"Top campus style for both boys and girls this fall is reported to be charcoal gray flannel Bermuda shorts, pink man-tailored shirts, knee socks either in matching gray or a contrasting color, and the short storm coat originally designed for men, now adopted by girls.
Universal choice in shoes to go with this outfit is the loafer or moccasin, for both boys and girls.
So far the only deviation in this look-alike fad is that girls prefer their knee socks in vivid colors or Argyle patterns, while men stick to dark socks to match their sweaters, which may be bright red, green or any of a range of pastels now offered by alert manufacturers.
The dress-alike craze, of course, holds good only for casual daytime occasions. For dances and dates the girls go back to their petticoats and high hells, earrings and perfume, and look as feminine as any old-fashioned beau could desire."
~The Free Lance-Star — Aug 14, 1954
Podiatrists are horrified by high-heeled sneakers, which are the latest fashion fad among high school girls. For instance, Oregon podiatrist Jon T. Fitzgerald offers these words of wisdom:
"The daily use of a high heeled shoe will ultimately create some very long standing problems. The muscles in the back of the legs will begin to contract, causing tendonitis of the Achilles tendon. With time, this will put pressure to the back of the foot, leading to plantar fasciitis and arch pain for years to come."
Of course, the high school girls don't really care what the podiatrists say. After all, plantar fasciitis and arch pain seem like a small price to pay for the sake of fashion!
How much would you pay for this white t-shirt? Does $495.00 sound about right? It is made in Italy, after all, out of "viscose/silk". Get yours at needlessly marked upNeiman Marcus.
It's the new fashion creation from singer Rihanna. I guess the idea is that it creates a layered look for pants. Only $150 at River Island, though they seem to be sold out at the moment.
In the UK, and in some countries formerly part of the British Empire, they maintain the strange habit of making barristers (attorneys) wear wigs. Apparently these wigs, traditionally made out of horsehair, are very expensive, so barristers often own only one. And according to the South China Morning Post, barristers rarely wash them, so over time the wigs start to smell bad:
Tong said he had never washed or dry-cleaned the wig before, for fear that it would fall apart. "It is made of horsehair that is glued together and is not very strong."
In fact, few lawyers would have their wigs cleaned as there is an odd perception that an old and discoloured wig is a better symbol of seniority. But the rows of white curls can become stale and smelly as they absorb sweat and oil from the scalp. A court dress shop in Admiralty charges HK$760 to wash it.
The aim of most barristers is to achieve a wig with a worn and matured look to create the impression of experience when standing before a judge.
"None of them likes to look the new boy," says David John Harris, manager of the legal department at Ede and Ravenscroft, which has been manufacturing wigs for barristers, judges and royalty since 1726. "If it is really grubby looking, it looks like they've been around," he says.
Barristers will go to great lengths to make their wigs look fashionably old. There are a number of tried and tested ways to age one, including stamping on it, kicking it in the dirt, giving it to kids, letting the dog at it, or shaking it in a Hoover bag...
Wigs should last for 100 years but are often damaged by perspiration. Ede and Ravenscroft suggests cleaning wigs every four to five years, while Thresher and Glenny recommends every 25 to 30 years. "The longer you leave it, the better it is," says Hill.
The latest fashions were on display recently at the Topman Design's autumn/winter show in London, and I for one am eager to start sporting the look below. It consists of what looks like a cream-colored cotton sweatshirt to which planks of wood have somehow been attached. I suppose the logic is that if you get cold during winter, you can simply detach one of the pieces of wood and build yourself a fire to stay warm. (via metro.co.uk)
Or perhaps the designer had in mind those wooden bathing suits from the 1930s but got confused and produced something slightly less functional.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 11, 2013 -
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Category: Fashion
Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.