What's up with these kids today and their skinny jeans...

[Carey 0]

I can't wait for abstract 3D to come back into style- so much less thinking to do.

Fuck.

Touche.

[chris_ 0]

I think it's heavily influenced by the long tradition of sexual ambiguity in japanese pop culture, specifically, and that's been going on since, like... forever. And it kind of made its way to european states first, but it's bolstered by the tail end of the 80s nostalgia craze that's basically antithetical to fashion/everything from the late 90s (like fuckin skating crap and hip-hop blandness).

 

The nostalgia stuff is on a constant 20yr loop. Remember the 90s when there was a raft of 70s shit flowing through? Then in the 00s we drug the 80s back out. Every generation brings something new to the table in their time, then gets bored of it, demonizes it, then comes all the way back to fetishize it, remix it and repurpose it into the mainstream. Just wait a couple more years and see what kind of nasty early 90s radness starts creeping back into your nightmares.

 

Today's newest fads are gonna make it into Gap stores in 3-5 years, look beyond retarded 7 years from now, in 15 some kids (born today) will do something ballsy and rebellious with it, and then everyone'll think it's awesome again in 20.

 

Yeah, sort of. 80s nostalgia craze, yes. Japanese influence, not really, not with regard to skinny or tapered or pegged jeans. Although I do see how one could think that given that the Japanese do tend to favor very tailored looks and a lot of their contemporary fashion has been influenced by the mod and brit pop scenes out of the UK. Japanese traditional culture and pop culture did have a large impact on new wave, which is really evident with bands like Japan and Bowie during his Scary Monsters / Pierrot the Clown period, but I digress.

 

The whole current 'skinny' jean thing is actually a commercial reinterpretation of tapering or 'pegging' your jeans, which started in the early to mid '60s with the original mod scene of that period and reemerged in the late 70s with punk and was popular throughout the 80s, especially '83 through '88 during the height of new wave. When it started back up in the late 70s, it was done mostly by people into punk, new wave and the mod revival; to be different from all of the bell bottomed hippies with bad hair and arguably bad taste in music. Back then, you'd have to have it done by a really good tailor or learn how to do it yourself or by your mom if she was a skilled enough seamstress and nice enough to do it (as it is a pain in the ass, especially for non professionals). In the mid 80s, Guess picked up on the trend and started making tapered or pegged jeans for men and women off the rack. A lot of cheap, off brands, the kind you could pick up at Contempo Casuals, at the time, followed suit. By '87, Stussy also had a line of pegged jeans and tapered cotton slacks.

 

In the mid to late 80s a company / retail store called Lip Service started making "Stretch Fuckin' Jeans" selling them in their store, also called Lip Service, as well as at Retail Slut and Thrash. They were and are to this day, extremely pegged all the way down and made out of stretch denim. These are actually closer in look, if not identical to the 'super skinny' or 'skinny' jeans you see other labels, including Levi's, doing today.

 

Lip Service and Retail Slut are actually still in business and you can still buy Stretch Fuckin' Jeans there. In the mid to late 80s these became popular with skaters and goth types and people into bands like The Cult, The Mission UK, Fields Of The Nephilim, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Zodiac Mindwarp, LA Guns and early Guns -n- Roses. So with the latter two in particular, you had the look crossing over into heavy metal territory and being picked up by hair metal bands by the late 80s because they were shopping at Lip Service and Retail Slut after being influenced by LA Guns and G-n-R (who were already shopping there) on a very street level as they were all playing the same clubs and those shops are both on Melrose or were at the time. Their popularity continued into the early 90s and then sort of tapered off (no pun intended) for a time.

 

A lot of people into the indie scene in the late 80s and early to mid 90s still wore pegged jeans (usually 501s or Levi's cords) that were tailored to be that way, as did a lot of people into indie guitar bands and Brit-pop in the 90s. Again, here it was a mod influence and it was also a visible means to be different, especially from the bell bottom rehash going on in the 90s in the mainstream. When done to a pair of straight leg jeans by a good tailor or someone who knows how it should look and be done, it looks a lot better than if you buy them that way because the tapering is tailored to your leg and the length is usually done correctly as opposed to all that bunchiness you see in the off the rack versions of the cut, especially those that you see today.

 

It is a European look, that's true. It was also popular in the early to mid '60s in America in a more tailored form. To reiterate, it was first done by those into the mod scene of early to mid '60s London and also by kids in Italy and France during the same period, who would have the sewing done by tailors more often than not. So it looked better, without all of that bunchiness at the bottom of the leg (sorry to repeat myself here). It was also done to trousers. Due to people like Dylan and the Beatles embracing the mod look (also known as 'the Continental' look) as a whole, in the early part of their careers, the slim leg style gained popularity in America (due to their popularity) along with other mod styled clothing that employed a tailored and fitted look and became available in mainstream off the rack clothes in America during the early to mid 1960s, including jeans. If you ever watch old reruns of 'I Spy' with Robert Culp and Bill Cosby from the period, you can see for yourself. In the 00s, tailored and fitted looks in general have really reemerged in the mainstream in America with Fred Perry, Ben Sherman, Penguin and to some degree, Merc (London), going from cult status to American malls, but again, I digress.

 

These days Levi is finally making off the rack slimmer cuts available in America again, in the 514 Slim Fit and the 510 and 511 Skinny. They are all low waisted like the original 60s cuts of Levi's. They were available in the UK and Europe throughout the 90s. Other brands have followed and American Apparel whose line is largely driven by 80s flashbacks, also has a few different lines of 'skinny jeans'. AA jeans tend to also be high waisted though, which was a really bad trend from the 80s, in my opinion.

 

Personally, I like the way the 514s fit. They are slim and straight, but not too slim and slimmer than a 501. They are cut well, so if you buy your correct length, they don't bunch up at the end of the leg. They also come in stretch jean material, so those are more comfortable than traditional 501s.

 

Regarding gen y hipsters and the current rash of 'skinny' jeans in the mainstream: its more of a commercial effort to tap into gen y's inexplicable desire to rehash the '80s, badly for the most part. -Wearing rip and tear outfits, high waisted jeans, butt rock hair and the like. The 'badly' part is just an opinion.

 

"We are the goon squad and we're coming to town, Beep Beep"

Edited January 30, 2009 by chris_

[chris_ 0]

true true, every time I see that episode I think "tosser". And what's up with those fucking plimsoles that every twat and his bouffant-haired girlfriend wear? They may well be cheap, but i bet every time it rains the little Nathan Barleys immediately regret wearing cotton shifts instead of actual footwear.

 

/rant, and I feel it only fair to point out that I've been wearing practically the same clothes for the past 15 years....jeans, t-shirt and hoody anyone?

 

Do you mean the white sneakers that are / were made predominantly by Keds or are you thinking of espadrilles? Just curious as I've seen what I think you're talking about and incidentally both, at clubs within the last few months.

 

Either way, yeah very new wave '80s rehash, but also, like pegged jeans actually came out of the early to mid '60s. Both were really popular for new wave types from '80 to '86 at least as far as guys go. They probably hit their biggest popularity on guys during that decade in '83.

 

 

Trivial pursuits.

Edited January 30, 2009 by chris_

[kitkats 0]

I'm waiting for my pairs of these to come back in to fashion.

[Steinar 0]

I hate that these seem to be popular again, at least in brooklyn:

[silatix 0]

I loved those jeans during my punk rock days

 

In the mid to late 80s a company / retail store called Lip Service started making "Stretch Fuckin' Jeans" selling them in their store, also called Lip Service, as well as at Retail Slut and Thrash. They were and are to this day, extremely pegged all the way down and made out of stretch denim. These are actually closer in look, if not identical to the 'super skinny' or 'skinny' jeans you see other labels, including Levi's, doing today.

[the_Monkey 8]

Aren't your jeans too baggy to be living hipsterville?

I'm too old to care to be hip anymore... no matter where I live.

After 30 you're more interested in naps.

 

I loved those jeans during my punk rock days

BAHAHAHA! Punk? You!? (Green Day doesn't count)

You're posting a picture of "you in your punk days" or I'm calling shenanigans!

 

-m

[silatix 0]

Green Day? Helll no

 

 

Now lets see a picture from when you were 19

 

BAHAHAHA! Punk? You!? (Green Day doesn't count)

You're posting a picture of "you in your punk days" or I'm calling shenanigans!

 

-m

Edited January 30, 2009 by silatix

[chris_ 0]

I hate that these seem to be popular again, at least in brooklyn:

 

Boat shoes.

 

Popular among the new wave set from '80 to '84.

 

Most people wore Sperry Top Siders.

 

From '85 to '88, Zodiac Loafers were also really popular, as were their bowling shoes.

[chris_ 0]

For anyone interested, Esprit is actually reopening in the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

 

I don't think Susie Tompkins (Buell) has anything to do with it, but I'm not sure. She might.

 

I found a link to their '86 catalogue in the AIGA archives.

 

http://designarchives.aiga.org/entry.cfm/eid_5372

Edited January 30, 2009 by chris_

[the_Monkey 8]

Now lets see a picture from when you were 19

Impressive.

You must have spent a fortune on safety pins.

 

You're lucky I could even find a picture of me when I was 19... let alone one that revealed the width of my jeans.

As you can see... I've pretty much had the same uniform for the last 15 years.

 

 

-m

[silatix 0]

Nah.. It was always best to find someone who can sew patches for you. Safety pin stabs aren't any fun

 

Nice pic, you really haven't changed one bit

 

Impressive.

You must have spent a fortune on safety pins.

 

You're lucky I could even find a picture of me when I was 19... let alone one that revealed the width of my jeans.

As you can see... I've pretty much had the same uniform for the last 15 years.

-m

Edited January 30, 2009 by silatix

[SP3KTR 0]

@silatix

is that a "abc no rio" patch on your leg?

[Firebetty 0]

Can we puh-leez go back to posting photos where the pants are so tight I can see your balls?

[Carey 0]

Can we puh-leez go back to posting photos where the pants are so tight I can see your balls?

Imagine this: the claustrophobic corner space between two thighs, a pelvis and a butt-molded office chair, wrapped wrongly in some form of denim and a thin layer of sweat-infused cotton, and situated a constant foot and a half from any variety of heavy electromagnetic power sources 10-14 hrs/day. Whatever's in that cramped little pocket of lonliness and woe is not gonna be pretty when it hits the open air, if it ever does.

[Firebetty 0]

Imagine this: the claustrophobic corner space between two thighs, a pelvis and a butt-molded office chair, wrapped wrongly in some form of denim and a thin layer of sweat-infused cotton, and situated a constant foot and a half from any variety of heavy electromagnetic power sources 10-14 hrs/day. Whatever's in that cramped little pocket of lonliness and woe is not gonna be pretty when it hits the open air, if it ever does.

YEAH! That's what I wanna see!

[seabass 0]

YEAH! That's what I wanna see!

I wanna see some nastiness!

[silatix 0]

Whatevers in there isnt pretty either way.

 

Imagine this: the claustrophobic corner space between two thighs, a pelvis and a butt-molded office chair, wrapped wrongly in some form of denim and a thin layer of sweat-infused cotton, and situated a constant foot and a half from any variety of heavy electromagnetic power sources 10-14 hrs/day. Whatever's in that cramped little pocket of lonliness and woe is not gonna be pretty when it hits the open air, if it ever does.

[peddamat 0]

http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/79/hipster.html

[chris_ 0]

http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/79/hipster.html

 

 

Great link. I couldn't agree more with some of it. That last bit though, about being the "last generation". That's a load of crap.

Edited February 2, 2009 by chris_

[jaan 0]

where's the thread complaining about women's clothes being too tight?

 

oh yeah, i forgot, those only exist on sites in alternate universes.

[Guest Sao_Bento]

http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/79/hipster.html

“Punks wear their tattered threads and studded leather jackets with honor, priding themselves on their innovative and cheap methods of self-expression and rebellion. B-boys and b-girls announce themselves to anyone within earshot with baggy gear and boomboxes. But it is rare, if not impossible, to find an individual who will proclaim themself a proud hipster. It’s an odd dance of self-identity – adamantly denying your existence while wearing clearly defined symbols that proclaims it.”

[mete_shop 0]

Everyone needs to stop caring so much about how the people around them look and get on with the business of living their own lives. The only thing in Brooklyn more pervasive than hipster fashion is people complaining about it.

[silatix 0]

Welcome to north brooklyn. You guys should move down to south brooklyn and the only complaint you'll hear is that there are too many strollers

 

Everyone needs to stop caring so much about how the people around them look and get on with the business of living their own lives. The only thing in Brooklyn more pervasive than hipster fashion is people complaining about it.

[iline 0]

I hated skinny jeans when they came back from wherever they were when they were still called drainpipes. Now I've got them, and i shelled out 50 for the Slim Slacks at American Apparel. Yes I'm a hipster shithead (and I do a lot of abstract 3d too, Sao) - but my female attention quotient (FAQ?) is much higher as a hipster compared to when I was still wearing 'fat jeans'.

 

Go figure.

 

As a treat and an admission of hipsterishness:

yours truly @ one of berlin fashion week's many free-boozeathons

Edited February 3, 2009 by iline