Why George Will Wouldn’t Like West Texas
In George Will’s most recent column, entitled “Demon Denim,” he rails against the wearing of jeans by adults — adults whom he believes are developmentally arrested.
“Denim is the infantile uniform of a nation in which entertainment frequently features childlike adults (‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Two and a Half Men’) and cartoons for adults (‘King of the Hill’).”
He calls it “the carefully calculated costume of people eager to communicate indifference to appearances. But the appearances that people choose to present in public are cues from which we make inferences about their maturity and respect for those to whom they are presenting themselves.”
So just what should men and women be wearing? “This is not complicated. For men, sartorial good taste can be reduced to one rule: If Fred Astaire would not have worn it, don’t wear it. For women, substitute Grace Kelly.”
This makes me think George Will would not like:
1. West Texas
2. Highland
3. The dress code for my new office
Since I don’t have a clue who George Will is, I don’t have to worry about what he thinks of my daily dress. I love jeans—-especially after hunting for a pair that fits me properly, I wear them out!
And all these years I kinda liked George Will. Anyone who would associate with the Texas/Louisana Baseball league couldn’t be all bad. I had always heard that Texas formal included pressed jeans and polished boots. There are folks out there that don’t need to be wearing jeans particularly jeans that have holes in inappropiate places but in Texas jeans are fine. Maybe even in New Mexico or Oklahoma.
Very strange comment … Fred Astaire? Wow. If he had railed against boys wearing girl jeans I might agree!
Great reality show idea – George Will – Deadliest Drill. Watch George as he tries to navigate the oil patches of West Texas dressed in Brooks Brothers.
Do we seriously think Jesus would have dressed like Fred Astaire?
Richard – You wear jeans once in a while, don’t you?
I am utterly reeling. My Lucky brand jeans are my most cherished possession. And the fact that the size is a single digit after I’ve had two children is one of the crowning achievements of my life. Jeans aren’t just something you wear. They’re something you are.
I don’t know what to think about George Will now. Maybe he needs a Levi’s intervention?
I don’t know who George Will is, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s ever even BEEN to Texas!
Will has always been an elitist anyway, so no shocker there. Of course, not even Fred or Grace would dress like they walked out of a time capsule if they were around now. They’d likely dress like every other star in Hollywood–in jeans that probably cost more than Will’s slacks (<–West Texan men don’t wear slacks).
With media elitist making statements like this maybe Governor Perry
has a good idea.
In that case he wouldn’t like Alaska either!
I’m not too concerned about people in west Texas wearing jeans, but some of you not knowing who George Will is? Come on! He’s one of the best writers in America – reading him really challenges your thinking, whether or not you agree with him. Track him down and give him a try – his writings aren’t hard to find.
I’ve been delivered and freed! Didn’t wear jeans too much [we call 'em Levis or denims in California] until I came here. Can’t seem to wear anything else during the week and have one pair of black jeans I occasionally wear to church too. Sad, sad is the deprived life of Georgie boy.
Also – yes, he is an excellent writer, and also, this is not the first time I’ve disagreed with him either. 
OK, Bryan. I googled George Will, & found out he’s a big deal writer & commentator. I’m an NBC news girl, so I’ve never seen him on TV. I love to be challenged in my thinking & reading, so I’ll start paying attention to him like I do David Sedaris. But, I’m still glad I don’t have to worry about what Mr. Will thinks regarding my daily wear of denim.
This is coming from a man who wears a bow tie all the time! I think he should stick to political commentaries. (I really enjoy his articles about that)
1) Lucky Brand jeans are too expensive. If you bought a pair, you probably committed a sin in doing so.
2) I’ve been looking for a good reason to wear more polyester. Thank you George Will!
Lighten up, people. If you want to wear jeans, great. If you (as I am) are tired of seeing every body in jeans and never in any more formal clothes, wear something else.
I am sure that Jesus would have worn jeans, dress clothes, or anything else that would have made the people around Him feel comfortable. My guess is that He would have smiled just as much at reverse snootiness as He did actual snobbery.
Yeah, I used to kind of like George Will, but talking about America’s clothing staple? That’s too far… And I doubt Mr. Will has been in a Wal-Mart lately — blue jeans are formal wear there. I’m just thankful if everyone has everything covered and aren’t wearing pajama bottoms!
But I got my Luckys at Stein Mart for fifty bucks. It’s only a sin if you pay full price.
George is a good writer, but a bit out in left field on this one. Life could be lived in jeans as far as I’m concerned, and the only reason I wear jeans to Highland is because I’m guessing that shorts and flip-flops might push folks like George Will over the edge!…..and anyway, what’s he got against Hank Hill? Lighten up and laugh at yourself from time to time.
Sorry, George, there’s places around here in South Louisiana where a man could get a serious whoopin for prancing around looking like Fred Astaire!
I hope those people who plant, harvest, pack and ship the organic fresh veggies and fruits George buys in Whole Food dress like Fred Astaire or Grace Kelly. My sharecropper dad drove his Farmall wearing a tuxedo during the (other) Great Depression. Every day my mother caught, killed (yes we said that), cleaned and fried the chicken we had for dinner(noon) in a dress purchased from Neiman-Marcus, 200 miles down the road.
George Will is a pompous horse’s petutie! Will he ever get over himself?
To quote the greatest conservative of all – “I won’t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.” – William F Buckley Jr
Wore jeans to my office in West Texas today out of protest!
The sad thing is–and what Will is too tactful to say–that most of you who wear jeans look hideous in them! Really, at least consider–for the sake of those of us who look at you everyday–wearing something more flattering.
Oh, you say you wear jeans for comfort? Then why not just wear your Snuggie to work? It’s only a matter of time before we start seeing people show up at the office in diapers–comfortable and fewer annoying trips to the bathroom!
Never heard of George Will?! I think that makes his bigger point.
Martin,
You have a point. I have begun to notice in photos – that I don’t look as good in a pair of jeans as I used to. They still feel comfortable, but I think that it has just become habit to put on a pair of jeans.
So maybe George Will has a point also.
I think George makes it clear in his article that he’s not talking about farmers, and by extension, others who work outside. He’s talking about wearing jeans in offices, schools, churches, malls, shops, theaters, restaurants.
There used to be a time when it wasn’t considered pretentious to dress well. People had their “Sunday best” or whatever nice outfit they wore into town. They wore hats that didn’t have team logos on them. They sewed nice outfits or bought whatever they could afford.
I dress exactly like Grace Kelly. Or, erm, like Grace Kelly *would have* if she’d been allowed to wear jeans and t-shirts on a daily basis…
My antennae is always up when I hear of expectations that anyone has for the way anyone else dresses. It’s quite alright for my dad to always wear a tie to church. It’s not quite alright for him to expect others to wear what he chooses to wear.
Maybe just another reason why Texas and Guv’nor Perry need to secede from the union…
Candy: yes it is clear that he’s not talking about those people. He tacitly accepts that “laborer” equals “not a real person”. He’s the Rich Man to Bobbie’s dad’s Lazarus. Jesus says that that’s a hellish attitude.
Regardless of his comments, I still like to read his columns even though sometimes they are hard to understand due to his vast knowledge of the English Dictionary….One weekend in Abilene at Perini’s,some BBQ at Harold’s and a trip to Frontier Texas will have George in some boots and jeans from Luskey/Ryons.
A syllogism:
MP. George Will is deity.
mP. George Will got this one flat wrong.
C. Therefore [head spinning]
qb
P. S. If you like baseball, you cannot NOT love George Will. The only journalist who knows more about baseball than GW is Peter Gammons, a baseball Hall of Famer. (Really, he is.)
And baseball is an Everyman’s game. Therefore, GW is not an elitist.
Exactly, QB. I’m a regular GW reader. And now that you mention it, his knowledge of baseball is probably part of the reason. I keep MEN AT WORK on my baseball shelf in my office!
Jeans don’t bother me in the least, but I do wish that men well into adulthood would stop wearing flip-flops to church…
Finally MEN AT WORK is mentioned — best book ever! Perhaps Will is talking a bit hyperbole to make us think about the issue. Being around college campuses, I’m actually very happy if I see jeans on people!
But, I understand his point — maybe we are a bit consumed with comfort and entertainment . . . ?
If wearing jeans is wrong I don’t want to be right
I find that hilarious. I am thinking of a song from my childhood, “Baby’s Go Her Blue Jeans On.”