Calling things 'dated' is......dated.

[Pheasantlysurprised]

I see it a lot on here; if something isn't trending on instagram or god forbid if it was relevant more than a year ago - then it must be dated.

What even defines dated anyway?
Who or what decides?
And who out of all of us, has the qualification to announce it?

It seems to be yet another, insidious way to put a person down. A pair of long boots is dated because it was trending a few yrs back. If there isn't a glut of it on the cheap end of the market, it must be dated. Whether it is the height of a boot, the length of a dress, a brand of trainers or a hair parting, there will always be several declarations about how dated the thing is, so that the poster slinks off in shame.

And what does it achieve? Probably a lot more waste. It certainly doesn't support current ethical or environmental concerns. If we live in fear of an item being considered dated then we are blindly following trends, at the mercy of marketing, overspending, contributing to landfill and excessive consumption (along with the ethical, human and animal issues integral to that).

It is such an odd thing to repeat on a forum that otherwise supports and encourages mindful consumption and women's self confidence (debatable sometimes ).
I can just about handle mumsy, frumpy, etc - they are pretty dire but have connotations many of us sadly grew up with. But 'dated' only ever comes off as a put down. It rarely offers advice or constructive ideas.
And let's be honest, as soon as an item becomes less desirable, it will cycle back around and hit the top of the chart again very soon. Who even fucking cares?

I'm not suggesting getting dressed with your eyes shut, l love clothes. But it does seem a little bit desperate and insecure to parrot this weird terror of 'yesterday's papers' so frequently that it seems like inventing pointless rules and restrictions for the sake of it.
I love my docs, i have worn them for over 5 yrs (also did as a teen), and they seem to have made a resurgence in recent years - everyone championing them on MN for instance like a rule of law - but when they recede a bit and the next goddamn trend boot arrives, people will jump into place and obey the bullshit.

I think we need to make our own rules, waste less and actually have the nous and confidence to do what the hell we like. I'd encourage us all to quit rolling over and being led by the nose (or wallet) so easily. Creativity can't be that dead, surely?

I agree, OP. It’s nonsense. I’m trying to buy only clothes that I love and will be able to wear for years. I believe that many of us are feeling the same. Even my teen DD has stopped consuming fast-fashion and is more interested in classic and vintage.

I think the fashion industry coined the term OP so that we are constantly buying into new tends and therefore, their clothes/shoes etc.

The weirdest term I’ve heard banded around at the moment is ‘cheugy’ I haven’t quite worked out the exact meaning but it’s just a spin on dated. Usually said by Gen Z wearing 90s clothes. So what I take from this is, it’s ok to be dated if that dated is current trends i.e shops are pushing us to buy it 😊

There's a difference though, isn't there, between something that is classic/vintage and something that is dated.
If you find a classic look that suits you and stick with it, then you'll look timeless rather than dated. See fine knits, well cut trousers, dresses in a classic style, a denim jacket, a biker jacket, straight jeans, a simple t shirt... etc. All of that stuff is always "there" in the background, while fast trends come and go. Whereas, as a pp said, "dated" is the stuff that's in for a season or two and then out... ie Juicy Couture tracksuits, handkerchief tops, those trousers with skirts over the top, low slung Miss Sixty jeans with a massive chain belt, and so on.

Your point is right though, OP

@Findingthelight1

There's a difference though, isn't there, between something that is classic/vintage and something that is dated. If you find a classic look that suits you and stick with it, then you'll look timeless rather than dated. See fine knits, well cut trousers, dresses in a classic style, a denim jacket, a biker jacket, straight jeans, a simple t shirt... etc. All of that stuff is always "there" in the background, while fast trends come and go. Whereas, as a pp said, "dated" is the stuff that's in for a season or two and then out... ie Juicy Couture tracksuits, handkerchief tops, those trousers with skirts over the top, low slung Miss Sixty jeans with a massive chain belt, and so on.

Your point is right though, OP

i think it is a thing of opinion. Your post reminded me that i always perceive biker jackets as ubiquitous (in the sense that so many people recommend them). And yet, are they? Is it just my own aversion to them that makes me think this way? Probably. I sure isnt intended to put someone down who loves them. Maybe this is where we come from when we say such things.

As for classic.....i have a long, very long dark navy wool coat. It reaches my ankles, and i see examples of the exact same thing in tv from the 80's, 90's, etc. It doesnt look out of place at all, but spans the decades. I think we all have a coat in mind that does that, an we are all searching for it.

Food for thought.

@dropitlikeitsloth

I think the fashion industry coined the term OP so that we are constantly buying into new tends and therefore, their clothes/shoes etc.

The weirdest term I’ve heard banded around at the moment is ‘cheugy’ I haven’t quite worked out the exact meaning but it’s just a spin on dated. Usually said by Gen Z wearing 90s clothes. So what I take from this is, it’s ok to be dated if that dated is current trends i.e shops are pushing us to buy it 😊

like every generation before them, we had our gheugy, but with a more palatable descriptor (shite), i dont think they're on to something new

cheugy! ( i am disturbed that my spellcheck did NOT want to correct that!)

Fashion is an art and like any art it evolves. So yes, there is current and there is dated. And it isn’t some capitalist conspiracy.

That’s not about ‘put downs’ to the unfashionable, it is an objective fact - verifiable. Crinolines are out. Chunky boots are in.

Sure, there’s a spectrum but looking dated is a thing and it’s fair enough to say it. And yes it applies to skinny jeans.

You’re right OP. Planned obsolescence is terrible for the planet. And we’ve seen so many trends go round and round that I wonder if there will ever be any new ideas in fashion, or whether we’ve finally exhausted all feasible possibilities of dressing the human body.

In my teenage years (the nineties), fashion was inspired by the seventies. And now, as a PP said, the nineties look is back in.

Maybe one day scientists will invent amazing new fabrics that light up, or change shape, or are digitally interactive or something. But until then, I think there’s nothing new to look forward to. So you may as well pick whatever is flattering for you.

@Cattenberg

You’re right OP. Planned obsolescence is terrible for the planet. And we’ve seen so many trends go round and round that I wonder if there will ever be any new ideas in fashion, or whether we’ve finally exhausted all feasible possibilities of dressing the human body.

In my teenage years (the nineties), fashion was inspired by the seventies. And now, as a PP said, the nineties look is back in.

Maybe one day scientists will invent amazing new fabrics that light up, or change shape, or are digitally interactive or something. But until then, I think there’s nothing new to look forward to. So you may as well pick whatever is flattering for you.

you make sense!

If I saw someone out wearing ugg boots, jeggings, and some sort of neoprene tight top in a psychedelic print with poker straight flat ironed hair and frosty blue eyeshadow...I don't know how else I'd describe their look other than dated!

How about you let go of the need to describe their look as anything. Just accept that not everyone wants to dress the same and go about your day. I might see someone and think - oh I don't like that top, dress, whatever - but that's as far as it goes and I don't feel the need to describe their "look" at all.

perfect.

Well said, OP. I couldn't agree with you more.

Fair enough but this is Style and Beauty and many posters here are interested in fashion, and fashion is transient

Fashion is transient, yes. Style, beauty and good quality aren't.

Must feel good to go on a “style and beauty” board and write an essay about people are hapless victims of the capitalist agenda?

Honestly OP people exchange ideas about what to buy and what looks good and there is no shame in wanting to look current. Hence posters ask and others give their opinions and it might be that an item is indeed demode.

Like PP said It’s the nature of fashion that is transient and you are welcome to not bother about it if that makes you feel superior, but not sure why you need to announce it on a style and beauty board.

If you love clothes while genuinely not caring what's in fashion then I can only take my hat off to you. Me, I find it really interesting watching it happen: something comes along, looks a bit weird but your friend buys one.... you try it on... you buy your own.... suddenly everyone's wearing it, so much so that it starts to look boring.... and then it slowly slides out of the picture, only to come around a couple of decades later looking fresh again.

And what fascinates me the most is how what I see before me changes over the process. I may tell myself I'm independent and I like what I like and I'm not influenced by fashion, oh no not me. But I know it's bullshit.

I used to collect vintage clothes and I'm sorry but, as far as I'm concerned, the idea that fashion is part of a 21st century plot to enslave us all to consumerism is delusional. It moves faster now for sure but then so does the whole world. And I think it's unfair to characterise all trends as fleeting, one season affairs when some of them hang around for a couple of decades.

I do understand how some words can be really offensive. I'm surprised you think 'mumsy' is more acceptable because, for me, that's taking the essence of who someone is and then using it as an insult. Plus there are alternatives to that word. But I'm not sure how you think we can talk about this stuff, on a style and beauty board, without using concepts like fashionable and dated.

@gofg

If I saw someone out wearing ugg boots, jeggings, and some sort of neoprene tight top in a psychedelic print with poker straight flat ironed hair and frosty blue eyeshadow...I don't know how else I'd describe their look other than dated!

How about you let go of the need to describe their look as anything. Just accept that not everyone wants to dress the same and go about your day. I might see someone and think - oh I don't like that top, dress, whatever - but that's as far as it goes and I don't feel the need to describe their "look" at all.

I would think they just loved retro styling, thought they were cool dressing different to the crowd then just go about my day.

I saw a woman in Newquay recently, early 30s?, in some amazing 70s print flared trousers (orange with and brown flowers) and thought she looked amazing and then later tried to find them online (Freepeople but all sold out boo!)

Tbh I think a lot of people use the term just to discredit things they personally don't like, don't suit or find uncomfortable. I've noticed that its often the harder to wear styles that get this label. Others have just latched on to it because its a MN cliché word, like 'grim' and 'vile'. I really dislike it for all the reasons you've already stated.

@dropitlikeitsloth I would think they just loved retro styling, thought they were cool dressing different to the crowd then just go about my day. I saw a woman in Newquay recently, early 30s?, in some amazing 70s print flared trousers (orange with and brown flowers) and thought she looked amazing and then later tried to find them online (Freepeople but all sold out boo!)

Point 1 - I find that very hard to believe, PP described a dated look perfectly without being offensive because genuinely nobody would wear that combination of clothes/hair/make-up these days. And point 2 - flared trousers and 70s print are in fashion so... consider yourself influenced I guess? I totally agree with @Floisme that people might think they're being individual, but we all draw on what we see other people wearing so I think it's impossible not to be influenced by fashion.

@Pheasantlysurprised i think it is a thing of opinion. Your post reminded me that i always perceive biker jackets as ubiquitous (in the sense that so many people recommend them). And yet, are they? Is it just my own aversion to them that makes me think this way? Probably. I sure isnt intended to put someone down who loves them. Maybe this is where we come from when we say such things.

Not sure I understand your point. Are you implying that you consider biker jackets as dated as a Juicy Couture tracksuit? Surely ubiquitous = fashionable (to some extent, as in popular) so the very opposite? But then also classic as you wouldn't look out of place wearing one for the past number of years. Whether they are to individual tastes is a different story.

I think I sort of agree with your point, in that I don't like to dress 'trendy' and will wear things that aren't necessarily in fashion if they suit me. And also think we need to move away from fast fashion, which isn't exactly an unusual opinion. But also 'dated' is a useful description, and would generally be used to describe a 'trendy' outfit just 10/15 years down the line so I can't agree with you on that point.

Point 1 - I find that very hard to believe

Ok… Whether you believe what I’d say I’d think isn’t really for me to worry about tbh. I know I’d see someone dressed in 70s clothes and think they were cool. You don’t have to believe me!! 🤣. Why am I going to lie about my opinions on an anonymous forum, for what end?! 🤣

And point 2 - flared trousers and 70s print are in fashion so... consider yourself influenced

I’ve always loved 70s clothes, even when they weren’t ‘in’ which is why I noticed her, so…?? 😐

Well i do love clothes but dont like fashion. Trends are mildly fascinating but whilst the social/observational component definitely is interesting, the excessive consumption is a problem.

Flo, i was happy in my 20's with how it went - new stuff hit the shops at intervals, there was more than enough and it changed at a slower pace.I loved checking out Topshop a few times per year, it was so exciting.

Nowadays in comparison, it is constant, if i search for a top or jacket on some highstreet websites i can get stuck on an endless scroll of 2,000 items.
There is such a things as too much choice, and we are most definitely screwing up the planet this way.

We can surely have fun with clothes and enjoy them cycling in and out without such excess.

And we all know how most stores dropped quality for mass produced, at lower cost for quick profit. It is difficult to locate anything of decent quality on the mass market now. Even previously respected brands (M&S, Boden, etc) have joined the race to the bottom.
Passive consumption and an uncritical acceptance of fast paced trend shifting is a huge part of what keeps this in place. It evolved with the concept of making things more affordable for everyone but resulted in overkill imho.

I am actually not a mum, but I loathe the word "mumsy". It suggests that being/looking like a mum is a negative thing - some of us would love to look like mums!

Dated I see quite differently. It's not of the current look. And that's fine, not everyone wants to look current, and indeed I have things in my wardrobe I trot out every year (knitwear, coats), but if someone does, then there are certain things which do look "dated". I'd stick skinny jeans and knee-high boots in that basket myself, but I know others disagree with that. I also think there is a point where something goes past looking "dated" and becomes "vintage", and that's a whole other scene. I have a friend who wears amazing dagger collared blouses, and it is clearly A Look as opposed to just not keeping up with trends.

I bet this conversation doesn't happen in car forums, or boards where people discuss fishing rods.

@Mamette

Fair enough but this is Style and Beauty and many posters here are interested in fashion, and fashion is transient.

I get what you’re saying and I’m certainly not at the cutting edge myself, nor do I want to be. But the idea that people should just jettison the whole idea of styles being in or out of fashion is a bit unrealistic. Many people really enjoy following fashion and part of that is welcoming in new trends and identifying ones that have passed.

Precisely what I think, this is style and beauty after all. However OP, I do agree that there are some people on this board who like to stick the knife in and mock other peoples’ choices in a way that’s really just unkind. Not the majority, but I do see people climbing over themselves to put down posters who have linked to what they think is a pretty dress or whatever, only to be told actually it’s shit and their taste is shit and not fashun

I think some the issue stems from some people using ‘dated’ as a descriptor to mean it is ubiquitous with a previous era/decade/time, and some feel it is a veiled put down said with an air of superiority by someone who is trendy.

I use it as the former option. Using names as an example - Willow is very trendy right now and will probably be dated in 20 years, Shelia is heavily associated with women in their 60-70s and is considered dated now, and Elizabeth is not heavily tied to any era because of steady use over time. All are lovely names without one being better than another, but there are different associations with each. This is the same in fashion - some trends are dated to a prior era waiting to come back, some are very current but will also date, and few items are timeless. Calling something dated isn’t (to me) an inherently negative statement, it’s saying that something isn’t the height of trends now and is more associated with a previous period.

Fashion is an art and like any art it evolves. So yes, there is current and there is dated. And it isn’t some capitalist conspiracy

Agree that fashion is an art, but it's the fashion business that promotes whether something is 'current' or 'dated'.

Hmm, this is interesting and I feel quite conflicted about what you've posted. On one hand - I hate the waste and excess of "fast fashion" and the endless scrolling cycle you describe. On the other hand, what I've always loved and found fascinating about fashion and style is the evolution of it. Having my head turned by a new silhouette, seeing a trend take hold and getting excited about trying out a new look myself. And if you're interested in fashion it's inevitable that after you've worn/ seen a style to death it's not going to look quite so fresh any more, hence "dated".

Personally I try to consume mindfully - almost all that I buy is secondhand - and I love pulling old clothes out of the wardrobe and styling them up so they look more fresh and modern. So I think there's a way of doing it without huge Primark/ Shein hauls every week.

Finally, I don't think "dated" is anywhere near as insulting as words like "frumpy" or "mumsy", which both feel ageist and personal. "Dated" is more likely to refer to a piece of clothing or a style rather than a person. I see women dressing in a fashionable, modern way no matter what their age or reproductive status.