My wife complained several times, I brushed it off, but today looked: yep, there are two spots on the back of my "to town"pants worn frazzle-thin, not large, only about an inch, on the back of either thigh. Big deal, my shirt covers them (mostly). I think of how ungainly I would have felt years ago, uncomfortable, looking like a "bum" in public, unheard-of for respectable folks to look slovenly, unkempt, shabby, poor, to be pitied, but not ridiculed. But, what of the fads, where purple hair, nose rings, piercings, eyebrows dripping fresh blood, all seen nowadays in public? IMO, worst of all for me to behold, are the young women in Jeans, expensive duds, with the knees slit open, or worse? Now, I learn, they SELL brand-new pants already ripped open! At the factory! They look like this: Am I just an old fuddy-duddy, unable to "bend" for the times? Frank
In the days when my work environment demanded clothing which indicated my part on the stage of worldly opportunities, I wore what was expected. The basic axiom was to look the part I wished to play and the size of the bank account I wished to have which was not to be confused with the actual numbers in said account. I am retired. I wear what I wish because I pretty much do as I wish but there is however a bit of ego thrown in just to keep me in check. The new axiom is that if I wouldn’t be caught dead in it, I do not wear it not because I would care, but I would not wish my beloved to look upon me with red faced embarrassment and wondering why I wore the jeans with the worn spot on my rear and torn knees. Beyond that, if it’s comfortable, clean and suits the climate, I wear it.
My idea of dressed up is jeans, tee shirt and athletic shoes. I dislike wearing anything that gets in my way and or confines me. I detest bras and do my best work without one. However being largely endowed it is necessary evil when leaving the house. I rather go barefoot but have not been able to do that for years., foot issues. But i like to look, clean, simple dressed and smell good
I do like to dress up but do prefer comfort nowadays. As for bras, guess being on the smaller side has finally given me an advantage...no bra...ever unless it's a top that makes it too obvious and I avoid those types.
It made me smile when I read that you became aware of those jeans only recently. They have been around for quite some time. I regard myself as well-groomed although I'm far from following the latest fashion trends at my age. I discovered three or four things, though: As long as you replace your garments after not too long a time, you actually buy fashion with the garment, i.e. they can't be looking too old-fashioned. The second thing being that I have taken to color to some extent which means if you don't only wear black, blue and grey clothes, you tend to look kind of fashionably dressed provided do don't overdo it, though. A third thing is that I seem to be unable to dress like, and wear, clothes that tend to remind me of my professional life. It may take a while, if I live that long, before I may feel comfortable in certain clothes again. Fourthly, I go in for quality clothing. Fifthly, whatever I do, it'll all be just for myself because I'm worth it as the claim has it. @Bobby Cole, "my part on the stage of worldly opportunities" is just great. Your word power, and that of @Frank Sanoica, impresses me time and again.
I've never been one to worry much about fashion, except maybe a little bit in high school. Even then, I wasn't wearing anything fancy since it was the 60s. What I mean is that I've never concerned myself much with whether I look good in plaid, what colors were best for me, or whether one piece of clothing goes with another. Even in church, I would dress decently, including a coat and tie, but not to impress anyone, and I prefer churches where people don't feel the need to do that. Being clean has always been important to me. I used to shower a couple of times a day, and I don't wear the same clothes twice without washing them. Even while hitchhiking around the country as a teenager, I managed to stay clean. I don't mind getting dirty when it's necessary, but I don't like staying that way. Tatters don't matter so much, and genuinely patched or tattered clothing was popular in the 60s, whereas we'd make fun of those who took steps to make their clothes appear that way or who patched things that didn't have holes. I would have never thought of buying something that was manufactured with tatters, as is the case today, although I think it's mostly girls who do that. As a paramedic, I wore uniforms, so the uniform company would have uniforms for me, cleaned and pressed, and since I was usually at the top of the EMS ladder, I was on duty pretty much all the time, so would stay in uniform whether I was on an ambulance or not. Now, I just wear what's comfortable. My wife makes me throw stuff away now and then, and sometimes my favorite shirts just disappear.
I like to be clean also @Ken Anderson but more than one shower a day is enough...my skin is dry enough. I don't wash my hair every day either...no need. I do use an antibacterial hand sanitizer as soon as I come home from anywhere but I don't overdo that either. There are also certain clothes I don't wash after each wearing....of course it's not my panties but sweaters and things like that. I just don't get really dirty or smelly at all. I'm slightly OCD in some things but germs isn't one of them.
I get very dirty almost daily all my daily jeans are well worn, I have been known to use duck tape over tears to keep bugs out taped inside and outside both. Don't bother me any, I laugh at the new holy jeans. Not my thing at ALL.
Will add I got a pair of flannel lined jeans to fish in under my cold weather bibs that really work well in the colder trips, Wranglers on now as I type, washed 2 pair today from last week.
After going threw 2 pair ruined in a week working on downed fences in a mesquite thicket now days I wear my chinks over them and have not had any more rips, they work great in the rough brush, somewhere I have a pair of heavy canvas jeans made for brush use. The wedding I had last Sat pm to attend was the 1st time in I cant remember how many years I have not had jeans on all day long.
I can't always afford to do that when I am in the need of something but I have found it to be more worthwhile to pay the money to buy quality clothing rather than cheap stuff from BJ's or Walmart. By quality clothing, I'm not talking about anything fancy, by any means, but something that isn't going to shrink the first time it's washed or wear out in a few months. There is sometimes sense in the old saying that you get what you pay for.
@Tex Dennis Possible Texas Mesquite is different from Arizona Mesquite? I'm certain there are many types, but out here, if it manages to grow at all (down in washes and the like, it usually forms a single trunk, then spreads out straggly arms off of it, but I don't think I've seen it as what I would call a thicket: "Prosopis velutina, commonly known as velvet mesquite, is a small to medium-sized perennial tree. It is a legume adapted to a dry, desert climate. Though considered to be a noxious weed in states outside its natural range, it plays a vital role in the ecology of the Sonoran Desert. Velvet mesquite can grow to 30–50 ft (9–15 m) tall or more. It grows larger in areas with ample water, smaller in open, dry grasslands". This must be our type........ Frank
Frank thorns low down, maybe look at black locust thorns, some 1/8" dia 2-3 inches long real bad things tear up Wranglers or Levis and you also, also the old rusty wire barbs, we have places the have to cut your way through alos at times have worn welding gloves to my elbows.