Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Report Card: You Won't Catch Me In Vm. 1 - Toggles


-I know I'm going against the dominant thinking of this season, but I'm not down with toggles. There have been too many versions presented this year to even link to, there's a new toggle piece almost every day over on Selectism.  Here's my gripe: All of these toggle coats/sweaters/whatever have either buttons or zippers. That means that the toggle doesn't actually serve its functional purpose of keeping the garment closed and the wearer warm. So if the toggles fulfill no real function, they are merely ornamentation; ugly, oversized, feminine ornamentation. Give me buttons any day and remember that, though Kevin McCallister may be both charming and a perfect moral role model, he is no style icon.
-More "You Won't Catch Me In" volumes to come as I'm seeing very little that I actually like this season so I might as well blog about what I don't like.

5 comments:

L.A.S said...

You do see new toggles everyday, but as far as shit having multiple points of closure (i.e. button/toggles, zipper/toggles) I haven't seen that besides Uniqlo. Examples?

thelastlaugh said...

Here's my deal. I got this amazing navy orvis toggle coat a couple of years ago- before everyone and their brother came out with them. Mine has horn toggles (bad ass) and no zippers, buttons, etc. Basically, it's awesome.
What you got to ask yourself when considering a toggle coat is would these kids wear that toggle coat? (http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/gallery/2008/dec/09/top-10-school-films?picture=340474962 ) If not, don't get it.
If so, you're in the clear.
I think i'm in the clear with mine.

thelastlaugh said...

oh, and ps-
If I recall (I can't find a pic to prove it) didn't Kevin's dad sport a tan Burberry toggle coat in the airport scene?
He was pretty stylish, no?

Angelo said...

It is a good point that the ubiquity probably has a lot to do with my dislike. Both Mr and Ms McCalister wore Burberry overcoats, I don't know if that makes them stylish, I think it was more about consistently showing that they were quite wealthy.

thelastlaugh said...

Angelo, you probably got me there on the McCalisters. In a way, this whole trend toward mainline companies and high end menswear companies has me bothered. Four years ago when I was wearing my ll bean katahdin engineer boots and flannels, it was just my style. Now, everyone's wearing stuff. I just know that in 3 years, I'm going to still be wearing the same stuff and people are going to be like, "Flannel is so 2009".