WTF is up with trousers that have people's names?

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A co-worker just clued me into this trend (1, 2, 3, 4). I am dumbstruck. How long has this been going on? (I never shop.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:07 (eighteen years ago)

Arise, Sir Contoured...

― reverto levidensis (blueski), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:09 (eighteen years ago)

BR has been doing this for a while. Why women's pants bear men's names, however, is a mystery to me.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:11 (eighteen years ago)

Where are the names?

― Euai Kapaui (tracerhand), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:11 (eighteen years ago)

i thought they were surnames...

― chicago kevin (chicago kevin), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:11 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.bookofjoe.com/images/8035267.jpg

― a_p (a_p), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:11 (eighteen years ago)

I just saw a listing for a band called The House That Gloria Vanderbilt.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:12 (eighteen years ago)

It's a bit like Ikea.

― you win again, gravity! (tissp), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:15 (eighteen years ago)

I like that Abercrombie's names are like Emma and Madison (peak popularity: now), while Ann Taylor Loft is all Laura and Julie (peak popularity: ca. 1970).

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:17 (eighteen years ago)

Emma Low Rise Boot
Dark Dirty Wash
$69.50

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:17 (eighteen years ago)

'trousers'? are you my grandfather?

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:19 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.movieactors.com/freezeframes5/back2thefutureone130.jpeg

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:19 (eighteen years ago)

'trousers'? are you my grandfather?

I didn't want to confuse the Britishers.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:21 (eighteen years ago)

i already give my underwear names

― reverto levidensis (blueski), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:22 (eighteen years ago)

Your grandfather was called Trousers?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:22 (eighteen years ago)

Trousers to thread! :D

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:23 (eighteen years ago)

dr. pepper all over my keyboard

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:23 (eighteen years ago)

I thought you meant the name was physically on the pants. I think naming clothing/accessories with human names is pretty common. At least with women's apparel.

― Ms Misery (MissMiseryTX), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:24 (eighteen years ago)

but if a salesclerk came up to me and said, oh, you should try the ashleys and the veronicas i would sneer a bit

― rrrobyn, breeze blown meadow of cheeriness (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:32 (eighteen years ago)

i mean, it wouldn't matter the name, even if it was my name
in a way, i'd rather they just be numbered

― rrrobyn, breeze blown meadow of cheeriness (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:33 (eighteen years ago)

What's wrong with "classic fit," "relaxed fit," etc.?

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:34 (eighteen years ago)

The wonderful jeans I was given free by my colleague, who got given them at some swanky do, are Meltin' Pot "Mark" variety jeans :)

http://www.stromberg.ch/catalog/images/mp_mark_denim_01.jpg

NB that is not my wearing them.

― === temporary username === (Mark C), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:36 (eighteen years ago)

Levi's have Patty Anne, Billie May, Eve, Marissa and Bobby Anne. I think some of these might have been around since the seventies, but perhaps I've fallen under the influence of clever marketing.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:40 (eighteen years ago)

could be last names

― Dr. Alicia D. Titsovich (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:42 (eighteen years ago)

Jaymc, the problem with "classic fit" or "relaxed fit" = those names would be the same across any number of stores, revealing the horrible truth that your store's fashions might just be interchangeable consumer goods like everyone else's. Giving them names does a lot to suggest that these are your special / signature / original designs and cuts, not just some standard format from any old store.

And they are more interesting -- trying to match name to look, rather than going with something so blandly descriptive. (Some of them are too obvious, though, like calling your "classic" and "elegant" trouser cut the "Audrey.")

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:47 (eighteen years ago)

Where this sort of thing goes way too far = I bought a jacket this fall and only noticed when I looked at the receipt later that it appeared to be named after a Radiohead song. I looked up the designer online, and every jacket in the line was named after a Radiohead song. The sad thing is that as much as I like the jacket, I don't think I would have purchased it if I'd known this.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:52 (eighteen years ago)

no surprises

― Dr. Alicia D. Titsovich (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:53 (eighteen years ago)

my mother bought me some ugly shoes for xmas, and as i opened the box we noticed that the style was called Julie. which, she insisted, made them that much more perfect for me. except that they were hideous.

― Juulia (julesbdules), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:56 (eighteen years ago)

Nabisco, I'm not exactly against this trend, I was just sort of baffled by it.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:58 (eighteen years ago)

does not compute

― cousin larry bundgee (bundgee), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:58 (eighteen years ago)

(Honestly, when you look at this, do you think, "Hey, that looks like 'Pyramid Song' sounds?")

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:01 (eighteen years ago)

And they are more interesting

The name Mark is pretty dull for a person but for an item of clothing? Awful.

― === temporary username === (Mark C), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:05 (eighteen years ago)

i noticed this for the first time when i worked at sears for a few months. its just an easy way to remember styles that look the same on the hanger but fit differently.

i want to know wtf is up with birth control having people's names. i mean 'brenda'? c'mon! im not taking anything named brenda.

― sunny successor agrees: gay dad always trumps slutty mom (katharine), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:33 (eighteen years ago)

waht

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

:-0

― The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

i know topman does this but has words like "Chopper" or "Hacker" or something to describe the fit of their jeans. No it doesn't make a lot of sense.

― wogan lenin (dog latin), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:35 (eighteen years ago)

I hear Brenda's got a baby.

― cousin larry bundgee (bundgee), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:36 (eighteen years ago)

http://tupacfan.republika.pl/singlografia/Brenda

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:36 (eighteen years ago)

damn

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:36 (eighteen years ago)

like u takin' birth control anyways! hehehehe.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:37 (eighteen years ago)

Did you put that jpg through the wash first?

― cousin larry bundgee (bundgee), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:37 (eighteen years ago)

x-post. if it wasnt named 'brenda' things might be very different!

actually on closer inspection this might just be an australian trend. there's a 'diane' too

― sunny successor agrees: gay dad always trumps slutty mom (katharine), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:38 (eighteen years ago)

Is there a "jack"?

― The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:39 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.hakodate.or.jp/akiyama/pill/diane35/diane351.jpg

― sunny successor agrees: gay dad always trumps slutty mom (katharine), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:41 (eighteen years ago)

Two American kids fucking around
Best they can

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:41 (eighteen years ago)

jack he wanna be

football star

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:43 (eighteen years ago)

Giving birth control women's names seems like a total minefield of potential associations. I mean, are they actually branding different types via different names? I can't imagine anyone thinking "oh, this is a really high-dose cycle ... it just seems like an Emily to me."

The jean / birth control I would like to see = the Ethel.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

How about the Rosie?

― The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:56 (eighteen years ago)

dan you are disgusting

the Ruby?

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:58 (eighteen years ago)

Cherri Birth Control
"Because You Can't Strip When You're Pregnant"

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:58 (eighteen years ago)

Cunégonde is so the obvious choice for a French one.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 19:00 (eighteen years ago)

c'mon! im not taking anything named brenda.

My friend's first college apartment had a toilet another friend named "brenda." Let's just say there was an acquaintance of that name we didn't like too much.

― mh. (mike h.), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 19:01 (eighteen years ago)

j. crew dont name their women's trousers, but they give women's names to some of their dresses

― t0dd swiss (immobilisme), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 19:03 (eighteen years ago)

man this thread got good, finally.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 19:04 (eighteen years ago)

The jean / birth control I would like to see = the Ethel.

the Velma

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 19:07 (eighteen years ago)

I think these companies should cough up a free pair of pants to all of us whose names have been appropriated.

― daniel striped tiger (OutDatWay), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 19:07 (eighteen years ago)

calvin klein's no friend of mine don't want nobody's name on my behind

― PappaWheelie MMCMXL (PappaWheelie 2), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 21:41 (eighteen years ago)

///stampeded by my old jacket in the park
one day i'll pick it up, look for the label and whisper
"Tilt!"

What's wrong with "classic fit," "relaxed fit," etc.?

because even within one store there are more trousers than generic terms (you really do never shop!) and how could one of those describe a pinstripe low waisted boot cut? there may even be more than one that fit THAT description within a store. as someone who worked for a long time in a clothes shop i can tell you those names, corny as they sound, do help you remember the stock and provides a shorthand to enable you to refer to them quickly between staff members. also if a customer phones with an enquiry for a pair of ethels they have seen in a magazine it's a hell of a lot easier than trying to decipher an off the mark description. just saying.

― jed_ (jed), Thursday, 11 January 2007 01:21 (eighteen years ago)

producer: lo-slung denim

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 11 January 2007 02:22 (eighteen years ago)

oh jaymc....

hahaha.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 11 January 2007 03:31 (eighteen years ago)

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