'Extreme' casual

[jscherrer]

It seems to me that extreme casual is the "new normal", especially in the United States. It is part of what I call a "who cares?" mentality fueled by 1) the absence of society-wide training or education in style, 2) a sense of exalted individualism endemic to Western culture in particular, 3) in the U.S., a strong bent toward utilitarian dressing, 4) ease of dressing in this way (some would say lazy), and 5) it's cheaper.

[Pssst]

It seems to me that extreme casual is the "new normal", especially in the United States. It is part of what I call a "who cares?" mentality fueled by 1) the absence of society-wide training or education in style, 2) a sense of exalted individualism endemic to Western culture in particular, 3) in the U.S., a strong bent toward utilitarian dressing, 4) ease of dressing in this way (some would say lazy), and 5) it's cheaper.

“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.” ― Socrates (c. 469 BC – 399 BC) A cliche quote to use as aresponse, but it makes smile every time I read it.

The famous British costume historian James Laver observed this tendency in all the fashions for men in the Western world since the end of the middle ages. Initially a garment and/or outfit is considered 'sporty' some time later 'informal', after that 'formal' and finally 'archaic'. Lounge suits started out as sportswear in the countryside at the end of the 19th century. After that it became informal dress, when frock coats and stiff collars were businesswear and the dress of gentlemen. The Lounge's sartorial hero the Duke did not like the formal buttoned up dress of his youth at all, he favoured comfort and so he adopted the lounge suit and soft collared shirt as soon as he got the chance. "What a slob." "The audacity." "... but, but he is the Prince of Wales, he should know better..." We all know what happened after the Duke started buying his suits at Scholte and that now, 80 years later coat & tie is on the way out - 'tis the way of the world. In my opinion dressing well consists of taking the best from the past, and make it work in a modern context. Old stuff is just old. Analyze the archives of #menswear (study old pictures- also to admire the espirit and the 'ease' with which the clothes are worn), edit them thoroughly, embrace the younger long term trends, like the focus on health&fitness, denim etc, and finally adapt the whole to suit current times while respecting the past. I think Hardy Amies called this 'buying your clothes intelligently and putting them on with care'. It's a balancing act.

[Pssst]

Errol Flynn, 1941-1942