Phases in your jeans-wearing life

[cheapmuthafukr]

Quote:

Quote:

people cant wake up untill they realise that they are asleep. its so easy to just go thru life and do what youre told youre supposed to do. watch american idol. support your president, were at war. buy, buy, buy. that dude did you wrong, fuck him up. the arctic monkeys are the best thing to happen to music since(insert last fad here). you have to seperate yourself from it completly before you can see how pervasive it is.

i was lucky, when i was 19 i got married, had a kid, and moved to a rural town in soutern va to work construction. i had no tv, no internet, and the closest city was an hour and a half away. i no longer had the corprate idea of whats best for me pushed on me all day long, and it forced me to develop my own ideas. i still dont watch tv. i get my news from npr. my entertainment is skateboarding, playing with my son and daughter, making music, and posting here, and thats enough.

--- Original message by cheapmuthafukr on Mar 29, 2006 07:57 AM

He's not the founder of Fight Club, he just wore non-selvage Levi's for a while.

--- Original message by Lars on Mar 29, 2006 08:04 AM

????????

simplicity we use to survive, do what you doing properly, thats the way thru life

[sneakeraddict]

I think its unfair to make implications that anyone who wears (and can afford) what society calls "designer" labels is somehow not a whole person, not a wise, down to earth person.

The situation you described about being married with two kids and enjoying family life - well I think there will be many people who are in the same boat as you, but they also choose to buy expensive brands.... That doesnt make them less thoughtful / spiritual / knowledgeable / moral / aware etc etc than someone who shops thrift.

Anyone of us, if we were millionaires would buy all this shit to our hearts content.

I wholeheartedly agree that clothes snobbery is disgusting, and that labels do not make us better than the guy who doesnt wear labels.

BUT in the same breath, someone who chooses to wear thrift/ less expensive brands is not in anyway morally superior to those who don't. (Or feel the need to 'pity' people who wear designer labels).

Back onto the subject of jeans. The last two pairs I bought: one pair was around £10 second hand (around 20 US), these are currently my absolute favourite, I will be bidding on another pair of second hand jeans tonight on ebay, for around £20. (40 US)...

...But I have also just bought the type of Japanese brand jeans everyone on here talks about, which cost me $240 US.

For me, it is about the aesthetique. If a certain item fits the aesthetique I want at the moment, I will pay for it. Of course, I want to pay as little as possible for it.

[denimdestroyedmylife]

damn, i totally thought you were Tyler Durden...

[cheapmuthafukr]

Quote:

I think its unfair to make implications that anyone who wears (and can afford) what society calls "designer" labels is somehow not a whole person, not a wise, down to earth person.

The situation you described about being married with two kids and enjoying family life - well I think there will be many people who are in the same boat as you, but they also choose to buy expensive brands.... That doesnt make them less thoughtful / spiritual / knowledgeable / moral / aware etc etc than someone who shops thrift.

Anyone of us, if we were millionaires would buy all this shit to our hearts content.

I wholeheartedly agree that clothes snobbery is disgusting, and that labels do not make us better than the guy who doesnt wear labels.

BUT in the same breath, someone who chooses to wear thrift/ less expensive brands is not in anyway morally superior to those who don't. (Or feel the need to 'pity' people who wear designer labels).

Back onto the subject of jeans. The last two pairs I bought: one pair was around £10 second hand (around 20 US), these are currently my absolute favourite, I will be bidding on another pair of second hand jeans tonight on ebay, for around £20. (40 US)...

...But I have also just bought the type of Japanese brand jeans everyone on here talks about, which cost me $240 US.

For me, it is about the aesthetique. If a certain item fits the aesthetique I want at the moment, I will pay for it. Of course, I want to pay as little as possible for it.

--- Original message by sneakeraddict on Mar 29, 2006 08:20 AM

i never implied that its wrong to buy high end stuff... i said that i cant, i just cant afford to. i also never said i am better than anyone else because i buy thrift. i do it because i refuse to wear old navy and wal-mart clothing, not because it gives me a sense of moral superiority. if i had the money id be fitted in dior and shit like that, but i dont overextend myself to do it.

let me make this clear: THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH EXPSENSIVE CLOTHING, OR PEOPLE WHO BUY IT. but if your quest to have the newest, most exclusive, most expensive shit out there leads to obsessive and destructive behavior, then maybe its time to step back and really examine WHY youre doing it.

simplicity we use to survive, do what you doing properly, thats the way thru life

[cheapmuthafukr]

Quote:

damn, i totally thought you were Tyler Durden...

--- Original message by denimdestroyedmylife on Mar 29, 2006 08:22 AM

is that good or bad?

simplicity we use to survive, do what you doing properly, thats the way thru life

[Edge_Of_Denim]

We should have a reading list for this board, I'd offer "Society Of The Spectacle"; "Revolution For Everyday Life"; "Pattern Recognition", and "Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance", this one I don't hold in the same esteem as I did when I was nineteen, but it does provide a good jumping off point for a discussion into the pursuit of quality, and the question of values, and a basis for further study into those complicated subjects.

WORD UP,

EVERYBODY SAY, WHEN YOU HEAR THE CALL

YOU GOT TO GET IT UNDERWAY.

[cheapmuthafukr]

good idea... i need some good books to read. and honestly, we should have a place for current events, politics, religion, discussions. why keep it stupid? we have alot of intellegent poeple here,(even if we cant spell or use proper grammer), and maybe we want to talk about less superfical things.

superficial is good sometimes tho, or i know i wouldnt be here.

simplicity we use to survive, do what you doing properly, thats the way thru life

[denimdestroyedmylife]

Quote:

Quote:

damn, i totally thought you were Tyler Durden...

--- Original message by denimdestroyedmylife on Mar 29, 2006 08:22 AM

is that good or bad?

--- Original message by cheapmuthafukr on Mar 29, 2006 08:40 AM

^^^ Yes

Edge-o: nice list. I'd add Gaddis' "The Recognitions" for the discussion on counterfeits and value of

[Cue]

I got told off for talking 'politics' on here

but, a book to have a look at:

The Compassionate Revolution: Radical Politics and Buddhism by David Edwards

Provides a (surprisingly) decent and well-argued break-down of consumerism

sweet, now I can buy loads of books on anti-materialism

[Geowu]

"The thing I don't like when people put their look together is that the more

elegant they are, the more arrogant attitude there is in their face. They

don't look human anymore. They look like a theatre person." -Jean Touitou

Interesting he used the expression "theatre person". I personally avoid TV, cinama and theatre at any costs. It is just BAD influence. It would probably reach you through other people, but not reach me directly. The only television things I watch are Japanese, because they are better persons, a bit appart from the western mistakes.

As to clothes, for me it is a search for quality and refinement. I think society lacks quality and refinement, increasingly, like when you compare it to decades or centuries ago, there seems to be a deterioration. I don't like banal things. However, to compensate for this and not make me a snob, I like wearing what looks most minimalistic, simplistic, worn out.

[gunpwdr]

Great thread indeed...

Just a couple of comments, having lived in Asia for 12 years (Indonesia, Singapore, then Japan, 4 years each) and being Asian myself. Asian culture is steeped in the belief that one must conform for the good of the group and that it is important to follow tradition and respect your ancestry. I think this goes a long way towards explaining the herd mentality often exhibited by Asians - a desire to conform and be accepted. At the same time, the burden of tradition is what I think pushes many other Asians to pursue something unique and individualistic. What's kind of sad is that the vast majority of Asians lack the ability to think and act in truly unique terms... but then again, who really does these days?

The fact that fashion, as a means of establishing some form of uniqueness and exclusivity, has already been broken down in today's information age is one that is lost on many. It doesn't matter how expensive, limited, or avant-garde something is... it's virtually impossible to do anything special these days. Hence the many re-treads on why Hedi Slimane is or isn't an innovator. You can argue either way... but what it boils down to is what you want to do.

Anyway... I'm the ultimate consumer myself... as evidenced by the denim binge I'm currently in the midst of. I'm wearing the shit out of my Studio D'Artisan SD-003 jeans.

[darkanimal]

I would say that I am a victim of smart marketing techniques of all those denim makers and clothiers. I mean, 2 years ago I wore nothing but good 'ol Levis, plain wash, no frills from their store. I even felt guilty if I bought jeans that went over $90. I didn't care, I was comfortable. Then slowly I discovered all this denim options and started to be aware how the fit, detailing and whatnots made me look/feel better. Fast forward, I don't even go to a chain store anymore, or care what trends they are trying to sell. I know what I want but at the same time it was harder and harder to hunt them. Fashion can be damn expensive if you don't control your buying habits. I don't know when, or if I will ever stop being a snob. I still feel comfortable buying basics and staple stuff from Old Navy tho. I rock second hand belts from thrift stores and love having vintage in my wardrobe. djrajio said something real good about balance, i think a little bit of everything is okay.. not going overboard. Sometimes I feel like trying to keep up or trying to be too forward. Idk but I think this is what's happening to me at the moment.

[calatrava]

this is really refreshing, i never really analysed my buying trends until i read this thread. for some reason 'designer' brands for me were an exclusive item that i couldnt afford when i was young. this kinda carried on until i could get a job and finally get those jeans i wanted.

i realise that i did develop an obssession with it, and it was definately unhealthy. one day i was looking for something to wear for a night out and i realized with the amount of money i spend on my wardrobe, i could have gotten something more practicable useful, such as a laptop or a new pc.

after that, buying designer stuff seemed to, well meaningless after a while. for the most part, the quality did not justify the price, and i paid a premium for the brand recognition which only lasted for a season. after finding out about selvedge denim, i kinda devoloped a superiority complex, and i mean who didnt. its all about the perception about being the exclusive few who know more than the average person, clearly a marketing tool. on the other hand, at least the price to quality ratio was better.

the last pair of jeans which i bought were a pair of imperials, and i dont regret it, well not too much. i wear them everyday and they are probably the best constructed pair of jeans i have seen. and since im an australian, its an added bonus.

oh yeah, for those interested, imperial are focusing on the overseas markets for the next seasons, so you guys will likely get stocked stuff i have to beg for from INFO. sad state of affairs, but what can you do

oh to be young and self righteous

[Guest Fade to Black]

Quote:

"The thing I don't like when people put their look together is that the more

elegant they are, the more arrogant attitude there is in their face. They

don't look human anymore. They look like a theatre person." -Jean Touitou

Interesting he used the expression "theatre person". I personally avoid TV, cinama and theatre at any costs. It is just BAD influence. It would probably reach you through other people, but not reach me directly. The only television things I watch are Japanese, because they are better persons, a bit appart from the western mistakes.

As to clothes, for me it is a search for quality and refinement. I think society lacks quality and refinement, increasingly, like when you compare it to decades or centuries ago, there seems to be a deterioration. I don't like banal things. However, to compensate for this and not make me a snob, I like wearing what looks most minimalistic, simplistic, worn out.

--- Original message by Geowu on Mar 29, 2006 09:16 AM

Great quote by Jean Touitou. My interpretation of 'theatre person' in this context is someone who seems detached from reality, as if the expensive clothes they put on has transformed them into some kind of illusion, a fantasy of who they want to be but deep down inside are not and only use the clothes as a projection of this fantasy to disguise their insecurities. IMHO that's what he was getting at. And with me, I felt that quote hit close to home because that's what was happening with me in the past year when I've been rockin all this crazy expensive designer shit. Don't get me wrong, I still dig that stuff a lot, but I think it's time for me to step back a bit because I was getting far too caught up. I was starting to develop a sort of quiet elitism, so I would never go around boasting about my possessions, but rather it seemed as if every day I walked out the door and onto the street I had a smug confidence based strictly on knowin I was rockin shit that cost more than what everybody else on the street was wearing...I started to let this become my confidence and a self-esteem booster, and that shit ain't right. I mean, it's natural and good for good clothes to make you feel like a more confident person. But when they're starting to make you see the world through a different and warped set of lenses, that's when it's time to step back.

Just my 2 cents on the whole issue.

[Edge_Of_Denim]

Denindestroyedmylife, you made it through Gaddis, Whew!, tip of my hat to you, my brother.

Quote: As to clothes, for me it is a search for quality and refinement. I think society lacks quality and refinement, increasingly, like when you compare it to decades or centuries ago, there seems to be a deterioration. I don't like banal things. However, to compensate for this and not make me a snob, I like wearing what looks most minimalistic, simplistic, worn out.

A long time ago I saw a group photograph of the original surrealists, Dali, Bunuel, Breton, man, they were all nattily,and impeccably dressed. They each had a kind of throw away style, effortless. And they were so radical in their thinking, each had his own particular genius. I was then, and remain very impressed. Then when I began to listen to jazz I would experience the same thing upon seeing how Miles did it clothes wise, and Ornett, he's still doing it, Duke Ellington, how fucking regal they were. How Jack Johnson, the champion boxer, did it. Man, these guys tolerated no bullshit, no outside interference. Clothes wise, they were fucking <u>clean</u>, and they too were radical in their relation to power and authority. They made a lasting impresssion on me. But for all the clothes and extraneous things they acquired, they never lost sense of where things properly belonged. Ok, well, Jack Johnson, some believe was undone by his love of white women, but that's too simplistic, it overlooks the state of this country at that time and how arrogantly he flaunted his desire in the face of a racist society. They were bold, progressive, arrogant, but they had massive style.

<font face="verdana">WORD UP,

EVERYBODY SAY, WHEN YOU HEAR THE CALL

YOU GOT TO GET IT UNDERWAY.</font id="verdana">

Edited by Edge_Of_Denim on Mar 29, 2006 at 09:41 AM

[Guest jeffvyain]

i have a belly button

[giantreptile]

oh give it a month, you'll be back to being a fashion whore again, Fade to Black. it happens to me all the time.

[backinthetrees]

Quote:

good idea... i need some good books to read. and honestly, we should have a place for current events, politics, religion, discussions. why keep it stupid? we have alot of intellegent poeple here,(even if we cant spell or use proper grammer), and maybe we want to talk about less superfical things.

superficial is good sometimes tho, or i know i wouldnt be here.

--- Original message by cheapmuthafukr on Mar 29, 2006 09:01 AM

you know you gotta read plato's republic.

i fucking love that book man..

well, abt the v for vendetta thing.. you know, as all things are, it's relative.

living in singapore, growing up in a typical, methodist family, going to the most prestigious schools, etc, i grew up, and got into the whole punkrock/anarchy thing when i was 9.. i've been onto that shit since..i've mellowed a whole lot, but still, i hold the ideals close to my heart.

i'm not an anarchist, but, even tho everyone told me i'd change and believe in the government when i'm older. fuck that, i still don't. i'm 22 now.. and living in singapore, is VERY different from living in the states.... we don't have freedom of speech. even over the internet, there are fucking cops and shit.. if they find anything slanderous. we're fucked. now, you can't say who is oppressed, and who isn't. you don't have the right. oppression is relative. due to a myriad of mentalities/ideologies, there is no one perfect society.. someone is ALWAYS at the losing end..

it only starts to work when everyone's working toward a better future, and knowing that at any time, there's always a positive and negative pole to it all.

having watched v for vendetta, i'm glad they aired it in singapore, and i can say, that i was one of those who went "i hope this wakes people up".

we're fucking sheep over here. a neo-communist regime. we have a political prison. we aren't allowed to protest. (protest = illegal gathering, which is really synonymous with rioting here) so fuck that shit.

even the whole music thing is cliched.. the band stick to their own kind. everyone dresses the same.. and its cool to do certain things and have certain items. i m so sick of all this bullshit.

while the whole anarchy/che thing may be a phase to many people. respect tt there are some of us who really, truly believe in it. don't force your selfish ideologies on people (this isnt directed at anyone)

yeah. so, remember, while you may think a certain way, there's always some one who thinks in the exact opposite direction., respect the balance.

peace to all.

punk me, bitch.

[backinthetrees]

sorry for ranting. had to get some things off my chest.

punk me, bitch.

[giantreptile]

don't worry, you've been reported to the proper authorities for your thought crime!

[amadoriv]

Quote: don't worry, you've been reported to the proper authorities for your thought crime!

someone should revive the big brother/ dystopia stuff. Obey ruined it.

I've always been too cheap to afford the high end stuff. Vintage stuff for me and the occasional graphic, sneaks, and dry denim.

Quote: you know you gotta read plato's republic.

agreed. I had to spend some time with it before the chair of the philosophy department @ george mason u. came in and gave a lecture. Rene Descartes' Meditations is also something to look into. Boggling stuff.

[Guest Airjamie]

I disagree with the argument that buying expensive clothes is buying into a certain culture or conforming in anyway. True, a motherfucker could rock BAPE or True Religion like it was gods word but I (and I hope the majority of this board) am strongly opposed to using examples of stylewhores with daddys checkbook like this as a representation of a truly fashion-conscious shopper. For example, you can walk ove to lisa klein any day of the week and let them pimp you out with the pricest destroyed bootcut fratboy shit in the world, but that doesnt make you any different from the dickhead at abercrombie that bought twelve pink poloshirts cause he wanted to get a closer look at the countergirls tits. Atruly conscious shopper invests in unique garments (sometimes regardless of price) to set themselves APART from joe blow and his truereligions. We have a unique sense of self apart from the zeitgeist, and wish to express that through the various facets of out being. To that end, highend shoppers with a sense of identity may be best described as cultural outliers, we consume the same in a literal sense, but it is our purpose that sets us apart. This can be best described sociopolitically by citing Thomas Hobbes concept of Man in the state of nature in being that, through expression of our unique innate sense of style, we are revelling in our animalistic qualities. IE: This is not conformity but dissent.

[rnrswitch]

Quote: Life as simulation

A little Baudriallard never hurt nobody. I can't read this entire thing (i'm at work), but, from what I have seen in the first couple of posts, it pleases me to see such an insightful discussion on a "fashion" thread. Keep it up Edge of Denim. AKpress rocks.

[Guest Fade to Black]

Quote:

oh give it a month, you'll be back to being a fashion whore again, Fade to Black. it happens to me all the time.

--- Original message by giantreptile on Mar 29, 2006 11:30 AM

It's good to know I have my own fan club that likes to follow me around all the time. Cute.

[sbw4224]

This thread seems coincidentally timed with a lot of people's thoughts on their direction in life, which I guess is a sign of a good topic?

To the original topic, lately I've been wearing in a pair of nudies, some simple white adidas hi's, and this Bane hoodie that I got a lot time ago. I know Bane hoodies carry a certain stereotype with them, but man, I love that band.

Anyway, I gotta second some of the above posts. I've been living in London for the past 3 months, enjoying it immensely, but finding myself getting bored with every cool shop I go in. It's like I know they're cool and that I should like the clothing in them, it's just seems that I've gotten in this weird mindset where most clothing I come across seems stale. I think it's more of a bad reflection on my part than the industry's.. and this is sad because I don't even own any big name designer things. Just to clarify as well, I don't think there's anything wrong whatsoever with owning anything expensive, I just think it's important to have the right mindset about it.

Just yesterday, before this thread was posted, I was walking down the street when I suddenly got the urge just to shave my head. I found a barber shop, sat down, and got it over with. It feels good in a way, more symbolically than anything, just to take a step back, look at things with a new outlook, and start over.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Good post.

[Guest Fade to Black]

Quote:

This thread seems coincidentally timed with a lot of people's thoughts on their direction in life, which I guess is a sign of a good topic?

To the original topic, lately I've been wearing in a pair of nudies, some simple white adidas hi's, and this Bane hoodie that I got a lot time ago. I know Bane hoodies carry a certain stereotype with them, but man, I love that band.

Anyway, I gotta second some of the above posts. I've been living in London for the past 3 months, enjoying it immensely, but finding myself getting bored with every cool shop I go in. It's like I know they're cool and that I should like the clothing in them, it's just seems that I've gotten in this weird mindset where most clothing I come across seems stale. I think it's more of a bad reflection on my part than the industry's.. and this is sad because I don't even own any big name designer things. Just to clarify as well, I don't think there's anything wrong whatsoever with owning anything expensive, I just think it's important to have the right mindset about it.

Just yesterday, before this thread was posted, I was walking down the street when I suddenly got the urge just to shave my head. I found a barber shop, sat down, and got it over with. It feels good in a way, more symbolically than anything, just to take a step back, look at things with a new outlook, and start over.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Good post.

--- Original message by sbw4224 on Mar 29, 2006 01:51 PM

Yeah, this is exactly how I feel whenever I'm walkin into a Barney's or Joyce...it's all become extremely boring. Maybe being involved in online fashion communities for the past year has made me a bit jaded, with the sensory overload in terms of exposure to images of fashion. And the kind of people I'm running into at these boards (not necessarily saying this one, just in general...actually it was more at TFS), true fashion whores who buy into the excessive consumerism and brand hype rather than a real statement of style and confidence regardless of what they were wearing, really turned me off from the whole scene. I mean I admit I was following some brands pretty closely at one point, but I'd never make it my purpose to just be a slave to those labels and wear them out religiously. I like to think I got my own style, and it works for me, so as long as I'm comfortable I don't really see a point in thinkin the keeping-up-with-the-joneses mentality that fashion seems to perpetuate.

[sbw4224]

To respond to you, FTB, you definitely have your own style, regardless of how much your outfit cost etc etc etc. While you, myself, and others have been feeling this way about things, I think it's important to realize that we are at least self-aware enough to actually KNOW what's important and what's not, and to know when to take a step back and analyze what we're doing.

[Edge_Of_Denim]

Backinthetrees, you know what's really interesting about your post Re: Living in Singapore? With just a little tweaking the situation you describe there could also apply to life here in the US, moreso if Bush and Attorney General Gonzales were to get their way completely. And since the Democrats, who are suposed to be the opposition party in this country, are such a bunch of gutless clueless cowards, you can see how things look mighty good for Bush and his agenda.

WORD UP,

EVERYBODY SAY, WHEN YOU HEAR THE CALL

YOU GOT TO GET IT UNDERWAY.

[doctorgnar]

Interesting thread, I like the thought progression.

Two interpretations of the topic here:

Phases in your (jeans-wearing) life

Phases in (your) jeans-wearing (life)

Two different ideas, but it's funny how many ways they might align.

[sarno]

after you've found the perfect pair of jeans, found a way to wear clothes that truly says "you," you either keep being that way, or figure out that there's more to life than looking/feeling cool because of what you're wearing. i've reached the edges of my fashion quest, now most things i see bore me. it's liberating, but i can see where for some it's disappointing and maybe even scary. what i want most is connecting with people, sharing passions and interests, and laughing.