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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

1950: A BUCOLIC VIEW OF TRENTON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Just stop in your busy day. and take a minute to look at those two bucolic views of the beautiful campus of Trenton Central High School as it was before society's fashionistas decided to wrap up the good grooming package and throw it into the trash can. Girls in skirts and blouses, boys in dress shirts with a tie, or a sport shirt, and creases in their trousers. How I yearn for those years of my youth when good grooming was the order of the day! Even if you were from a poor family as in my personal case, my mom would never let me go to school unless I looked "presentable," as she used to say. Today we see the boys with knees torn out of their jeans, not from actual wear as was the case when I was a boy, but they are actually fulfilling a "fashion statement" dreamed up by a twisted member of the clothing industry who has the unique talent of starting a trend in what I call "rebellion dress code modification." Even a number of female Hollywood personalities are joining in the idiotic trend. It was probably the same genius who decided to get the boys to buy jeans that look like they are worn and torn. "Don't wear that baseball cap in the conventional way, wear it backwards. Only old fogies wear their baseball cap with the peak and logo on the front..." "let those jeans down around your thighs and expose your underwear; you will be cool....you will really be noticed...." "Girls, isn't that blouse a bit prudish? Look at how all those Hollywood gals are revealing more and more of their lovely physical attributes. Why not you? 
Note: The above rant is my personal observation and opinion and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of those who are fast approaching majority status.
Tom Glover
Active Member "Old Fogies Club"

3 comments:

Jersey Girl said...

AMEN!! I totally agree with you and I am also an old fogie. I still enjoy dressing in a stylish fashion, I work full time and we have a dress code. Good thing, because the younger ones would come in wearing the awful "cool attire" that you describe. I don't know, there is no pride in anything today.

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, I am also of the opinion that the dress code of today is non existent. I especially don't understand the need for tattoos. If you want to make a statement, why not wear a shirt, with pictures and sayings. That way, if you change your mind, you just change your shirt. It's not forever. I see African Americans, with tattoos, you can hardly see. I see tattoos on a person's neck and face. How does that look when you are interviewing for a job. Even if the job is at McDonalds. I see what look to be painful piercing of all body parts. Today, it seems the more attention you can draw to yourself, I guess it makes you feel important. If someone can explain all of the above, please do. This is all leading up to the fact, that we did have our trends in dress, back in the day. When I was in high school, we more pegged pants. The most radical was a 14" peg, with a seam running down the side, complimented with a contrasting saddle stitch. We had high rise trousers, where the belt was at least 4 to 5 inches below the waistband. We had suede belts, only about 5/8ths of an inch wide. We wore dress shirts with a Billy Eckstine rolled collar and a slim jim tie. We had heavy soled and thick healed Black dress shoes, or suede and topped it off with an overcoat called a six button Benny. Leisurely, we wore our Car Club corduroy bomber jackets, and jeans, and combed our hair into a duck tail in back. So maybe we thought we were very cool, but I have to say, much cooler than today's youth. I'm sure I will get some flack, for my opinions. That's OK rayfromvillapark

Tom Glover said...

RAY:
Great to hear from you! You just described my 1950's to a tee. As to the current generation with their tattoos, piercings, jeans with tears in the legs, idiots walking around with their pants down below their derriere revealing their boxer shorts........anything to get attention. I would guess one positive reaction vs. overwhelming negative reactions but that's their choice.