"... @wantshowasyoung. The pair pose in compelling outfits styled from clothes their laundromat customers have left behind. The account is now up to over 654,000 followers and the pair was recently named the ambassadors for Taipei Fashion Week."
I'm amused by the way the WSJ tried so hard to get the double letters in "millennial" right and came up with "milllenials."
Anyway... @wantshowasyoung isn't about youngish people dressing like really old people. It's old people wanting to "show as young" — look young. I'm blogging this little side issue, because I like the Instagram account. Such a perfect idea. Example:
As for millennials and Gen Zers dressing like "grandfathers," my favorite example of this is the YouTube icon Review Brah, who explains here — in his mesmerizing style — why he dresses like that:
The Wall Street Journal has written on this subject before. Back in 2013, it had "Grandfather Knows Best — Instead of idolizing Dad, some well-dressed men reach a further generation back for their style cues":
"My grandfather taught me that a man always carries a handkerchief and always needs a clean-cut hairstyle," said Max, a private-equity firm associate who lives in Chicago....While his father is no slouch, Max explained, "he requires comfort in his dress."
Perhaps it's the legacy of the baby boomers who loosened their collars and made every day a Casual Friday, but many men are looking past dear old Dad and finding lessons in their grandfathers' wardrobes....
FROM THE EMAIL: Mr. Wibble writes:
Over the past year I've fallen down the rabbit hole that is the historical costuming community on Youtube, and one interesting point that gets raised by these (mostly) women time and again is how much "comfort versus style" is a false-dichotomy. The two are not at odds; in fact, dressing well can often be more comfortable.
A well-fitting corset is far superior in support to a bra, natural fibers such as cotton, linen, or light wool breathe far better than modern fabrics, and the clever use of tailoring and padding can help create the fashionable shape and hide any number of sins.
Personally, I've found that a jacket, tie, and slacks are far more comfortable for everyday wear than jeans and a t-shirt. I have to wonder if the rise of mass manufactured clothing post-WWII has played a role in the sloppiness of modern society. Modern fabrics (read, "plastic and rubber") sewn by Vietnamese workers and designed to fit the most body types without any adjustment will always look sloppy and feel uncomfortable.
Also, that suit is too big for that young man. He needs it taken in, and needs to sit up straight.
*rambles like an old man*
I agree that casual clothes can be uncomfortable and dressy clothes can be comfortable. It's a matter of fabric and fit. But it takes some thought and searching and, often, extra money to get yourself into dressy clothes that are comfortable.
And I don't buy that corsets are more comfortable than bras. "Bra" is not just one thing. There's a whole range, and if you have something of good quality that fits, it might be pretty comfortable. For casualness, you can just toss out that bra, though some women insist that they are less comfortable with no bra at all! Personally, I think that's a problem caused by bra-wearing, which provides external support for what is otherwise be supported from the inside. But are corsets more comfortable than a well-made, properly fitting bra? Maybe they are if they are well-made and properly fitting, but it might depend on the person.
As for modern fabrics, I think the really high quality stuff that you find in athletic wear may be superior to cotton. Runners and hikers are advised not to wear cotton.
As for Review Brah, he wears what he likes, and he like oversized, baggy clothes. He gets people telling him all the time that his clothes should be more fitted, and he adamantly rejects the advice. His position is wear what you want, and he's wearing what he wants.
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