Shallow Thoughts on Fashion

As part of my gig this summer, I man an informational table for a sliver of the afternoon on most weekdays during a "fair" for incoming first-year students.

When I'm not talking to folks, the fair is a good venue for people watching. Often, I witness the behavior of helicopter parents, get to see how these young adults get along pretty well with their parental units, and observe how the child takes after or doesn't take after certain parents in physical appearance, gait, and personality.

But I thought I'd post my shallow thoughts on the fashion I see around me, fashion of both the parents and the new students.

Neon shoestrings seem to be in vogue with some of the kids these days. I wonder if they come with complimentary Cyndi Lauper cassettes. I haven't seen that stuff since the 80s. The future's so bright I gotta wear shades.

I'm surprised that people still wear boat shoes. I tried some on once a long time ago. They were uncomfortable and ugly.

Last year I noticed lots of tattoos on young adults, especially those foot tattoos with fancy script on 'em. The ubiquitous ankle tattoos seemed to have fallen out of favor and been overtaken by those scripty deals. Not so many tattoos this year so far though. I guess the youngins will wait until they're in college to get all inked up. Or not? Are tattoos falling out of fashion, or is this data set an aberration?

Maybe this is some kind of metrosexual moment for me here, but how do khaki shorts and grey shirts match? That's bland on bland. Gentlemen, you can do better than that. Get in the game.

I need to create a clothing company that has massive factories where t-shirts cost wholesale about two bucks. I'll slap some kind of brand name on them, something like Richley & Co. or Bascombe & Tilly or Love Nasty (Get it? A spoof on "Love Pink"), mark 'em at $30-45 a shirt or shorts or whatever, and make a killing. It's not about the quality of the merchandise--it's the image, the brand they have to have. I shouldn't throw stones too hard though. I wore Ocean Pacific shirts in junior high school. Hollister is the new Ocean Pacific and Hobie just with better marketing and infrastructure.

Those tight t-shirts have to be uncomfortable. I mean how does a guy lift his arms in those things?