Is style stuck in a 2 decade rut?

[LizzieMaine]

David Letterman was the moron to blame for all those morons wearing sneakers with suits -- it was "hip and edgy" when he did it in 1982, but now it's just a tedious cliche for second-rate standup comics and software developers. If the stick-it-to-the-man crowd really wants to be edgy and rebellious, wear saddle shoes with a tux. That'll get you noticed.

 

[jamespowers]

David Letterman was the moron to blame for all those morons wearing sneakers with suits -- it was "hip and edgy" when he did it in 1982, but now it's just a tedious cliche for second-rate standup comics and software developers. If the stick-it-to-the-man crowd really wants to be edgy and rebellious, wear saddle shoes with a tux. That'll get you noticed.

Or white bucks.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Actually, now that I think of it, there's a precedent for sneakers-with-a-suit that predates Letterman or even Woody Allen. Old money Northeastern WASPs would often wear Mister Rogers-style blue canvas boat sneakers with a seersucker suit while at their summer places, and you see vestiges of this look among their survivors even today. Far from this style being a sign of rebellion against the Man, the Man himself beat the rebels to it!

 

[jamespowers]

Actually, now that I think of it, there's a precedent for sneakers-with-a-suit that predates Letterman or even Woody Allen. Old money Northeastern WASPs would often wear Mister Rogers-style blue canvas boat sneakers with a seersucker suit while at their summer places, and you see vestiges of this look among their survivors even today. Far from this style being a sign of rebellion against the Man, the Man himself beat the rebels to it!

Howard Hughes too.

 

[Red Diabla]

Although I see the point you're making with JP, I would argue that some of us (if not most of us) aren't entirely worried about fitting in or not. Perhaps the kid wearing Converse was not worried either, but in any case...

I know I'm getting old when I hear what we're all calling Converse by the more specific name, "Chucks" or "Chuck Taylors". I had no idea when I first heard "Chucks" that it was referring to the high-top Converse that most of us wore at some point when we were younger!

Another example: hoodies. When I was a kid, they were hooded sweatshirts, but now they're hoodies. I guess a new name is given to an old item to make it seem new?

RD

 

[scottyrocks]

I'd say you twisted his words here something fierce.

That's what he does.

 

[scottyrocks]

I know I'm getting old when I hear what we're all calling Converse by the more specific name, "Chucks" or "Chuck Taylors". I had no idea when I first heard "Chucks" that it was referring to the high-top Converse that most of us wore at some point when we were younger!

Another example: hoodies. When I was a kid, they were hooded sweatshirts, but now they're hoodies. I guess a new name is given to an old item to make it seem new?

RD

A rose by any other name . . .

New terms are often given to items. I first heard the term 'hoodie' many years ago when I was teaching in the city. 'Adults or "the mainstream" call it this? We'll call it "that".'

 

[LizzieMaine]

You know you're old if you call them "gym shoes." And you were only allowed to wear them in gym.

 

[PoohBang]

That's what he does.

 

[rue]

David Letterman was the moron to blame for all those morons wearing sneakers with suits -- it was "hip and edgy" when he did it in 1982, but now it's just a tedious cliche for second-rate standup comics and software developers. If the stick-it-to-the-man crowd really wants to be edgy and rebellious, wear saddle shoes with a tux. That'll get you noticed.

Funny.... today when I was out at the grocery an elderly woman came up to me and said "When I was growing up I used to hate saddle shoes. HATED them. I can't imagine why anyone would wear them and here you are." Then she laughed and walked off. I wasn't quite sure what to think of that, except it made me realize why I sometimes get puzzled looks from older people.

 

[rue]

Oh for God's sake......

 

[Undertow]

ound:

I have to admit, I laughed out loud at this.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Ask not for whom the Indian cries, he cries for thee.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Yea, I cracked up, too.

 

[RBH]

Actually, now that I think of it, there's a precedent for sneakers-with-a-suit.....

Howard Hughes did it back in '47.

 

[sheeplady]

Funny.... today when I was out at the grocery an elderly woman came up to me and said "When I was growing up I used to hate saddle shoes. HATED them. I can't imagine why anyone would wear them and here you are." Then she laughed and walked off. I wasn't quite sure what to think of that, except it made me realize why I sometimes get puzzled looks from older people.

lol I can imagine someone telling me that. I get the most odd comments.

I offered to buy my mother a pair of saddle shoes, and she looked at me with this stern look on her face: "Honey, I'm not 20 anymore." Apparently saddle shoes are a "youth item" to my mother.

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Can someone explain the Native American to me? It's in my brain somewhere, I'm on the cusp of getting it...

 

[rue]

Can someone explain the Native American to me? It's in my brain somewhere, I'm on the cusp of getting it...

The Crying Indian was one of the first campaigns to save the earth from pollution:

[video=youtube_share;j7OHG7tHrNM]http://youtu.be/j7OHG7tHrNM[/video]

 

[rue]

lol I can imagine someone telling me that. I get the most odd comments.

I offered to buy my mother a pair of saddle shoes, and she looked at me with this stern look on her face: "Honey, I'm not 20 anymore." Apparently saddle shoes are a "youth item" to my mother.

How strange! I guess it all depends on what era you grew up in.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

And Iron Eyes Cody (aka Espera Oscar di Corti) was actually Italian