So, Times, what you’re telling me is, the kids are wearing bulletproof vests… for fashion? Does anyone want to deconstruct that move for me?
“The trend to protective gear is pretty strong right now,” said Richard Geist, the founder of Uncle Sam’s Army Navy Outfitters in downtown Manhattan. “It’s big with rappers, alternative types and even some women.”
Uncle Sam’s sells protective gear to the military. But most of its clients are civilians who snap up authentic bulletproof vests for as much as $1,000 or trade down to look-alike versions stripped of their armored lining ($24). Real or fake, “the look is tough,” Mr. Geist said, “and customers love it.”
Okay, fine, but that’s not much of an explanation. Let me give it a go:
Tipper Gore would probably say something to the effect of, the line between entertainment/fantasy violence and real violence is so blurred that people think walking down the street looking like Jack Bauer is not only necessary, but fun! We’re so accustomed to violence, so fundamentally warlike, that kevlar is appropriate for any occasion, because you never do know when you’re gonna find yourself on the wrong end of the gat.
That’s the cynic’s view, in which the whole world plays out like a present-day Raymond Chandler novel. Here’s another take: Gangsta rap recedes, providing an opening for a somewhat more peaceful situation in hip hop*. As such, flaunting your glock becomes, to an increasing degree, a dated sentiment — surprised or not, I think a lot of us wondered exactly what the funk, in this day and age, Weezy was doing rocking a handgun while smoking weed on the street (the weed part I understand). 1997 would’ve been a more appropriate time for that, stylistically and functionally. In 2010, beef is boring.
Still, life can be brutish and short, and the inclination against performing violence, or just making lyrics about pretending to do violence (Rick Ross, I’m looking at you), doesn’t make it go away. So defense becomes the new offense. Self-awareness, at least as it relates to one’s own frailty, is the new unchecked aggression. It sort of — if you buy into this sort of thing, which I do — loosely follows trending interpretations of masculinity. The latter generations embrace, or at least pay lip service to, a less aggressive interpretation of manhood, which is to a degree focused inward (although it still helps to have a big dick). The “new man,” as it were, is more of a silent type. He can do violence, yeah, and is equipped for it — why carry this heavy fucking vest otherwise? — but isn’t begging for the opportunity. These days, man have scruples.
Here we bring it back around to the fashion. I’m on a limb here: wearing a bullet proof vest to the club or anywhere else looks real stupid. They weigh like a thousand pounds, you’re bound to sweat, coat checking must be a nightmare… and how easy are these things to get off when, as Pauly D says, its time to “get to the business”? Is this the best we can do by the mens these days?
Probably not. I’m going to go ahead and assume this is one of those things that happens when culture rethinks itself. A socio-evolutionary dead end, if you will. Surely the next iteration of this sort of sentiment will be more nuanced. Nuance being something we do really well.
Wow, that’s a lot of thinky-wording for one day. I’m all uptight. Luckily today is awesometelevisionday.
*I’m going to limit discussion, as it relates to larger culture, to hip-hop, partly because its more convienent for me, personally, to do so, but also because the Times seems to suggest that’s where this style originates. I’m not sure who exactly “alternative types” are, but, in the interest of being as forthright as possible, I’ll say straight up that I’ve never seen anyone wearing a bulletproof vest in the hipster bars I go to. Ok scroll back up now.
These days
So, Times, what you’re telling me is, the kids are wearing bulletproof vests… for fashion? Does anyone want to deconstruct that move for me?
Okay, fine, but that’s not much of an explanation. Let me give it a go:
Tipper Gore would probably say something to the effect of, the line between entertainment/fantasy violence and real violence is so blurred that people think walking down the street looking like Jack Bauer is not only necessary, but fun! We’re so accustomed to violence, so fundamentally warlike, that kevlar is appropriate for any occasion, because you never do know when you’re gonna find yourself on the wrong end of the gat.
That’s the cynic’s view, in which the whole world plays out like a present-day Raymond Chandler novel. Here’s another take: Gangsta rap recedes, providing an opening for a somewhat more peaceful situation in hip hop*. As such, flaunting your glock becomes, to an increasing degree, a dated sentiment — surprised or not, I think a lot of us wondered exactly what the funk, in this day and age, Weezy was doing rocking a handgun while smoking weed on the street (the weed part I understand). 1997 would’ve been a more appropriate time for that, stylistically and functionally. In 2010, beef is boring.
Still, life can be brutish and short, and the inclination against performing violence, or just making lyrics about pretending to do violence (Rick Ross, I’m looking at you), doesn’t make it go away. So defense becomes the new offense. Self-awareness, at least as it relates to one’s own frailty, is the new unchecked aggression. It sort of — if you buy into this sort of thing, which I do — loosely follows trending interpretations of masculinity. The latter generations embrace, or at least pay lip service to, a less aggressive interpretation of manhood, which is to a degree focused inward (although it still helps to have a big dick). The “new man,” as it were, is more of a silent type. He can do violence, yeah, and is equipped for it — why carry this heavy fucking vest otherwise? — but isn’t begging for the opportunity. These days, man have scruples.
Here we bring it back around to the fashion. I’m on a limb here: wearing a bullet proof vest to the club or anywhere else looks real stupid. They weigh like a thousand pounds, you’re bound to sweat, coat checking must be a nightmare… and how easy are these things to get off when, as Pauly D says, its time to “get to the business”? Is this the best we can do by the mens these days?
Probably not. I’m going to go ahead and assume this is one of those things that happens when culture rethinks itself. A socio-evolutionary dead end, if you will. Surely the next iteration of this sort of sentiment will be more nuanced. Nuance being something we do really well.
Wow, that’s a lot of thinky-wording for one day. I’m all uptight. Luckily today is awesome television day.
*I’m going to limit discussion, as it relates to larger culture, to hip-hop, partly because its more convienent for me, personally, to do so, but also because the Times seems to suggest that’s where this style originates. I’m not sure who exactly “alternative types” are, but, in the interest of being as forthright as possible, I’ll say straight up that I’ve never seen anyone wearing a bulletproof vest in the hipster bars I go to. Ok scroll back up now.