July 25, 2009

Stripes: yes. Men in shorts: no.

DSC02481

And the baby agrees with me.

Now, to continue with my idiosyncratic review of fashion at the Farmers Market in Madison this morning:

1. Men in Shorts is a complex subject, and some men do better than others:

DSC02487

Note that the 2 men in shorts are both wearing black socks, yet only one is making a bad mistake. The other one is doing it right. Plus, carrying a kid on your shoulders is a good look for a nonsleazy guy.

2. Here are 2 women dressed completely differently, and both, I think, are completely charming:

DSC02496

3. I would also like to express my strong approval of this latter-day hippie look, heavy on the day-glo pink — and, in the case of "Cher," day-glo green:

DSC02485

DSC02484

And I'm giving hippie boy a pass on those knickers.

64 comments:

Fred4Pres said...

Some white people can't dress.

Bender said...

What's hippie boy doing with such a high quality tie-dyed t-shirt? He could have gotten that only by getting it from the Establishment. What a sell-out!

Any real hippie knows to get some Rit and do it yourself.

traditionalguy said...

I say that this is about class and not style. But you are correct that black socks with shorts is a felony, requiring three strikes and they are out treatment.

DADvocate said...

I thought I was going to Ann Althouse's blog and ended up at Cosmo!

Black socks, shorts and dress shoes. Yuck. Baby guy. OK.

Two women with the floppy hats, yuck.

Day glo girl. Fair.

Knickers guy. Fair.

I'll stick with farmer's markets in Kentucky and Tennessee where you'll see real farmers and real country women.

Laura(southernxyl) said...

My daughter had a stripy outfit like that, about 21 years ago. It was the cutest thing. Glad to see some things don't go out of style.

Ron said...

If you think those two women were "charming"...well, as a fashion consultant you make a good lawprof!

Anonymous said...

You should get some therapy for your man-in-shorts phobia. Just saying.

AmPowerBlog said...

I like the day-glo, but her hair's awesome!

rcocean said...

Dress shoes, black socks and shorts - NO NO NEVER.

Dress Shirt/Tie and shorts - ALSO NEVER

rhhardin said...

Stephen Potter recommends black socks for tennis.

rhhardin said...

How fortunate it is that men have no fashion awareness.

bearbee said...

And the baby agrees with me.

Sorry, but baby still registering disapproval at the chubette in jeans in front and to his (?) right is to looking to dad for confirmation and comfort.

Darcy said...

LOL, Ron.

Mmmmmen in shorts. The first guy has really nice legs!

Kensington said...

"Here are 2 women dressed completely differently, and both, I think, are completely charming"

They are both charming, but the one in the dress is more charming based on the doctrine of easier access.

And there's nothing inherently problematic about men in shorts, at least on a Summer's day. As long as they pull their socks down.

Fred4Pres said...

Organic pesticides...things go downhill from there, right to the farmer's market.

Our education system is really failing us.

Anonymous said...

How I do miss MadCity (sort of).

Bissage said...

(1) Regarding photo #1:

It is entirely possible that the baby is critically evaluating his father’s shorts. It is also possible that he is merely trying to think of a joke that tastefully alludes to paternal underwear and somehow works in a reference to Fruit-of-the-Loins.

(2) Regarding photo #2:

A guy walks into a doctor’s office with a toad stuck to the top of his head.

The doctor exclaims, “My word, man, how did this happen?!”

The toad says, “It all started as a wart on my ass.”

* rimshot *

bearbee said...

Baby also jealously questioning being confined in prison stripes while dad strolls barelegged and free.

Darcy said...

Second guy, too. I thought they were the same guy for a bit.

Men in shorts: Yes!

chuck b. said...

The hippie chick is a hot mess, but the baby suit is fierce.

Anonymous said...

One school of thought says that men should never wear socks with shorts. I'm usually skeptical of "never" rules but by and large have to agree with this one.

As for the man with the baby on his shoulders, according to a well-known sex blogger it is a sign of Betaness for a man to carry a child in public. I will point out, however, that the man in this picture looks quite Alpha, and the woman to his right, presumably his wife, is a solid 7 at least.

Peter

Ralph L said...

Hippie chicks never wore reflective sunglasses--pigs wore them.

Nothing about the Capri slacks?

Anonymous said...

As for the hippie look on the young woman, hopefully she has the traditional hippie-ish relaxed attitude toward, ahem, grooming.

Peter

Swifty Quick said...

Query: Do people going to the Madison Farmer's Market on a lazy summer Saturday morning do so with any expectation whatsoever that they will be surreptitiously photographed with the photos posted on a widely read national if not international blog, with commentary, sometimes snarky, about their fashion sense?

Have you considered that? Not dissing on you Althouse. Just asking.

Elliott A said...

Spent one week in Hilton Head last week. Did not bring long pants. Polo shirt, shorts, boat shoes. Went to several high level resturants and most people were dressed my way. Life is different in the heat.

Jeff with one 'f' said...

Women in sundresses and flip flops: yes.

Hippie women in flannel shirts, khakis, canvas hats, and BLACK SOCKS with sandals (in JULY!!!): HELL NO.

kentuckyliz said...

analthouse, did you get signed release forms from all your photography victims to post their image and likeness on your high traffic blog? Is there a legal issue here?

I like men in shorts. mmmmmmm

The day-glo girl stopped by the farmer's market en route during her walk of shame home from an 80s party last night.

The two ladies you think charming--the one on the right is wearing socks with her Birkis. Fashion faux pas.

Glad you're not a taste leader analthouse.

Bender said...

Query: Do people going to the Madison Farmer's Market on a lazy summer Saturday morning do so with any expectation whatsoever that they will be surreptitiously photographed with the photos posted on a widely read national if not international blog, with commentary, sometimes snarky, about their fashion sense?

Have you considered that? Not dissing on you Althouse. Just asking


Yes, there is a BIG sign there, and they make you sign written waivers before they let you into the Farmer's Market. So everyone knows, when they come, that they are at risk of, and consent to, being snarked about, not only on this blog, but on nationwide radio if Rush, as he is sure to do, picks this up for comment.

dbp said...

I noticed now that it is pointed-out to me that the man with the kid on his shoulders is wearing shorts. This first thing I noticed about him was his huge metal right leg! That giant ball-bearing probably wouldn't fit into any normal pant legs anyway.

I like the tie-dyed shirt on the guy but the dinky purse/backpack kind of ruins the look.

The hippie-chick in the bright pink and green really does pull this off. If she was 30 lbs heavier it would be a day-glow nightmare.

Ralph L said...

I don't think she snarks at people whose faces are visible, but perhaps she needs to buy some black rectangles.

And there's nothing inherently problematic about men in shorts
You've never seen my knees.

Ralph L said...

This first thing I noticed about him was his huge metal right leg!
When you've only got one nut, sometimes it's a big one.

Ralph L said...

As Sherlock Holmes said, the wife of the man in dress shoes has ceased to love him.
Tan shirt and oyster shorts with black shoes--has he learned nothing in 60 years?

robinintn said...

DADvocate:

"I'll stick with farmer's markets in Kentucky and Tennessee where you'll see real farmers and real country women."

Indeed. You'd never seen anything like that at my Tuesday/Friday FARMER'S market here in Murfreesboro. Farmers set up by 7. Women come to get our corn and cucumbers and tomatoes. All the good stuff sold out by 9.

robinintn said...

Also, why again is that hippie boy getting a pass?

Dan King said...

I'll wear shorts if I want to. It's hot outside.

Dan King said...

I'll wear shorts if I want to. It's a free country, and it's hot outside.

knox said...

I object to that saggy backpack/bag in the last photo. No self-respecting guy should wear something like that.

LonewackoDotCom said...

That's not really a "later day hippie look". More like "explosion at the flash dance factory" with a headband thrown in.

In the charming picture, the one on the left would be rejected based on her dowdy sandals. But, if I'm ever planning an expedition to Borneo I'll be sure to contact the one on the right.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Is it appropriate for me to mention I just got an email from Amazon about free shipping and 50% off shorts?

kentuckyliz said...

Hippie boy in pink is doing the walk of shame home from the 80s party, the same one day glo girl was at. But he refuses to totally fag himself up in 80s wear, so the brightness of the pink is all he could muster as a hat tip to the 80s. He actually fornicated with day glo girl, drunk and sloppy like, but they've both forgotten each other's names already.

The pic of 2 chicks, the one on the right in flannel and khakis and socks with birkis, is a lesbian. Her subaru is parked on the next block over.

The one on the left is het.

save_the_rustbelt said...

I was at a farmers' market this morning and there were many Amish and Menninites, many of them selling veggies.

No day-glo there. Excellent produce.

And I did not wear shorts.

Anonymous said...

This no men in shorts nonsense is Althouse's version of a lower-half burka for men. As for socks: wear 'em if you feel like it, whatever your color choice. Don't let the dress code nazis get you down.

Balfegor said...

Dress shoes, black socks and shorts - NO NO NEVER.

Dress Shirt/Tie and shorts - ALSO NEVER
.

But what of the schoolboys at the posh prep schools? What of the businessmen of Bermuda? This is a classic look (hahaha).

Jeff with one 'f' said...

Good news, Ann, shorts have fallen out of favor in New York City!

Unknown said...

Lionheart --

"This no men in shorts nonsense is Althouse's version of a lower-half burka for men."

Ouch. True, but ouch.

Unknown said...

Well.

No men in shorts eh?

I could go naked but I imagine the objections would be myriad and fierce.

Sorry but summer in Florida is not long pants weather.

Kevin Walsh said...

I think it used to be a rule that after age 60 you HAD to wear black socks and dress shoes with shorts but I believe the rule was overturned a few years ago.

At least I hope it was, I'm 51.

www.forgotten-ny.com

knox said...

But what of the schoolboys at the posh prep schools? What of the businessmen of Bermuda? This is a classic look (hahaha).

I don't get the long, pulled-up socks with shorts thing. Don't the socks cancel out any coolth offered by the shorts?

Will Cate said...

Pish-tosh on your anti-shorts-on-guys prejudice! I am hardly ever in long pants between March and October.

Ralph L said...

Don't the socks cancel out any coolth offered by the shorts?
No. The warm places need venting. We don't care about the calves.

Jennifer said...

We don't care about the calves.

We do.

LoafingOaf said...

As Althouse's pic #2 shows, men can look good in shorts and men can look bad in shorts. Jsut as people can look good or bad in any sort of clothes. This ridiculous crap about how men should never wear shorts is beyond silly. Frankly, I think Althouse wears too many long skirts that look like curtains. What's up with that? Men like wearing shorts. Deal with it. Many are restricted enough as it is in what we can wear at work. Let us wear something we feel more comfy in when we are at a farmer's market. Dear Lord.

LoafingOaf said...

BTW, I don't see what is praisable about the lady to the right in the "this two women are so charming" pic. Besides the fact she is dressing in completely asexual fashion, she looks pathetic dressing like that when it's clearly (by looking at how everyone else is dressed) a very warm day. I bet she has hairy legs under those pants, too.

bagoh20 said...

Men in shorts are like women with opinions - It depends on the person.

No man ever puts on a pair of shorts to impress, so in this regard men are infallible.

LoafingOaf said...

Backpacks like the guy in the last pic is sporting are very trendy right now, but I think it looks very...gay. (I don't mean that in an "anti-homosexual" way; it just seems "gay" is the best word to describe it.)

LoafingOaf said...

but I think it looks very...gay.

But, then, it's hard to make rules about these things. I saw a dude sporting a female Gucci purse in very cool fashion yesterday. Very few men could've done that without looking ridiculous. But it looked cool on HIM. I dunno...it's hard to make rules about things.

Stephen said...

To these sexist, objectifying eyes, all women who are young and thin (not anorexic) look good--maybe fair at worst.

As for men, we all have to have some tan to look good in shorts. There's no male version of panty hose to mask our flaws.

Ralph L said...

That's what the over-the-calf socks are for.

jaed said...

it is a sign of Betaness for a man to carry a child in public

The man's a fool. There is nothing hotter than a strong-looking man holding a baby. Nothing.

I believe the Althousian position on shorts, as revealed by who she likes and who she hates in shorts, is best summarized as "Men should not wear shorts if they look like big old toddlers in shorts." Which, you have to admit, does apply to most men in shorts. Somehow women in shorts never look childish, but men....

Penny said...

The shorts aren't the problem. The problem is the men are too tall for their pants.

Ralph L said...

Penny, I've found it impossible to find cotton shorts that reach even close to my knees (I'm 6'2", 34" inseam, 32" waist). The only "long" shorts around here are those horrible polyester basketball shorts, which would turn me into a fetid swamp.

Anonymous said...

I bet she has hairy legs under those pants, too.

Which would almost surely mean that she also has a hairy ... yum!

Peter

Tex the Pontificator said...

Being over 60 and decidedly not thin, I am sure I am not someone you'd approve of wearing shorts. But I do often wear Bermuda-type shorts, in no small part because in my area it has lately only occasionally "cooled off" to the high 90s.

Anonymous said...

The South fought the Civil War to keep Yankees from wearing dark socks with sandals on our beeches.