Upcoming Trends, Slang, Pop Culture, Etc

[methodwriter85]

Your circle, I'm assuming, also consisted of people that weren't in high school and college and were in more of a professional environment circa 2003-2004. You were in your late 20's during the mid-2000's, not 18, and past the frat party stage in your life.

 

And did you not read Blue, who is from California as well, asserting that this trend was in, to the point that he had to send someone home because they refused to put their collar down?

 

I must be imagining this trend happened, because "popped collar" only gets 367,000 hits on Google Images. And this picture of David Geffen's UCSB alum boy toy boyfriend Jeremy Lingvall MUST be photoshopped:

 

 

Your social circle might not have done it, but clearly given the amount of embarrassing photos left behind, it was a big national trend during Will and JJ's late high school/early college years.

Edited February 13, 2012 by methodwriter85

[B1ue]

I've never even been to Delaware.

 

Jeremy Lingvall. That names sounds familar. You realize this is going to bother me all day, right?

[methodwriter85]

An article I read about him said he graduated from UCSB in 2006, so that'd only put him a year behind you. (You were the class of 2005, right? We just missed being in college at the same time.) That would make sense. Dude looks like suuuucccchhhh the stereotypical 2000's frat boy in that photo. He'd only need a hemp anklet or choker to complete the look.

[PrivateTim]

Your circle, I'm assuming, also consisted of people that weren't in high school and college and were in more of a professional environment circa 2003-2004. You were in your late 20's during the mid-2000's, not 18, and past the frat party stage in your life.

 

And did you not read Blue, who is from California as well, asserting that this trend was in, to the point that he had to send someone home because they refused to put their collar down?

 

I must be imagining this trend happened, because "popped collar" only gets 367,000 hits on Google Images. And this picture of David Geffen's UCSB alum boy toy boyfriend Jeremy Lingvall MUST be photoshopped:

 

 

Your social circle might not have done it, but clearly given the amount of embarrassing photos left behind, it was a big national trend during Will and JJ's late high school/early college years.

 

Except you forget I am around high school and college peeps all the time because of water polo and I was an advisor at my fraternity house at USC in the early 2000's through 2008, and no one I knew or saw did the upturned collar thing. Anyone who did would have been derided. I wouldn't take David's ho of the week as representative of anything. In 2000 he changed boy toys more often than I changed socks.

[B1ue]

Whether or not you saw it happening, it happened. To clarify, it happen in California, around the times Jeremy mentioned as far as I can recall. I don't remember seeing them earlier than that, in any case.

 

I wouldn't take David's ho of the week as representative of anything. In 2000 he changed boy toys more often than I changed socks.

 

I don't see how that's relevant to anything. The point raised is about a cultural trend, and one from several years ago. Who you fuck years afterwards doesn't really erase your past, does it?

 

An article I read about him said he graduated from UCSB in 2006, so that'd only put him a year behind you. (You were the class of 2005, right? We just missed being in college at the same time.)

I was class of 2006, but graduated a couple terms early. And I think he might have started a year ahead of me, actually. Memory is still a bit hazy.

[methodwriter85]

I don't see how that's relevant to anything. The point raised is about a cultural trend, and one from several years ago. Who you fuck years afterwards doesn't really erase your past, does it?

 

Exactly. Tim was making a joke like it was only some Delaware trend, yet as that picture would suggest, guys in California were doing it as well. Maybe not at the particular frat house that he worked for, but it was definitely happening. There's way too much photographic evidence left behind to act like the trend never happened.

 

And Tim, you may be a coach to water polo players, and you may have been an advisor, but how often were you going off to parties with these guys, or hanging out with them in a casual setting? It would have been inappropriate, right? And the fact that you mentioned that they would have been derided for doing the look suggests that these guys were aware of the look, and decided that it was a dumb trend like Blue did.

 

Here's the thing. I'm 26 years old. I have a lot of friends that are 18, 19-years old. They pick up on some trends that I don't pick up on, because I'm older and walking around in neon sneakers and skinny jeans just doesn't work for me. I wouldn't presume to know what all the current trends are for people in their high school/early college years, because despite the fact that I'm around these kids a lot, I'm not one of them. Just like the fact that you may have been around a lot of 18-year olds in 2004, you yourself were 27, and your perception of teenaged trends would be colored by the fact that you weren't 18 years old anymore. I'm talking about trends that hit 18 year olds, when I was 18 years old. If we were talking about 1995 trends that were popular with college freshmen, we'd definitely consult you Tim, but we're talking about 2004 trends that were popular with college freshmen instead. Mainly because we have characters that will be college freshmen in 2004.

 

Next up Tim is going to tell me that little kids in the mid-1990's never played with Pogs, and didn't watch Boy Meets World.;-) (I actually made a pog with a magazine photo of the cast of Boy Meets World. A friend had a pog maker.) Then I'll tell Tim that seven-year olds in 1983-1984 didn't know anybody who had a Cabbage Patch doll or My Little Pony...etc etc....

Edited February 13, 2012 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

So, Blue, is this basically what you and your electronic-music fans were like?

 

 

Kind of hilarious. I've seen kids dressed exactly like that, right down to the late 80's throwback neon sunglasses and bandanas.

 

Is it just me, or did some really ugly trends pop up after about 2007? I do not think skinny jeans look good on guys. At all. Especially if they're guys who actually have muscle in their legs, and the look is just awkward on them.

Edited March 25, 2012 by methodwriter85

[B1ue]

My response kept coming out much stronger, but I think I'll just keep it to, "No."

 

Excpet possibly about the vaporrub. Never occured to me, and I never did X anyways, but I can definetely see the appeal.

[methodwriter85]

It's possible that's what the scene is like now, as opposed to the early '00s, but eh.

[methodwriter85]

So is this what contemporary rich kids are like, Tim? I don't have friends that are legitimately rich, just upper middle class at most, so I'm interested in your opinion here.

 

 

"Maybe you should go back on meds." I do think there's a surprising lack of meds for these people- I know Will's got access to Adderall, but I'm kind of surprised that kids aren't dropping references to being on Lexapro or the like at school. That was part of casual conversation. Or maybe the whole "drug out our kids" deal is more of an East Coast thing.

[PrivateTim]

So is this what contemporary rich kids are like, Tim? I don't have friends that are legitimately rich, just upper middle class at most, so I'm interested in your opinion here.

 

 

"Maybe you should go back on meds." I do think there's a surprising lack of meds for these people- I know Will's got access to Adderall, but I'm kind of surprised that kids aren't dropping references to being on Lexapro or the like at school. That was part of casual conversation. Or maybe the whole "drug out our kids" deal is more of an East Coast thing.

I would say for a certain segment of the young rich in LA, that rings very true. The only thing missing was a $500 sushi lunch. Did you ever see the TV show Princes of Malibu? See if you can find the episodes online someplace. They would have been contemporaries of Will and JJ.

 

But it is only a certain segment. There are also the young rich in LA that are highly motivated and successful in their own right. They work hard in high school, go to top notch universities, top notch grad schools and become doctors, lawyers and start their own businesses.

[methodwriter85]

I could see Will hanging out with the latter type- he doesn't seem like one who would hang out with lazy rich snobs. JJ, on the other hand, I could see hanging around that crowd. He's somewhat stuck-up in a way that I can see turning him into a total monster by his 20's, especially if/when he becomes famous. I can see him being someone who'd drop money on people to get them to be his friends.

 

Is there any chance you know anything about Armie Hammer and the Hammer family? He's another Los Angeles contemporary, and god, I've been in lust with that guy since The Social Network.

Edited April 24, 2012 by methodwriter85

[PrivateTim]

Armie lived Pasadena so he would have traveled in very different circles from Will and his friends. Robbie would have known Armie's father because among his business ventures was a production company. And Brad would have known Michael (Armie's father) the way that all the well off know each other, from functions and fund raisers. I think Michael sits on the board at Pepperdine, so I suppose Will and Robbie could have bumped into Michael and Armie at the Malibu Country Mart one morning or afternoon.

[methodwriter85]

That's neat. I absolutely adore Armie Hammer...that voice alone...

 

 

It's kind of amazing to think that someone like Armie Hammer could have gotten bullied. The people who bullied him must be kicking themselves now.

[PrivateTim]

This one starts slow, but has some very funny, very right-on, inside Gay El Lay comments.

 

[methodwriter85]

Dear god, I'm glad I'm not part of that. I just seem to get along better with straight guys.

[methodwriter85]

When did people start saying "not gonna lie" and "hot mess" in CA? I feel like that came in around Delaware sometime in the '03-05 era, which means it should likely already be getting used in CA.

 

Another favorite slang phrase of mine from the time: "Are you on crack?"= question asked if someone says something so outlandish that you believe they must be smoking da crack.

 

Also, did mocassins hit Cali kids, or was that purely an East Coast thing? It became really trendy circa mid/late-2000's to wear mocassins at UD, but I talked to a Minnesota guy who had never heard of the trend, which makes me wonder if that was just an East Coast thing. Same question for Northface jackets and Birkenstocks, which were really popular here on the East Coast circa the early/mid-2000's. They were part of the preppy revival of circa 2003. (Northface still is popular, but I haven't seen people wearing Birks since about 2006 or so.

 

Blue?

[PrivateTim]

I don't ever remember moccasins being popular for walking around. I have a pair just like that, but they are just slippers for around the house. Sperry Top Siders were hot, Uggs were the things for surfers and snowboarders and Vans were still cool for the skate crowd along with several other brands.

[methodwriter85]

Yeah. People around here out East actually wear mocs to walk around school. I tried to do that in Western PA, but given the amount of rain and snow, it just didn't work.

 

Uggs. Hit in '02, went away for a bit, and have been back ever since. Although they're mainly the thing for sorority girls- I haven't seen them on guys since about 2006-ish.

 

I really do hope we'll see Stefan and Claire's horrifed reactions to things that become popular, like trucker hats and the "I paid 100 dollars for jeans put through a shredder" look.

 

Any input on the "not gonna lie" and "hot mess" question? I tend to think that Delaware is on about a two-to-three year delay when it comes to slang- it has to work its way down from New York City, then to Jersey, then to us. The first time I heard "not gonna lie" was in 2005, which means I think it had to have been around at least by 2002, but likely earlier.

[PrivateTim]

Any input on the "not gonna lie" and "hot mess" question? I tend to think that Delaware is on about a two-to-three year delay when it comes to slang- it has to work its way down from New York City, then to Jersey, then to us. The first time I heard "not gonna lie" was in 2005, which means I think it had to have been around at least by 2002, but likely earlier.

 

No, the years blend on stuff like that. If it doesn't come from a movie or a celeb like Paris Hilton's, "that's hot," it is hard to place them.

 

Uggs have been big for at least 30 years here I'd guess. I remember my grandfather's and father's from way back.

[methodwriter85]

Were Diesel jeans already popular at the NorCal area in 2000? I know for sure the first time I heard of Diesel was around 2001-2002, so my guess would be that they had already hit California, but I wanted to be sure.There was something kind of cool about people paying 200 dollars for distressed jeans.

 

Also, I'm kind of curious- Nikes- popular or not? I just remember around the early 2000's Adidas throwback sneakers and Pumas were coming back in, and New Balance hit really hard then. Nikes weren't really that cool. I'm not sure if that's true for California.

Edited April 28, 2012 by methodwriter85

[Matthew k]

I guess it depends on if you mean Nike for athletics or casual wear. Everyone wore Nikes for their athletic shoes. A few soccer players might have worn Puma or Adidas, but everything else was Nike.

 

Not really a fashion person so I couldn't say when Diesel or ripped jeans became popular, I was and still am a Wranger guy, no Jordache, Ralph Lauren, etc man... maybe Levi's on occassion, but mostly Wranglers.

[methodwriter85]

[media=]

[/media]

 

Harry Potter fanaticism. Dear God, that's going to be fun to relive. We already know Marie is a big Harry Potter fan.

 

I remember in 8th grade being made to play Hagrid once, and in 10th grade running into a Happy Birthday Harry Potter event at Borders. And one time looking up Emma Watson's birth year as my guy friends freshmen year of college couldn't stop drooling over her and wanted to know if she was legal.

 

And then, of course, as the video indicates, Twilight fanaticism. That'll also be fun. And Courtney is just about the right age to get really into the Twilight craze.

 

I'm assuming Riley will wind up a massive Hunger Games fan. Although the Hunger Games really manages to appeal to people of just about every age.

Edited June 18, 2012 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

Hey, Mark, I found something called the Mindset List. It strives to capture the mindset of every entering college class since 2002. Here's what they found out about Will, JJ, and Marie's class, the class of 2008. It'll give you a good idea of the cultural touchstones that would make sense to them, if not to you.

 

***

 

• Most students entering college this fall were born in 1986.
• Desi Arnaz, Orson Welles, Roy Orbison, Ted Bundy, Ayatollah Khomeini and Cary Grant have always been dead.
• "Here's Johnny!" is a scary greeting from Jack Nicholson, not a warm welcome from Ed McMahon.
• The Energizer bunny has always been going, and going, and going.
• Large fine-print ads for prescription drugs have always appeared in magazines.
• Photographs have always been processed in an hour or less.
• They never got a chance to drink 7-Up Gold, Crystal Pepsi, or Apple Slice.
• Baby Jessica could be a classmate.
• Parents may have been reading The Bourne Supremacy or It as they rocked them in their cradles.
• Alan Greenspan has always been setting the nation's financial direction.
• The U.S. has always been a Prozac nation.
• They have always enjoyed the comfort of pleather.
• Harry has always known Sally.
• They never saw Roseanne Rosannadanna live on Saturday Night Live.
• There has always been a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• They never ate a McSub at McD's.
• There has always been a Comedy Channel.
• Bill and Ted have always been on an excellent adventure.
• They were never tempted by smokeless cigarettes.
• Robert Downey, Jr. has always been in trouble.
• Martha Stewart has always been cooking up something with someone.
• They have always been comfortable with gay characters on television.
• Mike Tyson has always been a contender.
• The government has always been proposing we go to Mars, and it has always been deemed too expensive.
• There have never been any Playboy Clubs.
• There have always been night games at Wrigley Field.
• Rogaine has always been available for the follicularly challenged.
• They never saw USA Today or the Christian Science Monitor as a TV news program.
• Computers have always suffered from viruses.
• We have always been mapping the human genome.
• Politicians have always used rock music for theme songs.
• Network television has always struggled to keep up with cable.
• O'Hare has always been the most delay-plagued airport in the U.S.
• Ivan Boesky has never sold stock.
• Toll-free 800 phone numbers have always spelled out catchy phrases.
• Bethlehem has never been a place of peace at Christmas.
• Episcopal women bishops have always threatened the foundation of the Anglican Church.
• Svelte Oprah has always dominated afternoon television; who was Phil Donahue anyway?
• They never flew on People Express.
• AZT has always been used to treat AIDS.
• The international community has always been installing or removing the leader of Haiti.
• Oliver North has always been a talk show host and news commentator.
• They have suffered through airport security systems since they were in strollers.
• They have done most of their search for the right college online.
• Aspirin has always been used to reduce the risk of a heart attack.
• They were spared the TV ads for Zamfir and his panpipes.
• Castro has always been an aging politician in a suit.
• There have always been non-stop flights around the world without refueling.
• Cher hasn't aged a day.
• M.A.S.H. was a game: Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House.

[methodwriter85]

   Hey, when did RVCA become popular in California? They're hitting hard here now, which means I'm betting they hit hard in California about four, five years ago.

 

 

    There's no way Will isn't going to wear RVCA at some point. This brand currently seems as popular as Quiksilver and Billabong were with guys Will's type back in the early 2000's.

 

     Oh, hey Mark...one trend I realized you haven't written in yet that should be around in 2000-2001 would be puka shell necklaces. I just realized that Will should have been wearing a puka shell necklace, or hemp choker, with his Abercrombie and Fitch outfit. I think it'd be funny to see Brad react to it, because I remember that line in Be Rad where Brad laughed as he thought about how he used to wear puka shell necklaces and how passe they were now, in 1980.

 

    I actually still have my old puka shell necklace, although I haven't worn one regularly since about 2006.

 

    Leather cuff bracelets were also really popular in this time period. Guys in the 2000's really seemed to wear more accessories than 90's guys did.

 

     Flip-flops are also going to become, around 2003, de facto footwear for people. I thought the bit where everyone's harrassing Will about his flip-flops was hilarious, because I did remember that in 2000, flip-flops weren't nearly as popular as they became later in the decade.

Edited February 2, 2013 by methodwriter85