Glasses, Kilts, and the Basketballers Who Wear Them

November 22, 2016 6:20 AM

The mid-2000s saw the NBA reeling in the aftermath of the Malice at the Palace. Feeling alienated by the rise of expressions of hip-hop culture among NBA players, corporate sponsors were threatening to leave the league in droves. In order to bridge the growing gap between the league and its financial base, David Stern and the NBA’s white leadership commenced an all-out assault on the symbols of blackness sported by the hip-hop generation, with a dress code as its chief weapon.

Dime magazine takes a look at how the predominantly African-American players of the NBA reacted to the league's crackdown on how they dressed in media appearances and the fashions that arose in the wake of a ban on sleeveless shirts, shorts, jerseys, T-shirts, sports apparel, chains, pendants, medallions, sunglasses, headphones, and non-team headgear of any kind.

posted by Etrigan (44 comments total)

The article lacks meaningful pictures.
posted by shoesietart at 7:02 AM on November 22, 2016 [10 favorites]

I'm guessing the fish tank platform shoes that one of the New York Knicks of the 70s (Clyde Frazier?) was reportedly spotted wearing would certainly be a casualty of Stern's dress code. This would probably have to be seen as a positive outcome.
posted by e1c at 7:04 AM on November 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

Westbrook's kilt if anyone wants pictures.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 7:22 AM on November 22, 2016 [6 favorites]

This is good evidence for the theory that artificial constraints often lead to more interesting artistic creation.

Also, counterpoint: don't most businesses have dress codes? Saying that the dress code is racist because it prohibited certain types of dress popular among young African-American men strikes me as a bit of reverse causation -- the league was and is primarily young African-American men, so any dress code will naturally prohibit the type of clothes they commonly wear.

And, further [edit]: I also find it really interesting that players have come to value the dress code as it has increased their marketability.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 7:35 AM on November 22, 2016

Speaking as someone who really dislikes dress codes, I have to admire the brilliant ways the players subverted the dress-codes!
Nerd Chic in particular.
I wish Westbrook had spoken we someone about the correct hose and shoes to use with a kilt though. The result was more13 year old Catholic school girl than I think he would have liked if he'd thought about it.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 7:40 AM on November 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

Also, counterpoint: don't most businesses have dress codes? Saying that the dress code is racist because it prohibited certain types of dress popular among young African-American men strikes me as a bit of reverse causation -- the league was and is primarily young African-American men, so any dress code will naturally prohibit the type of clothes they commonly wear.

Sure, and the NBA's ownership being entirely white is a total coincidence too.
posted by Celsius1414 at 7:45 AM on November 22, 2016 [20 favorites]

I demand a slide show of Westbrook's fashion choices immediately
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:48 AM on November 22, 2016 [7 favorites]

jenfullmoon, ask and ye shall receive.
posted by whimsicalnymph at 7:51 AM on November 22, 2016 [11 favorites]

Oh, golly. Those overalls are wonderful.
posted by minsies at 7:53 AM on November 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

Saying that the dress code is racist because it prohibited certain types of dress popular among young African-American men strikes me as a bit of reverse causation -- the league was and is primarily young African-American men, so any dress code will naturally prohibit the type of clothes they commonly wear.

The dress code didn't evolve "naturally", though. There wasn't some external force that imposed a dress code on the NBA. The league looked at its primarily young African-American men and said "These primarily young African-American men need to dress in a different way than they currently are, specifically in ways that the 'wrong' kinds of other young African-American men also stereotypically dress." That might not be racist, but it certainly looks like racism.
posted by Etrigan at 7:55 AM on November 22, 2016 [14 favorites]

That is a fantastic slideshow! I can imagine Tom Haverford clicking through and making mental notes for Rent-a-Swag and for personal style addendums.
posted by rewil at 7:57 AM on November 22, 2016 [5 favorites]

This stuff is white fragility at its best/worst, and is a perfect example of the way white leaders make choices for people of color and explain them away so they can feel better about themselves. "Most businesses have dress codes," "look at the amazing art it created," "they can market themselves now" - these are deflections. It's indeed fascinating to explore what Black players have done with these constraints, but we shouldn't do that at the expense of examining what necessitated this particular fashion revolution in the first place.
posted by ORthey at 8:01 AM on November 22, 2016 [52 favorites]

All attempts by management to control key elements of an entity will always fail when said elements are absolutely and intrinsically essential to the existence of the entity. The only variance will be in how embarrassing and ridiculous the attempts make management look. The players will always win.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 8:02 AM on November 22, 2016

On the plus side for the league, in the last couple years they've been out front in allowing their players to make political stands without repercussion, and have worked even to allow coaches and teams to stand up for BLM and other causes. (Not without some bumps along the way of course, but still...) And are out front in negotiating the new contract structure with the players, which looks like it will avoid a lock out or strike.

While they may not be the most progressive organization out there, compared to the other major sports they are starting to show solid leadership in balancing player interests and race consciousness with corporate wants in ways that are heartening. Right now, it's the only major US sports league I can stomach, given all the problems with football, baseball and hockey. (Not sure yet about MLS, but I'm hoping they'll prove decent too.)
posted by gusottertrout at 8:04 AM on November 22, 2016 [5 favorites]

"Saying that the dress code is racist because it prohibited certain types of dress popular among young African-American men strikes me as a bit of reverse causation -- the league was and is primarily young African-American men, so any dress code will naturally prohibit the type of clothes they commonly wear."

As Etrigan pointed out, the entire point of this dress code was to dissociate from young, urban blackness. Blackness was the target.
posted by kevinbelt at 8:04 AM on November 22, 2016 [12 favorites]

Mod note: Friendly reminder, please don't use the edit function to add content. Just make a second comment.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 8:08 AM on November 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

Nice article. I remember when the dress code first came out and it was certainly racially driven, and everyone knew it even at the time. Right now, the NBA is near the center of the U.S. high fashion world and I only just now connected it to the dress code. It's hard to think of other specific examples that have influenced fashion so dramatically. Maybe JFK or the 60s counterculture? But this is a movement that has pushed men in some of the most conservative (and high money) circles to dress with a bit more flair and personal expression and overall I think that's a good thing. I love to see these guys having fun with it.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:17 AM on November 22, 2016

Dress codes are an abomination in itself and "other people do it" has never been an adequate defense of assholery. But you have to be willfully blind not to see this as just something for the corporate parasites to control the talent without whom the NBA would be meaningless.

There's always this urge right, to make sure that even the most successful Black NBA (or other) superstar knows his place and ultimately all the guff about professionalism or making sure the customer base doesn't feel threatened is just a smokescreen for this.
posted by MartinWisse at 8:26 AM on November 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

Sure, and the NBA's ownership being entirely white is a total coincidence too.

Overwhelmingly white, but not entirely white. Michael Jordan and Vivek Ranadive are both majority owners of NBA teams.
posted by gyc at 8:38 AM on November 22, 2016

Sure, and the NBA's ownership being entirely white is a total coincidence too.

Overwhelmingly white, but not entirely white. Michael Jordan and Vivek Ranadive are both majority owners of NBA teams.

Not in 2004, when the dress code was instituted.
posted by Etrigan at 8:42 AM on November 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

jenfullmoon, ask and ye shall receive.

Whoa. I think this is the first time I've seen a website that becomes literally unusable on a desktop computer. (The UI apparently requires you to swipe in order to see pictures after the first one, and no other interaction — clicking, dragging, typing — seems to do anything.)
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:50 AM on November 22, 2016 [4 favorites]

nebulawindphone, I am able to use arrows on either side of the photos. Maybe try another browser?
posted by saul wright at 8:56 AM on November 22, 2016

Ironically if you block gq.com scripts the pictures are all there in an easy to peruse vertical scroll.
posted by Mitheral at 8:56 AM on November 22, 2016

A kilt's a good choice for protesting dress codes.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 8:59 AM on November 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

While they may not be the most progressive organization out there, compared to the other major sports they are starting to show solid leadership in balancing player interests and race consciousness with corporate wants in ways that are heartening.

I think it's not a coincidence that the NBA has one of the strongest players' unions.
posted by praemunire at 9:02 AM on November 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

This makes me think of the scottish canadian man I met at the last Highland Games in my town, who was volunteering for the Scottish DNA project. he stood there a "typical" looking staunch older scot (white as they come) and told me proudly they had discovered the DNA of the scots was incredibly diverse, possibly the most diverse in the world, with interplay from Africa, Asia and the Nordic countries because they had been the last stop on so many trade routes.

Have no idea if that is true, or if DNA works that way, but he was just bursting with the idea of how awesome it was that people from all over the world were part of their genetic history.

I'll take that gentleman's vision of a diverse Scottish culture that includes the world over the "not black" version these football league people apparently wish to use the kilt for. Blerg!
posted by chapps at 9:02 AM on November 22, 2016 [5 favorites]

This is fascinating! I didn't know about the (really racist-seeming) dress code or the backlash in the form of fashion.
posted by Secretariat at 9:06 AM on November 22, 2016

I think it's not a coincidence that the NBA has one of the strongest players' unions.

Definitely not a coincidence, but Adam Silver is taking, at least an outwardly, more balanced approach to ownership/player relations than Stern. That, as of now, it seems promising that they'll reach agreement on the new contract structures without there being a union/owner showdown seems to show the players are viewing the relationship more positively too. Silver has spent a lot of time talking about going this route, so for the time being it's looking like he's keeping his word. Undoubtedly this too comes from being aware the fans of the NBA are also generally more progressive on race than the other sports leagues, with a greater percentage of the viewership being black or sympathizing with black concerns. So it's a mix of elements involved, but I like the general direction they're moving in.
posted by gusottertrout at 9:18 AM on November 22, 2016

Fwiw, this is the point of a school uniform. Get as much rebellious energy out of the kid's systems as possible through their accidentally on purpose interpretation of those rules.
posted by vbfg at 9:32 AM on November 22, 2016

Remembering the NBA's implicitly racist dress code and the players most affected by it
posted by gucci mane at 9:36 AM on November 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

Russel Westbrook is an inspiration to black men like myself.

I'm going to wear a kilt to my office job. /s
posted by 81818181818181818181 at 9:54 AM on November 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

Whoa. I think this is the first time I've seen a website that becomes literally unusable on a desktop computer. (The UI apparently requires you to swipe in order to see pictures after the first one, and no other interaction — clicking, dragging, typing — seems to do anything.)

If it makes you feel any better, I got through a few photos on an ipad before getting to a screen that said click to skip, but did not respond to any form of interaction.
posted by snofoam at 9:57 AM on November 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

I would like to echo others in saying how much I love the NBA, not the least of which reasons is because how progressive and activist it is compared to other sports leagues. The comments by Pop and Stan VG show how much better NBA coaches are than their NFL counterparts, and social activist leaders like LeBron, Carmelo, CP3, and David West (among others) show what action and leadership can be (contrast this with Colin Kaepernick's confused, contradictory protests). In short: NBA is a force for good in America. My guess is that its influence will grow in the age of Trump.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 10:32 AM on November 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

It's indeed fascinating to explore what Black players have done with these constraints, but we shouldn't do that at the expense of examining what necessitated this particular fashion revolution in the first place.

I thought the piece did a good enough job examining the reasons behind the dress code. Falling market share and loss of audience/fans.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 10:35 AM on November 22, 2016

The dress code in question (I believe):

1. General Policy: Business Casual
Players are required to wear Business Casual attire whenever they are engaged in team or league business. "Business Casual" attire means:
• A long or short-sleeved dress shirt (collared or turtleneck), and/or a sweater.
• Dress slacks, khaki pants, or dress jeans.
• Appropriate shoes and socks, including dress shoes, dress boots, or other presentable shoes, but not including sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, or work boots.
2. Exceptions to Business Casual

There are the following exceptions to the general policy of Business Casual attire:
• Players In Attendance At Games But Not In Uniform
Players who are in attendance at games but not in uniform are required to wear the following additional items when seated on the bench or in the stands during the game:
• Sport Coat
• Dress shoes or boots, and socks
• Players Leaving the Arena

Players leaving the arena may wear either Business Casual attire or neat warm-up suits issued by their teams.

• Special Events or Appearances

Teams can make exceptions to the Business Casual policy for special events or player appearances where other attire is appropriate -- e.g., participation in a basketball clinic.

3. Excluded Items

The following is a list of items that players are not allowed to wear at any time while on team or league business:
• Sleeveless shirts
• Shorts
• T-shirts, jerseys, or sports apparel (unless appropriate for the event (e.g., a basketball clinic), team-identified, and approved by the team)
• Headgear of any kind while a player is sitting on the bench or in the stands at a game, during media interviews, or during a team or league event or appearance (unless appropriate for the event or appearance, team-identified, and approved by the team)
• Chains, pendants, or medallions worn over the player's clothes
• Sunglasses while indoors
• Headphones (other than on the team bus or plane, or in the team locker room)

posted by Secret Sparrow at 12:38 PM on November 22, 2016

I thought it was well established that the NBA dress code was Allen Iverson's "fault". In post-Jordan, Iverson was the MVP, one of the most recognisable players, and definitely dressed in a manner the dress code made explicitly illegal.

Last year the all-star week held it's first NBA fashion show. Kinda brilliant, make a racist dress code and when people subvert it, monetise that subversion. It's like a microcosm of capitalism.

Also, pro-NBA evidence for them being cool: they moved this years all star game from Charlotte over the anti-trans bathroom legislation, and the multiple owners who have either left or been forced out after making racist comments. It's nice to have a sports league that while flawed, you don't feel deplorable for supporting.
posted by yeahwhatever at 12:43 PM on November 22, 2016

contrast this with Colin Kaepernick's confused, contradictory protests

This may be my fan-bias showing, but this criticism of Kaepernick from the left seems frankly ridiculous to me. Whether he sat or kneeled, he kicked off a discussion within the NFL and led to other, "correct" protests from teams like the Seahawks that simply would not have happened if he hadn't been the first. It seems to me like he's on a journey of reckoning with himself - he asked himself, "Am I doing enough?" and the answer was no. He's looking for ways to leverage his celebrity into action (with visible protest, with donations to activist orgs, spurring a matching commitment from the 49ers, and organizing a "Know your Rights" camp for Bay Area youth), and getting criticized for it from both sides - on one side, for disrespecting America, the flag, "the troops," or whoever; and on the other side, for not doing it the way he's supposed to.
posted by muddgirl at 12:45 PM on November 22, 2016 [13 favorites]

on one side, for disrespecting America, the flag, "the troops," or whoever; and on the other side, for not doing it the way he's supposed to.

I respect him for his actions. I just wish he had followed it up with voting.

Colin Kaepernick on election: 'Didn't really matter who went in'

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick says it didn't matter to him who won Tuesday's presidential election.

Kaepernick said he didn't believe any of the candidates, including President-elect Donald Trump, who in the past criticized the quarterback's decision to kneel during the national anthem, would change a system that he said "oppresses people of color."

Kaepernick, who did not vote Tuesday, said during a conference call Wednesday with media in Arizona that he "really didn't pay too close of attention" to the election, which was decided close to midnight on the West Coast.

"I've been very disconnected from the systematic oppression as a whole," Kaepernick said. "So, for me, it's another face that's going to be the face of that system of oppression.

I'm also not going to say he's wrong in the big picture, but claiming Trump and Clinton presidencies would be equivalent is at least as wrong as it was when people said it in 2000 about Gore and Bush. And not paying "too close of attention" to the election I'm sure seems just fine when you're insulated from the outcome by being rich and male, no matter how right you are about other connected issues.
posted by Celsius1414 at 1:57 PM on November 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

Not in 2004, when the dress code was instituted.


Robert Johnson the BET founder was one in 2004.
posted by gyc at 2:08 PM on November 22, 2016

I respect him for his actions. I just wish he had followed it up with voting.

LOL he is just ridiculous. And I can even see a protest vote against the President -- okay, sure, lots of people didn't check a box for either candidate because they didn't like the options. But not voting at all? In any local elections or ballot initiatives? Isn't the entire theme of the past however many weeks to get involved, to make change, to hold our leaders accountable? My issue with Colin Kaepernick has nothing to do with the way in which he has decided to protest. I am a big fan of the other leaders of the NFL making their voices heard through their protests and actions. My issue with CK is nearly entirely to do with his (from my perspective) complete emptiness of thought. He's basically a walking Breitbart conspiracy theorist, and I'd bet good money on him being a big InfoWars fan.

Compare him with LeBron. Dude campaigned with Clinton. Let the hoodie protests in the NBA. Gets kids into college and pays their way. LeBron is action and follow-through.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 2:46 PM on November 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

The dress code was installed during a very specific moment in hip-hop fashion, and right now that fashion is entirely different. Look at people like Young Thug subverting hip-hop fashion trends. I can't imagine what NBA players these days would pull off. Everyone cites Westbrook, and for good reason, but did anyone see what Evan Turner was wearing after the Blazers vs Nets game? Or how about anyone else in the NBA? And yeah, Allen Iverson probably had an influence on the policy. If he's considered a "thuggish" NBA player then what would somebody like Matt Barnes or DeMarcus Cousins be wearing without the dress code? I'm very interested.

And somebody up above said this but yeah, NBA players are intimidating in real life, and if Metta World Peace was coming at me I'd either freeze up in fear or dive out of the way. I went to the Blazers fan fest and when I walked in Noah Vonleh (6'9") was walking by on his way to an interview thing. I froze up. He's gigantic. He's not even muscular like other guys are, either, but good lord I was shocked. Seeing them on TV simply doesn't cut it.
posted by gucci mane at 3:07 PM on November 22, 2016

chapps: I'll take that gentleman's vision of a diverse Scottish culture that includes the world over the "not black" version these football league people apparently wish to use the kilt for.

I am, inevitably, reminded of Nick Griffin's (former leader of the fascist British National Party) appallingly racist anti-SNP photo-advert: featuring black gentlemen wearing kilts, and the caption "Keep Scotland Scottish".

Unfortunately for Griffin, it backfired spectacularly when the vast majority of people who saw it responded that, actually, suave black gentlemen looking dapper in kilts was a vision of Scotland they approved of very much indeed.

(Incidentally, the men in the photo weren't even Scottish. They were Congolese dandies, and the photographer of the image kicked up an almighty stink about his work being used - without permission, at that - to peddle racist propaganda.)
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 5:03 PM on November 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

I've stopped following football, but early in the season everyone was talking about the penalties for excessive celebration so I looked up a video recap on youtube. I couldn't help notice that every player being penalized was black and every ref was white, and thought that it looked really bad. But I guess it's hard to sell pickup trucks and budweiser to white people who feel threatened by black people taunting their opponents or thrusting their hips in a sexual manner.
posted by peeedro at 5:18 PM on November 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

Let's not just not even get started on how utterly retrograde on just about everything the NFL is. It's really loathsome.
posted by JPD at 1:47 AM on November 23, 2016 [1 favorite]