February 13, 2014

"I'm not a designer, nor do I think I am... I see an opportunity to help curate these different pieces for guys at an accessible level."

Says Ryan Seacrest about the new men's fashion line going out under his name.
Mr. Seacrest said he intended the clothes to reflect what he wears. When manufacturers proposed lilac and green, he said "I wouldn't wear that," he recalled, in a recent telephone interview. "Sometimes they've said to me, 'You wouldn't wear this color but people like this color. They want to buy that color.' " Some shades of green made it into the neckwear collection, just "not bad leprechaun green," Mr. Seacrest said. Lilac was scrapped for blues and charcoals....
I love the word "curate" as used these days euphemistically to upgrade a certain sort of activity, to imbue the appropriation of the creative work of others with creativity of its own, making the selection and presentation perhaps even more refined and praiseworthy that the original work. I see the Oxford English Dictionary is watching this development, with a new meaning, a draft addition from 2011:
trans. In extended use: to select the performers or performances to be included in (a festival, album, programme, etc.); (also) to select, organize, and present (content), as on a web site.

1982   N.Y. Times 24 Jan. ii. 8/1   The Kitchen presented three different programs of ‘New Performances from P.S. 122’, curated by and including Mr. Dennis....
2003   Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.) (Nexis) 20 Feb. f6   You have every reason to be wary of a Ramones tribute album curated by Rob Zombie.
2006   Play: N.Y. Times Sports Mag. June 44/2   As you wade through the millions of words on ESPN.com, you wonder if anyone is curating what reaches the screen....
2010   W. J. Martin & X. Tian Bks., Bytes & Business iii. 45   Publishers will be..engaged in the business of generating, curating and aggregating content.

20 comments:

madAsHell said...

Color-Matching System Is Meant to Help Guys Pair Items

It's paint-by-numbers.....Now everyone can dress like a homosexual!!

MadisonMan said...

If Ryan Seacrest was responsible for Randy Jackson's AI Wardrobe in years past, then I don't think I'll be buying from him.

Some greens look good on me because my eyes are green-ish. I'm not a fan of lilac, though -- that color fades too easily to something grey/mauve-like. And who wants to wear grey/mauve?

MadisonMan said...

Color-Matching System Is Meant to Help Guys Pair Items

Garanimals for grown-ups?

Bob Ellison said...

"Oversee" or "look after" would have been clearer.

I still remember the moment when, at the age of about 8, I discovered that my brown plaid pants had a thin green criss-cross pattern that nicely matched my favorite light green shirt. I was color-coordinating at last!

Richard Lawrence Cohen said...

curate -- from the Latin "curatus," guardian, overseer - same root as "curate," an assistant vicar in the Anglican church -- one who has care of souls.

bandmeeting said...

Bike Snob NYC has been making fun of people who use the word curate for years.

Anonymous said...

"A curate's egg"

Something bad that is called good out of politeness or timidity.

The origin of the phrase is the George du Maurier cartoon "True Humility", printed in the British satirical magazine Punch, on 9th November 1895. The cartoon gives fuller insight into its meaning, which relies to some extent on an appreciation of irony.

Right Reverend Host. "I’m afraid you've got a bad Egg, Mr. Jones!"
The Curate. "Oh no, my Lord, I assure you! Parts of it are excellent!"

(http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/163300.html)

Anonymous said...

"bad leprechaun green" may indeed be Bad. But 'Evil Leprechaun Green" Has a Sense of Flair if You Can Pull it Off. And are Really Short. And Evil. Evil Enough to Steal Another Leprechaun's 'Lucky Charms'.


Possibilities: Maybe a Clothing Line based on the Colors of Lucky Charms' Marshmallow Bits. Shillelagh Optional.



Anonymous said...

Cereal Wardrobe:

Victoria Secret's Line: 'Trix.'

Bulgarian Victoria Secret's Line: 'Wheaties.'

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

"CuraScript and Express Scripts publish our annual Drug Trend Report to help you..."

Where a script is a cure? and a drug is a trend.

George M. Spencer said...

All curate means is that a human being is somehow involved somewhere somehow doing something.

Like at McDonalds putting things into bags.

Anonymous said...

AA: I love the word "curate" as used these days euphemistically to upgrade a certain sort of activity...

I've noticed that a lot lately, too. But I thought that "edit one's wardrobe" was plenty pompous and silly enough.

"Bad leprechaun green"

Is that kelly green? Is any human being on earth flattered by kelly green? Worst. Color. Ever.

Madison Man: And who wants to wear grey/mauve.

Probably people who have no idea who Ryan Seacrest is. Old ladies. Like me.

RecChief said...

self important blowhards use it you mean.

MattL said...

I suppose this sort of thing has a big market these days due to the decline of marriage. I sure don't curate my own closet.

Lyle Sanford, RMT said...

"making the selection and presentation perhaps even more refined and praiseworthy that the original work" - masterful deployment of cruel neutrality in that "perhaps".

Paddy O said...

The in terminology among edgy churches over the last 5 years or so is to have "Worship curators" which means, for Evangelically tradition churches, going beyond just singing songs and involving a more active, multi-sensory experience.

LordSomber said...

"Curate" is one of those overused words that hipster artist wannabes have ruined.

Lucien said...

Am I the only one to sense a whiff of Prufrock here ("I am not PRince Hamlet, nor was meant to be")?

ken in tx said...

It is my understanding that a Curate was a sort of sub-contractor who actually conducted Sunday services and ministered to the parish in the Anglican Church. They were usually newly ordained ministers. The actual Vicar seldom bothered since he had a guaranteed living from the British government. He hired and fired Curates to do that for him. Vicar was a political appointment. So, care-taker is good for Curate.

Graham Powell said...

While curating itself may not be a creative act, it can still be important. That's basically what book acquisition editors do, choose what they want in the publisher's line.