The mundane attire of Vancouverites

[Renwaldo]

Neo Fashion is a malleable thing. If you'd rather change how your outfit is perceived by judgemental twats (rather than changing your outfit to effect the perception of your character) then just keep doing whatever it is you do.  :monocle: The perception of those pesky judgemental francophone alcoholic designers is very easy to influence. They've been in business for so long they don't know the meaning of inspiration, so they look to the common people for ideas.

I suppose I don't see it as a bad thing that people may assume things about me from my attire. I see it as an opportunity to look like something I'm not, something better. If everyone knew from the first glance I work for minimum wage in retail and still lived with my parents I wouldn't be given many chances to make new friends. At least by dressing properly I can look interesting if nothing else.

[Drake Wingfire]

When I worked minimum wage jobs and lived with my parents I dressed like.... an average guy? I wasn't aware there was "minimum wage, living with parents attire"
Do the sleeves read "9.50 an hour baby!" ? lol  :D I personally think most people are only attuned to see someone as poor if they are wearing something that's torn or worn out, not really whats relative to fashion. You could wear all the sweaters and pants you love from like 2001 and I don't think anyone would honestly notice unless they had holes in them and were falling apart.

I worked as a computer tech for a good long while and I still dressed like I always do, I didn't want to dress fancy or dress the part because I feel it creates an un-realistic image of who I am kind of a "all talk and no show" situation (not to be confused with dressing like a slob as I still dressed appropriate, just not hoitey toitey). But its in my nature to put accomplishments before anything else, if anything for the dumbfounded look that people get when someone they assume is "some whippersnapper" just pulls out all the stops and slaughters their poor judgment right before their very eyes, I find its more important to break stereotypes rather than just dress to try and ignore it if that makes sense. (besides, I wont lie, I feel a smug sense of satisfaction when someone assumes I am just another "kid" and I blow them out of the water with what I truly know, especially in regards to cars and computers. Because that means I pretty much slapped them in the face with their own pre-judgement. Perhaps a very passive aggressive way of showing them why judging like that is wrong in the first place.)

[Icey Dominus]

You know Renwaldo what you are saying now is some what hypocritical of your original post, the name of this thred is  (the mundane attire of Vancouverites) that right there is a judgment what if people like what they wear its only mundane because you say it is not because it is.
Your preaching that its about expression and stuff but that sort of defeats the purpose to this thred then dosnt it.

[Renwaldo]

Icey, the clothes that came out this past autumn/winter were mundane. It's as if the new big trend this season was to dress down and blend in. I did not make this fact up, I'm only agreeing with and restating what many local professionals have already wrote about.  :-\
I most certainly am not preaching. If I were, I'd kick the three of you out for refusing to sway opinion. Isn't that what preachers do?  :monocle:

[Drake Wingfire]

Im pretty sure his point was that just because one or a few people "Expert" or not think its mundane doesn't automatically mean it is. But this can apply to everything due to people having different tastes. Just people forget that there is no "right" taste because its all subjective.

Saying fashion is expression then imply how most people dress is gaudy and out-of-style is what was being called hypocritical because of the implication only ONE form of expression is the "right" one, then couldn't it be argued that that's not expression at all but ironically its its own form of conformity being dressed up as being unique? Someone could just as easily say how you dress is gaudy and bizarre.

[Renwaldo]

Im pretty sure his point was that just because one or a few people "Expert" or not think its mundane doesn't automatically mean it is.

Perhaps not, but at least look at what the major houses sold this past season before disagreeing with me. There's no denying there is sickening excessive use of neutral colours and plain patterns. Apparently around here more so than other major cities. Should I have chosen a more appropriate word other than 'mundane'?

http://www.ae.com/web/index.jsp
http://www.hm.com/ca/
http://www.lechateau.com/style/index.jsp
http://store.americanapparel.ca/men.html
http://www.dkny.com/

But this can apply to everything due to people having different tastes. Just people forget that there is no "right" taste because its all subjective.

Quite. However this is not a matter of opinion, it's a fact. The direction major name brands chose to take this winter was to backtrack to their past and most basic designs. There didn't appear to be anything 'new' this season. Everything was a rehash of something already done before, brought down a couple levels and washed out.

If I'm mistaken please prove me wrong, because I would love to know where I can get some well made 'interesting' winter clothes.  ???

Saying fashion is expression then imply how most people dress is gaudy and out-of-style is what was being called hypocritical because of the implication only ONE form of expression is the "right" one, then couldn't it be argued that that's not expression at all but ironically its its own form of conformity being dressed up as being unique? Someone could just as easily say how you dress is gaudy and bizarre.

I'm not saying any of this is gaudy nor out of style, this stuff's just boring. I know I'm not the only one who believes this. However if anybody disagrees I'm very interested in their opinions, if I thought everyone thought the same as me I wouldn't have made this thread. That would hardly make for much of a discussion. I would love for somebody to write, "Ren, you're wrong! This [insert designer]'s winter collection was revolutionary this year! Check out their product!" to spark a bit of debate. I'm still waiting.  :-\

I merely feel the need to correct you because this discussion was heading in the wrong direction.
I am not interested in discussing, explaining or defending the morals (or lack thereof) of the fashion industry anymore.

[Neox]

Well, if it helps to aim closer to your topic:

When I think of Vancouver, I don't think of fashion.  When I think of New York City, I think of people who actually pay attention to fashion.  Vancouver makes me think of multicultural city night life and outdoorsy activities.  I've never been to New York, but a lot of the stuff I've heard about it from others is how it's a trendy, bustling city of business, commerce and daytime activity.  I go to Vancouver to party, drink, watch the Canucks, hit-up some hiking trails in the surrounding areas, or attend some sort of concert.  In my mind, fashion has little place in Vancouver simply because majority its residents aren't the type to care about it.  I know a LOT of my friends who currently live in Van originally grew up in the countryside, and they are not of the fashion-geared mentality.

[Renwaldo]

That would explain why we're plagued with Lulu Lemon and plaid.  :-\

[Drake Wingfire]

Did ya once stop to think that maybe what you find mundane is here because its actually selling well? Even if its all rehashing it just means the designers finally hit that little niche where it fits the majority of people, which means they can make money, so of course they are gonna keep pumping it out, who on earth would find a gravy train and go "no, that's just not how it is, I won't accept this" the fashion industry is like everything else, you want to have mass appeal for mass profits otherwise you just are making sure your company's profit starts to decline.

The only thing that's really fact is that all these "rehashes" have become whats in style and the writer of the original news article is too blind to see it. For example, I love Honda cars... now I can go around to all sorts of people going "you drive that POS? UUUGH GAG!" and so on, then wonder why no one is into what (in my opinion) is a  "great" car. But really I would just be missing the point that maybe people want a more affordable base commuter car/ SUV, maybe that's just the trend of this decade, it doesn't make them not car-conscience, they are simply putting practicality first.

[Crassadon]

It's as if the new big trend this season was to dress down and blend in.

The concept of blending in with mundane folk has been a style favourably worn by many people in recent seasons. In my opinion, topics like the recession has pushed folk away from from "fun" and "crazy" activities, into more standard fare of working a day job and doing average tasks; thus their clothing changes to match a banal style. Other people will also dress this way to match the fashion of their peers. So seeing majour outlets release drab clothing in the winter season, seems to match the times.

Vancouver makes me think of multicultural city night life and outdoorsy activities.

So look for stores that serve those fields. All of the clothes I've bought in Vancouver, have come from sporting good stores. There can be some really nice items in them! You don't have to go in looking for sports clothing: most will stock T-shirts, and I've seen nice items like diner jackets in sports good stores, too.


Personally, I raved while it was alive. So a good portion of my style features the Tripp New York City style: Bellbottoms, with a mesh top, or T-shirt. Otherwise, the clothes I own come from my home town, Vancouver sport shops, Toronto boutiques (Check out [Futurstate (V-Day promotion!) and Fairies Pajamas (now in B.C.!)), and German bondage shops. Also: some of my favourite clothes have been given to me by homeless people on the street (sometimes they have really cool clothes, okay; it's not that weird!! D:)


Vancouver faces problems for fashion expression. The big issue being the level of rain the city gets. You can wear all the exciting, personalized clothes you want, but you'll still have to throw a big rainjacket over the whole thing when you go anywhere people will see you. Really puts a damper on artistic expression through fashion. :/