Yesterday, I took you through 7 styles that should be dead. Today I’ll take you through 5 fashions I rock, but probably shouldn’t. Keep in mind fashion doesn’t mean IN fashion. We all develop our own personal styles, which is often a representation of who we are and how we feel comfortable.
Sweater Vest
Long considered only for old people and professors, I decided to embrace this wonderful joyous garment about two years ago. My job requires a lot of time at the keyboard, but I don’t like long sweaters that get in the way of rolling my sleeves. Most of the body heat you need for warmth is in the core, so best to keep it warm. It’s also a great way to mix and match outfits. I don’t own a lot of work clothes so a couple of sweater vests in the winter really add to the diversity of my wardrobe. My dad, a professor, has sworn by them for decades. Now I understand why.
Flip Flops With Jeans
Unless your name is Jack Johnson and you can play the guitar, flip-flops with jeans is a tell-tale sign of a bum with no career ambitions. I went to a school where this look was very popular, as it was full of bums with no career ambitions. But there is a functional aspect of this style that is often ignored by fashion experts. Some of us out there suffer from plantar hyperhidrosis. My suffrage may be mild by medical standards, but it is bothersome. Don’t know what plantar hyperhidrosis is? Sweaty feet. If I’m wearing socks, and moving around, my feet are probably sweating. So I wear flip-flops, mostly Rainbows. When you see me in the mall, you’re more likely to expect Pac-Sun Employee instead of a guy with a business degree, comfortable salary, and a 401(k) working for one of the largest companies in the world.
Wife Beater
The official jersey of deadbeats, alcoholics, and people with muscles is the wife beater. It is also known as the a-shirt and tank top. I’ll admit I went through a phase in college where I did wear just the a-shirt, but then I met the Sheconomist (no doubt thanks to the wife beater). Now I wear it as an undershirt. Most men wear a t-shirt under their tops, but I found them to be uncomfortable. The wife beater is form fitting, without restricting movement. I have large shoulders and there are few t-shirts that feel comfortable unless worn as the top layer. I also found the undershirts would become untucked at work, making for regular trips to the bathroom for an adjustment. So if I look like a bum sometimes and a bit of chest hair pops over an unbuttoned dress shirt so be it. Now where’s my beer?
Zipper Hoody
Another effective measure for a guy ensuring his bum status is wearing a zipper hoody. There is a time and a place for a zipper hoody, the gym perhaps. But it gets cold at work, and I’m too cheap to buy something different, so I wear a zipper hoody at work. But even it serves a practical purpose for me. I have some loud neighbors, and they love to talk. Thankful I am for the day my lovely Sheconomist bought me noise reducing headphones. My co-workers know it’s best to let me finish what I’m doing if the hood is up and the earphones are in. Outside of work the hoody serves me well when I want to blend in and not be noticed. You just don’t pay attention to guys in zipper hoodies, I’m not sure why. It is also a back-up jacket that lives in my car. For the record, I own 4 in different and generic colors. Also of note, the picture above is NOT of the Sheconomist and myself. Though it very well could be because we have pictures similar to it. The Sheconomist is much prettier than our friend in white there though, and I am… well… lets just say the Sheconomist is marrying me for whats on the inside.
Chin-Beard
Fans of the original series of Star Trek will love the picture above. Hollywood has often used the chin beard as a means of identifying an evil character. In the episode above, an evil character is simply the same guy with a chin-beard. I’m lazy and don’t favor shaving. On a week like Christmas week, when work hours are short and vacation is near, I get to use the excuse not to shave. Most times though, I’m forced to keep it clean at work. In an effort to save myself some time with shaving, I sometimes wear the chin beard. The Sheconomist hates it. I also like changing things up once in a while, and growing out the facial hair is fun. If I grew it out completely I might look worse than that D-Bag from The Hills, Spencer Pratt. We all want to avoid that.
With the exception of the sweater vest, you can see many of my personal styles are bum related. They each serve a purpose, most of them are for comfort. I don’t understand any clothing that is not comfortable. Join me tomorrow as we explore a few trends that are mostly dead but continue to live in me.
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. Also keep in mind that nothing I say can be construed as financial advice. |
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