When brands become unwearable

Uniqlo do this really well.

That’s a hidden flannel shirt PSA if I ever saw one! I’m more into the mid-weight heat tech sweatshirts, but there’s something for everyone in Uniqlo, even my dad (elastic waisted cargo pants)

Some is, some isn’t. They still have a manufacturing site in BC

What actual percentage of thats brand’s products are actually made in Canada though? Most of it is still made in a sweatshop in the east somewhere. I’ve had Decathlon clothing that has been made in Portugal. Doesn’t mean the overall corporate ethics are great though. 

there’s something for everyone in Uniqlo

Jeans, flannel shirts, cord shirts, long-sleeve tops, overcoats – I’ve got half my cool dad wardrobe there.

But they also cater well to the youngsters who want to look like they’ve just got back from a 1990s rave.

(elastic waisted cargo pants)

Got a link? Just for research obvs

What colour is the boat shed at Hereford? Not sure but it will have a Barbour logo. Credenhill boys (and imitations of) can be spotted a mile off in Hereford of a weekend in their Barbour wax uniform.

As a country dweller, it’s Schoffel for me, I’ve never owned anything they make, I’m told it’s good kit (it wants to be for the price), but it’s EVERYWHERE, and either depicts that you’ve got cash, or you want everyone to think you have (and are actually skint because you’ve spent £150 on a fleece gilet). See also RM Williams, makes me chuckle seeing people I know on low incomes cutting about giving it the big ‘un in a £450 pair of boots on a Saturday, WHY?

I wouldn’t wear anything with overt branding, but particularly not Fjallraven, Rab, Arcteryx (how do you even pronounce it?), or Patagonia – now that is is the hipster/vegan/holier than thou brand of choice.

EDIT: Those big designer brands like Diesel, Hilfiger, Boss etc – £100 for a Vietnamese made t-shirt type shit, what is it with that and wealthy people? They can seemingly make any old revolting shit and some people assume because it’s expensive it’s stylish or good quality?

Diesel Jeans are very good quality.  They outlast almost anything, wash really well and stay the same colour.  They also have no overt branding – you need to know your stitching to know they’re Diesel.  

What actual percentage of thats brand’s products are actually made in Canada though?

Oh, a tiny percentage, and mostly the rucks and harnesses. Although it’s also mostly hand-made AFAIK. I wasn’t  trying to suggest that their ethics are any better than any other high-end Veblen marketed products, just that they still make some stuff in Canada is all.

there’s something for everyone in Uniqlo

Uniqlo has become very popular amongst the (very) cool youngsters I know. This winter’s must have is a Uniqlo down jacket. Much more reasonably priced than many popular brands. Quite surprising. I love Uniqlo because they alter trousers, which if you have the typical Asian men’s ‘skinny legs and big belly’ (©Sanjeev Bhaskar), means you can get trousers to fit that aren’t a foot too long in the leg. :D Who has a 28″ waist and 34″ legs anyway??

Picked up that Fjällräven / Specialized flannel shirt in the sale. Was planning to use it for cycling but now wondering if I should wear it to the footy?

As a country dweller, it’s Schoffel for me, I’ve never owned anything they make, I’m told it’s good kit (it wants to be for the price), but it’s EVERYWHERE, and either depicts that you’ve got cash, or you want everyone to think you have (and are actually skint because you’ve spent £150 on a fleece gilet). See also RM Williams, makes me chuckle seeing people I know on low incomes cutting about giving it the big ‘un in a £450 pair of boots on a Saturday, WHY?

See, you’re making the same value judgements as other people. It’s better to try to understand people’s need for social identifiers, than criticising them. 

EDIT: Those big designer brands like Diesel, Hilfiger, Boss etc – £100 for a Vietnamese made t-shirt type shit, what is it with that and wealthy people? They can seemingly make any old revolting shit and some people assume because it’s expensive it’s stylish or good quality?

As I said earlier; such things are made to be more ‘affordable’ to those with lower incomes.So they can get to own a piece of Armani or whatever, without having to shell out thousands for the actually nice stuff. Most of the big European fashion houses got bought out years ago, by big multinationals, who can do whatever they like with the various brands they own. But in truth, there is often little real difference in the intentions of someone who buys an Arcteryx jacket, or a gaudy t-shirt with a huge logo on it. They’re all still just trying to signify their tribe to others. 

For me clothes serve(d) two purposes function and form; clothes for activities I’m more interested in the function, for everything else it’s the form.

I’m lucky I guess with a lot of the functional stuff as it was either issued or purchased via discount due to contracts, I may still buy the odd piece as the quality and durability has been proven.

No brand has been deemed unwearable really afaic, there will always be other options that have better function or value.

I do find civvies wearing military gear odd, but that’s my bias and I own that.

As long as they all stay away from Kuhl and Dickies I’ll be fine…

– Errrrr Dickies got banned from some schools and even some public spaces (theme parks IIRC) in the US as it was classified as “gangwear” due to it being the de facto uniform to Latino gangsters.  That seems to have died down now though.  That being said, I saw some of it in “Flannels” the expensive Sports Direct adjacent shop, it’s probably not surprising as they are part of VF Corp long with Vans, The North Face etc etc

https://www.vfc.com/brands

Won’t stop me wearing it though as someone who has worn 874s and their Carpenter pants for decades.

– Kuhl as others have said got picked up by the MAGA lot when Carhartt mandated Covid vaccines for their staff in the US.  It’s popular with the suburban Dad’s who wish they had a Ranch in Montana, many AR15s and a cupboard full of Black Rifle Coffee. 

– I had to google Thrudark, I had a look and I can’t work out who it is for, mountain tactical wannabees?  

PSA for @chakaping 😉

They’re all still just trying to signify their tribe to others.

Yep, even the folks who protest that they’re anti fashion or are “immune to advertising” are still signalling their fashion choices to everyone around them.

I do find civvies wearing military gear odd, but that’s my bias and I own that.

Not just you, I get that sometimes surplus gear is cheap and has a work-wear ethic about it, but its still a weird choice.

I can’t work out who it is for, mountain tactical wannabees?

I’ve not figured it out, there’s far more functional stuff out there for better prices, I guess there is an element of appealing to that side of people’s egos.

I guess it appeals to the same sort who are obsessed with military types activities and or war. Dunno.

Fair play if you have the coin to splash on it.

Not just you, I get that sometimes surplus gear is cheap and has a work-wear ethic about it, but its still a weird choice.

It’s the last kit I’d buy for anything that requires hard-wearing fabrics or construction. Issue tissue is terrible. 😂

It’s why it’s such a battle stopping bods buying Gucci kit.

PSAfor @chakaping😉

Cheers boss, I’ll keep an eye out in the January sale.

I have a wicked pair of elasticated waist cords from there already :D

One of my exes is a clothing designer and reckoned that kind of “smart loungewear” clobber had got massive over Covid.

Yep, even the folks who protest that they’re anti fashion or are “immune to advertising” are still signalling their fashion choices to everyone around them.

yes, I find these people gravitate to one of two looks.
“Millets half price sale”; or “CAMRA real ale bore”.

It’s just as much of a tribe as people who make their chosen football team or musical taste their entire personality.

I still get whatever I can fit into at as close to affordable price. Cags are not a fashion thing, especially splattered with glaur.

If I get a choice – in futility I try to find one with a decent zip -I’m looking at you North Face.

You know it’s reached the North Face stage when both your manager at work and and the chavvy kids on the train in are wearing it.

A few weeks ago I spotted my son wearing my TNF hoodie I bought about a decade ago, if not more. Still in good nic and significantly better quality material than the TNF hoodie he has now. He was proudly stroking the embroidered logo saying “They don’t make em like this anymore dad, they are all iron on logos”

Now I find out we are both chavs or road workers or something. A sad day.

Which itself is a fascinating topic (well, I find it fascinating, but then it was part of my studies at university), because it’s all tied in with human need to identify with particular groups or ‘tribes’.

Yeah i was very surprised to learn how much I relied on all this stuff.  I had internalised all the social codes (and, indeed, value judgements).  As a scrawny long haired kid who used to get grief in the streets from tossers, I looked out for all the details – a couple of skinheads wearing t-shirts with a small Bathing Ape logo? Probably harmless stoners and MoWax fans. Same, but the small logos are Ben Sherman or Henri Lloyd? Possibly pissed up Lads, the same type who’ve given me a kicking in the past. Maybe cross the road.

It was only when I moved to Prague in my mid-20s, and I was in a totally different culture where all these tiny signifiers meant nothing at all, so my compass was broken, that I really discovered how important it was to have a sense of it all. I felt lost!  And unsafe!

how did i know that Fjallraven would be used as an example?

(it’s one of the preferred brands of the fighty-Sheffield-United lot)

fwiw, most of my clothes come from : Sainsburys, and or MnS.

If Cotton Traders and Peter Storm would remove the logos from their clothing I reckon they would sell a shed load more.

 Peter Storm

Regatta has already rehabilitated its image pretty well. I’m sure PS could do the same if they had a bit of a marketing budget.

I couldn’t give a stuff, I’ll continue wearing my NF, Rab, Arcteryx. I don’t think this grey bearded 70 year old will be mistaken for a roadman/chav/ned or whatever.

I don’t think this grey bearded 70 year old will be mistaken for a roadman/chav/ned or whatever.

What you sayin’ cuz? Man needs more food to earn some Ps innit.

Oh sorry, I thought you were someone else.

Hugo Boss used to do a good line in black uniforms, didn’t they?

I do find civvies wearing military gear odd, but that’s my bias and I own that.

Someone suggested a Buffalo Belay jacket to me.

The first words on the web page: “A light, short compact jacket used by Military, Police, Mountain Rescue Teams and outdoor professionals.” Top results of places selling it are all military gear, prepper, and camouflage stores. People on YouTube showing and reviewing are also that hobbyist type.

I’ve no problem with the quoted occupations but the product’s pitching at and popularity with those wannabes puts me right off.

Someone suggested a Buffalo Belay jacket to me.

When I joined in the 90’s it was the Gucci kit de jour as the military kit market wasn’t as abundant as it is now. It was a popular layer as the army was still issuing what we called the Chinese fighting jacket, a quilted jacket liner you wore over your shirt and under your jacket.

The buffalo and the other bit of warmers kit, the Norwegian sweater actually worked and gain credibility as products from.defemc usage.

Buffalo capitalised on their popularity and took the usage by the military as credibility of the product; these days you’d struggle to find a soldier wearing one as there are ample other offerings in a plethora of camouflage patterns.

I would liken them to the modern UKSF/Para/Commando tags and ethos many try and use though with kit that is simply military adjacent.

Hugo Boss used to do a good line in black uniforms, didn’t they?

And grey. And blue.