On fads

robin · Jan 3, 2009

From LIFE's photo archive...

"Teenage boys sporting their latest shoe fad of wearing G.I. shoes (Army surplus they bought or inherited) which they call "My old lady's Army Shoes" & wear every Tuesday at school. Date taken: December 1948"

"Teenage boys wearing the latest fad, hats. Date taken: November 1947"

"Patrons inside a Manhattan bar called P.J.'s Saloon include men wearing shorts, a new fad. Date taken: July 1953" (bermuda shorts)

"Theater students at Wellesley College preparing a stage set. (note girls clad in denim, the latest fad). Date taken: October 1949"

erdawe · Jan 3, 2009

Very interesting. These don't seem as cringe-worthy as you would imagine, thinking to modern associations of fads...

I wonder how unruly these fads were considered at that time?

tagutcow · Jan 3, 2009

Originally Posted by robin

From LIFE's photo archive...

"Teenage boys sporting their latest shoe fad of wearing G.I. shoes (Army surplus they bought or inherited) which they call "My old lady's Army Shoes" & wear every Tuesday at school. Date taken: December 1948"

Those are some nice-looking army-issue shoes. They all seem to be wearing the same jeans, too-- Levis 501s, I suppose.

Odd, I was under the impression that a trend-based youth culture didn't exist until sometime in the '50s.

"Theater students at Wellesley College preparing a stage set. (note girls clad in denim, the latest fad). Date taken: October 1949"

Jeans-as-workwear doesn't quite translate for women. I guess they have to wait another 15 years for Lee to make skinny jeans.

Go Surface · Jan 3, 2009

Cool pics.

rioni · Jan 3, 2009

I want some of those boots

XenoX101 · Jan 4, 2009

Good post, interesting

Gus · Jan 4, 2009

I can't imagine that fad of women wearing jeans will ever catch on......

Spatlese · Jan 4, 2009

Interesting pics, thanks for posting robin.

fcuknu · Jan 4, 2009

i love the shorts with the jacket and tie.

robin · Jan 4, 2009

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Jeans-as-workwear doesn't quite translate for women. I guess they have to wait another 15 years for Lee to make skinny jeans.
Yeah, but the pointy cone shaped bras from that time period probably made up for it.

Originally Posted by fcuknu

i love the shorts with the jacket and tie.
Popular in the 1950's. I guess it was the summer look, but I'm glad that the socks were lost over the years.

Completely bizarre and unrelated to clothes, but I also came across photo's of men squatting, or "hunkering". This one was new to me...

It apparently was a college culture thing for some southern states in 1959 where they'd just squat while doing anything, though I kind of get the feeling that the kids were all in on some big prank on the media. (time article)

adamha21 · Jan 4, 2009

They never made it out of the anal stage..

Odd Morsel · Jan 4, 2009

Originally Posted by robin

It apparently was a college culture thing for some southern states in 1959 where they'd just squat while doing anything, though I kind of get the feeling that the kids were all in on some big prank on the media. (time article)

It's no fad, my friend. It lives on in the form of the Asian Squat... and their form is quite good.

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DBoon · Jan 4, 2009

they are squatting for combzzz

ToruOkada · Jan 4, 2009

what the hell is that last guy doing on top of a piano?

dfagdfsh · Jan 4, 2009

People have been looking dorky in high water cuffs for years!

On fads

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