The Look goes on...

[Kingstonian]

I recall from the last time that I ran one, you have a range of options when setting up the poll. You may limit the number of entries that each may vote for , allow the punters to see who has voted or not, choose the length of time for voting and so on.

You commented I recall that this one had been running for ever. In the ‘old days’ the Friday Challenge started on Monday or Tuesday, closed on Saturday and the voting ran from Saturday evening to Monday morning. That way interest was maintained ?

Thanks I did not know all the polling options.

In fairness, many different trad handbook looks were actually attempted and attempted well too.

I think maybe the competition then developed into a battle of blue Harringtons.

 

[covskin]

Some rather bizarre voting.

Yes, one of the top 4 surely defies gravity. I like to vote widely if possible and thought the young oriental-looking bloke in the blue was spot on.

 

[am55]

The whole context has changed so that none of it means anything anymore. Some teenager gets blue hair now and it's the most dull and boring thing you've ever seen. I do sense that young people feel they have missed out on something that we had.

It is still very possible to find the signals to shock. It's just that the Overton window has broadened and moved to a place where getting out of it is a lot harder to justify in terms of implied values.

I remember at some point it clicking that Brave New World was actually a reactionary book, in the sense that it might be "the Man's view of modernism and post-modernism". Huxley was not keen on where the world was going. A lot of what is described in the book is quite accepted and mainstream today. Teenagers daring to "partake" before mariage - the horror! We're not quite there yet on the vats for growing kids but surrogacy and IVF are also totally OK today. Lenina is actually quite polite and emphatic and her horror at John's domineering, almost medieval possessiveness and aggression are expected in today's Zeitgeist, instead of being an example of a dehumanised, brainwashed non-individual. Modernism has won!

In contrast, whilst the New York Times reviewed Camp of the Saints in 1975, who would dare admit to even have read the book today? (whoops, I guess). Put the cover on a T shirt and you have your 2020 blue hair, at least in Europe. When Macron's daughter-in-law hired one of Raspail's buddies as a professor in her private school, it made the news. Outside the US, a MAGA cap is also a good way to get noticed (the CEO of one of my clients liked to bring one to meetings in Singapore).

More subtly we have a global battle between advocates of privacy vs. security that has repercussions from people getting financially penalised (and worse) for criticising China, to the way "the young" use social media, "offline" meetup culture (I've even been involved in discussions on how to secure a room from snooping physically, for organising parties; not just a Faraday cage but also how to jam what's brought in, disrupt microphones and gyroscopes in smuggled phones, etc.), which in turn leads to decentralised institutions and culture, etc.

 

[Kingstonian]

It is still very possible to find the signals to shock. It's just that the Overton window has broadened and moved to a place where getting out of it is a lot harder to justify in terms of implied values.

I remember at some point it clicking that Brave New World was actually a reactionary book, in the sense that it might be "the Man's view of modernism and post-modernism". Huxley was not keen on where the world was going. A lot of what is described in the book is quite accepted and mainstream today. Teenagers daring to "partake" before mariage - the horror! We're not quite there yet on the vats for growing kids but surrogacy and IVF are also totally OK today. Lenina is actually quite polite and emphatic and her horror at John's domineering, almost medieval possessiveness and aggression are expected in today's Zeitgeist, instead of being an example of a dehumanised, brainwashed non-individual. Modernism has won!

In contrast, whilst the New York Times reviewed Camp of the Saints in 1975, who would dare admit to even have read the book today? (whoops, I guess). Put the cover on a T shirt and you have your 2020 blue hair, at least in Europe. When Macron's daughter-in-law hired one of Raspail's buddies as a professor in her private school, it made the news. Outside the US, a MAGA cap is also a good way to get noticed (the CEO of one of my clients liked to bring one to meetings in Singapore).

More subtly we have a global battle between advocates of privacy vs. security that has repercussions from people getting financially penalised (and worse) for criticising China, to the way "the young" use social media, "offline" meetup culture (I've even been involved in discussions on how to secure a room from snooping physically, for organising parties; not just a Faraday cage but also how to jam what's brought in, disrupt microphones and gyroscopes in smuggled phones, etc.), which in turn leads to decentralised institutions and culture, etc.

‘In contrast, whilst the New York Times reviewed Camp of the Saints in 1975, who would dare admit to even have read the book today?’

I have read it. It’s hard work. I had started on it and put it down. I picked it up again during lockdown and read it while confined to the garden. The way the French establishment just rolls over and let’s the convoy take over without a fight certainly rings true.

The other dystopian novel I read was Bensons’Lord of the World’. That is interesting for its description of Croydon as a desirable place to live. The virulent anti clericalism of the age rings true. It’s the perfect antidote to H.G. Wells.

 

[Gsvs5]

The thread has suddenly come back to life!

I agree with your 'throw-away' comments @Yorky
Looking back at my own evolution, I probably went from Mod to Suedehead, almost missing out Skinhead. I only had one pair of boots, which were worn two or three times. I did have a short haircut, but started growing it out by the start of 1970.

Regarding the 'mod scene', I used to go to the Ad-Lib Club in Lincoln occasionally and that was full of older 'mods' trying hard to recapture a late 60's look. Not always a pretty sight. So much of it cheap and / or over-designed, like mulitiple ticket pockets, hankies with tie tacks through them, matching tie and hanky and so on...

Likewise.......

Considering how short the original skinhead “interruption” actually was,it seems to me incredibly disproportionate in its lingering continued appeal.

Sadly,self censorship is a quality that eludes too many and unfortunately imo ,has led to some embracing the almost laughable incarnations/evolution of the original.

 

[Yorky]

Likewise.......

Considering how short the original skinhead “interruption” actually was,it seems to me incredibly disproportionate in its lingering continued appeal.

Sadly,self censorship is a quality that eludes too many and unfortunately imo ,has led to some embracing the almost laughable incarnations/evolution of the original.

I agree it seems as if the look is no longer the original look. I'm not knocking some of the later looks as I think some of them look good. The look goes on I suppose!! The appeal of the skin look depends on what you "think skinheads are about" knobhead, bonehead, or sussed.

 

[donkeyjacket2]

Getting colder now, wearing harris tweed 3 button jacket what i got for £4.50 (bargain!) fits well but might not seem like it due to slobbish pose. cords and suede waistcoat, and a newsboy cap. I think my look is going back 90 years rather than on lol.

 

[Clouseau]

Getting colder now, wearing harris tweed 3 button jacket what i got for £4.50 (bargain!) fits well but might not seem like it due to slobbish pose. cords and suede waistcoat, and a newsboy cap. I think my look is going back 90 years rather than on lol.
View attachment 1484028

Perfect old man look for an old men's thread !

 

[donkeyjacket2]

Perfect old man look for an old men's thread !

Thank you whippersnapper!

 

[Kingstonian]

Getting colder now, wearing harris tweed 3 button jacket what i got for £4.50 (bargain!) fits well but might not seem like it due to slobbish pose. cords and suede waistcoat, and a newsboy cap. I think my look is going back 90 years rather than on lol.
View attachment 1484028

A good buy for under a fiver.

I would lose the Steptoe gloves though.

 

[donkeyjacket2]

A good buy for under a fiver.

I would lose the Steptoe gloves though.

haaaaarold

I usually don't wear em but was colder than usual

 

[Mr Knightley]

Off out into the autumn rain earlier today:

 

[Yorky]

Off out into the autumn rain earlier today:

View attachment 1485455

View attachment 1485456

Where's your fingerless gloves MrK?

 

[Mr Knightley]

Where's your fingerless gloves MrK?

Ha ha! I did think about them, but in the end, I opted for these Stetson Europe numbers - left the scarf and cap at home.

 

[covskin]

View attachment 1485456

Have to be careful with collars like that, can look a bit Alan Partridge C&A blouson, but you've avoided it