FROM ACID DAZE TO ACID WASH:

by Robert Bodrog

Something is happen- ing out there. You may not notice it at first, as you breeze leisurely _ through your new issue of Vogue by the fireplace, but its happening. Subtlely, al- most imperceptably, the fashion ad is changing. No longer is a pretty girl in a pretty dress with a great smile, or even a great body enough. No, these days fashion: has to appeal to one’s intellectual sensibil- ity .or even one’s politi- cal stature.. In fact, some of today’s ads have got- ten downright philosophical and_ rhetorical in context. For example, consider the latest ad for Esprit denim

» and ‘jeanswear, It reads: “ Because

denim and jeanswear are such social equalizers today you don’t neécessarly need silks and‘satins to be ele- gant. Elegance is now, cu- riously enough, anti-fashion , and anti-luxury. This new elegance has become a ‘de- classification’ process that puts what you can do-your style and abilities far ahead of what you can afford. Now you don’t have to be rich to be elegant,”

MADISON AVENUE APPEALS TO RADICAL NOSTALGIA

Indeed, in this one brief paragraph there is so much going on, it’s necessary to evaluate its assertions premise by premise beginning with the claim that today denims and jeanswear are "social equalizers” and that tradi- tional fashion materials are

now somehow superfluous °

in terms of achieving sarto- rial elegance. First of all, let’s take a look at the term *social equalizers”. Here it seems that an attempt is being made at a balanc- ing and collectivization of some sort, based upon a widely accepted and popu- lar garment-—jeans. Nearly “everyone wears jeans, and by virtue-of that ‘fact, this somehow serves as a form of. common binding or bond- ing element among today’s polity.° ; As a result of these so- ’ cial equalizers a new order whether political, sartorial or otherwise is established, thus negating that tradi-

_ tional materials and estab-_ ' lished norms of fashion el-

egance which have com- monly taken the form of silks and satins, which are considered for the most part flashy expensive fab-

rics of the haute bour-

A Modern Concept

BORN mem CET rae Ta ta

Mrmr 5 today you don't neces- Seige and satins Elegance is now, curiously enot

le TRON Ub Ta am MTT i

EL em aes: Now you don't hav

7 be rater

Oni emaral

geoisie. who could afford them in the past to make a state- ment have now seen their order usurped by the ad- vent of this new approach to, and definition of style. Or so we are told.

As the ad continues, "Elegance is now, curiously enough, anti-fashion and anti-luxury.” If we take this statement as a given and represent it as follows:

to be elegant

However, the few’:

ELEGANCE = (FASH- ION and LUXURY)

would this not that

ELEGANCE = ION and LUXURY

imply

FASH-

The equation now re- veals what the ad really wants to say; that to- day, luxury and fashion are manifesting themselves by taking the form of what one would traditionally call anti-elegance. And after all, isn’t this what we are seeing to a wide degree on the streets of today’s North American cities. Denim _ may not be :pretty, but — it is relatively inexpen-

sive and therefore widely

availble. to._most people.

Denim ‘IS fashion for the masses of people who have found their fabric, made it king, and consequently now base the new evaluation of style and elegance around it. They have truly DE- classified

traditional conceptions ‘of style and what constitutes haute-couture and replaced it with something which is at once comfortable, widely available, but at the same time can serve for some as a type of pop status symbol.

The ad continues: This new el- egance has become a DE- classification process that puts what you can -do-your style and abilities far ahead “of what you can afford.”

Here we have the idea of an _ individual’s potential cre- ativity and talent elevated and’ given presidence over one’s, finite financial lim- fits: Or, in other words, ‘one’s’ societal’ value over one’s. fiscal. worth. The ‘end result of this as the ad concludes is that "now you don’t have to be rich

gto be elegant.” Sartorically

; Speaking, the bourgeoisie has been overthrown, and prolitariat denim has grad-

~mated to the reigning posi-

tion of elegance and in the process has put the means: of production of style inthe hands of every man, woman

and child.

Furthermore it’s as if a rallying call were be- ing directed to those an- cient social ‘’revolutionar- ies’ of the sixties, who now compose the largest demo- graphic base of the con- sumer market and also pos- sess some of the hight-

‘ Cont. on page 10

U.P.E.I.

BUSINESS SOCIETY

*

~~ pene iene wee

Dollars and Sense

By Sean Graham and Heather Rossiter

Hi again Business stu- dents! We are back again for another week to inform you about what is going on in your society. On the agenda this week were many varied top- ics, but no major plans.

For starters we are plan- ning to hold .a Freshman meeting in the very near fu- ture. .This will be hosted by the Dean, Bob O’Rourke, AT- TENDANCE is mandatory. Afterwords, there. will be a reception compliments of the Business Society. :

Plans are made for the annual Bowling Tournament. It will be held Thursday November 19, 1987 at the Silverado. We hope that it will be as successful and as wet as the golf tournament. More plans will be given out

later. Regarding another fu- ture event, speakers are in the works for our 12th an- nual Business Society dinner. Many big names are floating

around.

If you haven’t already no- ticed, we would like to an- nounce our allocation of a magazine rack which is .lo- cated in the lounge of the Kelly Building. Various busi- ness oriented magazines will

be available for any Business

student’s use.

A note from our dent:

In regards to the Pub held Thursday before last, it was sad to see such a small turnout but the Business So- ciety would like to thank Ed- die Curran,’ Carolyn Mac- Dougall and Sherry Pauley for showing up. It looked like - they were ‘having fun: Not

presi-

that I have anything against the rest of the Business stu- dents, but I just wanted to single these three out.

A final note:

Our congratulations go our.to our Prof. of the month. This month’s lucky recipient is SUSAN HARRISON. Keep ‘up the good work and treat those students as if they were your own children! s

DEAR JIM & TAMMY

DEAR J & T;

As a member of the UPEI SOCCER TEAM I don’t have time to go and-do all the studying and preparation for a research paper. that I have due in one of my courses. | have to pass this course or I’m

off the tedm next year. What should’ I do?’

TIME OUT DEAR TIME OUT;

Talk to your coach and get him to talk to your professor. If that does not work than get a good tutor for the course and have them get some of the

research material and you write the Paper. It may help if you can buy them

- off,

_ WRITE ; TO JIM & TAMMY! Ad- dress you questions to Jim and Tammy, c/o The Gem. Please get your questions in ‘before 5:00 on Monday.