To think that some young people dress like they're oppressed?

[WindInTheWillows7]

I'm in my early 20s, and I've noticed some fashion trends among my peers which seem deliberately geared toward making the wearer look what I can only describe as oppressed. I'm only talking about my observations in student areas of London, so don't know if it's just here. For example, shaved heads; baggy clothes which make you look undernourished; workman boots and cropped trousers that make you look like you're in a prison camp in Siberia; boxy worker jackets; fisherman beanie hats... It's almost a dystopian look, or like they've emerged from a Soviet country, malnourished, pale, and worn out from heavy labour.

(FYI, I am no fashionista and I am not "judging" people who dress like this, just wanting to see if others have noticed it and what you think it's all about!).

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1080101.shtml

This is closer to what I'm thinking of

@WindInTheWillows7

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1080101.shtml

This is closer to what I'm thinking of

Ah, I see. Nope, not into that look at all. Too scarecrowy for my tastes!

@baroqueandblue

I love the look some of you have identified, hadn't consciously noticed it much but seeing some of the examples I realise it's been in my 'peripheral vision'. Particularly enjoyed the Esquire article that breaks it down and gives some tips on how to put it together. But the prices! 😲 And I guess that's what the OP was getting at. Some kind of cross been fisherperson chic and austere-looking workwear actually appears to cost a small fortune if you want to get it right! The fabrics are fairly rough-looking or chunky, lots of ribbed knitwear and coarse materials and sheepskin in the coats/jackets - all at higher end boutique prices. At the beginning of the thread I thought it must be something to do with millennials being hideously priced out of life, but now I'm not so sure, unless it's what sounds like the cut price version - shapeless oversized jumpers or coats and trousers which can be bought cheaper in charity shops. Except as various MN threads have discussed, even a lot of chazzers these days charge the earth for some of the tat they sell!

But I understand what you're describing and I think it's in the same vein. What I linked is perhaps a much scruffier, street-fashion version of the fisherman/workman look

@WindInTheWillows7

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1080101.shtml

This is closer to what I'm thinking of

I went to London before Christmas. In the window of a designer boutique on Regent Street were models wearing jumpers and jeans like this. It made me laugh because it looked like it was a fiver from a charity shop but it cost thousands. Being young is the time of life to wear whatever the hell you want before the constraints of 'work appropriate' clothes and available cash make it harder. Being in London means you are free to be as outlandish as you wish. You are limited only by your imagination .If you are aiming for a career in the arts, media etc I would imagine that it is almost compulsory. It is lovely to see.

It’s a bit skinhead without the nasty element which killed the scene in the first place isn’t it?

@WindInTheWillows7

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1080101.shtml

This is closer to what I'm thinking of

None of those have boots or cropped trousers They have full length trousers some tucked in socks and trainers

@WindInTheWillows7

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1080101.shtml

This is closer to what I'm thinking of

Oh that's horrible. The earlier pictures looked quite the opposite of oppressed but these are "homeless, alcoholic Muscovite"

All the kids are wearing their trousers half mast aren't they?

See OP, to me that Russian collection looks quite expensive, if you factor in the tops particularly - lots of quirky or fashion-house branded prints and logos. All looks so painfully effortful and self-conscious too, to me. But those poor boys all look zero-size, which might evoke oppression but can't be healthy! 😲 I imagine here the more mainstream version is less overtly fashion house and more retro-studenty, as other posters have noticed. I love it all though, to different degrees, and this thread has been my favourite of the week! 😊

Oh that's horrible. The earlier pictures looked quite the opposite of oppressed but these are "homeless, alcoholic Muscovite"

I think the point is that street style influences couture. In this case, gopnik style has been turned into a look that has the appeal of novelty, and also a certain coherence.

I don't know if you are aware of Vivienne Westwood's designs from the late 70s/early 80s which were inspired by punk street styles?

The baggy over sized look is a reaction to the bodycon look.

It’s also unisex. (Mainly) This is quite important as this happens when equality is being achieved. Unisex first appeared in the 70’s and has reappeared now. Growing equality and transgender is a further development of this.

Goose and Gander unisex clothesare part of this trend.

As it doesn’t cling to the body it is part of the Me Too movement and is rejecting overt sexuality. It id saying l am equal but free to do as l want. I’m not here just for sexual enjoyment.

You can all come in and slag this off. But I’ve didn’t years decoding fashion. I could go back 200 years and explain how it works.

Fashion is a reflection of social history and social trends. Womens fashion is particularly interesting as it reflects their growing freedom.

Well they probably feel oppressed as 'generation rent'.

Fashion always goes in cycles - when I was in my early 20s, 60s style was the fashion (bowl cuts, polkadot dresses, winged eyeliner) - then it was 70’s (Fawcett hair, Claire’s trousers) and so on - we now appear to be back into 90’s fashion - grunge.

Flared* trousers 😂

Should have said I was in my early 20s in the noughties.

90’s Grunge is interesting.

Happened 20 years after punk. Punk was energetic and nihilistic. ‘Never Zmind The Bollocks’ was aggressive and in your face.

Grunge was passive punk . Still nihilistic, but passive. ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ replaced by Never Mind. And Kurt committed suicide which is an ultimate act of passivity. But both movements represented a step forward in terms of equality, as the clothes were worn by both sexes.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

The baggy over sized look is a reaction to the bodycon look.

It’s also unisex. (Mainly) This is quite important as this happens when equality is being achieved. Unisex first appeared in the 70’s and has reappeared now. Growing equality and transgender is a further development of this.

Goose and Gander unisex clothesare part of this trend.

As it doesn’t cling to the body it is part of the Me Too movement and is rejecting overt sexuality. It id saying l am equal but free to do as l want. I’m not here just for sexual enjoyment.

You can all come in and slag this off. But I’ve didn’t years decoding fashion. I could go back 200 years and explain how it works.

Fashion is a reflection of social history and social trends. Womens fashion is particularly interesting as it reflects their growing freedom.

You can all come in and slag this off.

............. yep, total bollocks.

It's just another opportunity for the sweatshop garment industry in this and other countries to curn out for yet more landfill . That or you could pay a fortune for the fashion label boys to hit their profit margin bonuses. Oh and my daughter is a 19 year old medical student and she said wouldn't be seen dead looking like "Dick Head". Apparently that is the result of wearing that hat thing. You get called dickheads.

Well you obviously know more than me

I just wrote a 50000 word document on it over the space of 3 years and taught it for 25 years.

But I’ll bow to your superior knowledge

@altforvarmt

I've not seen this, but it sounds great. Young people are meant to be non-conformist. It feels like we've had a decade of young adults feeling compelled to a narrow range of acceptable looks and dress, with really separated gender norms.

I was lucky enough to be a teenager when grunge was the thing. My parents despaired - why could I not wear nice clothes that made me look pretty? - and I loved it.

Mine said the same . I do regret chucking my DMs out, probably the only things from then I'd still fit in!

Your posts are really interesting @ArseInTheCoOpWindow.

Fashion and social history are obviously very closely linked and always have been.

I went to an event recently where there were quite a few young people (probably 18-25 ish) and yes all of them were dressed in what I would describe as 'homeless chic'. Lots of frayed clothes, patches, chunky boots and beanie hats. Everything oversized, except in length.

It was all done very intentionally, if you looked closer nothing was actually old and grubby it just appeared as if it was. Did very much remind me of the grunge days, and they all seemed very comfortable! Very practical too, as it's winter and big jumpers/coats/layers are seasonally appropriate 😁

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow ignore anyone screaming bollocks. You know your stuff, and it's fascinating.

For anyone in ignorance, sweat shop clothes producers follow the trends, they don't set them

And on that note, anthropology does study stuff like clothing and trends, from an ethnographic standpoint. It has a lot to say about why we dress the way we do that is perfectly valid.

Oh and my daughter is a 19 year old medical student and she said wouldn't be seen dead looking like "Dick Head". Apparently that is the result of wearing that hat thing. You get called dickheads.

So you don’t see anything wrong with your daughter assuming someone looks like a dickhead because of wearing a hat? I’d honestly judge her over the person wearing the hat with that kind of an opinion unless she actually knows the person and they have shown themselves to be a dickhead.

Being in London means you are free to be as outlandish as you wish. You are limited only by your imagination .If you are aiming for a career in the arts, media etc I would imagine that it is almost compulsory. It is lovely to see.

That’s what I love about London and most cities in general. There isn’t much of a you have to fit a mold type of thing to be one of us. No one really bats an eye and if they do, they usually shrug and keep going.

My 14 year old dresses as you've described, not my cup of tea but as a teenager I was 'forbidden' to be even slightly different and had my hairstyle and clothes controlled. I also never had enough clothes, so now i just go with the flow of my DD's choices 😊 and she's got a full wardrobe.