Jeggings = Damn Near Nudity.

I do not consider myself a fashion expert for one minute. I do not know which colours clash, what style of shorts go best with a t-shirt, nor do I know what should be worn when. However, there is one current trend I simply cannot comprehend: Jeggings.

Jeggings are essentially leggings made to look like they’re jeans, hence the clever name. I do not understand the need to go out and buy a pair of denim tights when a pair of skinny jeans will suffice. Okay, so they may be pretty much the same, but at least with proper jeans, the wearer can keep at least some shred of dignity.

The problem we have with Jeggings is that, aside from the fact they look awful and have no practicality whatsoever (why make them look like they have pockets when they clearly don’t?), they seem to be encouraging young girls to walk out the house wearing next to nothing.

Of course, the blame can’t lay entirely on Jeggings, but have you seen any celebrity in the media wearing a skimpy t-shirt with nothing but a pair of black leggings? If the youth of today were truly passively influenced by the pictures of celebrities in glossy gossips, we’d have teens walking around in dresses with no knickers on.

I am somewhat aware that leggings themselves have been around for donkeys, but they were not worn in the way they are today. They were worn in the 80’s through to the mid 90’s with, largely, skirts and short dresses, occaisionally an oversized shirt, but right now, in 2009, girls are outside wearing normal sized, if not ill fitting, t-shirts. Not only is this dangerous (paedophilia, anyone?), people do not want to see this.

I remember the first time I came across someone in this ‘fashion’, and having a mix of feelings. At first I thought “Well, someone forgot to get dressed this morning.” And then being somewhat repulsed. I’m sorry, but if I wanted to see the general shape of a girls bottom, I would simply go out and buy a magazine.

Soon after, I couldn’t walk a mile without seeing a million girls dressed like this. And it seems to be spreading. One of my friends recently attended college looking like this, and I asked them “Why? Why didn’t you just put a skirt on over it?” Her reply? “Well everyone’s doing it.”

I suppose that’s the definition of a trend. Once the style of a minority is adopted by the majority, then it can be considered a trend but just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t make it right. If everyone thought it was cool to wear clothes made of tissue paper, would you conform? I know I bloody wouldn’t.

Ok, so maybe I’m being too extreme. Maybe I’m exaggerating to the point of disbelief, but my point is that people seem to have thrown their dignity in the trash in order to comply with general society. If that’s the kind of world we live in, I bid you farewell.

Young Guns review.

YOUNG GUNS
PLUS: DISCLOSURE, NONE THE LESS
12 BAR, SWINDON
23.07.09

You know what they say: never judge a book by its cover. When Disclosure clambers onto the stage, it would appear they are not your everyday rock band. Dressed in collared t-shirts and with short spiky hair, they look as if they should be behind decks, not drums. Despite this, they try their best to get the crowd moving, which is largely a wasted effort. Having the energy is one thing, but you have to couple it with variety; there was a distinct lack of the latter.
Hailing from Watford and describing their style as ‘metal n roll’, None The Less put on a good show, hammering out tunes that start to warm up the crowd. Mid-way through the second song of the set, the lead vocalist, Ant Giannaccini, leaves the stage and spends the rest of None The Less’ presence in the large space that’s directly in front of the stage. If that’s not trying to get involved with the crowd, I don’t know what is.
By the time High Wycombe quintet Young Guns have donned their instruments and noticeable absence of sleeves, the chasm of space between audience and performer has shrunk. From the off, Young Guns give it their all and smash out brilliant sounds, despite not many people not knowing many, if any, of the words.

As lead singer Gustav Wood is keen to point out, they were expecting no-one to turn up, so to be playing to the sizeable crowd that have attended is excellent. And they love every minute of it. When Gustav announces the next song is ‘Daughter of the Sea’, the band is met with roars and whoops of delight, to which he replies “Sounds like you might know this one. I wanna see you prove it to me.” The crowd responds in abundance, and sing along with every stomping chorus and epic verse.
At the end of the night, I’m surprised no-one is shouting for an encore but even so, this is one night neither the fans nor the band will forget for a long time.