Layering Democracy

I find layering to be a truly democratic textile move. Layering is all about choices. If choice A is a no-go, choice B is but a layer away. A favorite, current look is the formal/informal clash as represented by such examples as tailored jackets with sporty hoodies, or tailored jackets with an assortment of t-shirts. The idea that the look translates is one of an effortless dialog between different registers, sort of like a Ben, the Tailor meets Urban, the Professional.

The Times has a piece on layering today which has some interesting socio-political layers as well. A bit says:
"IF you’ve been nagged by a vague late-1970s feeling lately, you are not alone. It is not just that, with the economy cratering, there are scary parallels between the Bush and Carter administrations. The men’s wear scene is feeling it, too. Flip through the pages of a GQ from 30 years ago and you come across eerily familiar trends.

The magazine proclaimed 1978 “The Year of the Short.” On the May cover a model wore a “summer scarf,” and in November the men’s pants were all tucked into tall outdoorsy boots. For fall, the magazine celebrated a clash of layers, textures and colors that folded a European sense of sophistication into a sporty all-American look. In case you don’t have your checklist handy, all are current fashion trends."
Read more here.
graph per ny times