there came to be a race (to the bottom?) to see who could over-do it the most. The biggest pants. The lowest waistline. The least amount of "giving a shit" wins.
Still, I'm surprised to see this rant today. For at least four years--roughly since the emergence of Kanye West--the trend has been towards tight pants. The hardcore rappers, the guys who set the tone on this, have moved to straight-up haute couture and, I'm not making this up, the truly fashionable young men now rock some ridiculous fashion known as "skinny jeans" (think: denim tights). No really, you can google it.
I'm thinking that the truly baggy stuff is a remnant, and may actually be sort of cheap, because you don't have to shop for something that, you know, actually fits.
--Thug nasty, Nasty thug
(I still rock my jeans somewhat loose, and I wear them at my hips. But I recognize the times are passing me by.
# posted by : November 21, 2008 at 7:12 PM
: November 21, 2008 at 7:12 PM
Ha. What's up, Thug Nasty. I'm definitely not someone who's up on Young Trends; just reporting on what I see. My whole focus is my family and my writing, in that order, and we're still deep into what our pediatrician calls Your Own Personal Time Warp. The boys are the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, but they're a HUGE amount of work, and it never stops. Diana and I have no idea what's in theaters, what's on TV, or what's happening in music... not that I was ever too concerned with fashion fads to begin with. I've worn jeans and t-shirt my entire life and I've had the same haircut for thirty years.
But I am trendy in the MIND! Ha ha.
Post a Comment
But I am trendy in the MIND! Ha ha.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
