Well reem, innit?
October 24, 2013 8:16 AM Subscribe
The Only Way Is Essex was the first of a new wave of scripted reality shows in the UK, inspired by their popular US equivalents. Yet what started as a riff on the old joke of the bimbonic 'Essex Girl' has somehow had an impact on linguistics (including a dictionary entry) and what we think of as beautiful.
For an in-depth look at the make-up routine undergone by those who have adopted the TOWIE style, see here (nb Daily Mail link)
For an in-depth look at the make-up routine undergone by those who have adopted the TOWIE style, see here (nb Daily Mail link)
So this is UK specific? Because I don't think fake anything is remotely attractive. It screams Jersey Shore.
You got it. Essex is to England as Jersey is to America.
posted by banal evil at 8:29 AM on October 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
You got it. Essex is to England as Jersey is to America.
posted by banal evil at 8:29 AM on October 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
You wot m8?
posted by kuanes at 8:33 AM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by kuanes at 8:33 AM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
what we think of as beautiful.
'Heavy' fashion is an interesting thing-- and by that I mean the rigorous, time-intensive style that tends to become iconic of the decade. There are always people willing to adopt it, and there are always people who are attracted to it. And ten years on, it always looks totally ridiculous and everyone who appreciated it wonders how they possibly could have.
People who dress crunchy or conservatively may not be as cool as TV tells them they should be, but they don't get laughed at in old photos; and they spend a lot less time primping and more doing anything else. A couple years ago, I decided that I was never again going to wear anything except canvas Carhartt-style slacks/shorts, plaid/check shirts with dark t-shirts, and gray cotton socks. And that I was never going to change my short, boring hairstyle: 'Number three clippers on the sides, slightly longer on the top, thanks.'
Even though it's heavily promoted in consumer culture for nefarious reasons, overly-conscientious attention to fashion has always struck me as wasteful, and slightly shallow and vapid. I don't look cool, but I always look presentable and I've never wanted to stand out. If anyone thinks I'm less interesting for not wearing the modern equivalent of bell bottoms and a butterfly collar, that's great because that's one less twit to whom I have to pretend to warm.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:47 AM on October 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
'Heavy' fashion is an interesting thing-- and by that I mean the rigorous, time-intensive style that tends to become iconic of the decade. There are always people willing to adopt it, and there are always people who are attracted to it. And ten years on, it always looks totally ridiculous and everyone who appreciated it wonders how they possibly could have.
People who dress crunchy or conservatively may not be as cool as TV tells them they should be, but they don't get laughed at in old photos; and they spend a lot less time primping and more doing anything else. A couple years ago, I decided that I was never again going to wear anything except canvas Carhartt-style slacks/shorts, plaid/check shirts with dark t-shirts, and gray cotton socks. And that I was never going to change my short, boring hairstyle: 'Number three clippers on the sides, slightly longer on the top, thanks.'
Even though it's heavily promoted in consumer culture for nefarious reasons, overly-conscientious attention to fashion has always struck me as wasteful, and slightly shallow and vapid. I don't look cool, but I always look presentable and I've never wanted to stand out. If anyone thinks I'm less interesting for not wearing the modern equivalent of bell bottoms and a butterfly collar, that's great because that's one less twit to whom I have to pretend to warm.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:47 AM on October 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
If something has the geographic location in its nickname - see 'scouse brows' - it's usually a way of suggesting that the look (and therefore the place) are low-class. (There's a weird flipside of this, in that if you describe someone as 'a bit Henley' - as in, the place where Boris Johnson was an MP and the McDonalds is in a Tudor-frame building, it's denoting a type of 'intolerable poshness'.) I don't know if Jersey has the same connotations there, or whether it's more of a race thing given the guido/guidette nickname?
(Cara Delevigne has thick brows, but they are considered OK in the world of fashion, as they are 'natural' and not created by 'obvious' make-up. Though maybe one led to the other?)
Each year, the Mail do a feature on Ladies' Day at Aintree, the racecourse in Liverpool. Like Ascot (which is considered posh and part of the 'social season' for the upper-class), it is the day when women dress up and watch the races. The Mail article contains little in the way of text, but it's clear that its' purpose is to say 'hey, look how fat/inappropriate/underdressed/overtanned/too short of skirt women from the North are'. While I wouldn't choose necessarily to look that way, they always look like they're having a great time. I kind of feel that way about the 'Essex look' - even though they would see my pale skin and rubbish weedy brows as horribly dowdy.
posted by mippy at 8:51 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
(Cara Delevigne has thick brows, but they are considered OK in the world of fashion, as they are 'natural' and not created by 'obvious' make-up. Though maybe one led to the other?)
Each year, the Mail do a feature on Ladies' Day at Aintree, the racecourse in Liverpool. Like Ascot (which is considered posh and part of the 'social season' for the upper-class), it is the day when women dress up and watch the races. The Mail article contains little in the way of text, but it's clear that its' purpose is to say 'hey, look how fat/inappropriate/underdressed/overtanned/too short of skirt women from the North are'. While I wouldn't choose necessarily to look that way, they always look like they're having a great time. I kind of feel that way about the 'Essex look' - even though they would see my pale skin and rubbish weedy brows as horribly dowdy.
posted by mippy at 8:51 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Fake tan was a thing when I was a teenager - though it was more likely to be a sunbed - but not to the extent that it seems to be common on teens now. I never used it - most foundations are too dark for me, and most nude tights make me look like I've fake-tanned only half of my body. If I used bronzer - another thing that tan fans go heavy on - I'd look racially offensive.
posted by mippy at 8:52 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by mippy at 8:52 AM on October 24, 2013
Apparently they are making a new "structured reality" show, building on the success of TOWIE and Made in Chelsea, which will star Prince Edward's holsehold staff and will be called "The Only Maid in Wessex".
AND THAT'S MY 10,000TH STUPID PUN ON METAFILTER, EVERYONE!
posted by the quidnunc kid at 8:53 AM on October 24, 2013 [10 favorites]
AND THAT'S MY 10,000TH STUPID PUN ON METAFILTER, EVERYONE!
posted by the quidnunc kid at 8:53 AM on October 24, 2013 [10 favorites]
The funny thing about Towie, and its posh sibling, Made in Chelsea is that the characters are almost indistinguishable to the passing observer.
Somehow the fashions of both sets have migrated to a common ground. If someone asked me to do one of those internet picture quizzes and asked me who was from which show I'd be lucky to get more than 50%.
What this says about modern Britain I haven't the foggiest.
posted by MuffinMan at 8:59 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Somehow the fashions of both sets have migrated to a common ground. If someone asked me to do one of those internet picture quizzes and asked me who was from which show I'd be lucky to get more than 50%.
What this says about modern Britain I haven't the foggiest.
posted by MuffinMan at 8:59 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
(There's a weird flipside of this, in that if you describe someone as 'a bit Henley' - as in, the place where Boris Johnson was an MP and the McDonalds is in a Tudor-frame building, it's denoting a type of 'intolerable poshness'.) I don't know if Jersey has the same connotations there, or whether it's more of a race thing given the guido/guidette nickname?
If you're asking whether New Jersey has an equivalent rich man with political aspirations and ridiculous blond hair, the answer is no. Trump's from Queens.
What this says about modern Britain I haven't the foggiest.
Nothing, really. It just means Jersey Shore is really easy to adapt. Spray some idiots orange and voilà.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:13 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you're asking whether New Jersey has an equivalent rich man with political aspirations and ridiculous blond hair, the answer is no. Trump's from Queens.
What this says about modern Britain I haven't the foggiest.
Nothing, really. It just means Jersey Shore is really easy to adapt. Spray some idiots orange and voilà.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:13 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
P'raps I'm just growing old, but I can't stand these new woman-fashions among the Ēast Seaxe. I saw this one saucy young chit just the other day, and - hm? Oh, it was...Æthelswith or Æthelthryth, or some such. You know: the new thegns's wife.
Anyway, her kirtle sleeves were cut so high that I could nearly see her elbows, and her head rail barely hid her hair. Her brow was brown as a nut! I might expect such immodesty from the Mercians, but I never thought I'd live to see Sigeberht's childer court the devil.
posted by Your Disapproving Father at 9:22 AM on October 24, 2013 [35 favorites]
Anyway, her kirtle sleeves were cut so high that I could nearly see her elbows, and her head rail barely hid her hair. Her brow was brown as a nut! I might expect such immodesty from the Mercians, but I never thought I'd live to see Sigeberht's childer court the devil.
posted by Your Disapproving Father at 9:22 AM on October 24, 2013 [35 favorites]
overly-conscientious attention to fashion has always struck me as wasteful, and slightly shallow and vapid.
Not trying to pick on you specifically, but this attitude really bothers me. Everyone kind of accepts this mentality as fact-people who like fashion are stupid, and probably that's the only thing they care about. Also, then, it's totally ok to bash them. Refer to all of them as 'twits', 'idiots', etc. Name calling is rightly deserved.
What bothers me most is that these ideas just don't come out of nowhere, there's a range of factors playing into it. And the people most affected by the idea, the people who the stereotype is stemming from, are young and female. I just makes me wonder how much is relevant hate (if there is such a thing) and how much is socially accepted misogyny.
posted by FirstMateKate at 9:25 AM on October 24, 2013 [11 favorites]
Not trying to pick on you specifically, but this attitude really bothers me. Everyone kind of accepts this mentality as fact-people who like fashion are stupid, and probably that's the only thing they care about. Also, then, it's totally ok to bash them. Refer to all of them as 'twits', 'idiots', etc. Name calling is rightly deserved.
What bothers me most is that these ideas just don't come out of nowhere, there's a range of factors playing into it. And the people most affected by the idea, the people who the stereotype is stemming from, are young and female. I just makes me wonder how much is relevant hate (if there is such a thing) and how much is socially accepted misogyny.
posted by FirstMateKate at 9:25 AM on October 24, 2013 [11 favorites]
What I can't understand is why skin tone is a fashion statement. Tanner, whitener, whatever... can't we all just... be?
posted by Hawk V at 9:30 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by Hawk V at 9:30 AM on October 24, 2013
roomthreeseventeen: So this is UK specific? Because I don't think fake anything is remotely attractive. It screams Jersey Shore.
Jersey Shore is just the recent overly publicized example of the fake tan. There are plenty of Midwesterners who strive for the "I live outdoors" bronze appearance, and then there's Ganguro in Japan, with the more extreme yamanba and manba styles of drastically darkened skin with pastel eye make-up and in some cases, artificial hair.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:34 AM on October 24, 2013
Jersey Shore is just the recent overly publicized example of the fake tan. There are plenty of Midwesterners who strive for the "I live outdoors" bronze appearance, and then there's Ganguro in Japan, with the more extreme yamanba and manba styles of drastically darkened skin with pastel eye make-up and in some cases, artificial hair.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:34 AM on October 24, 2013
What bothers me most is that these ideas just don't come out of nowhere, there's a range of factors playing into it. And the people most affected by the idea, the people who the stereotype is stemming from, are young and female. I just makes me wonder how much is relevant hate (if there is such a thing) and how much is socially accepted misogyny.
There are whole industries devoted to fooling every female person (from little girl to grown woman) into thinking they're supposed to care about fashion, in order to extract a constant stream of revenue.
Granted, my view is from the outside in, but that seems worse.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:44 AM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
There are whole industries devoted to fooling every female person (from little girl to grown woman) into thinking they're supposed to care about fashion, in order to extract a constant stream of revenue.
Granted, my view is from the outside in, but that seems worse.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:44 AM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Well fashion is transgressive and I havnt felt threatened or insecure about not being fashionable enough for years.
What I do find uncomfortable are people who have 'locked' into a certain look and now seem incapable of making minor, easy adjustments as a nod to the changing times. An extreme example would be those old Teddy Boys or guys who put on a black cowboy hat and boots back in the 1980s and haven't taken them off since.
posted by fingerbang at 9:54 AM on October 24, 2013
What I do find uncomfortable are people who have 'locked' into a certain look and now seem incapable of making minor, easy adjustments as a nod to the changing times. An extreme example would be those old Teddy Boys or guys who put on a black cowboy hat and boots back in the 1980s and haven't taken them off since.
posted by fingerbang at 9:54 AM on October 24, 2013
Last night in York, I was in my local Tesco with my (Essex born and bred) boyfriend. The young woman behind the cash register (who is always there) epitomizes this orange, overtanned look. Except that she has Scouse brows bigger than baby arms, more bronzer than Kardashian, and a Geordie accent. Which is to say, fashion is complicated. It made for interesting discussion on the way home though. And makes this post (for me) well educational and apropos.
posted by iamkimiam at 9:59 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by iamkimiam at 9:59 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
guys who put on black cowboy hat and boots back in the 1980s
Aren't boots and cowboy hats a little older than that? They're essentially the native costume of parts of the US, same as lederhosen in Germany or the thawb in the Middle East. What does fashion have anything to do with it? There will be Texans in cowboy hats, boots, and jeans a hundred years from now, just as there were a hundred years ago.
posted by LiteOpera at 10:01 AM on October 24, 2013
Aren't boots and cowboy hats a little older than that? They're essentially the native costume of parts of the US, same as lederhosen in Germany or the thawb in the Middle East. What does fashion have anything to do with it? There will be Texans in cowboy hats, boots, and jeans a hundred years from now, just as there were a hundred years ago.
posted by LiteOpera at 10:01 AM on October 24, 2013
There are whole industries devoted to fooling every female person (from little girl to grown woman) into thinking they're supposed to care about fashion, in order to extract a constant stream of revenue.
Sure, but that does not mean that every woman who takes time over her appearance and pays attention to style trends is a brainwashed nit, but that's what many people, men and women, believe.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:12 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Sure, but that does not mean that every woman who takes time over her appearance and pays attention to style trends is a brainwashed nit, but that's what many people, men and women, believe.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:12 AM on October 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
I was just looking through an old "dictionary" my friend put together in high school - 25 years ago. It is full of "salty potato" type terms (in our case "burger"=cute guy.) I don't think I can hate on people for having their own slang, when my I've got a whole insane lexicon that only 3 other people understand.
We also looked pretty ridiculous in our baggy knit capri pants worn with keds and scrunch socks!
posted by vespabelle at 10:29 AM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
We also looked pretty ridiculous in our baggy knit capri pants worn with keds and scrunch socks!
posted by vespabelle at 10:29 AM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
What bothers me most is that these ideas just don't come out of nowhere, there's a range of factors playing into it. And the people most affected by the idea, the people who the stereotype is stemming from, are young and female. I just makes me wonder how much is relevant hate (if there is such a thing) and how much is socially accepted misogyny.There are whole industries devoted to fooling every female person (from little girl to grown woman) into thinking they're supposed to care about fashion, in order to extract a constant stream of revenue.
Granted, my view is from the outside in, but that seems worse.
posted by Sys Rq at 12:44 PM on October 24 [+] [!]
It might seem worse, but those problems aren't separate. You've got billion dollar industries constantly bombarding women (and girls) to Be Like This!. And then separate, but equally as powerful, industries constantly watching them, and taking any chance they get to drag them down for being "vapid" or "shallow" for trying. And additionally, they get marked as 'wretched', 'gross' or what have you, for failing to achieve a certain beauty standard.
You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting “Vanity,” thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for you own pleasure.”
― John Berger
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:37 AM on October 24, 2013 [10 favorites]
And then separate, but equally as powerful, industries constantly watching them, and taking any chance they get to drag them down for being "vapid" or "shallow" for trying.
Really? Which industries would those be? How do they make their money?
And additionally, they get marked as 'wretched', 'gross' or what have you, for failing to achieve a certain beauty standard.
That's just the fashion & beauty industries again.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:45 AM on October 24, 2013
Really? Which industries would those be? How do they make their money?
And additionally, they get marked as 'wretched', 'gross' or what have you, for failing to achieve a certain beauty standard.
That's just the fashion & beauty industries again.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:45 AM on October 24, 2013
And the people most affected by the idea, the people who the stereotype is stemming from, are young and female. And the people most affected by the idea, the people who the stereotype is stemming from, are young and female. I just makes me wonder how much is relevant hate (if there is such a thing) and how much is socially accepted misogyny.
Young men are rapidly catching up. And the stereotype works both ways-- it's much easier for me to accept that a woman who cares about trends in dress has that as just one of many cultivated interests. A man, on the other hand, is nearly automatically a veneered shell of a person.
It's not right to judge people like that, and I'm fully aware of it, but I'm being candid for the sake of discussion. And I can't speak for everyone's motivations, but I can say confidently that my distaste for that type of consumerism is NOT driven by misogyny
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:58 AM on October 24, 2013
Young men are rapidly catching up. And the stereotype works both ways-- it's much easier for me to accept that a woman who cares about trends in dress has that as just one of many cultivated interests. A man, on the other hand, is nearly automatically a veneered shell of a person.
It's not right to judge people like that, and I'm fully aware of it, but I'm being candid for the sake of discussion. And I can't speak for everyone's motivations, but I can say confidently that my distaste for that type of consumerism is NOT driven by misogyny
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:58 AM on October 24, 2013
Mayor Curley-- your "anti fashion" stance or pose is part of the continuum of fashion choices. You have a very specific, edited look that in your mind is designed to not stand out, but in doing so you have created specific fashion choices that, rather than removing you from the fashion discussion, places you right in the center. The discipline in your approach suggests that you have a real point of view when it comes to your appearance, and have spent a lot of time creating the perfect look to show just how little you care and how your personality rejects the tropes of consumerism, itself a consumerist choice. The look you strive for is worn unconsciously by the truly unfashionable, who of course don't see it that way at all.
posted by cell divide at 11:10 AM on October 24, 2013 [12 favorites]
posted by cell divide at 11:10 AM on October 24, 2013 [12 favorites]
Funny how the TOWIE style seems to look exactly like the sort of thing I see in women's magazine at the checkout line of the grocery store in the US all the time. Tan, high heels, sexy clothes. When I was in college in Ohio, about ten years ago, indoor tanning was pretty standard, despite the cost being astronomical--spray tans are at least better for your health and appear to look way better now than they did then. All of this basically comes down to populations suddenly having money to spend on such luxuries and then having the gall to spend them on things that the traditionally rich don't. Especially, heaven forbid, looking like you've taken tropical vacations when you haven't--don't you know it's just not done?
Showing off is the point. The need to show off wears down after a couple generations. I think the scorn in the meantime is directed at anybody outside of the traditionally-well-off, which means there's usually a hint of racism/sexism/etc involved, but I think of it more of a symptom than a cause. The whole world is not going to adopt the tastes of upper-class American and British white Protestants just because the alternative is to get labelled tacky--thankfully.
posted by Sequence at 11:27 AM on October 24, 2013
Showing off is the point. The need to show off wears down after a couple generations. I think the scorn in the meantime is directed at anybody outside of the traditionally-well-off, which means there's usually a hint of racism/sexism/etc involved, but I think of it more of a symptom than a cause. The whole world is not going to adopt the tastes of upper-class American and British white Protestants just because the alternative is to get labelled tacky--thankfully.
posted by Sequence at 11:27 AM on October 24, 2013
Showing off is the point.
You don't find that tacky?
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 12:27 PM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
You don't find that tacky?
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 12:27 PM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
I didn't know this look had a name. I've always associated it -- the eyebrows, hair makeup, tan, etc -- with porn, circa Kid Rock's career peak.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:44 PM on October 24, 2013
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:44 PM on October 24, 2013
Young men are rapidly catching up. And the stereotype works both ways-- it's much easier for me to accept that a woman who cares about trends in dress has that as just one of many cultivated interests. A man, on the other hand, is nearly automatically a veneered shell of a person.
It's not right to judge people like that, and I'm fully aware of it, but I'm being candid for the sake of discussion. And I can't speak for everyone's motivations, but I can say confidently that my distaste for that type of consumerism is NOT driven by misogyny
Is the underlying attitude that a man shouldn't trouble himself with fashion because he is a man but it's OK for women because that's what they do but are still interesting? It does sound a bit of a sexist attitude.
posted by jaduncan at 8:43 AM on October 25, 2013
It's not right to judge people like that, and I'm fully aware of it, but I'm being candid for the sake of discussion. And I can't speak for everyone's motivations, but I can say confidently that my distaste for that type of consumerism is NOT driven by misogyny
Is the underlying attitude that a man shouldn't trouble himself with fashion because he is a man but it's OK for women because that's what they do but are still interesting? It does sound a bit of a sexist attitude.
posted by jaduncan at 8:43 AM on October 25, 2013
I think there's something to be said for dressing in the style of your time period. Sure, people may laugh at your photo in ten years but how about in thirty years? We don't really make fun of the fashions from the first half of the 20th century anymore. They're classic and elegant. Even the 60s, 70s and early '80s seem to exude effortless coolness now for the most part.
posted by Jess the Mess at 10:22 AM on October 25, 2013
posted by Jess the Mess at 10:22 AM on October 25, 2013
That said, I'm not sure that TOWIE is the finest example of the fashion of the contemporary period.
posted by Jess the Mess at 10:24 AM on October 25, 2013
posted by Jess the Mess at 10:24 AM on October 25, 2013
Even the 60s, 70s and early '80s seem to exude effortless coolness now for the most part.
Having looked at pictures of my parents at the time: It wasn't all Plaid Stallions in 1970s, but it was close.
posted by Mezentian at 6:39 PM on October 27, 2013
Having looked at pictures of my parents at the time: It wasn't all Plaid Stallions in 1970s, but it was close.
posted by Mezentian at 6:39 PM on October 27, 2013
It wasn't all Plaid Stallions in 1970s, but it was close.
I was going to make a Wyld Stallyns joke, but holy shit now I am speechless.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:31 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
I was going to make a Wyld Stallyns joke, but holy shit now I am speechless.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:31 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
The 1970s was a real place, where people had lives, and tried to rock the purple flaired business suit into the 1980s. Only the threat of thermo-nuclear war kept us going. I mean...
posted by Mezentian at 8:13 AM on October 28, 2013
posted by Mezentian at 8:13 AM on October 28, 2013
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posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:25 AM on October 24, 2013