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Why did clothing become boring?

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Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#91

Post by Clamchop »

vouaobrasil wrote: post #30
makeitdouble wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your argument could be read as beauty not mattering. For a different POV, countless animals will risk their life to look fabulous/make themselves stand from the pack to leave a legacy. Arguably fashion could be one of the most important thing to people. PS: on a side note, even in technical circles where we could expect more detachment from appearances in general, a lot of comment will revolve around "X looks dumb".…

However, we should use our intelligence to find ways to curb the extent to which clothing has become an obsession, becaue the clothing industry is unsustainable and creates enormous amounts of waste and pollution. With our big brains, surely we can find ways to differetiate and display our styles without so much waste? Or perhaps we should just go back to trying to make AI think like us...

You could say that being green, or appearing to be, is in fashion.

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#92

Post by ghaff »

dhosek wrote: post #67

What I find interesting is that where traditional clothing has managed to maintain some sort of foothold, it’s almost invariably in women’s clothing. This is largely a superficial observation and is likely becoming increasingly false as time goes on and is based almost entirely on media representations, but I think someone more skilled and knowledgeable than me could find the boundaries of this observation against re…

Formal-wear for men is a pretty rare thing (and usually rented) outside of certain limited circles. Ties/jackets/suits are more common although there's been a big transition over the past few decades from them being the norm at a lot of industry events or even day-to-day office wear in a lot of roles.

I still remember when the IBM booth staff showed up at one of the big shows wearing IBM logo polos. Every one else was sort of welp, if IBM can dump the suits I guess we can too.

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#93

Post by ghaff »

herbst wrote: post #24
quantadev wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh they were definitely in style. They were/are a great way to carry stuff. Just look at all the yoga-tight pants on kids today with front pockets bursting at the seams. lol. These kids would LOVE to use fanny packs, but are too scared too.

I am so surprised everybody calls them out of style. Youth around here (German speaking countries) just throws them over the shoulder. This slowly creeped from 'dealer on the corner look' to the default norm.

Fashions in everything. At one point I wanted a new fanny pack for some reason and you just couldn't find them. Then they became more common again. I have a friend who loves her pickleball carrier for carrying odds and ends around.

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#94

Post by ineedaj0b »

gspencley wrote: post #56
saaaaaam wrote: post #17

I think there are a couple of important things missing from this article. One is that until relatively recently clothing served a very different function to that of today. In Europe, in our grandparents’ or even parents’ childhoods - as late even as the 1970s - housing and transport was very different to how it is now. Clothing was largely purpose-specific; people had far fewer clothes than today but those clothes ha…

> Those layers were still designed to serve a purpose - largely keeping warm Yes and no. Something that people often take for granted is doing laundry. The invention of the automatic clothes washer and dryer changed things dramatically . Before automation, laundry day for a household of 4 was a huge, laborious, and often multi-day task. Not only did garments need to be washed by hand, but there was a lot of attention…

is there any reason we still line suits today? debating removing the lining of one of my suits to see what happens

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#95

Post by Clamchop »

quantadev wrote: post #73
ImPostingOnHN wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's nothing wrong with the vanity of choosing a fanny pack over pockets or another bag these days. I support your fashion choice. Especially if you prefer your fashion to be functional. I do, too!

You're correct that I care about utility, but incorrect that it's vanity/fashion.

It seems important to you that others understand you are strictly utilitarian, that you're not like the others that busy themselves with frivolities like jewelry and designer sneakers. You dress yourself in a way that clearly communicates that. Some items are off limits because they don't fit the look. Flip flops? Not even as shower shoes, because you're a grown man.

Deep irony here.

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#96

Post by bluGill »

gspencley wrote: post #56
saaaaaam wrote: post #17

I think there are a couple of important things missing from this article. One is that until relatively recently clothing served a very different function to that of today. In Europe, in our grandparents’ or even parents’ childhoods - as late even as the 1970s - housing and transport was very different to how it is now. Clothing was largely purpose-specific; people had far fewer clothes than today but those clothes ha…

> Those layers were still designed to serve a purpose - largely keeping warm Yes and no. Something that people often take for granted is doing laundry. The invention of the automatic clothes washer and dryer changed things dramatically . Before automation, laundry day for a household of 4 was a huge, laborious, and often multi-day task. Not only did garments need to be washed by hand, but there was a lot of attention…

That youtube is a long rabbit hole that I'll be spending some time going down. My wife hates you...

(okay, I'll be careful not to let it take up so much time my wife notices, but it could get that far if I'm not careful)

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#97

Post by bluGill »

karaterobot wrote: post #89

I bet you'd find a lot more variety in a random sample of 100 people today than you would in, say, the 17th century. I think the way he's framing this is weird. He's comparing drawings of aristocratic costumes that were notable enough to archive for posterity, as well as pictures of people's ceremonial garb (and best going-to-meeting clothes) with an unevidenced claim that people today all dress alike (do they?). To…

Random sample of where? The world or a single random hamlet?

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#98

Post by teractiveodular »

karaterobot wrote: post #89

I bet you'd find a lot more variety in a random sample of 100 people today than you would in, say, the 17th century. I think the way he's framing this is weird. He's comparing drawings of aristocratic costumes that were notable enough to archive for posterity, as well as pictures of people's ceremonial garb (and best going-to-meeting clothes) with an unevidenced claim that people today all dress alike (do they?). To…

This. Also, the "brother and sister in Sweden" appear to Sámi wearing ceremonial gákti, not everyday wear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A1kti

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#99

Post by harimau777 »

ineedaj0b wrote: post #94
gspencley wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Those layers were still designed to serve a purpose - largely keeping warm Yes and no. Something that people often take for granted is doing laundry. The invention of the automatic clothes washer and dryer changed things dramatically . Before automation, laundry day for a household of 4 was a huge, laborious, and often multi-day task. Not only did garments need to be washed by hand, but there was a lot of attention…

is there any reason we still line suits today? debating removing the lining of one of my suits to see what happens

Linings are often a slippery fabric in order to make a jacket easier to put on. The lining also reduces wear on the main body of the fabric since you are rubbing against the lining instead. Linings are also a useful way to hide the seams and other construction details of the garment.

However, any of these could probably be worked around.

Re: Why did clothing become boring?

#100

Post by quantadev »

ImPostingOnHN wrote: post #83
quantadev wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're correct that I care about utility, but incorrect that it's vanity/fashion.

I think that we just think about fashion differently. Putting thought into what you wear for any reason, functional or otherwise, is fashion. Beyond that, you're choosing a suboptimal and uncommon item for "utility" (a fanny pack) where other, better options would suffice. Why? I can't answer that, maybe to make a statement. In any case, this choice is "fashion". Props to you for going out wearing what you like and n…

You're just playing word games. Fashion means what's popular/trending and `utility` means the exact opposite.
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