Luli Fernandez – Argentina
Susan Werner – Brazil
Abbey Clancy – England
Charlene Suric – France
Julia Goedicke – Germany
Alice Bregoli – Italy
Zaira Nara – Uruguay

Scan #1 from GQ June 2010. Italy, Brazil, Germany. Click to enlarge.

Scan #2 from GQ June 2010. Argentina, Uruguay, England, France. Click to enlarge.

Also, don’t miss the behind the scenes video of the shoot:

A profitable sale {darknite12 on eBay}

These are very attractive socks, but we must ask a few questions about this mysterious auction that recently ended on eBay:

1. Why is an auction for used socks by a seller with over 500 feedback private?
2. Why, out of 88 auction views, were there 6 bids? This is a very good conversion rate for any auction let alone a pair of used socks.
3. For a total price of $9.50 (includes shipping) isn’t it much cheaper to buy multiple pairs of average quality or one pair of excellent quality socks?

The seller sure made off with a good deal. And good for him. He’s probably an aspiring actor who needs the money. The buyer either is a first-time eBayer or has a fetish for black socks worn by men with hairy legs. Let’s not dwell on this matter any further.

Poor model {ssense.com}

When could you wear such high fashion? (50% off $422 is not cheap, either)

• Trips to the zoo
• Trips to the jungle
• Tiger Cubs scouting events
• 80’s nightclubs
• Children’s birthday parties
• Sleep, although the suit is quite loud

Too bad the complete ensemble is sold out. However, the pants are available for $303.

Still pertinent years later {eBay}

There are some great vintage Olympic shirts out there, generally dating from 1976 Montreal to present. Deadstock 1976 shirts go for upwards of $100. Instead, try searching for 1980 Lake Placid, 1988 Calgary, 1992 Albertville, or 1994 Lillehammer. Designs after Lillehammer just aren’t as good. In addition, there are dozens of pieces of general Team USA gear. Rembember, the Special Olympics are not an IOC sanctioned event.

Take it from us: If you can’t pronounce “JNCO,” you’re hopelessly out of touch…JNCOs are so wide they swing like a double-barreled hoop skirt and drag along the pavement, collecting chewed gum and other sidewalk scum. – Fortune Magazine, April 13, 1998

Insanely wide and straight legs - perfect for the 3 S's: sagging, shoplifting, and skating {peterahall.net}

The coolest kids in the late 90’s wore JNCOs (Judge None, Choose One). In fact, the wide-legged jean market increased in revenue by 30% in 1997. Not only did these huge jeans, often measuring 30+ inches in the leg openings, make the wearer seem larger (and tougher), but the jeans could easily be sagged. Most pairs of JNCOs were sold at JCPenney, but lucky people in Los Angeles could head over to a retail store on Melrose. The pants were available online starting in late 1996. In fact, the archived version of the 1996 catalog contains some excellent descriptions. However, who actually bought:

• Any of the ‘natural’ colored pants (white or cream in color)?
• The Builder Short-All??
• The Wide Cord?

Compare these to today’s slim-fit pants. Ten years ago, slim jeans would have garnered negative comments. Today, however, JNCOs would just seem goofy. My how the tables have turned. A look at the archived version of the JNCO website shows that the company sponsored the Vans Warped Tour and had an ad in Seventeen. Unfortunately for poser-types and Korn fans, JNCO seems to have gone out of business. Their website doesn’t exist, but the domain is registered by parent company Revatex through 2013. Here’s to a comeback…

The JNCO website in 1998 {web.archive.org}

Marilyn Cole, Playboy’s 1973 Playmate of the Year received a P1800 hatchback for her achievement:

The infamous pink P1800 {volvo1800pictures.com}

More recently, the new Volvo C30 appeared in the 2008 movie Twilight. Despite appearing in a couple of scenes, sales of the car were actually down 10% for the month following the film’s release compared to the same month in 2007.

Car of choice for vampires {blog.leasetrader.com}

Finally, the edgy Volvo Sweden website features a man wearing an unbuttoned shirt and shorts refueling in a snowscape. The V50 may not be a hatchback, but this image is even more attractive than Marilyn Cole.

Volvo Sweden's homepage

Once a sign of poverty, then a symbol of rebelliousness, but now just ordinary

There’s a lot to learn about ripped jeans by glancing at the Google News archives. Although relatively few physical newspapers have been scanned, plenty of information on fashion and style is available from the past couple of decades. Generally speaking, ripped jeans were fashionable in the music crowd from the 1970’s onward, but the masses did not see the style until 1984 or so. Ripped jeans were explosively popular until the very early 90’s where they were put on the back burner for a couple of years until the grunge movement took off.

A detailed timeline:

• 1950-1970: 99% of mentions are associated with murder or sexual assault.
• Aug 30, 1955: Ripped jeans signify poverty: “As Genial Gene Biscailuz walked out of the Coliseum resplendent in his posse regalia with the red jacket, happy at the success of his annual rodeo, a ragged little urchin in ripped blue jeans ran up to him.” (CITYSIDE with GENE SHERMAN)
• Jul 12, 1971: Patching is becoming popular: “Hollywood boasts a shop, the Liquid Butterfly, that specializes in the custom patching of jeans. Owner Charlotte Stewart says she is ‘trying to get people to recycle their clothes. Instead of throwing out a ripped pair of jeans, we think it’s nicer to put a pretty patch on them.’” (Patchwork Fashions)
• 1974: The Ramones wear ripped jeans.
• Oct 22, 1977: At an Iggy Pop concert: “Safety pins adorned the deliberately ripped jeans of others.” (Music - Milwaukee Sentinel)
• Nov 16, 1980: The college generation sees a return to conservatism: “Images of the long hair and ripped jeans of their older brothers and sis- ters have faded, replaced by design- er clothes. If allied to anything, the college student of today is linked to the campus of the 1950s.” (‘TV Generation’ Hits College Like a Rerun of Pragmatic 1950s )
• Sept 7, 1984: Pre-ripped jeans appear on the market: “The jeans are fashionably pre-ripped above the right knee and at what would be the panty-line if Calvin still believed in women’s underwear. They also are worn with a denim shirt unbuttoned to the waist and pre-ripped above the left breast pocket.” (Terrorist chic invades fashion field)
• May 15, 1986: Ripped jeans are fashionable in Europe: “Some predict the newest trend will be stone-washed jeans with holes worn into pockets, derriere and knees. Dick Gilbert, president of Zena jeans, said he was surprised and more than a little skeptical when his design team told him the ripped jeans were the hottest look in Europe.” (Hottest new jeans now include holes)
• Jun 11, 1986: The first in-depth newspaper article on ripped jeans: “” (Fashion trend full of holes Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Dec 13, 1987: Casual jeans are now ripped: “Yet another twinge, she allowed, was when she dressed casually in jeans only to discover that casual to the crowd around her meant ”people dressed like Halloween in ripped jeans with holes.” (NEW YORKERS, ETC)
• Apr 7, 1988: “Ripped jeans are not my kind of fashion statement, but they are indeed seen as fashionable in circles of the young and hip.” (OFF THE RACK Dad finds out that holey jeans are sacred)
• Mar 20, 1989: “Parents (usually say) they can’t believe they are paying that much for ripped, slashed jeans,” said Stein.” (Out At The Knees)
• 1989: Ripped jeans are all over the fashion news. They go well with friendship bracelets and untied shoes. High schoolers, especially those in California seem to enjoy the fashion, although some disagree. Most school dress codes allow for ripped jeans.
• June 1990: Madonna wears ripped jeans.
• Jul 14, 1991: “This is not to say one should buy pre-ripped jeans — tears must be custom-made for the body.” (DENIM AIN’T SINGIN’ THE BLUES)
• Oct 2, 1991: “But you should throw away ripped jeans from last season. They’re definitely out. Ripped and torn jeans are over, finished.” (Campus Gainsville Sun)
• Jan 28, 1992: “Actresses like Julia Roberts, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Daryl Hannah and Meg Ryan often parade in front of paparazzi at premieres and events wearing ripped jeans and T-shirts, oversize baby-doll dresses, combat boots, uncombed hair and not a spot of makeup.” (Recession Chic: If You’ve Got It, You Don’t Flaunt It)
• Jun 22, 1992: “There were 10 men-all large-wearing black boots, frayed and ripped jeans and belts with large silver buckles.” (Have Bris Bag, Will Travel-Even to Bikers’ Desert Outpost Series)
• Jan 24, 1993: “Grunge means ripped jeans and flannel shirts. Of course, here in New York, its stripes and plaids.” (MASS-PRODUCER HIPNESS)
• Sept 3, 1993: “Do they draw the line when it comes to ripped jeans or a nose ring? Suzy Gershman, parent and author of the “Born to Shop” book series, believes in flexibility. “It is one of the few areas of control where little damage can be done,” she says.” (The Fashion Fight How much control should youngsters have over their)
• May 24, 1994: “Grunge or grungie: Jeans, flannel shirts, ripped jeans, dyed hair, dark makeup (for girls), Doc Martens shoes. Metal heads: Long hair, jean jackets, ripped jeans.” (AN INFORMAL GUIDE TO TEENAGE CLOTHING AND MUSIC STYLES)
• Nov 7, 1996: “‘So many kids all dress the same – usually in trashy jeans that are ripped on the bottom, flannels and baby T’s,’ says Molly. ‘They’re pretty much like clones.’” (Ripped Jeans Don’t Cut It)
• May 19, 1997: “Most fast-growing software companies are a bit disheveled: empty computer boxes piled in hallways, offices littered with soda cans and pizza crusts, college-age programmers in T shirts and ripped jeans.” (The hardwiring of a salesman – Forbes.com)
• Late 90’s-Present: Ripped jeans are mostly seen on celebrities or are reserved for designer brands. Ordinary wearers are no longer seen as rebellious.