Working Class Fashion Is Cool (If You’re Rich)
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- čas přidán 21. 07. 2024
- Exploring the use of workwear, working class aesthetics and utilitarian fashion particularly when adopted by wealthier people and luxury fashion brands. On the other hand, dressing expensive is also presented as desirable and necessary particularly if you're on a budget.
For further viewing, see Alice's video on working class aesthetics: • the working class aest...
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Persona 5 OST - Jak na to + styl
I once saw an aesthetic being labelled "homeless-core" and I felt disgusted. Homelessness and poverty aren't fashion choices
I think that trend stems from a picture about a Japanese homeless man. People thought he was so cool with his overalls that they tried emulating it, only to later find out that the guy wasn't wearing fashion, but rather a homeless man roaming the streets, and it just kinda snowballed from there.
@@DOT107he’s chinese his name is chen guorong
the middle-class have no shame but they can't get away with appropriating from other races anymore
Zoolander called this first
@@DOT107 No a lot of men are useless nowadays and like ape of thoth try to imitate useful men with a productive role in society. Like how the gym guy is trying to fake the natural physique of a more useful working class man like a builder.
@@seabreeze4559 there definitely is an overlap with cultural appropriation. What Anton is talking about could be labelled class appropriation. That's why people dressing rich doesn't feel gross like rich people doing the opposite. There're both about power imbalance and a lack of respect.
I think people want to dress in an "authentic" working class way because capitalism alienates us from our work. We (middle class presumably) feel like cogs in a machine. Our dress is hegemonic. Business casual is so widely adopted that it doesn't feel like a fashion style but the absence of one. This is similar to the idea that "white people have no culture". White people in America do have a culture, but it is THE culture. Wearing a headress for Halloween seems like a fun fashion choice if you feel no attachment to the clothing of your own culture because it's been wrung dry by the hegemony. Same goes with class lines, in my opinion.
Another thing I've noticed in the acceptability of utilitarian or lower-class clothing is it also depends on the kinds of bodies that are wearing them. If an overweight or middle-aged person is wearing a baggy t-shirt, waist-high wide-leg shorts, and tennis shoes, it's seen as trashy and gross, something deserving of mockery. But you put that same outfit on someone skinnier and younger, like a Gigi or Bella Hadid, and suddenly it's another banger fit from a fashion icon and everyone wants to look like that, leading to thrift stores getting cleared out by trend chasers and prices rising across the board. The people who have to wear clothes like that aren't suddenly cooler or more appreciated, it's just trendy to cosplay them for two weeks and then go back to wearing more ostentatious Gucci or Balenciaga outfits; I mean, you don't want people to think you're ACTUALLY poor, old and unattractive, right?
This is a great point!
@@ThisIsAntwon the middle-class have been parasiting off of charity shops so actually poor people have nowhere to go anymore, mary queen of shops screwed us all over by rebranding them as 'boutiques' and 10x-ing the price, when they have a charitable goal. They serve the poor. High street with all the sustainable stuff middle-class people pushed for is no longer affordable for most of the under-class especially and shein stuff breaks. But the middle-class now go on social media binges, hoarding charity shop stuff or worse, flipping it on depop, called the depop cancer. They just feed until there's nothing left, destroying the host. Then you have countersignalling like rich women buying fake birkins to flaunt they don't need it for resale, unlike the middle-class. Nobody wants to be middle class anymore nor confused for them, especially the middle class.
Off-topic but this style is very Ketu energy in astrology, what's old is new thing. It's the opposite of consumer culture (Rahu node) so seems to countersignal sincerity. Claire Nakti has videos on Ketu men and their style, like a ghostly urban ninja thing. She also has zodiac videos for each sign you'd probably like.
@@ThisIsAntwon Basically hot-take but professional re-selling especially from charity shop spending sprees should be illegal. The poor need clothes especially for things like job interviews and social mobility and poverty activists keep bringing this up. Ticket touting already is illegal and clothes are legally more vital unless you wanna get arrested.
to be fair that applies to every fashion aesthetic across the board lol. being fit makes your fit look better, that's common sense. being fat IS gross and pretending it isn't is doing nobody any favors
Almost like being in good shape makes your clothes fit and look better.. like they were designed to
The fetishization of hard work by the fashion community (i.e. second-hand distressed Carhartt Detroit Jacket for $500) always rubbed me the wrong way and ultimately turned me off from following mainstream fashion. Besides, workwear is meant for working, and I personally am not trying to look like a plumber on my nights out. I've gone in more of a minimalist/menswear direction, and I feel so much better after dropping out of the streetwear hustle.
But if you look at Carhartt WIP product photos , they're styling young people wearing fashionable clothes. It's clear that the brand is catering to a fashion-oriented audience. But even if they weren't, (they are) why can't someone just wear what they want to wear because they like it? Why would you wear a bomber jacket? It's made for pilots. Bomber jackets have superseded their original use, and the same is happening to workwear. People don't wear them because they want to look like they work at a construction site, they wear them because they like the look. Quit gatekeeping self expression.
Some people call it blue collar stolen valor my only problem with it is it drives the prices way up and they basically gentrify the working people out of the clothes they need and like and ironically at the same time the prices go up the quality goes down too
Sometimes it makes me wonder, I have a few pairs of gloves that I worked through the thumb on. Could I sell them to someone wanting that hard work esthetic? Have the money for a new nice pair and lunch
@@lobo-uh2tb aren't the brands orignally making clothes for the working class still making the same old clothes? its the brand targeted towards middle and upper class, they are the one rasing the price of that paticular style or aesthetic, that does not mean that the brands assosiated with working class will raise their prices just because balenciaga has incorporated the particular style.
@@ayansingh7455 nah just look at timberland and carhartt . red wing and danner
My family used to wear Filson and Carhartt for work out in the woods (forestry and logging). Good work clothes have always been pretty expensive, but it was a good investment. A few years ago, I got my husband another Filson moleskin shirt because he loves them. ALL the buttons fell off within ONE day of wear in the woods. It became clear to me after actually visiting the flagship Filson store in Seattle again and seeing how they'd shifted thier marketing from hard working folks in the Pacific Northwest to hipsters in New York, that thier quality had also gone downhill. When we pay good money for work clothes, they have to last for more than a day of work.
*edit: I've always repaired our work clothes, especially sewing button back on, patching holes when possible, and mending hems, but there's no excuse for $100 shirt to fall apart after one day of work. That means whomever was sewing the buttons on at the factory did it with the understanding the shirt would be worn as street clothes and not for hard work.
This is such an interesting topic! Clothes had to be made more durable pre-industrialization because people moved around in them, but now the majority of the working-class is situated in offices.
That sucks - not uncommon in general for newer clothes to not be as well-made as older stuff, but it's particularly annoying with clothing originally intended for heavy-duty use
Stop The Cap
I find it rich someone from Seattle is calling out hipsters in NY. Seattle is nothing but filled with hipsters. The last time Seattle was great was in the late 80s early 90s when it was the grunge capitol. I’m not defending NY I hate that city. As someone from the Midwest, I can’t stand people on the coasts
Oh no!!!! I got my backpack from the Filson store in 2016, as well as a checkered shirt from Nordstrom rack in maybe 2018. Both have held up fairly well for me, but that stinks that the button came off the shirt you got him..
Its definitely an irony where rich upper class people try to act and sound more working class. In the same vein as someone who comes from working class roots, I always try to buy the expensive stuff I envied when I was younger cause we couldn't afford it. Strange!
it's cultural appropriation and since they can't get away with it between races they become more jokingly what Marx called a class traitor
Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
Awesome you made it to that btw, that's really cool and i'm very happy to hear the story of anyone who started from the bottom and made it to being well off, you don't need to be rich, but just being well off that you can live comfortably and buy the stuff you want is awesome
I have noticed this as well. I don't buy expensive stuff because rich folks have it. I just buy what will look good on me that I can afford, silver jewelry on super soft black tees always look good. Gold on brown skin always looks good. Though I only own silver lol.
@@liquidsnake6879 you’re too kind, I’m far from rich but I have some disposable income here and there and I get to buy into the cool things I missed out on. Blessings to you
I think "dressing expensive" and "dressing less affluent" reflect both an effort to fit in and a way to achieve sartorial equality. It's also a way of self-protection, the way a chameleon or octopus change their colors to blend into their environment. The clothing choices we make extend far beyond comfort and style.
The poor dresses expensive aspirationally, to one day become rich. The rich dress poor, to show off their other rich friends they're at the bleeding edge. And the wealthy dresses down because they remember that guillotine and mugging are things.
Living in the USA I think another contributing factor is that you can get teased for wearing anything "Spiffy" or "Fancy". Something like an oxford shirt is thought of as church clothes here but a distressed Carhartt work shirt is acceptable.
in most office jobs, years ago, wearing so much a tie went from required to "are you going to a funeral today?" you cannot be perceived to be overdressed at any time, or your sexuality and gender will be called into question (such as the dreaded 'metrosexual' label, which was designed to be a deniable homophobic slur)
"you can get teased"
But ... who cares ?
@@piorism Yeah that's the advice everyone receives but that's not the reality we live in
@@co_conspirator I'll keep wearing my toe shoes though.
I understand there’s a difference in quality between the prices but I also don’t see working tradespeople being fussy or concerned about longevity of items like jackets or pants, at least not hear in Australia. They tend to buy the pieces, thrash them and then move on/ buy another.
What really aggravated me was when my friend took me to a "thrift" store which was expensive as hell.
They've driven up prices for people who are genuinely in need.
Better off buying the $5 solid color shirts from Walmart instead of going to goodwill!
You probably sent to a couple signment store. Definitely not meant for people in need.
Some people call it blue collar stolen valor my only problem with it is it drives the prices way up and they basically gentrify the working people out of the clothes they need and like and ironically at the same time the prices go up the quality goes down too
There’s a lot of blue collar clothing that isn’t trendy. And brands like carharrt a separate their work wear from the shit all the people trying to look working class would buy. There’s no shortage of affordable workwear lol.
@@neilwalkercomedy thats way i said the clothes they need "and like" there is i reason way only sertain blue collar clothes become trendy and others dont because not all of them look good and they are getting F@#$& out of the ones that look good
Blue collar people don’t dress in a special way, a tee and some work pants and boots is all they need.
Most of the time the workwear brands create another label. Carhart WIP is just basically just Carhartt marked up 3x-4x.
I def agree that this trend partially stems from rich people’s tendency to not want to flaunt how wealthy they truly are, and the idea that discussing money is a taboo. Really weird considering I went to school during the era of brands like Hollister and Abercrombie. Kids would flex those brands SO hard just to prove to others that they could afford to consistently buy new clothes from the mall.
Yes! My school was full of Hollister/Abercrombie too - at the time they were definitely the brands of 'my parents are wealthy, but I don't want to look like I'm TOO wealthy'
This is definitely your best video yet. The memes, the commentary, the comedy, it's all *chef's kiss*
Ok, Karl Marx….
Ayy thanks! Much appreciated 🙏
@@ThisIsAntwon Some people call it blue collar stolen valor my only problem with it is it drives the prices way up and they basically gentrify the working people out of the clothes they need and like and ironically at the same time the prices go up the quality goes down too ✌️
@@Americansikkunt there is absolutely nothing marxist about this analysis. it falls incredibly short of anything to do with historical materialism, sociology, or the Frankfurt school. this video is pure capitalist neoliberalism
@@lobo-uh2tb no they dont. working people have not been priced out of the clothes they need. you literally just made that fact up.
I’m really happy you addressed this topic because this issue right here got me uninterested in the fashion world for good. I don’t mind if wealthy people wear expensive brands that they genuinely love. However, it left a real bad taste in my mouth when I started seeing the disgusting trend of expensive brands turning poverty into an aesthetic. Pre-worn out shoes and extremely ripped clothes to the point that it was straight up glamorizing being poor were the last straw for me. The worst is when these same individuals that (to be frank) have never experienced what it’s like to grow up in a rough part of town go to these places for photo shoots! It’s not inspiring, it’s not artistic, it’s not brave, it’s dehumanizing. Seems like the only time people that are in positions like this get attention from people is if they are being used for clout nowadays.
Agree, very cringe going to an estate to pose for photos in streetwear clothing to act like that's where you're from!
Add to this the fact that most of us (poor or not) would gladly trade shoes that have holes in them for brand new ones, and it's all just weird posing -- and the fashion brands I notice charge a lot for those worn out items.
This isn't new. When I worked in denim manufacturing, our whole industry was about taking perfectly good new jean pants and "finishing" them (stone wash, acid wash, direct abrasion) so they could sell for more. It was rare that any batch had a mere "garment wash" and went to the store without being purposely f--ked up in some manner. Anyone who could come up with a way to make a new pair of jeans look like they were three years old AND could automate that process would still be very sought after today.
You described Zoolander's plot almost exactly
@@ThisIsAntwon I hope you have this same passion towards all the "lower class" people selling fake high end brand items.
This goes back at least to Oscar Wilde who wore intentionally frayed pieces, and is a cousin of the Ivy style where an expensive piece might be a bit threadworn , or paired with something casual, to give an intentional I don’t care old money vibe. No rich person wears actual workwear, trust me you will be treated like dogshit, it is presented as workwear in a way that clearly displays wealth and zero fucks. Cool video I’ve wondered at this trend and I just remembered some of this stuff from university.
Hi, Im currently studying into something similar and was wondering what it was that you studied? I'm currently doing some primary research and would love to hear if you have more facts or info on this?
I always enjoy a discussion about fashion because it's fascinating to see how society uses it to express what kind of people they are, whether real or fake
I heard the phrase 'Stolen Blue Collar Vallor' recently to describe the look that emulates the raw blue jeans/$300 work boot/designer plaid shirt look.
A couple of people have used that term in the comments, describes it pretty well!
Really liking these more in-depth topics! I've watched you content in the past even though I don't wear tech at all just because you present it so well. But this a whole different level. Great work!
A couple of thoughts. Setting aside dressing in a full construction worker's uniform or hooligan ensemble, I think one reason that high fashion has often referenced (or outright stolen) workwear elements is because many of them are utilitarian and have become iconic in their own right. I'm thinking here of things like Carhart pants, utility jackets (like photographer Bill Cunningham wore), hoodies, etc. They tend to look good on everyone and have stood the test of time. The ultimate example would be jeans, which started out as workwear for miners and now are worn by everyone.
The same could be said for military influenced looks. I personally love a good military-style piece or detail, and I have never heard anyone being accused of fetishizing the military. Pea coats, field jackets, combat boots, etc. They've all crossed over because they are good style that can be worn by most people.
On the other hand, this can certainly go too far. The fashion archives are replete with examples where this blew up in designer's faces. I'm thinking of Galliano's newspaper dresses that were "inspired" by homeless people warming themselves with actual newspapers or some of McQueen's "homeless" style collections. Definitely cringe. Definitely a no.
Thanks so much!
That's very true especially with military clothing - many of those design motifs or things originally designed with a specific function in mind have been reimagined as part of casual civilian wear.
Pretty tasteless for sure. N. Hoolywood also did a very on-the-nose 'homeless-inspired' collection a few years back (maybe 2016?) which was similarly pretty poorly received
Im really split on this issue, because for one, its becoming more acceptable to wear my usual fit of heavily worn cargo pants and a company issue work tshirt, which is great, because its comfortable, durable, and affordable,
but on the other hand, i don't like the fact that rich kids don't walk around like supreme billboards anymore, because that makes it harder to bully them.
😂
I love channels like yours made by people who have a connection to the high trends but isn't living inside a bubble. Your content is a digest of the world we live in regarding the topics with no disenguinity or need to maintain an image, concept or ideas.
It's just honest and that's cool.
Thanks - honestly that means a lot 🙏
To be fair, everybody is cooler than a middle class guardian reader.
Funnily enough, I have found for myself that adopting a more upper class inspired wardrobe (old money aesthetic) is cheaper than the working class Larp many people around me started to adapt. I think maintaining a functional and interchangeable wardrobe, as well as thrifting and shopping military surplus has helped me a lot cutting down how much clothing I'm consuming, as well as putting in more effort into shopping quality, although still at affordable prices
Really love these deeper fashion discussions that explore the sociological reasons fashion moves the way it does . My art college focused on intense critical theory , so I was loving that guy Debord is coming up 😅
I think you would really enjoy watching Rian Phins 2 videos on “status ambiguity “
Best video yet , much love Antwon
Ps- it was very interesting to see who was actually poor at art school or who just dressed that way because being a starving artist was “cooler” , their parents would come for the break to pick them up in a fancy car dressed to the 9s
Thanks! Great recommendations, I'll check those out.
Hahaha I can totally imagine that
Man I used to go to thrift shops to get work clothes now I can’t find no carhartt cause god damn Alison and her depop grind
Too many boss babes out here smh
Grew up lower class and had no fashion sense. But when I read the outsiders I related alot to the book so I embraced my trashy background and started dressing in clothes I considered tough
I’m hyped the working class aesthetic from the early 90’s grunge and skate scene is coming back. Flannel, cargo, distressed and acid wash denim. All of those elements can pair nicely with the expensive street wear styles that have flooded the market.
You might find the works of Thorstein Veblen ("theory of the leisure class" ) really interesting. It was written in 1899. Georg Simmels philosophy of fashion (1905) is another must have if you want to read more into this.
I found it quite fascinating how the same structures and mechanics of expression and most notably, class distinction, have been present for ever when it comes to fashion in society.
Really good reads, would recommend audiobooks
dont kid urself hes not actually interested in this or he would have read it before he made the video
hes not a real critic or thinker hes just a youtuber or at least has resigned himself to such
Very well explained! your evolution from THE tech-wear connoisseur to a fashion analyst is quite a sight, keep up the good work!
Thanks very much!
I like this channel so much. I don't feel like I have to know every minute detail about fashion and be appreciative of it. For whatever this channel cares - the viewer can hate everything fashion related. Purpose of so many videos here is to simply educate about fashion trends, show why they happen and the sociology behind it. And it is done elegantly
I just love that the example for dressing rich is stepping out of a fiat barcheta, one of the cheapest options if you want a sporty looking cabriolet
there is one thing that goes unmentioned in these discussions, and that is body size. all clothes are worn upon bodies. heavier bodies are generally perceived to be poorer, and thinner bodies are richer, regardless of what they are wearing. Brands like carhartt go up to 4xl. brands like carhartt WIP go up to XL at most. the true status symbol is being slim, athletic, and young/attractive. If you are those three things, you can wear a ripped t-shirt and a muddy pair of trashed sneakers and people will call your fit fire. if you aren't those things, such as if you have more than a 38 inch waist, or you have a harelip, then it doesn't matter if you are in head to toe Gucci, you will not be perceived as rich/fashionable/stylish, etc. I don't expect Antwon to notice this, as he is a good-looking man who wears size 32 pants. but being heavier (a normal weight, but more than the bodies that expensive clothes are made for) (far more so for women, but men as well) makes the job of dressing stylishly and well much more difficult. the rich people co-opting working class aesthetics do not ever ever co-opt working-class body shapes.
What a complicated way of saying that you think working class people are fat
@@Braxant look at the maximum size of designer clothing, and the maximum sizes of clothing that is sold at walmart, and you tell me
Regarding body types, modern clothing made for typically skinny or slim body type of course only a few people look stylish in those clothing but bigger body types (regardless weight, bone size plays major factor here) won't look good in those.
What are you talking about? I never saw a homeless person in Belgrade who was not underweight!
I think this is wonderfully well said and people are missing the point. People aren’t understanding that being slim was the beauty standard for a very long time in fashion history.
i honestly think that now that i have money, i dress way less creatively than when i was broke. i mean, i don't take as many risks because i can just buy something that's close to an idea of what i would theoretically make, except it isn't quite. and a great deal of what i used to wear was just...my adolescence never truly ended. i was a teenager in the 90s, and i kept on with goth and punk sorta stuff. i liked that if i didn't feel what i was wearing before leaving the house, i could safety pin something onto it or whatever. i am not about to safety pin *anything* onto a saint laurent leather jacket. the blue collar approach to clothes is always going to allow for more modularity and creativity.
I really appreciate how your videos have gotten smarter and more thought-provoking recently
Thanks! We do be out here thinking 🧠
This is my favourite of your videos that I've seen so far. Going into these more abstract concepts is excellent to see; thank you for the analysis.
Thanks so much for the feedback!
I was jus talking about this to my immigrant parents. Told them how it was funny we would go thrifting out off necessity 20 years ago, and now we see lil suburb kids adopting the Carhart work wear aesthetic while they never had to work and just make tiktoks.
When I was in Brazil, and on Brazilian CZcams, there were many videos that roughly translated, "how to not look poor". Unfortunately, in many places in the world, people feel the pressure to hide their financial status. While that desire may seem less important in a first world country, it still persists. It seems like fashion is used as a way to hide some shameful aspect of ones life in order to be accepted by others.
I started watching your videos because I been interested in techwar for a while and at first considered you a superficial pretty boy, but your advice was good and sincere, so I kept watching. I started enjoying your videos because you were making honest reviews of all kinds of brands that were really helpful. Then you started showing your sense of humor and how you don't take yourself and fashion all that serious and became a real fan. But on this video essay the analysis you make of aesthetic trends and your referencing Guy Debord's work really make me feel glad that I stayed. Kudos, extraordinary job sir...
I got stains on my shirt that lowers it value but if Gucci puts a mustard stain on a white tee, it's drip. I love it.
And I think I'm treating myself when I buy a Market or a Hypland shirt.
Now im gonna go play Persona 5.
the amount of information you put into you recent videos is nuts and i love it so much
New to this channel, and lower class myself, I used to wear jeans with knees ripped up from natural wear and tear, but that was mostly inspired by 80's thrash metal, also after I got out of my skinny jean phase I wear super baggy cargo and fatigues pants, mostly for a mix of 90's style and a military look, with practicality from additional pockets as a bonus. I don't mind rich people dressing similar to us, as long as it's not for any reasons considered insensitive or tone-deaf
i really appreciate the amount of research and citation you put into your content
Really don't think it's a problem, me being working class myself, I just think we tend to approach this from the top to bottom than from the bottom to the top. Of course I'm tottally against fetishizing poverty and even homelesness, but working class-core or whatever it's called being introduced in high fashion and "humanly purchasable" pieces being elevated just makes it easier for us regular people to be put in the conversation (even though your clothes won't have that fancy logo on). It's crazy how from a certain period of my life I started to be noticed as a fashionable guy and I just wear normal stuff and of course try to style it well, I'm not even close to being able to buy a Louis V or Off-white, but still people around me who are able to get those think I'm cool. It's more about how you wear stuff than the logo on your stuff
J'adore this commentary. It also beckons back to what I have been doing as a "lower" middle classman. I have a ton of high end attire which I use to wear to work. But I realized waking up and getting ready in these pieces was time consuming. Nowadays I wake up and throw on my scrbs and head to work. Nothing fabulous at all. Even when I am assisting VIP clients I tend to just throw scrubs one. They cost me more than your average scrub, but my point is "poor" wear is more conventional and dexterous.
Really enjoying the vids bringing in postmodern theory and applying it to our current fashion landscape.
(As a side note I’d highly recommend postmodern literature to see the theory in action)
Appreciate these more introspective videos on fashion, very well researched and spoken!
I'm not a fan of styling outfits to 'look lower class', but on the other hand my favorite avant garde clothing tends to come from reinterpretations/recontextualization of utilitarian clothing. 90s Mountaineering Boots from Dirk Bikkemburgs, 00s Bunny Boots from Raf Simons, the recycled coffee sack jacket from pre-fall Margiela last year, Trippen has a boot I _wish_ was men's so I could fit in them [they max at an EU 42 and I'm an EU 45] called the canvas f that looks like a tarp tied around the foot, Margiela's Tabis are a reinterpretation of the traditional Japanese work footwear of the same name, punk fashion and the leather community's clothing have been massive influences on creatives like Walter van Beirendonck/Demna/Vivienne Westwood and originally come from a queer/working class background, and a bunch of the patchwork-like ideas that we see in deconstructive fashion comes from practices of the poor to make clothing last longer/reutilize scrap fabric such as boro and quilting. The common thread here in my mind is these pieces aren't 1-to-1 cosplay of working-class aesthetics but rather art made in reference to working-class ideas that stay true to the creator's lived experience. If you look at the creatives I listed, you'll see those influences as part of their life - Westwood was working class, van Beirendonck wasn't bad off but his parents were busy running a gas station so he was raised by other relatives before getting sent to boarding school, Raf Simons and Dirk Bikkembergs were both military brats, Yohji was the son of a widowed seamstress in a post-war Japan and Issey was living in Hiroshima when the bomb fell. I think for those artists and their brands, the coolness isn't the poverty angle but rather the history - the authentic lived experiences of the designers as working class children and young adults as well as their responses to that upbringing coming through in their art.
I'm working class - I'm moving toward middle class now after a promotion, but I've been paycheck to paycheck for most of my twenties - and I started getting into fashion last year once I found avant garde and started sewing. The thing that kept me disinterested in it for so long was the inherent boring-ness of most fashion; you're going to walk into a dozen shops and look through thousands of articles of clothing that will be identical besides minor finishing details. It's mind-numbing. I live smack-dab in the middle of the US as well, so the closest avant garde men's fashion boutiques are 8 hours by car in Chicago even when I have the disposable income. I shop online, sure, but that's been rough without the ability to try things on or have things in-hand [prominent L being getting a pair of Guiseppe Zanottis secondhand that my foot fits in but doesn't have enough volume for me to zip up because EU lasts don't have as much vertical space toward the middle of the foot]. The best expression through clothing I can find is through distressing, making my own clothes [which I'm not great at, I have limited tools, fabric, and I just started], and recontextualizing other working class clothing. Patching/patchwork, bleach painting, alteration, embroidering, doing weird stuff with patternmaking because I don't have patterns and I'm doing a bunch of guesswork and having fun with it, these are experiments I do because I have to be creative within my budget limitations. When I see other artists doing that, it inspires me. When I see people dropping buckets of money as a shortcut, it's a little frustrating. That said, that patronage from the later is what makes the art of the former economically feasible in the capitalism wars, so they get a light pass. I will take a couple thousand fashion influencers I'm going to ignore anyway poverty cosplaying if it means I get to be inspired by things like y/project and xVessel.
I love the very subtle tinkly music soundtrack on your videos!
A more philosophical approach is very much needed in our fashion discussion. You nailed this to a tee, Antwon.
thanks so much!
Suggested your channel to the young guy who works at my post office the other day, he is now a huge fan, so shout out to my post office youth if he is reading this!!!
This is a fantastic video :)) RE the uniform, its funny how certain uniforms are still so deeply steeped in ‘ew yuck.. poor’ - I’m a midwife and I love how scrubs have never been ‘fashionised’ (at least widely to my knowledge) and it’s a real divide which I think is super intentional for consumers/patients to view you one way compared to doctors. It’s like a ‘grunt worker calling card’ and truly does impact on the respect you get (of course just going off of my personal experience here!!) doctors, even ones with more junior knowledge than me/my co workers are perceived in a more respected way due to certain fashion calling cards - no uniform, often they have ‘trends’ (in Australia, RM Williams boots are a heavy cliche) and then when they DO wear scrubs (for theatre etc) it has a very different angle to it, if they have to wear scrubs outside of the hospital it’s often paired with a stethoscope (so you know they’re a doctor!!!) idk if this makes much sense, but it’s interesting at least in an out patient department where we (midwives nurses) have to wear uniforms and drs don’t. On one day I couldn’t wear mine, I was treated very differently when patients assumed I wasn’t ‘just a midwife’
Anyway thank u great content as usual 🎉
Spreading the good word! You love to see it. Shoutout young post office worker.
That's a very interesting topic and definitely related - uniform is still clothing at the end of the day, and probably causes an even stronger reaction in people than different types of outfits. I mean, how often have people wandered into high-security locations just by wearing a hi-vis and a tool belt?
Those different environments are almost like micro fashion ecosystems - I bet every industry has certain markers of wealth or success almost unique to them.
Your videos are really amazing! I love the effort you put in
I'm loving the new sociological approaches to fashion. Very interesting takes
I like the point you made around 8:50. Also I really like your Galaxy Explorer. Expressing yourself is the purpose of clothing for me.
Thank you for this thoughtful and validating take. As someone who at school would sometimes have to colour in my legs with marker to disguise holes in my trousers (Tammy Girl did not have my back, or knees) the fact so many trousers are sold with holes has always amused and annoyed me in equal measure!
Now having a very diverse social circle in terms of class, it can be frustrating to see more privileged pals unconsciously appropriate the lives of my more working class / marginalised mates. These aesthetic affectations often come with a lack of transparency about privilege, and a politics that postures but ultimately drifts back into their milquetoast comfort zone. I don't think they even realise what they're doing, cognitive dissonance is a helluva drug. Clothes are political, I love that you recognise this.
Love the new direction of this channel ❤
My gf asked why I had a carhart jacket. I’ve had it for over a decade now.
It kind of hit a nerve. It’s work and cold weather wear.
Not a construction guy, I just used to do odd jobs, lawn care, etc.
It was practical and common where I grew up. Now I see everyone wear it, which is fine, but only recently got odd comments, which i find… interesting
Really putting some interesting topics lately, thank you Antwon!
Social media never influenced my fashion choice, mostly because I never had one, wearing hand-me-downs from siblings and wealthier relatives. But then I got into college. Most of the folks there dress well, while I struggle to throw together something that wouldn't look like it's from 2010s. Also, while some drive or uber to campuses, scattered all over the city, I walk unpaved roads and take public transport, so in autumn or winter no matter what I do, I end up dirty. If rich folks tune it down a bit with their outfits, I'll be glad 😂
What a unique topic Antwon! We rarely see these kinds of topics on youtube with also a reasonable amount of source evidence and informational background.
I think utility is also a reason, why workwear for example is so big now. People reduce their consumerism and aim towards products with a longer life-time.
The workwear clothing is shown in the real world that they can withstand a lot of stuff and are still in okay condition. With “archiv stuff” things on the other hand get another level of ridiculous, when a completely destroyed bomber-jacket is worth 500€.
Dressing like the poor and its flaws is a insanely complex topic and will probably remain a few more days in my head, to think about it :)
i cant tell if the first paragraph is supposed to be read sarcastically or not.
@@subashira I get ur point but Antwon delivers content where I have the feeling that I just learned something new or got a new perspective on something.
I rarely have a learning curve after a video on youtube these days - maybe I’m just following brainless content besides Antwon, could also be it.
Thanks! Totally agree on the utility side of things, and I'm glad that people are appreciating clothing from that perspective and thinking about what it can do as well as what it looks like
Really enjoying the more sociological shift in your content recently especially from a British perspective
It’s a weird one as someone who grew up poor wearing my brothers hand me downs that were second hand to begin with… I spent so much time as a poor kid trying to not look poor. Now I’m into my career earning well I still have a lot of the same buying habits. If I want to make a more expensive item I spend ages deciding if it’s worth it and waiting for time to pass to decide if I still want it. I note specific designer items and wait for them to turn up second hand. All the bullying for being poor kinda stuck and I can’t see myself ever getting onto the “working class core” vibes other than items I value for utility or sentimental items from my family like some of the stuff I have from my dad who’s passed away or clothing styles that remind me of him like worn in black stovepipe jeans
Ultimately I think the trend is just the expected pattern of the wealthy - fast fashion has made it easier to “look expensive” and actual poor people work hard to not spear poor so it makes the aesthetic more exclusive and unattainable. Same thing as why the Kardashians all slimmed down now so many “common people” have BBLs and instagram body/face
I don't think that's an unhealthy attitude - it's good to be considered with large purchases no matter how wealthy you are (just try not to deny yourself things you genuinely want too much!). Anything sentimental has value beyond financial which is much more important than spending money on things anyway - glad you've kept hold of that stuff
I think this shows that there is a difference between wealth and class.
Each aesthetic has not only a visual language, but also a set of values it's historically been linked to. The values it's linked to are always double edged: old money is elegant and controlled but at the same time stifling and arrogant. Working class aesthetic is percived as honest, laid back and wholesome, but at the same time - unkempt and unsophisticated. People choose their clothing according to lifestyle they have but also values they want to project. And since there's a lot of dehumanisation going for wealthy people, no wonder a lot of them try to show that "hey, I'm a human too!"
It's actually interesting how people from different classes choose to communicate with their looks. Poor people try to emulate wealthy aesthetic to project "hey, I have value too, look" - when their value have nothing to do with wealth: for any other person. And wealthy people try to emulate normal working people to try to be more relatable or at least be perceived as a human)
Great video with a very clear idea and philosophy. Love the way you use the English language. Very smooth and interesting
Man, you've really leveled up your videos lately.
Love the new essay formats xo just dont forget to keep the old clothes showcase vids about too
Thanks! There will be more videos about physical stuff soon as soon as I gather up enough to make it interesting. I also put more stuff about actual garments on IG and TikTok
@@ThisIsAntwon I'd be curious to hear how your shift to meta essay format videos has occurred in relation to your personal habits/creative fulfilment. Are you less interested in buying new clothes now than before? Or is it just as a creator you feel you've done that style for a while and just want to branch out into more challenging topics?
Personally as just a consumer I definitely feel after so long in the space i'm not as dogmatic about collecting new pieces as before. But the constant evolution of fashion makes it so theres always something new i'm at least fascinated by.
Would be interesting to see a video just about your personal journey and current place in the hobby of fashion.
Tuxedos began as servants' livery. Ironic ruch young hipsters cosplayed as the working class so much it became theirs and the butler had to get a different look. How about denim? Ultra work wear turned into pricey ruch wear. Love the phrase you coined. "Working class cosplay."
I really like this video. I'm not "into fashion" or anything like that but I wear Carhartt clothes at work, and really enjoy the utility of just wearing it at home and out and about. It's weird shopping for nice brands like that at a store like Gabe's because I don't make a lot of money, next to someone hipster shopping to relist the item on Poshmark.
Excellent video, intriguing topic and very in-depth. Good job 👍
It should also be considered that workwear brands are USA legacy brands (some of the oldest clothing makers here) and they are more transitory in class because of their history I.E. carhartt and Levi’s Strauss created silhouettes that been copied by every brand
as a gen z I did maintain my luxury clothing spending. it went from 0 to 0 cause I barely have money to afford any clothes, let alone something that costs more than several home repairs I can't afford.
Really loving these commentary style videos :D
i hate how when i was a kid everyone made fun of people wearing those chunky DC shoes and now high fashion brands have rip off "skate" designs like LV and Lanvin
Oh man, when I was 13 I used to wear slip on checkered Van's that I bought for £10 and the other kids would call me a twat and asked if I was gay. Now those same numbskulls, buy what are essentially slippers with a Van's logo on them for £120.
Nice video cover and title, it got me so good I clicked like before starting to watch it. Interesting stuff and thought provoking.
Edit: and at the end of the video, I've definitely enjoyed it.
Ahhg, I'm glad I'm 51. I no longer have to worry about fashion. I no longer have to be hip or cool quiet frankly I sucked at it my whole life.
I can't wait for my dream fashion *wagie-core* to be popular and finally see everyone on the street wearing the same ill-fitting untucked uniqlo shirt and chinos on the street
I remember 40 years ago my mom buying me jeans with holes in them. My grandmother couldn’t fathom it.
This situation of rich people cosplaying as “poor people” and people who can’t afford luxury items appearing “rich” is such an interesting phenomenon in recent years. One of the questions I’d pose to either party is why? Why are you dressing in that way? For what purpose? A lot of the times “poor” people dress out of necessity. A lot of the items can be unique and customized by the wearer, giving even more of their personality to the garments vs luxury houses are telling you this is what is cool, a version of their vision of what something like workwear should be. Essentially what I am trying to say is people who can afford to just buy a personality vs the ones who have personalized their clothing. Plus I feel like luxury item/expensive items are harder to customize since there’s the huge price you dropped and the potential resell value being risked. Vs someone who does wear out their clothes because they need to or it’s not as expensive so they can afford to personalize it.
Anyways, love these kinds of discussions! 🖤
One piece of clothing that sums this up is the Donkey jacket.
Very thought-provoking video as usual. Everyone should be able to wear whatever makes them feel good. That being said, care should definitely be taken around class tourism. I also wanted to say that whoever you referenced who said that poverty is in any way cool is, to be blunt, full of shit. I've been dirt poor in the past. Nothing about it is in any way good. Being a week away from pay day, having £1.30 to your name & wondering how to eat for the next week wasn't fun, good or in any way cool. I sometimes wonder what 25-years ago me would think of current day rather more successful me. Trying to emulate that level of poverty while being much better off isn't all that far removed from burning £50 notes in front of homeless people. I also don't see the likes of Prada or Gucci making donations to homeless shelters or food banks, making me question the authenticity of whatever it is they think they're trying to achieve. Anyway, very interesting topic.
I have no interest in fashion personally, but you keep the discussion interesting.
I also like the persona vibes in the background.
me sitting here in H&M jogging pants that were sold sort of unfinished so I had to alter them and a random hoodie while crocheting my next handbag out of wool scraps: "why am I watching a video about style"
I join you. I am over here
mending a dark grey wool sweater with neon orange thread XD
Improving stuff and making it your own is cooler than endlessly buying new stuff for sure
My favorite fit is comprised of hand me downs from my dad, a thrifted turtleneck and a hoodie from my town’s youth center
Somehow the movie Zoolander was ahead of its time with their fashion line “Derelicte” 😂
Your videos are extremely nuanced, intelligent, and informative. Maybe this is why so many kids from the street become experts in street wear for these fashion houses.
I am interested in fashion because my daughter wants to be a fashion designer. I’m as working class as it gets (sous chef/ex-soldier/ex-barber). And I noticed extremely rich people dressing like I used to dress growing up. Champion and Timberland are extra expensive. The way they use slang is bothersome because it’s mashed together with no sense of region. To an American from Brooklyn, hearing a kid from wealthy Midwest talk like us is like a person from Hampton using words that a scouser, scot, Londoner, and Irishman would use but in the same sentence.
At this current stage in my life, I am shining my boots, tailoring/altering my clothes to look better, etc. as a working class person I need them to last. While they cosplay as us, I notice their clothes are ripped, shoes are dirty and scuffed, their clothes are half secured (half-tucked shirt/half button overalls). It made me wonder, “is this how they see us?” This video gives insight to a lot of those questions.
I wear the same 6-7 pairs of jeans I bought at Target on rotation every week lol… I dye them from time to time to keep them looking new as needed… some I just wear out and use for doing yard work around the house… i have purchased a few jackets because I like jackets throughout the last 10 years… still the same 4-5 jackets I use often because I like these jackets.. they’re like a denim.. thick warm in the winter and fit my style.. 2 are levis, different colors, 2 are heart and Huntington… I didn’t buy them because of the brand, I like their look and that they actually kept me warm when needed.. caring for them is a lot harder because I don’t want them to wear out too much.. shoes.. I just wear running/hiking shoes that I feel comfortable walking around in… they’re rugged and I can wear them year round practically anywhere… I have a few different pairs of shoes.. my trail shoes.. my “dress” shoes which are pretty much a cleaner looking hiking style shoe and my work shoes…my all day anywhere shoes are Nike wild trails that I got quite a few years ago.. I can use them at home, out on the street, trail hiking, out running errands.. whatever.. I wore out my first pair and had to get the same pair again because they were that comfortable and stylish for me… then there’s my vans trail skate shoe… still have that rugged look but clean… almost pass as a dress shoe for me… socks I just buy whatever’s comfortable thick and soft.. I’m not a fan of brands or big logos so I try to keep things like this to a minimum… I don’t like big and flashy though I have been putting some thought into incorporating something like this with more color because I do wear a lot of dark tones… black, browns, grey, army green, dark blues, burgundy… for me it’s about comfort really… I don’t care how “cool” something may look if I’m not comfortable wearing it, it’s not being purchased… I found a really nice leather jacket at a goodwill for $15.. haven’t wore it yet but I liked it and it was comfortable
I like to wear expensive clothes that look cheap, but are good quality.
I’m barely middle class. I can never afford to own a home and my current rent is not very expensive because I can’t afford to move (my rent would more than double if i did), so i have some extra money.
But i feel like these aesthetics happen in waves related to the economy.
Rich people flashing wealth is not accepted as much right now because of how much people are struggling. A few years ago people tried to look richer and flashy because it was trendy to want to look rich, and people were judged more for being poor.
Now most people are poor, the middle class is barely getting by. If influencers are flashing wealth, people are going to drag them.
I work on a rig. FR clothing is expensive. I bought a shirt for like 150$. A week later I found a used one at a trendy thrift shop I was checking out to pass time while waiting to go to a comedy show. I fully support people selling their used work gear because I almost got a sweet deal on it but shit was way too big.
Hopefully you know this but FR clothing has a use by date. The fire resistant part is an applied chemical treatment that washes out over time. A shirt or overalls stops being FR long before it physically fails.
So yeah it should be normal for used FR clothing to get a second life as fashion wear. Except I've never seen not hi vis FR gear, so not sure many actually want to wear it around town
Such an excellent video discussing this topic and definitely interesting to see it discussed from a mensware perspective.
However, it's frustrating to see this myth of people buying up all the clothes in charity/thrift shops for resale perpetuated.
There's a massive surplus of clothing so much in fact many of these shops have stopped accepting clothing donations.
The clothing that doesn't get resold in the UK & US get shipped over to many African countries we're it's either sold on or in most cases because of poor quality of the items sent to landfill.
Which itself is an ecological disaster with so much synthetic material being buried in ground that'll take 100s of years to breakdown 😢
haha that alice video poped up on m mind right away and later on I see you also refer to it :)
I’m a 25yo welder and my favorite brand is Stone Island, when I was young I had to save a whole month to get my next piece. Love the workwear vibe and textile innovation, here in Canada there are no negative connotations, most people know it only from Drake. At work I only wear carhartt cause they make fireproof stuff
Subbed right away. Love your content. 🫶🏻
Ik graphic tees (hoodies too) aren’t considered “fashionable” and make you look “cheap” but can I just say I will probably never stop wearing them. If my job allowed me to wear them I absolutely would. I’ve always had an appreciation for visual art and bright colors, especially drawings and personally I enjoy someone’s original drawing/graphic design on my back/chest. Thankfully streetwear fashion has helped popularize graphic tops and make them “cool” to some extent, and many smaller streetwear brands create their own unique designs.
I'm not anything close to poor but I wear workwear because I want to buy the best. I live in the country / small town so it doesn't not look out of place. And ironically working people's clothing is the most functional and hard wearing. Why would I buy fashion items when they are objectively worse? I almost always buy new, real work wear (not Carhartt "WIP" etc) and the whole point is that tears and wear are less likely rather than intentionally wearing torn clothes. Carhartt, Dri Duck, Filson, Wrangler, etc.
I think another point for the UK specifically is the blurring lines between what/ who is considered working class and what/ who is considered middle class, and how that's impacted fashion and speech.
If these people wearing working-core or whatever the hell it's called went onto the Estate i grew up on, they'd be beaten and robbed for being "posh".
Many years ago I was looking for a good quality winter jacket that would last a long time and had a friend who is a commercial welder recommend getting Carhartt. I got one and have been wearing it since then, has been a great investment. What drives me crazy though is in the past couple years I've gotten snide comments from people saying I'm a trendy hipster or that I'm appropriating working people's culture. I didn't even know it was a thing until I started getting comments about it and started learning more about fashion.
That part where you mentioned being bullied or made fun of struck such a chord. I used to get made fun of for wearing literal dad shoes and hand me down clothing, then 3 years later it was a trend. I still wear that shit, fuck a trend and fuck a trendhopper
I work in a warehouse lifting heavy boxes all day while driving a cherry picker. So I mostly wear joggers (blackcraft clothing fits my style and they are good for work) and very soft tees, (or long sleeve tees,)Nike shoes that help my feet for ten hours a day. I mostly spend money on tattoos if i buy something expensive but that's saving months in advance to treat myself. I don't buy a lot of jewelry I wear the same silver jewelry I bought 10 years ago.
Well said Antwon ! Nice vid
What a video 👏🏻 so many great thoughts
I remember a time when thrifting would cause people to call you broke and talk mad crap about you, and now it’s a huge fad. Crazy what some rando’s on the internet can do lmao (just to be clear I don’t hate thrifting and some of the best stores I’ve ever been to in Japan whenever I go are thrift stores, I just think it’s crazy how times have changed)
This is what the first lesson Was about in my intro to fashion class
great video - subscribed
rapper TRAUMATIZE literally innovated wearing workwear as fashion saw him at a show in Miami back in 2011, I remember posts going around in the techwear group on FB like 7 years ago were people were roasting workwear being an extension of techwear functionality aspect brings it together if You ask Me but glad this style is now getting some light
I remember that seeing people roast the orange dickies and 3m gear in the photos of Him. Bet if he was one of these rich folks everyone would have been on the parade. Happens to everyone who is aspiring to do something different at the time.