Super dry .... Aibu or is it vulgar?

[thegreekmyths]

There has been a proliferation of people in super dry outerwear. Everywhere you look the the logo emblazoned on the back right shoulder. I saw a whole family the other day branded with "super dry" on their puffa jackets. Why????? Am I an old fogey or is it a bit vulgar?

[Sparklingbrook]

All this talk of parkas is transporting me back to school in the 80s and the snorkel parkas.

[LiviaDrusillaAugusta]

Hate branded clothing but it's a free country - you can't move for Superdry in the town I work.

I think it's a bit like Burberry was at one point - once it becomes popular to that extent, it risks being seen as a chav brand (and yes I know that word is a no no on MN but people still judge)

[MackerelOfFact]

I bought a Superdry jacket this year. The logo is barely visible but I did need to go on a training course to figure out what to do with all the zips.

Anyway, I like it. My previous winter coat was a Berghaus. I like to be warm.

[WanderingTrolley1]

I'd say Superdry is common.

[flossietoot]

Really horrible and tacky on anyone beyond teenage boys. My husband has a few hoodies which I am not a fan of. Particularly hate the black coats with the luminous writing on the back shoulder.

[FithColumnist]

It's the new North Face.

[LiviaDrusillaAugusta]

It had to be practically Arctic for me to wear a coat so perhaps I'm biased

[Crazypetlady]

I don't like the coats, I don't like clothes with brands emblazoned on them but I wouldn't describe them as vulgar just a bit ugly looking

[LaurieMarlow]

Vulgar is an entirely meaningless word if you ask me. Taste is an entirely subjective thing. Fashions come and go - nothing is inherently better than anything else.

Super dry certainly isn't to my taste, but there's nothing more to it than that.

[Pipbin]

I think that gauche would be a better word that vulgar.

[TheCatsFlaps]

I think that gauche would be a better word that vulgar.

^ This!

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

Would it be vulgar if it said Joules on the back of the collar facing out?

[Pennybubbly]

Not sure whether the brand is 'vulgar' or not, but the wording in Japanese makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Just random kanji/words put together with no meaning.

That's a bit crap. In my opinion.

[PeanutButterLips]

My DP had a superdry coat a few years ago and wore it to the shop while it was pouring with rain.
He came back looking like a drowned rat and said 'the fuck is this super dry'
Dnt think he ever wore it again
But his initials are JW so I might have to buy some Jack Wills clothes

[mathanxiety]

Around here it was all North Face for the teens and tweens a few years ago. Before then you were nobody if you didn't advertise Abercrombie & Fitch on the front of your t's. There was a little overlap, and Uggs completed the trifecta for a good few 14 yos.

Is it vulgar to advertise the brand you can afford? Yes, imo. The clothes and jackets and boots are well worth the money, nice fabrics, well made, but to essentially advertise that you can afford them all is naff.

[FrikkaDilla]

Now, THIS is vulgar www.faithsimpson.co.uk/

[Sparklingbrook]

I am sure i have just seen a thread about that Frikka.

[Owllady]

I own a teenage boy so I'm familiar with the brand :o

[Only1scoop]

I personally find it a bit tack and tastique on adults of 18 plus.

A whole family all supered up....well

[IfNotNowThenWhenever]

The clothes and jackets and boots are well worth the money, nice fabrics, well made, but to essentially advertise that you can afford them all is naff.
Yep. ^^
And vulgar. I say vulgar all the time in real life! But I think I need to use gauche more..

[LarrytheCucumber]

DD calls Superdry 'aspirational chav'.

[Birdsgottafly]

""DD calls Superdry 'aspirational chav'""

Unless she's going through the know it all 12-14 year old stage, I'd feel quite ashamed of that and I'd still challenge her.

I'm 47, my best dog walking coat is a NorthFace bought in Cheshire Oaks, years ago, I couldn't have got one as cheap, that does the same.

Superdry turns up in Cheshire Oaks and you can get stuff really cheap in their outlet stores.

I don't know anyone over 35 who wears it, except for things like checked shirts, but one woman I know, who hates handbags, her SD jacket is perfect for her, she's had it two years, so it must be decent quality.

In Liverpool the summer 'uniform', is Hugo Boss T shirts, for men.

[Sparklingbrook]

I used to love Cheshire Oaks, some real bargains. But I don't think it's as good now.

I asked DS2 last night and he says Adidas is ok but Nike isn't. He's 14.

[limitedperiodonly]

Superdry is called Superdry because the English founders went on holiday to Tokyo about 10 years ago and noticed that everyone was prefixing their words with super- in that very annoying way that people used to do.

So they called their new brand of clothing that and added some Japanese writing to make it look cool.

They did well but over-expanded and the crash of 2008 hit them very hard. In order to save their business they went mass-market. About two years ago they had a major investment from venture capitalists and hope to take their brand upmarket in order to steer it away from the Daniella Westbrook Effect.

The thing is, it will never be Burberry and that's not their intention. Their aim is to create an illusion of quality - starting with removing the obvious branding.

Does that make it vulgar? Well, it's not great but no worse quality than other high street brands that people mistake for upmarket - perhaps including you OP.

I have a subscription to Drapers' Record and am a mine of information of dull facts about clothing retail. The subject doesn't come up nearly as often in pub quizzes as Sport and Showbiz do, so I leap at any opportunity to dazzle people with my knowledge.

[snowymountaintops]

Very interesting limitedperiodonly! Does it say what we should all be wearing without looking out of date already?