Why is the Bum Look Popular? (formally the unemployed look)

[BellyTank]

Hey- look at the weirdos!


B
T

 

[carter]

LONG LIVE THE T-SHIRT

I am at times bewildered by what passes as fashion in the casual sense....

One step up is also to move from t-shirts and henleys to actual collared shirts, whether dress type or even golf shirts. That step tends to take it to a bit more polished level. People that live in t-shirts maybe very casual but it sends a message of not caring much, unless they are into political activism. ...

john, I agree with much of your reasoning but have to disagree regarding the ubiquitous t-shirt. No garment in the last 50+ years is more uniquely American in usage and it cuts across gender, age, virtually all social milieu. Nothing looks better, IMHO, with jeans and a bomber or short casual jacket. A t-shirt is the perfect layering garment as well. LONG LIVE the T-SHIRT!

 

[MK]

.

It's their taste. Who cares?

Maybe they care more about raising that child than dressing up for no reason?
You can't look immaculate all the time.

I didn't know it was an either or choice between raising a child and looking presentable.

As for looking immaculate all the time.....on the contrary. Tim is trying to look disheveled.

Atleast she's warm and isn't going to trip over in 5 inch heels.

My comment wasn't about Helena.

So....why are you working so hard to defend apathy...or the contrived appearance of apathy? Interesting position to take.

 

[vintage68]

Tim is trying to look disheveled.

I agree. Tim is trying too hard to look disheveled (those are PJ bottoms he's wearing, are they not?) and just comes across as pretentious as hell. Ditto for his wife.

I gave up all hope for Americans years ago when I started seeing grown-ups, not just teenagers, wearing pajamas and slippers to the mall.

I believe these are signs of the apocalypse and that we are in the end times....

 

[carter]

Let's draw the line SOMEWHERE!

"SLIPPERS to the MALL" !

 

[PrettySquareGal]

THE MALL! EEK!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Actually, from what I've seen in recent days, slippers are entirely proper to wear to the mall. Preferably with one of those really long-sleeved jackets that buckles in the back.

 

[i_am_the_scruff]

There are some good points.
However, I´ve noticed that many people here don´t really need to wear vintage clothes, they just try to look their best with vintage inspiration. Many people here are trying to revive the good manners, which goes hand to hand with good clothes.

With respect, that is SO wrong. I can guarantee that some of the things I wear alot of you wouldn't like at all BUT I am one of the most polite people you could meet and I have good manners.

You write about looking down on people - There is no reason why not to look down on people who are badly or inappropriately dressed. I do it all the time

Because I find it snobbish. I won't deny, sometimes I do look at someone and think "wow, why are they wearing that?" But I wouldn't think about it all day and make a thread about it because at the end of the day, they're appy as themselves, I'm happy as myself. That's all you need.

I didn't know it was an either or choice between raising a child and looking presentable.

As for looking immaculate all the time.....on the contrary. Tim is trying to look disheveled.


My comment wasn't about Helena.

So....why are you working so hard to defend apathy...or the contrived appearance of apathy? Interesting position to take.

It's not a choice, I'm just saying. For some people they HAVE to look great all the time and it's really important for them, i'm just saying it's nice that they can relax and they don't feel they have to look great and impress other people all the time. Also, that they are that secure and happy with themselves that they dress how they want and still walk around with their head's held high.

I didn't know Tim was purposly trying to look that way, but even if he is my question is still the same.. who cares?

It's not that i'm trying to defend it, but let people be. I would say the same if I was posting on an "unemployed look" forum and they made a thread like this but about people who dress smart. Why do you care so much that you made a thread about it and are saying they look "unemployed"? You're directly insulting them because you don't personally like how they dress.
I'd rather look like them and being creative millionaires than be dressed up and run a forum and have a normal day job (no disrepsect to you, and i'm not trying to insult you i'm just making a point).

 

[Tomasso]

It's their taste. Who cares? You can't look immaculate all the time.

Personally, I believe that it's their personal taste and that they are just as meticulous about their presentation as Cary Grant was in his. As such, it has a disingenuous nature to it; something of a poor man's spezzatura. I know of gents who grow out their beard stubble to a precise length, in a very calculated effort, to coincide with a high profile event to which they'll be attending .

 

[carter]

Hey, Hannibal!

Actually, from what I've seen in recent days, slippers are entirely proper to wear to the mall. Preferably with one of those really long-sleeved jackets that buckles in the back.

$39.99 @ Amazon (includes mask).

 

[MK]

.

Personally, I believe that it's their personal taste and that they are just as meticulous about their presentation as Cary Grant was in his. As such, it has a disingenuous nature to it; something of a poor man's spezzatura. I know of gents who grow out their beard stubble to a precise length, in a very calculated effort, to coincide with a high profile event to which they'll be attending .

Well said.

 

[John in Covina]

john, I agree with much of your reasoning but have to disagree regarding the ubiquitous t-shirt. No garment in the last 50+ years is more uniquely American in usage and it cuts across gender, age, virtually all social milieu. Nothing looks better, IMHO, with jeans and a bomber or short casual jacket. A t-shirt is the perfect layering garment as well. LONG LIVE the T-SHIRT!

**********

But you can't live your whole life in them and nothing else.

I did not say there wasn't a time or place for t-shirts, I was trying to indicate it should not be all the time.

I would not go out on the town to celebrate say an important deal by going to the finest restaurant in a t-shirt. I would hope that the waitstaff would not be in t-shirts.

I'd prefer, clergy, doctors and lawyers not be in t-shirts when performing their professions.

I don't like to be sold expensive items by people in a t-shirt.

A t-shirt does not always suggest competence in service to me.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

If all one ever does is look at the covers of the books....one stops actually reading.

 

[John in Covina]

I think that anyone that purposely goes out in public such as shopping, in pajama bottoms has a distinct lack of regard for those around them as well as themselves.

It's like they are saying: "Screw you, you stupid peons, I am so fabulous that I make SLOTH look good!"

It is a certain narcissistic self value that operates by degrading the value of others around them.

 

[Belegnole]

In the end what one wears is a combination of personal taste, means, strength of character, local social pressures and style. Those with try to look like those without. Those without try to look like those who have, and everyone has their own idea of what is correct. With style it is often better to classify buy the look over the social cast because you may find yourself to be wrong.

An example from my life...I dress in many manners but mostly casual at this time. I was raised strictly with regards to cleanliness and appropriate appearance. My father didn't wear a pair of jeans until well after I graduated from high school and wore a suit and tie almost every week day. Lately I cut my hair because I needed to look for employment and where I live long hair can be a detriment to that endeavor. I also got back into hats and arrived here. As one who likes to play I have been playing with pomades and some other vintage looks etc. My Ex-wife now thinks that I am trying to look old because of this. Note the difference I am trying old styles and she thinks that I am trying to look old. At forty five I have no want to look old, as my daughter already thinks I am old. So, my ex has taken style and swapped it with intent and thus gotten it all wrong....even though it is a valid perception.

I think that anyone that purposely goes out in public such as shopping, in pajama bottoms has a distinct lack of regard for those around them as well as themselves.

It's like they are saying: "Screw you, you stupid peons, I am so fabulous that I make SLOTH look good!"

It is a certain narcissistic self value that operates by degrading the value of others around them.

Though part of me agrees whole heartedly with you I find that in my minds eye you are missing the point. They or most others are not being snobs, it is in fact more the reverse. They are to borrow you phrase saying "Screw you, you B@s%$^, I am I am not going to allow you to tell me how to live". They as are many others thumbing their collective noses at the man. Whom ever he is this week..

 

[John in Covina]

Here is a perception that is probably more common.

As I wrote about previously, people follow MTV trends. Rap stars and those of subgenres emulate the dress styles of LA gang members, suddenly all sorts of probably nice people are dressing like thugs and gangsters, people with criminal tendencies and a habit of exceptionally poor decision making when it come to others.

Now I don't wish to be in areas and circumstances that make me suscepitable to gang violence which does exist. I find I am confronted by people that dress like those I wish to avoid. How ever these people who may be nice don't wear a sign on them that says I dress like a criminal but i am actually a nice person.

I avoid them because I don't want to become another statistic for the crimes of violence section of the FBI reports, but now I am predjudiced and wrong. If I don't leave myself open for being the victim of armed robbery and death, I am predjudiced.

So far I am waiting for MTV stars to make convict jumpsuits and Straight jackets the next must have fashion.

 

[mister7]

MK -- If it is so unbearable in those you are holding in contempt, why aren't you clean shaven?

 

[Tomasso]

Those with try to look like those without. Those without try to look like those who have

I understand your point, but in the group photo of the Trilateral Commission or a Davos meet you wont see many faux street urchin looks, outside of Bono. And these are the withs/haves.

 

[reetpleat]

Some people don't care about how they look. many others are just trying to look good to their peers, the opposite sex or same sex, or whatever.

Remember, a shirt and tie is arbitrary. Some rapper in baggy pants may think he looks just as good as you. Many african americans are meticulous about ironing their t shirts and jeans. many people pay big money for just the right distressed jeans etc.

True, disheveled can look unordered, but many people who go for a carefully put together look are not. It is very meticulous.

Also, remember, we have a long tradition of youth dressing more casually than their elders, many of whom were probably scandalized. Youth, movie people, african americans, and jazz hipsters in the 30s 40s and 50s wore crazy baggy pants, t shirts not as an undershirt (scandal) odd hats, sideways caps, knit tops under sportcoats, loud hawaiian shirts etc. Frankly I would rather dress like a sharp jazz hipster than an uptight conservative businessman of the golden era.

I would feel pretty silly if I wasted a lot of energy or thought on feeling offended by how other people dress. My only complaint with casual dress is that I feel out of place sometimes if I go out and feel overdressed, but that is my problem.

 

[reetpleat]

I'd call the men's look in the above picture poor but trying. They're wearing suits, but they look scruffy. Nobody's shoes are shined. Their jackets are wrinkled at the elbow. The man at the far right looks like he is just wearing an undershirt under his suit.

I think the question is really, "Why is the scruffy look so popular today?" Clothes reflect the times. In the Golden Era, people were ashamed to be poor and nobody took charity who could help it. A weakness was something to be overcome. People tried to put their best foot forward. Today, what might have been called "warts" is now "authenticity." I think it all comes down to "why bother?" and a general lack of seriousness.

Well, I agree with the assertion that it is a trend and that attitudes about poverty have changed. But I won't go so far as to suggest it is some kind of moral failing. It is just an attitude shoft that comes from a fairly wealthy society.

In the golden era, blacks, and poor whites and other poopr people would never dress it. They wore work clothes all day, nd their best suit at night or to church.

But it was the middle and upper class youth that started wearing casual clothes, less concerned about being mistaken for poor. They were rebelling against propiety. Remember, it was the middle class youth that took jeans from the farm to now, the runway.