How do you relate your taste in apparel to your environment?

[pur_sang]

^^^
Hello.
I was going to write a response but bumped into this quote by Karl Lagerfeld, the long time designer for Chanel and he pretty much sums up what I was trying to get at :

"Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants. "
KL

I love Karl Lagerfeld (except that high collar and tie combo). He is probably prophetic in the sense that now sweatpants are everywhere and every brand, but interestingly, haven't really seen Chanel sweatpants.

Not sure you answered my question, or maybe I just didn't get it.

[hectorm]

... haven't really seen Chanel sweatpants.

But they do have them (and I'm not talking cheap Chinese counterfeits). In a cashmere blend and at twelve hundred dollars a pop. As sweatpants go, these look pretty good.

[couch]

Is there a gentleman's version or just the lady's? Mr. Lagerfeld apparently chooses to overlook the evolution of 20th century fashion as the triumph of sportswear (though personally I sympathize with drawing the line at sweatpants). In addition to Sator's frequent reminders that the lounge suit started out as beachwear, I'm reminded of Elsa Schiaparelli's introduction of divided skirts for tennis, and popularization of knitted tops for women, both here modeled by Lili de Alvarez, who wore them at Wimbledon . . .



and here at the 1931 French Open:

[alden]

Speaking famously of sweatsuits, or sweatsuits of the famous in this case. A few years ago I had the chance to participate in the casting of a new theater group in NYC being assembled by a very successful director of film, TV and stage. At the well attended auditions, each actor performed two monologues and those selected for the second round were interviewed one on one in front of the assembled crowd. At the end of my interview, the director, wearing a wooly white designer sweatsuit that did not work to his advantage given his ample girth, commented disparagingly, “you know, we don't dress like you do around here anymore.” The crowd guffawed. I beamed a roguish smile and excused my Continental waywardness graciously. I was wearing well cut flannels, a blue jacket, a well collared shirt, linen hanky, and no tie. It made sense since I was doing a monologue spoken by the aristocrat Maximilian de Winter from the Hitchcock film “Rebecca.” "And what's that hanging from your coat pocket?", he barked disapprovingly? "It's a handkerchief", I replied.

Now this serious director was not one to waste his time on the subject of fashion. And I felt his barb was not intended to wound but to instruct. And looking around the room to the dozens assembled there, I realized I was the only one so attired. So he was speaking the truth. My dress was either politically or artistically incorrect or both. As it turns out I was one of 18 chosen to participate in the group. And I bought navy blue sweatpants and tee shirts for the occasion.

As a contrast, my very famous acting teacher wears tailored clothes on occasion to his studio and loves my style. He quips, “You look so great! If only you could act!”

Oh well, you can't win em all.

Cheers

[Noble Savage]

Really should have been cast as the The Most Interesting Man in the World.

[Screaminmarlon]

Really should have been cast as the The Most Interesting Man in the World.

+ 1

[hectorm]

Is there a gentleman's version or just the lady's? Mr. Lagerfeld apparently chooses to overlook the evolution of 20th century fashion as the triumph of sportswear (though personally I sympathize with drawing the line at sweatpants)

While I´ve seen the occasional Chanel men´s collection designed by Mr. Lagerfeld (more Vampire Diaries than LL, believe me) I have not seen men´s sweatpants. Once again, not counting Chinese counterfeits with the immense Chanel logo on every article imaginable.
Regarding drawing the line at sweatpants: I don´t have any problem with jogging suits as long as they are worn while jogging or working out. Some slim styles even manage to make me look athletic .

[couch]

Regarding drawing the line at sweatpants: I don´t have any problem with jogging suits as long as they are worn while jogging or working out. Some slim styles even manage to make me look athletic .

Well, yes. I should have specified occasion. I was speaking, as I presume KL was, about one's public presentation outside the gym or off the track.

[Luca]

...the director...commented disparagingly, “you know, we don't dress like you do around here anymore.” The crowd guffawed. ...” "And what's that hanging from your coat pocket?", he barked disapprovingly

In several professions and occasions, we have now reached the stage where any clothes not based on knit underwear or sports equipment is disqualifying in the same way that heavily soiled or shockingly immodest clothing might have been 1-2 generations ago.

The eternal relativists will assert that this is nothing new, but I struggle to think of a society not in evident decline that so violently flipped its value hierarchies on appearance and indeed behaviour.

As in so many social phenomena, it seems that a large faction (the counterculture) who, in the second half of the 20th century, had struggled against onE set of prejudices, has now instigated a new, opposite set.

Rather than be content with emancipation, they seek to subjugate others in turn. This is evident in many aspects, from gender relations to public health policy; from market regulation to personal relationships.

In apparel terms, when I was a youth an actor might say "don't judge me badly because I wear jeans instead of a suit". Now the message is: "I will judge YOU badly because you are wearing a suit, instead of jeans."

For the polite and non-confrontational, the temptation is to lower their profile, to self-censor , to repress their instincts.

For myself, I have reached an age and position, however modest, where I needn't abase myself before the narrow-minded and will therefore please myself.

Under present circumstances, I think that a degree of rebellion , of counter-counter-culture, if you will, is something of a moral and aesthetic imperative.

And I don't just mean clothes.

[hectorm]

I was speaking, as I presume KL was, about one's public presentation outside the gym or off the track.

My thoughts were along those lines too, Couch. But then I confirmed that Mr. Lagerfeld himself had designed Chanel jogging suits that were most likely aimed at lounging, shopping, and other leisure activities. Was he helping the ladies to look good while sweating? or was he betraying his own dictum for the sake of marketing?

[couch]

Was he helping the ladies to look good while sweating? or was he betraying his own dictum for the sake of marketing?

Now that's an excellent question. I confess I'm not equipped to speculate whether the person who could and would spend USD 1200 for sweatpants (or even the sweatsuit) would think nothing of wearing them to sweat in, since their Chanel handbag probably cost USD 5000+ as did their Chanel jacket. Cashmere blend would certainly be warm. But those facts don't rule out your second alternative.

[hectorm]

Here you have it. A Chanel jogging suit in action (almost an homage of Mr. Lagerfeld to Sir Winston´s siren suits). No transgression of appropriateness and very much in line with the topic of this thread].
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/307722587009692544/