Logoware

One of my predictions, that hasn’t come true so far, is that logoware — clothing with obvious company badging — will go out of fashion. I extend this to clothing that has the manufacturer’s trademark prominently displayed. I imagine a future comment like: “I see your shirt’s got the Nike swish. When are you going to get with the program?”

I see it as the inevitable result of an anti-consumption and post-capitalism shift in society. I can’t understand why people would pay to advertise for a company; normally, you get paid to wear a company T-shirt only when staffing a convention booth. I do understand why Formula 1 cars and Swiss hockey players, for example, have a clownish amount of branding; these are the sponsors. The average person doesn’t get paid to sport a Gucci handbag though — they do it to look like somebody who does. That’s pathetic.

I’m aging out my logoware, decline new stuff, and refuse to buy anything trademarked. I think recycling clothes to stay in fashion is a crime, so I try to get the most out of everything in my limited wardrobe. Some things, however, are from the late nineties or early aughts and really need to be retired. Placing these things in the Texaid box brings on maudlin thoughts, since a large portion of my life is associated with them, and hence this blog entry.