Eldergays, what clothes in olden days were considered too flamboyant?

A jaunty scarf

Everything Liberace wore

Poor sad, lame OP.

The angry hate groups must really be rattled about recent election results and the dumpster fire known as Omarosa.

Fruit Boots.

Wooden underwear.

R3? R4? ????? R5????

Serious question. There must be nobody left over 60 here anymore. Shame.

Frederick's of Hollywood

An ascot.

Red socks

OP, it depends on the era and, at least in the U.S., by region. Bow ties have meant different things at different times, as have rings, earrings, pocket squares, flowers, etc--and those can very by era. Even today, a pink polo shirt in the rural midwest isn't the same as a pink polo shirt in Southern California.

Platform shoes

Earrings. Caftans.

Wasn't there something about green on Thursdays?

Suede shoes.

here

In high school I dyed my jock strap fuchsia...seriously...and I got tons of cock for it.

A green carnation.

Actually an apostrophe for 50's is the correct usage.

A bullet bra

R18, I knew it!

R18 never mind, I'm wrong! And I always use to laugh a people who would use apostrophes for plural words

I looked it up and some say it should be ‘50s!

It wasn’t that long ago when a coworker told me I was “brave” to wear a pink shirt to work.

Pointed elf boots. Wide brimmed "interior designer" hat. Cigarette holder.

a pierced ear (just one)

'50s

Who is this OP who keeps creating thread about Eldergays and the olden days? First it was an abacus, then it was "eldergays who are 'uncool'", now this silly shit. What are you op, 9 or10? OP, I'm so ancient that we all lived in caves and had to wear animal skins--satisfied now?

The correct usage is either " '50s" or just "the 50s". See the link below.

Ah! Men. And the similar Paar of Arizona.

White polo necks.

Colourful cravats.

White blousons.

Chaps.

Arched brows and spit curls.

Or this of course

Does anyone remember when those hanging loops on the back of Oxford shirts were called Fruit Loops? And people pulled them off?

Are pink diapers too flamboyant for you OP?

This.

I remember polyester leisure suits in the 70s. They were hideous. My dad had one in light blue, then wore white shoes with it. I guess he though he was something wearing that.. his version of cool/hip at the time.

Any item of pink clothing

Groovy, baby...

When I was in my 20s my uncle told me to wear red or other bright colors near by neck when I got older. He said it would make older men look younger. Sounded odd as he was a very married man who had had lots of affairs. Once walking down the street my grandfather pointed out someone and said "Who does that look like?" I said, I don't know. He said "Your uncle! He's your uncle's bastard."

depending on the prom venue.....

High heels (unless you were Prince).

beige is always tasteful

perfectly understated.....timeless

WTF is up with the pink shirt thing?

Brooks Brothers sells white, blue and pink shirts.

It was always a preppy thing where I grew up (NYC burbs) not a gay thing. DL was the first place I'd encountered the notion that pink shirts--button downs or polos--were considered "gay"

In the early 80's there was a music scene known as New Romantic. People really dressed for it. While it might have worked in the clubs in London, people weren't all that willing to accept it in cities over here where guys stood around yelling "rock 'n roll." As the poster above me indicated, one item was a pirate shirt, but they also tried to bring in harem pants and knickers for males. Yes, I do recall them in mainstream stores. It didn't work.

When your codpiece was too big.

Sorry, I meant to attach this video and it didn't post. Yes, they really dressed like this at a club I went to.

I thought it was orange in Thursday's.

R33, Pink depends have a certain sassy appeal to them

anything i wore

R37 belongs in the chartreuserie.

[quote]I thought it was orange in Thursday's.

In Thursday's what?

I have this shirt, too, r43. I had not considered it gay, either

R15, that's priceless (is that a gay giveaway word?). It was so thoughtful of the writer to list, in the first paragraph, gay cruising spots around the world! That poofter in the pic was kind of cute.

[quote]that's priceless (is that a gay giveaway word?)

No. A Billy Crudup giveaway word.

Men's clothing was more flamboyant 40-50 years ago than it is today.

Well, yes, r55. 50 years ago was 1968.

Men didn't wear pink. Period.

And the apostrophe stands for "19," so '50s is correct.

1/2 a WW for r57.

[quote]Men didn't wear pink. Period.

You don't know what you're talking about.

1959 Pink Shoe Laces

.....

R57 and then preppies went pink in a major way in the 1970s.

[quote] Bow ties have meant different things at different times, as have rings, earrings, pocket squares, flowers, etc--and those can very by era.

I had an elderly gentleman quiz me on the placement of my rings recently. Apparently a woman wearing rings on any fingers beside her third - and especially on her thumb, index and pinky fingers - implies lesbianism. This is the first I've ever heard of such a rule, and to be frank it just seems like good old fashioned misogyny to me (bearing in mind the third finger is typically the 'ring' finger indicating engagement or marriage...).

In the 1950s men and boys never, ever wore anything pink, lavender or purple. Point of fact, I don't think men could even BUY shirts, sweaters, etc., in those colors because I don't think they were available.

Ditto Cuban heels, or "fruit boots," as they were called by pretty much everyone. The only guys who actually wore them were either ethic minorities out for a night on the town, or genuine homosexuals. They were a true attention-getter, but not always for the right reasons.

There was a myth that guys never wore green on Thursdays because that meant that they were gay. This wasn't a "real" belief, but it gave us reason to tease or harass friends and acquaintances who'd foolishly worn a green shirt or something that day. One Thursday my friend Ian showed up at school wearing green pants, a green shirt and a green windbreaker. We verbally made mincemeat of him.

I don't think I ever work a pink or pastel shirt until I was in college in the 1960s.

[quote]In the 1950s men and boys never, ever wore anything pink, lavender or purple.

Oh, really?

[quote]In the 1950s men and boys never, ever wore anything pink...

There's an advertisement at R59 for Arrow shirts 1956. Pink.

Don'f forget us!

[quote]50’s

Oh, dear.

Perry Como

Frank

In the 1950s men and boys never, ever wore anything pink...

R71 already posted at R60

Cary

Single pierced ear- I forget which ear was the gay ear.

Bandanna in the back pocket of your jeans. Not sure if left or right pocket or the color of the bandanna. Blue and red bandanna means you belong to a gang though, not necessarily gay.

Gene

[quote] [R71] already posted at [R60]

STFU, fucking thread police.

I've always loved that song R75...hey, why don't you post it again?

R57 and R62 are incorrect.

While the article at the link talks about women buying men's pink button-downs at Brooks Brothers in 1949, clearly there was a market for that color, along with white and blue.

Are you both from working class towns in Flyoverstan? That might explain the disconnect.

In the US, men's clothing has never been more dull, especially everyday wear. No color except gray and black and occasionally road-construction orange, no pattern except tactical and plaid. I think back to what I wore 20 or 30 years ago and things were much more colorful. The gayest thing any man is doing with clothes these days is wearing brown shoes with navy suits.

r77 OP meant for men know-it-all. Yes, men would think twice before wearing pink. I was in college in the early 80s and if a guy wore pink, someone would say he was gay.

Another one R57 and R62 and R79 -- maybe you meant the 1940s when you and your friends were wearing Army uniforms?

Link is to a 1955 article from Life magazine (pretty mainstream) talking about how Brooks Brothers PINK shirts were at the heart of the "Ivy League Fashion Craze" that was sweeping the US, Brooks having introduced said pink shirts in the year 1900, long before even the eldest of eldergays was born. (Though it would be cool to have some 120 year old eldergays.

And R79-- community colleges don't count :(.

For those too lazy to click.

From LIFE magazine, May 2, 1955

[quote] Like most male fashions, including the Ivy League Look, this pink hue and cry has taken some time to develop. Sole responsibility lies with New York’s Brooks Brothers, whose pink shirt, introduced in 1900 but long unnoticed, was publicized for college girls in 1949 and caught on for men too.

r79, where did you go to school, Grove City?

Trying to figure you out R79

Because this book came out in 1980 and I know enough history to know that it pretty much caused the "preppy craze" of the 80s

And pink shirts for men was a big part of that.

r80 and r81 What planet did you two just land from? Maybe pink shirts were de rigueur for a party at the Hamptons or Philly's Mainline, but no middle-class man would be caught dead in pink back in the day.

R83 Is correct that pink resurfaced in a BIG way during the late 70s early 80s Preppy craze.

R84 Not only were men wearing pink shirts, they were buying pink cars.

More from my '80s wardrobe:

I was not allowed to enter the Mine Shaft one night because I was wearing a pink alligator shirt, so I took it off and stuck it in the waistband of my Levis. This was in 1978.

Was that because Flyoverstanis thought pink shirts were gay R84, or preppy or both?

Teal belts with white pants

more pink Lacoste

White shoes after Labor Day.

r85=Frustrated Mary Kay consultant.

Didn't Elvis have a pink Cadillac?

Aretha!

Even macho Clint Eastwood drove a pink Cadillac in same named movie.

In the 50s even lowly Fords and Chevys were available in pink.

Rambler

We used to have a '62 Ford Fairlane that was kind of a dusty rose color, but being a good gayling, I always referred to it as puce.

This is actually kind of fascinating.

The social acceptability and implications of pink shirts on men in the mid 20th century may be one of the early signs of the coming red state/blue state division of the early 21st century.

That's awesome R97.

One of our family stories is that when my brother was little he said "Mommy is wearing a pink dress"

My mother, being who she was, was quite offended and said "it's not pink--it's coral!"

He still came out straight, lol

Wow, R34 ! He looks like he'll burst out of those shorts at any moment!

As R4 & R40 already have alluded to them: AKA fruity booties, or in certain circles "Puerto Rican Fence Climbers" pointy toed boots with a Cuban heel, similar, but slighty different to the later "Beatle Boots"

I will wear the PALE pink dress shirts, and Lacostes and Fred Perrys, but NOT fuschia or purple. I think even for metrosexual blokes, the light lavender shirts only really became acceptable or mainstream during the nineties.

Espadrilles (on men).

Fruity and European, a deadly combo for many Americans.

^ R86 shows us the correct shade of pink for men! R103 I could not agree w ith you more... French and very fey, and tres gay. The Tom's espadrille that is quite popular now looks very fruity to my British sensibilities too.

R18, do you mean '50s?

Only after enlarging the pic @ R34, do I realise John Wayne is wearing espadrilles... perhaps he was a little gay or bi?

R73 I think the right ear was for the gay earring "Right is wrong and left is right," is what I remember hearing from straight friends.

Men who wear jewelry are obviously displaced persons who smuggled.

Dungarees in public? You must be here to pick up dog shit.

No undershirt - movie fad followed by pinko-sympathizers who most likely smoke marijuana cigarettes with negroes.

Oh I just love smoking marijuana cigarettes with negroes R108. You simply do not know HOW to live!

You, Sir R109, are a fucking communist. I knew it. You will never find where I've built my Data Lounge fallout shelter, you FUCK!

'Tis a pity mon frere! You sound like fun nonetheless. Je ne suis pas communiste, mais j'aime les herbes et les negres.

This is a sick thread-

I think of it the opposite way - or at least I think I do., and I'm talking about today. "Would a straight guy wear that? No? Then this dude is gay." Usually this mean pants that are quite tight, a bit higher on the ankles than a straight guy would do (don't even talk about a cuff - if the very tight pants have a cuff, game over). The slightly higher on the ankles thing (for casual wear) that is intentional is a pretty good tell. Any kind of "steampunk" shoe with business wear if the rest of it is absolutely immaculate and completely thought through. In NY, most of the younger guys, straight as well, are still wearing casual and businesswear quite tight, but they usually do an outlier color in the socks or tie and leave it at that. If the shoes AND the length of the pants AND the glasses are all standout, the guy is gay. Most straight guys in the city want to look sharp if they're corporate, but they want to look like everybody else. The gay guy is going to find the right glasses that have some individual style to them, same with the shoes.

Fruit of the Loom underwear.

As it is the fucking 1950s, I believe the penile cuff and wrist restraints R113 sports are rather flamboyant.

[quote] I will wear the PALE pink dress shirts, and Lacostes and Fred Perrys, but NOT fuschia or purple. I think even for metrosexual blokes, the light lavender shirts only really became acceptable or mainstream during the nineties.

1. The nineties happened 20 years ago, my British friend. Might be time to relax a bit, R102

2. Why are you so set against looking like a 1980s idea of what a gay person looks like? Purple shirts are pretty hetero these days.

Overthink much R113?

Plenty of "metrosexual" (haven't heard that word in about ten years, lol) heteros here in NYC wear the tight pants and rolled up cuffs and all that. (Especially given that the trend is a couple years old at this point) Most don't, but most gay guys don't either. Regardless of who you like to fuck, it just kind of says "mindless follower of trends"

I agree they're completely mainstream R116... BTW, I don't resemble the image you have conjured up in the least: I have a Rock 'N Roll Comics T-shirt on with a pair of (almost pink) Nantucket Red shorts on from Murray's Tog Shop...and an old pair of hand-made Israeli sandals. I have long hair and pass for WAY less than fifty. I give a hairy rat's ass if someone thinks I look like a pouf.

[quote] and pass for WAY less than fifty.

You wouldn't be a true Datalounger otherwise, lol.

R119 Cheers mate! I am lucky though. I'm not balding/thinning, nor wrinkling either! It's the grass that keeps me young really!

R118 is scary. Way!

not only did we wear pink, we drove it.

my first car, 1955 Chevy Bel Air

and threw out the green carnations for pink ones

“He smiled understandingly—much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you might come across four or five times in your life. […] It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.”

.....

Sean Connery

Sean Connery in Thunderball

Leather trousers from Germany. Had a pair made there when I was 19 and athletic. Wore them with Clarkes 70s nature-trek boot. I looked good, but in my small town eyebrows were raised.

I agree, platform shoes screamed, "gay".

Leather trousers from Germany. Nice soft brown leather, snug, with external leg side braiding to the cuff. Worn with original Clarkes nature trek boot and quality woollen sweater. As an 18 year old I knew I looked great, but in my small town eyebrows were raised.

in "olden days" OP, a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking, hence.....

spats

[quote]platform shoes screamed, "gay."

r129, the first people I knew who wore them, c. 1972, were straight, male ex-hippies who were still into drugs.

Rev. Ike

Pink was okay in the '50s if you were in show business or some other sort of artist. You really don't think Elvis or Perry Como represented typical middle-class men, do you?

In my small midwest town, no man wore pink.

Burlap sacks stamped C.A.R.E.

Tees that state "No Fat Chicks".

A puffy shirt makes you look either gay or like a pirate.

Pretty much anything in the International Male catalog.

R137 how about both?

R41 he was so pretty. He's not pretty anymore.