Voxsartoria's Weekly WAYWRN Subjective and Totally Unfair Digest

Originally Posted by Holdfast

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Call me back after I win the Nobel Prize for Medicine; I might be ready then.

Great, then you can settle a debate between me an a former high school classmate as to whether addiction is a "choice".

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

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I actually do, from time to time depending on the jacket. However, I may have to start doing this more in my WAYWN photos...while jumping in the air...next to a billboard with half naked women.

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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I have to admit, it strikes me as amusing. It's no less an affectation than leaving collar buttons undone, yet so far has inspired none of the backlash. It's an interesting process, how we choose what looks cool and what looks affected.

That said, whatever gets people to abuse their clothes a bit is fine by me.

I don't recommend standing like a mannequin in your own office.

That seems to guarantee absence from the weekly digest.


- B

Originally Posted by randallr

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There is a candid picture with me doing this. So don't include me in this fell swoop.
I believe you. But why do you do it? At what point did you start? I'm interested in the process. I suspect most guys do it because they've seen someone else do it. Personally, I don't find it a very natural position. (Stuffing things in coat pocket, yes; standing there with hand implanted, no.) Others may disagree, but its sudden emergence in WAYW strikes me as very much a trend. Kennedy started a trend for this, back in the '60s. But he had a cigar to hide.

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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But...what would your reaction be if you saw these things for the first time in reality without reference to the steady diet of WAYWRN shots? Too much? Just right? Not enough?
- B

I recently saw these for the first time because I am pretty new. Granted, none of this is going to change anyone's mind and people can do what they want...so just accept this as opinion and move on.

I think its too much...way too much.

First, I want to preface that I think PG has great style and knows how to create the most functional wardobe on a relatively minimal closet. He has honed and refined it to a damn science, and that's awesome. So to start, I'm not knocking his style in the least -- his style is quite admirable.

What I'm knocking are the posts. EDIT: And after reading this again, I've realized this does not simply apply to PG. Others are culprits of the following problems as well, so this is more like an open-ended suggestion from a lowely newcomer:

First, they're copied and pasted into every single WAYWT (which I think there are 3 of stickied)...I get it, I think you only need to post in one. Or at least 1 in MC and 1 in S&D...others are culprits of this as well, but my feeling is...if you're wearing a suit or businesswear, post in MC. If you're wearing sweaters/shirts/tees w/ jeans/khakis and casual shoes...post in S&D. Don't post your daily business outfits in triplicate, especially on to forums that aren't formal. The repetition is not a service or courtesy IMHO.

The other is that the posts are just too in-depth. I don't need paragraph-long captions for every picture, and I don't need 8 pictures to get the gist of what people are wearing...others too are culprits of this. It's like you guys are taking modeling pictures and putting together these impressive photo portfolios, complete with detailed descriptions...for a forum. Seems incredibly overkill to me.

I feel like 1-3 pictures with a description of the clothing (maker-model) in the appropriate forum is ideal. Take from this what you will...like I said, great style, seems like a really nice guy and very helpful/informative...but I use the WAYWT to get ideas on how to improve my style...not read memoirs and every possible pose so that I could construct a 3D image of the outfit in question.

<3

Originally Posted by Holdfast

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Style is very much about a narrative; conveying a message. The more you can control the medium and the overall environment in which your message is received, the more an audience can be enculturally trained to be more accepting of the message.

This is delving close to the fertile territory between psychology and aesthetics, an interesting field for sure.

This could be an entirely new thread. "Style" seems like it has no borders to me. It doesn't just stop at the clothes, but bleeds over into your mannerisms, personality, your other material possessions, artistic or athletic pursuits, etc. It's kinda the whole package.

Also, Holdfast I like your combo in this weeks round-up. It's got your signature flair but a bit more restrained than usual. The mint shirt is nice.

Originally Posted by acconrad

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...not read memoirs and every possible pose so that I could construct a 3D image of the outfit in question. <3
speak for yourself As for the hand in pocket thing: I think the poster may be consciously adding a bit of mystery and intrigue to their photograph. "What does he have in there?...A gun? A cigar?..."

The hand in pocket thing is definitely a maomao trend.

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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I have to admit, it strikes me as amusing. It's no less an affectation than leaving collar buttons undone, yet so far has inspired none of the backlash. It's an interesting process, how mostly straight dudes choose what looks cool and what looks affected to other mostly straight dudes.

That said, whatever gets people to abuse their clothes a bit is fine by me.

Fify. The mere fact that most WAYWN pics are self-portraits and aren't candid shots makes me wonder if you guys would really put so much effort in putting your kit together if it weren't for posting the results here. I know some do regardless, but the rest?...

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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I believe you. But why do you do it? At what point did you start? I'm interested in the process. I suspect most guys do it because they've seen someone else do it. Personally, I don't find it a very natural position. (Stuffing things in coat pocket, yes; standing there with hand implanted, no.) Others may disagree, but its sudden emergence in WAYW strikes me as very much a trend.

Kennedy started a trend for this, back in the '60s. But he had a cigar to hide.

+1 Hands in pants pockets = natural.

Originally Posted by Wes Bourne

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Fify. The mere fact that most WAYWN pics are self-portraits and aren't candid shots makes me wonder if you guys would really put so much effort in putting your kit together if it weren't for posting the results here. I know some do regardless, but the rest?...
This, I think, is a subset of the emergence of a StyleForum style. This would make an interesting discussion in itself, but I suspect it would just get mired down in the usual tired talk of groupthink. I do worry that we're becoming a bit like the Borg, assimilating newcomers so they become like us. In some ways, I think the forum has become more open to new styles, and in other ways I think the forum has a way of homogenizing newcomers. Not necessarily deliberately, mind you. It just seems to happen. I look at WAWY each week and am struck at how many similarities the pictures often share. I do find the trend toward idol worship a bit odd. PG looks great, but I have no desire to dress like him.

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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This, I think, is a subset of the emergence of a StyleForum style. This would make an interesting discussion in itself, but I suspect it would just get mired down in the usual tired talk of groupthink.

I do worry that we're becoming a bit like the Borg, assimilating newcomers so they become like us. In some ways, I think the forum has become more open to new styles, and in other ways I think the forum has a way of homogenizing newcomers. Not necessarily deliberately, mind you. It just seems to happen.

I find the trend toward idol worship a bit odd. PG looks great, but I have no desire to dress like him.

I am relatively new here. I have picked up alot here, but I try to stick to my own goofy perception of what is stylish. I like PG's outfits alot. I also merely skim his posts because they are lengthy, and I know they are perfection and will be praised many times over here. Every once in a while he posts something that I really like and I comment.

I do notice alot of groupthink here, but there is still room for someone who is out there. This is a cool place.....or as "cool" a place as it can be, considering it is a bunch of straight guys (more or less) posting pictures of themselves dressed up and then offering a critique of such.

Mike

Originally Posted by acconrad

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I think its too much...way too much.

Just a few reactions to your points, in no particular order:

My memory might fail me, but I credit PG for introducing secondary contextural photographs to explicate personal style on an Internet social site focused on tailored men's clothing. In the beginning, and still to this day mostly, they are closeups or accessories shots that deal directly with style.

There is a succeeding wave of members who have been attracted by PG diarist format, and have tried or succeeded to emulate what he does. I still think he does it the best...and why not? It's how he's always done it.

I always find all of his photographs interesting...they all reach comfortably above the rather low theshold of entertainment and interest that typify most content on Internet forums.

Moreover, I see nothing wrong that he crossposts as a matter of course...and this gets back to the topics that I thought to raise this week. The informalizing attributes of his style make even his coat and tie ensembles viable subject matter on the SW&D forum, where I think his posts are about as generally warmly received as on the MC forum. Is it as really as simple as that?

I wonder.


- B

Originally Posted by Parker

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This could be an entirely new thread. "Style" seems like it has no borders to me. It doesn't just stop at the clothes, but bleeds over into your mannerisms, personality, your other material possessions, artistic or athletic pursuits, etc. It's kinda the whole package.

I agree with this entirely, and so when someone opens a wider window to that, it is interesting.

In a nutshell: it is more interesting when there is a face than when there isn't.

- B

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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This, I think, is a subset of the emergence of a StyleForum style. This would make an interesting discussion in itself, but I suspect it would just get mired down in the usual tired talk of groupthink.

I do worry that we're becoming a bit like the Borg, assimilating newcomers so they become like us. In some ways, I think the forum has become more open to new styles, and in other ways I think the forum has a way of homogenizing newcomers. Not necessarily deliberately, mind you. It just seems to happen. I look at WAWY each week and am struck at how many similarities the pictures often share.

I do find the trend toward idol worship a bit odd. PG looks great, but I have no desire to dress like him.

Agreed. Let me also say that while a lot of the outfits do look great, I'm just amazed that a lot of guys take the time, on a regular basis, to take pictures of themselves to show to other dudes. At times I can be quite vain myself, but never to the extent displayed here. Besides, I like candid shots waaaaay more.

Not to interrupt the deep discussion here, but great collection of pics this week. Thanks!