the hermeneutics of skater / surfer clothing brands

i don't have anything interesting to say about carhartt other than it i like the way their clothes look on men but their hoodies don't fit me well.

i never understood the scorn (?) toward “rich people wearing carhartt”.

I already said that my main objection to this is aesthetic conservatism. Functional workwear as a "core" skate aesthetic/uniform is a doubling down on male dominance in skateboarding. It's a gatekeeping mechanism that blocks women and girls who are the most acutely marginalized skaters as well as queer skaters who are much more likely than straight guys to wear whatever the fuck they want.

But come on, you don't think it's a little funny that non-workers in workwear scoff at non-skaters in skatewear?

there’s many, often shifting and blurry distinctions between “skater” branded apparel companies (what you get at zumiez), skater-owned companies that emerged from particular communities and local/niche cultures, and everything in between. Also, local/niche brands that crossover to the point of having nothing to do with skateboarding (Supreme, Thrasher, Huf).

This is a very good and efficient summary. I would add that everyone just wears Nike and Adidas now.

i've never seen a non-worker in workwear (what is an non-worker? i have a "white collar" academic job, but carhartt is functional for what i do since i work with construction tools and chemicals) scoff at a non-skater in skatewear

i've also seen straight skateboarders scoff at women and girls and queer skaters, though not often. when my parents take my (brown) nieces (7 and 9) to the tiny skatepark by my house to spin their razor scooters around they bowl, the "real" skaters (teenagers, mostly, but also some college-age neighborhood kids) clear out for them so they have space and cheer them on.

i will say that when i've seen them scoff at these marginalized groups it's for reasons other than "they're not wearing male workwear brands". although i'm pretty sure women can wear dickies too (the students at my school wear unisex dickies pants as part of their uniform)

one other thing: i'd say that around here actual hardcore street skaters wear whatever the fuck they want, not skate brands. they're obviously skaters, because you see them skating around the street with panache, but they're not dressed like "skaters" as is defined on this thread (i.e. not wearing technical skate shoes or skate brand clothing from zumiez)

i don't mean to deny whatever your experience has been though. sounds like you've had some negative experiences and maybe have an axe to grind, which is fair. i guess if you think the logic of capitalism is constant brutal war of all-against-all it would make sense to frame basic consumer choices in terms of oppression etc

if you are really interested in marginalization of women/queers though, you should check out how actual construction workers in workwear converse on site (and they may also be skaters, i've known several semi-pro skaters and surfers whose day jobs were with caltrans, since you can work all night for a month on a freeway bridge, make lots of money fast, and then take two months off, plus great health benefits)

if you are really interested in marginalization of women/queers though, you should check out how actual construction workers in workwear converse on site

there are different associations obv, but I think when you wear that stuff, this is part of what it evokes.

I don't think I'm preoccupied with marginalization or oppression.

they're obviously skaters, because you see them skating around the street with panache, but they're not dressed like "skaters" as is defined on this thread (i.e. not wearing technical skate shoes or skate brand clothing from zumiez)

Yeah, ed.b's post refers to tracing an evolution from when we were kids ourselves, and that's what i'm doing here too, i guess. I agree that this thread so far hasn't made clear enough distinctions between the past and current stages so far. It's true that for a time (relatively recently) most of the street skaters i'd see around here were wearing non-skate brands. But mostly it was very conservative, basic stuff. I think that's shifted more recently to Urban Outfitters-style 90's/Y2k reissue gear, chunky suede sneakers and all baggy everything. At least among teenagers and college students.

Just going to add that the mystery of the general ubiquity of this stuff can probably be explained by the fact that the TJX companies seem to stock all their stores with mountains of it.

I skate (on the street, even!) and I must heartily disagree on some of this - plenty of street skaters wear Thrasher and Dickies. It’s the old standby. Supreme and Volcom and Huf, yes that’s probably not a high percentage of actual skaters wearing those. If you wear Supreme, you are into expensive street wear. If you wear a Thrasher shirt, you either skate or used to skate or wish you skated.

I’ll also say I notice a ton of random people wearing skate brands like Lakai or whatever and clearly do not look like the “street skaters” I skate with. I get the sense that some of them might not even be aware they are wearing skate clothes.

About workwear, skaters wear it because it’s tough. You will fall on the pavement and ruin your clothes. Makes sense to wear tough, sturdy clothing like jeans or heavy twill.

Good thing about skateboarding these days compared to the 90’s/00’s is that all types of people skate, not just the stereotypical street skaters who are cool and intimidating and possibly up to no good. Go to a skatepark and you will see plenty of people over 40, over 50 even, on down to people less than 10 from all walks of life. And everyone is pretty respectful and most people are even jovial. It’s great and encouraging.