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Fashion & Clothing: Follies, Fads & Social Norms

I'm still waiting for the 'Miami Vice' look to return. Those were the days.
The male leads' jackets, whites and pastels, with crumpled up-pulled sleeves (never folded or rolled, always pseudocasual) and shiny slubs, were copied into a highly-marketed uniform for the masses. Women's shoulder-pads, scalloped boobs, and plunging necklines, also became 80s standard.

I've never understood why some people (invariably women, in my experience ... ) challenge the combination of blue and brown for men's attire.
This is still viewed as edgy, non-conformist businesswear, in many UK settings, hence has become something of a sub-tribal signature suit. The traditional sartorial saying "never brown in town" has become entirely sidelined, although its bedfellow "never tweed on the street" may still have a number of adherents (calculated or coincidental I know not)


Many men, as soon as they turn into adults, go from liking bright colours to liking dull, monochromatic stuff
Many men/people work in settings where sub fusc is not only an expectation, it is still effectively the only combination that is permitted. I've spent much of my work life in dark shades (as opposed to any colours) and only now am I starting to become dangerously rebellious in the workplace. The system will win, though, of that I have no doubt


Maybe they feel it's 'expected of them' or maybe they genuinely like dull ol' colours?
This is definitely an effect with older men (most, thereof). An adoption of beige is a scary characteristic that many older 60+ western males seem to slide into, something I call the Victor Meldrew Look. Whilst I certainly become grumpier as I age, I would never deliberately-aim to become a beige/tan flat-capped semi-animated corpse*. The clothing colour/color pallette for 60+ women is also remarkably-limited....there must be a PhD thesis awaiting embodiment, entitled "Chromopsychopathology: Aging and Fashion"

*chinos appear not to count
 
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If you were born and raised in the rural south (as I was) it was still common wear among older women in the mid 20th century. My grandmothers (both matrons of self-sufficient farms) wore such frocks their entire lives, and as a child and teen I saw it every Sunday as the standard uniform of the venerable church ladies.

It's as eminently practical as overalls and as comfortable for warm weather wear as the more flamboyantly colorful muumuu.

True, and I wouldn't be caught dead in it. :p
 
I didnt see this till now LOL, thick Lycra was all the thing then, you just slid into them :p

and then held the waistband and jumped up and down a bit! I had a scarlet pair as well as the classic black ones.
 
I'm still waiting for the 'Miami Vice' look to return. Those were the days.

Hell, Yeah!

gq-italia-miami-vice.jpeg
 
They seem to have emerged (probably not for the first time) a year or so ago. Amazon shows them getting a solid 4 star rating. The user reviews seem to indicate they were widely given as Xmas gifts last December, and they're apparently appreciated the most by young kids. I noticed multiple reviewers (not just at Amazon) mentioning they were ideal for completing an animal costume.
 
Having lived through eighties fashion the first time around, I don't want to have to see that again!

A relation was married in a shiny silver version of that, lined with a satin clock-pattern print. The cuffs were ostentatiously turned back to display this pattern.

Seemed sort of ominous to me, y'know, clocks, time...
The marriage did not last.
 
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