Skinny trousers ad

This old Playboy ad for "long, lean, black slimmer" trousers (clearly the skinny jeans of the day) shows how strikin a non-standard ad-size can be. Plus: "Stirrup straps for extra tautness!"

The Black Slimmer

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Anonymous

For all you 20-30 yr old hipsters knocking pleats and such I would just like to remind you that time marches on. Someday you will have extra pounds and find nothing you used to wear fits well. Tick…tock..
- skeletoncityrepeater
  
  Speak for yourself. I am 35 and I weigh the same as I did in high school. I search for nice pants like this all the time, since new stuff is ridiculously expensive. 32″ waist, 34″ inseam, just like it always was. Pleats make me look stupid.
Anonymous

40 years from now people will be making jokes about our penchant for low-rise asscrack jeans and pretorn ones.
William George

I still find it a miracle that they could reproduce without penises back then.
Antinous / Moderator

You can’t get a 22″ waist with a 76″ inseam anymore.
Kosmoid

Not as offensive as khakis with pleats.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  It’s not only a crime with khakis.
  - Gulliver
    
    Now that’s a crime against humanity…and breakfast.
  - freshacconci
    
    Is there any worse sartorial crime than pleats?
    - Gulliver
      
      Is there any worse sartorial crime than pleats?
      
      Hey! Why if you weren’t just a voice in the ether I’d…I’d…I’d iron your pants!
      - freshacconci
        
        If that’s a firm offer, I’ll send you the address.
      - Gulliver
        
        Nah, I’m all talk.
    - CH
      
      But, but… I like pleats!
penguinchris

I agree the ad is funny, but I bet it’s exaggerated and in reality these pants probably looked pretty good, though ahead of their time. Bagginess, poor fit, and especially pleats are all really awful.
thequickbrownfox

“skinny jeans” means you need to be tall and slim, like me, or you have a bad case of epithet fail.
sokun

I should fit into them well
Gulliver

There the wrong trousers, Gromet!
squeeziecat

given all the anti-pleat vitriol this has inspired, I predict a big comeback of pleats in 2013. all that hate is just repressed envy.
- freshacconci
  
  I do always envy a nice giant pelvis.
Thorzdad

Your children will bring back pleats and scoff at your fashion-fail flat-front pants. And the thick, black eyeglasses.

That’s just the way these things work.
- Gulliver
  
  I’m still waiting for disco to rise again. I’ve got some sharkskin pants, Qiana shirts and a double-knit blazer that would make Harry Casey droll with envy.
- freshacconci
  
  I was about to disagree with you but the kids with their 80s fashions stopped me. I lived through the 80s and hated the fashions then. Now teenagers things it’s awesome.
  
  But I do think that flat-front pants on men are timeless and pleated men’s pants are never in fashion.
ROSSINDETROIT

Flat front pants may look neater when you stand but when you sit, pleated ones are roomier. As in not squeezing your abdomen. So comfort or vanity, the same choice as ever.
Men’s fashions are slightly cyclical and pleats will never go away. Four years ago when I was selling men’s clothing flat front was favored by men under about 35 and pleated ruled above that.
In case anyone wondered what stirrup straps are, they’re adjustable elastic loops sewn into the side seams above the cuff. They go under the foot (inside the shoe) and the tension keeps the legs taut.
BTW I’m already back to the heavy black eyeglass frames and what are you waiting for?
- freshacconci
  
  Ah, but should men over 35 really be dressing themselves? Something happens to men post-40ish and any sense of anything
  
  freshacconci
  
  (hmm cut off for some reason)
  
  …any sense of anything goes out the window.
  
  And I’m 42 in case you think I’m just some young punk ragging on the old coots.

ROSSINDETROIT

The majority of women seek novelty in clothing. What they already own lacks value, having been drained of its newness by wearing. The majority of men, especially over 35 or so, seek familiarity. They tend to buy clothes that seem similar to what they’re comfortable with. That’s the general psychology of selling clothing: sell a man what he’s already wearing, sell a woman something newer than what she’s got on.
I’m 52 and 2 weeks ago took my 19 year old niece shopping in trendy ‘vintage’ clothing shops. If everything old is new again, the old/new change appears to happen after about 30 years.

irksome

Living on Cape Cod, I get to see pleated SHORTS.

Oh, the humanity!

Kosmoid

More fashion rules to live by:

No text or logos on any item of clothing, even casual, even T-shirts.

Running shoes for only when you’re running.

No flip-flops, for either sex.

Belt matches shoe color.

Shirt is never darker than the tie.

I’m sure there are more…

Anonymous

Black slacks…when I put ‘em on I’m a cool daddio….

Anonymous

That does not look like a nonstandard size to me. Where I work, we would call that a 1/3 vertical.

Bob Stanley

Has there ever been a fashion fad for men as uncomfortable as the current one for wearing pants completely beneath the butt cheeks?

It’s literally difficult to walk with them. They have to constantly adjust them and/or hold them. I’ve seen the pants completely fall down on more than once. I’ve seen underpants ride down as they walk without the person noticing.

ramengirl

I watched some guy wearing his jeans below his butt pull his boxer briefs out of his butt crack the other day. It was 97, his underwear must have been sticking to him. And he did this all while walking down the sidewalk and talking on his cell phone. Gross!

timquinn

But which Dobb’s hat goes with skinny legs?

When Peter Green wrote “Oh Well” in 1967 he was making fun of himself when he said “I can’t help it about the shape I’m in I can’t sing, I ain’t pretty and my legs are thin”

When Tom Petty covers it today that line gets a huge response from the crowd.

Go figure.