http://theava.com/04/1027-nakedpeople.html

I had some arguments for the values of tradition, creativity through constraint, and basic utility in there. But perhaps you’d rather just poke at me for no particular reason.

The more formal end of the male clothing spectrum has remained relatively static because it works: the cuts allow maximal enhancement/display of the male physique, while preserving grace during movement, and the patterns tend to be muted to allow for maximal deployment.

You just described a unitard, not a suit.

*my name is Chris too ;)

You said, “Circular logic. It looks silly to you because you’ve defined difference as silly looking.”

No, I’ve defined the clothes in the picture as silly looking because they’re flippin’ silly looking to me. There’s little textural difference between the fabrics, yet garish differences in pattern. The items are either overly loose, or impractically tight (if one were to bend one’s torso in that short-ass DB coat, one would expose plumber’s crack & pop buttons). These clothes look like cheap costumes, not handsomely made and durable items. This is an aesthetic judgment, and honestly not really subject to a  “logical fallacy” test.

Sometimes there are advantages to hewing to a predefined set of parameters when being creative, as enthusiasts of the 808 drum machine, printing presses, etc. can attest.

The more formal end of the male clothing spectrum has remained relatively static because it works: the cuts allow maximal enhancement/display of the male physique, while preserving grace during movement, and the patterns tend to be muted to allow for maximal deployment. Also, people think you’re HAWT when you wear the stuff well.

Difference does not always = good, just as conformity does not always = bad. That non-conformist airplane design might look really cool, but it’s pretty useless if it defies basic aerodynamic rules. LIKE THESE CLOTHES.

On the other hand, for every trendy womens item, there are several classic items like the men’s items I described above. So perhaps the same holds for womens clothes. With the exception of certain trendy items and atrocities, fashion generally remains stable over time. 

Sure there is a pendulum, black this year, brown next year, wide lapels then thin lapels and so forth, but for example, something like ‘no lapels’ might appear and be cool for a season, but ‘no lapels’ will never enter the cycle. There are exceptions to this – I can think of several but it seems that this is in general, the cycle.

As for these, mm, *crave*. But I want to know: the two bishie boys are obviously Messrs Oldman and Defoe’s seconds.  Who won the duel?

Chasing trends can lead to the somewhat silly-looking, instantly dated fits on display in this article.

Circular logic. It looks silly to you because you’ve defined difference as silly looking.

Fashion is a relatively recent invention.

Recent as in only around for about 10,000 years?

Just like powerful rulers through out history you can not simply exist (well perhaps on your private island you could) in a bubble.  If you wish to protect yourself and assets then you must have some defenses.  So now you are not just paying for yourself/family, you are also paying for the private commandos that protect you, and perhaps their families, your compound, ect..

I don’t think it would devolve back to the middle ages.  We have people cooking up LSD and meth at home, I’m pretty sure us common folk could work out some basic home grown medicines.  Add in some good old barter and trade and you could still have a functional society.  If no one could make any more money…well there went the vast majority of tax revenue, so it’s not like the government is going to be held together long, followed by police, ect..

I do agree that our modern medical care and technology in general would fall apart to some degree.  But I do wonder (at least in America) if you would see the rich hating on the poor.  A lot of them do believe in capitalist ideas, and with a lot of what they have in demand it looks like they could easily have a work force at their finger tips.  Thinking about it…it really sounds kind of like China.