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Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

nytimes.com

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Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#341

Post by wcoenen »

tomglynch wrote: post #132
wcoenen wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We have hundreds millions of people basically teleporting between continents every day That's hyperbole. In 2019 there were 4.5 billion passengers boarding a flight[1]. Divide by 365 days and you get on the order of 10 million per day, most of which will not be intercontinental. I don't disagree about the amount of air travel nowadays facilitating pandemics, just wanted to get the numbers straight. [1] https://www.…

You are arguing a very minor point.

I appreciate the feedback, it feels better than getting only downvotes. I thought it was an important point because the number was off by at least an order of magnitude, maybe two. But I can see how my response might have been seen as pedantic.

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#342

Post by WalterBright »

wsc981 wrote: post #129
WalterBright wrote: post #69

I admit it, I miss the style of the 80's - Miami Vice, Duran Duran, etc.

Shoulder pads in woman's cloth were a horrible invention imho.

I like the neon colors, big hair, and just the flamboyancy of the style. Shoulder pads I could do without :-)

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#343

Post by HenryBemis »

wott wrote: post #139
HenryBemis wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the Europe side of the map, I find the same practicality in clothes when I shop from Finland. They too have all the brands one expects to see, but Finnish people (please any Finn comment/suggest) are super practical when it comes to clothing. Finns and Danes are my idols on simplicity, practicality and a hint of elegance.

> Finns and Danes are my idols on simplicity, practicality and a hint of elegance. Jesus... I never thought I'd ever read that Finns could be someone's idols when it comes to elegance. But if you fancy wearing sports overwear [0] fitted in your rubber boots, after all... ---- [0] don't forget to buy the exact same model for your partner, and wear it at the same time, if you want to pass as a true Finnish couple.

I usually work for mega-large corporations and I have been for the past 15-20 years. How can I phrase it... I HATE wearing suite & tie. I work from home in any chance I get, I dislike the 'uniform', and I prefer casual/sport/comfortable clothing. This is why I like Finns.. they don't give a crap about 'norms'. The go for comfort, whatever feels good, and rock on!

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#344

Post by Smoosh »

viridian wrote: post #319
ctvo wrote: post #301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're so confident about this. > There are 5 genres of men’s clothes - business (pressed shirts, suits), casual, workout, skater, and comfort (hoodie). Only 5 of them and one of them includes "skater"? I mention confidence because you name them off with some authority when it looks like it should be "There are 5 categories of men's clothing for me". You leave off streetwear [1] which is a gigantic category in men's…

Not only is streetwear missing, but so are preppy styles. I really can't think of many women's "genres" which lack a male counterpart.

The list also missed formalware which, I assume, is still a thing.

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#345

Post by chiefalchemist »

rainonmoon wrote: post #86
chiefalchemist wrote: post #67

Fashion is simply marketing gone wild. It's preying on the idea that the best way to be a better you is to wear ____. That you can cure your inferiority complex by consuming X, Y or Z. Which in turn belittles those around you, and so on. TL;TD - An expensive ____ (e.g., watch) doesn't make you a better person. And you know this. So you get a nice car. Doesn't help. So you get new shoes. And so on. Fashion is a cure f…

It's a little strange to me how often the ills of consumerism are conflated with fashion alone. This comment (although not only this comment) drastically undersells that fashion is an art form as much as painting, writing or cinema: a means of personal expression and cultural communication which exists in conversation with its own history and traditions. Beyond that, the staving off of existential dread you mention i…

Designing clothing is an art. The marketing of that is commonly known as fashion. They are not synonymous.

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#346

Post by taurath »

ctvo wrote: post #301
taurath wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(All comments on culture US centric) - This thinking is why the men’s section is 1/4 as large as the women’s in most stores. Culturally for men clothing is supposed to be above all practical. There are 5 genres of men’s clothes - business (pressed shirts, suits), casual, workout, skater, and comfort (hoodie). Contrast this with the women’s section. Women have an expectation to express themselves and their personality…

You're so confident about this. > There are 5 genres of men’s clothes - business (pressed shirts, suits), casual, workout, skater, and comfort (hoodie). Only 5 of them and one of them includes "skater"? I mention confidence because you name them off with some authority when it looks like it should be "There are 5 categories of men's clothing for me". You leave off streetwear [1] which is a gigantic category in men's…

It is arbitrary, and not fully accurate, but was trying to get the point across that there's relatively few cuts and overall styles to choose from in most major department stores. I claim no authority, I'm just a person on the internet making an observation.

I still hold that men's clothing is more like the menu at taco bell, whereas womens clothing covers both much more nuance and opportunity for expressiveness. Mens styles are broadly muted in contrast. More than happy to argue that point!

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#347

Post by taurath »

soylentcola wrote: post #332
viridian wrote: post #319

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not only is streetwear missing, but so are preppy styles. I really can't think of many women's "genres" which lack a male counterpart.

Not speaking for the parent commenter, but I imagine "casual" as roughly the same range as "preppy" - not formal, but not sweats or tshirts. Also, while they used the term "skater" (which I also find oddly specific) I think "streetwear" would be a better label. This would cover more specific styles like "skater" as well as other types of streetwear. As a disclaimer, I know next to nothing about fashion and am just go…

Agree, streetwear would be a better term. Its more of my upbringing where kids who didn't dress in one of the other ways tended to go to stores like pacsun, zumiez, vans etc which prominently featured skating as a lifestyle.

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#348

Post by taurath »

Smoosh wrote: post #344
viridian wrote: post #319

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not only is streetwear missing, but so are preppy styles. I really can't think of many women's "genres" which lack a male counterpart.

The list also missed formalware which, I assume, is still a thing.

Intent is business/formalware is under same umbrella (you're wearing a suit of some type)

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#349

Post by taurath »

freeone3000 wrote: post #247
adamjb wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean by "equivalent"? That last sentence makes it sounds like you mean clothes in the same pattern but cut to fit male bodies.

Men's fashion currently has no mainstream style that shows off athleticism. Sleeveless crop-tops, with abs and shoulders on display! Shorts with flare for muscular thighs, allowing them to be shorter! Semi-sheer panels, allowing for pecs to bulge! Mesh sections in pants! What's wrong with men showing a little skin for once?

You can sort of get there with tank tops and running shorts. But you do tend to look like you just got back from or are going to a workout.

Re: Sweatpants Forever: How the Fashion Industry Collapsed

#350

Post by taurath »

opan wrote: post #211
taurath wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(All comments on culture US centric) - This thinking is why the men’s section is 1/4 as large as the women’s in most stores. Culturally for men clothing is supposed to be above all practical. There are 5 genres of men’s clothes - business (pressed shirts, suits), casual, workout, skater, and comfort (hoodie). Contrast this with the women’s section. Women have an expectation to express themselves and their personality…

What about Men's work clothes? Heavy-duty stuff. Like a lot of Duluth Trading Co. clothing. I'm not sure these fit into your categories. I also feel your skater/comfort don't seem different enough. At least, I can imagine skaters wearing hoodies commonly.

To me those fall more into a "uniform". I admit I didn't really think of that in terms of "fashion", but its true that many wear a ton of carhardt and not much else. But it does tend to be hoodies and the like.
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