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?

Agree op !

Is it the use of the word 'dated', especially when used in a sneery way, that you find objectionable or the discussions themselves?

If it's the first then maybe offer an alternative word? I'd be happy to use it if it did the job.
If it's the second, well I don't know what to suggest really. I think I'm a reasonably mindful shopper who buys second hand most of the time, but I still find the cycle of fashion really interesting and I enjoy chewing it over.

(Incidentally - and ok this is a slight digression - I think some of the biggest charlatans in the fashion industry right now are in the second hand business. I've been buying it, on and off, since the 70s and I don't think I've seen as much cynically overpriced shit as I have lately.)

@Floisme

Where do you tend to go for your preloved clothes Flosime?

Mostly from real shops Divebar - I'll buy new online but, if something's second hand I like to see it for real first. Back in the day, I knew loads of good traders but most of them have gone.
New places are opening up everywhere because it's become fashionable to buy second hand, but I have little time either for their overpriced tat or for their self righteous posturing.
I have two outlets that I still trust - a local market stall and a dress agency - and when they retire, that'll probably be the end of the road for me.
There are still charity shops of course which are good fun but round here they're too hit and miss to count on.

Honestly, i was reading this long and wonderful thread from a few months ago which inspired my OP

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/4210905-Why-is-the-quality-of-everything-so-shit

I do actually think that the corporate market does influence and promote over spending and fast turnaround for less quality. Most of this is discussed in the linked thread, which is a great read if you are interested in why even higher end stores are joining the race to the bottom.

I do believe we can be more mindful as well as enjoying clothes. Im not really interested in excuses which defend excessive consumption and that the industry is innocent in this regard.
Our capacity to fear looking dated is most definitely played upon. And if this strikes anyone as a 'conspiracy' then you need to read some John Berger.

And, yes, the pressure is there with men, too, but not via clothes. My DP watches those wild camping vids and jesus christ.....

For anyone interested in Berger, he wrote a fantastic book called 'ways of seeing' which i had to read at uni. The emphasis is upon a more arty academic theme but there are some really powerful observations about the power of advertising.

I'm on that thread you linked op. I still enjoy talking about what's in fashion. I'll check out Berger.

Thank you for the Berger recommendation. I've actually had that book on my shelf for years (left behind by an ex!). You've inspired me to pick it up finally.

@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 😊

I googled "cheugy" and fell down an internet rabbit hole of youth speak

I can't wait to drop it into conversation with my tiktok obsessed teens and watch how much they cringe

@AnaViaSalamanca

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.

I have to agree with you. People have every right to wear whatever they want, and that includes following current trends. Not everyone has the same opinion as you, OP, and that shouldn’t bother you so much.

Just to say that I agree with pretty much everything @Floisme has written on this thread.

Also, yy re. Berger's Ways of Seeing - it's one of those seminal books, there's an accompanying BBC series too.

I do find the word 'dated' as being quite troublesome at times, not least because it means different things to different people. I tend to say that something isn't very modern or current.

Great thread, OP. It’s so easy to get sucked in by all the bullshit that personally I’ve realised I’m going to have to be much more proactive about avoiding it (unsubscribing from marketing emails, deleting shopping apps and avoiding insta etc are steps I’ve recently taken). As a feminist (and - I hope - someone who generally thinks fairly critically) I feel disappointed in how easily taken in I’ve been by it all, but although it’s taking time - mainly because I adore clothes - getting away from the overconsumption mindset is a process I’ve hopefully started. Buying predominantly second hand has helped, but I think the next step for me is to work on appreciating what I have more (not just clothes!) so that I stop trying to fill a void by buying stuff. Anyway, thanks for the thread - lots of food for thought.

@Floisme - that’s very true, every other eBay listing I read says some bs like “by buying this you are making a positive choice for the environment!” That said, I’ve still found some real gems on there over the years (I hardly ever buy designer though - mainly the higher-end high st labels who still sometimes use natural fibres!)

Agreed Peppercorn9 - I'm still managing to find some cracking things and I've had a lot of fun looking. But it's a case of diminishing returns.

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 totally agree OP, and find that people who use criticisms such as "dated" are sadly lacking in any imagination or creativity. Blindly following trends simply because it's the latest thing highlights this.