These fucking idiots wearing cowboy hats and boots with business attire...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

Makes as much sense as walking into court wearing a suit of armor.

Or dressed like a doctor in the O.R...

Or Like a Spaceman or fireman or whatever...

Get a clue, Morans: Unless you're on the back of a horse in a field with cows, you are playing dress-up when you wear clothes like this.


Thanks, a picture of DeLay's lawyer set me off. It's a pet peeve from someone who has cut cattle on the back of a horse.

Peace.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Gotta agree with you on this one. But I don't live in Texas, either.

[SensibleCenterist]

2. Not that unusual

I haven't spent a lot of time in Texas for the lsat 5 years or so, but I recall that kind of dress-up wasn't all that uncommon. If I had to walk between buildings in the hot Dallas sun wearing a tie I wouldn't mind a bit of protection.

Three generations ago it would have been a fedora, but I don't see a cowboy hat as any worse than a jacket and tie in the first place.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

56. It's common in TX and in TN...

It's a look carried by people who wish to infer they are of the "Cowboy Mythos."

What's the cowboy mythos? We're talking Shane, Marshall Dillon, The Rifleman...

People who had to solve their problems without the benefit of established law. The Knight.

It's a specious spiel at the weak minded trying to make a statement of disingenuous motive.

These fuckers are slandering a true american hero by dressing like this.

[Cyrano]

3. You know what they say about cowboy hats and hemorrhoids.

Sooner or later, every asshole gets 'em.

[Boomer]

4. Take those cowboy boots and hats away....

...and half the businessmen in Houston would be barefoot with their hair blowin' in the wind.

[napi21]

5. You have to live in TX or OK for a while to understand.

Believe me, I lived in San Antonio for 6 years. It's a weird thing, but after being there a while, you start wanting a hat and boots, and of course the belt buckle! I don't know why. To feel like you fit in, I guess.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. I guess the West Coasters forgot their little rattail days.

Never could figure that one out.

[crispini]

14. Oh SNAP!

:P

[anitar1]

61. Wyoming is not far behind them. Lots of "cowboys and

cowgirls" there. Lived in Green River once, for a year Couldn't wait to leave there.

[stepnw1f]

6. That Look is Ridiculous and Cheesy As Hell

Kinda like a white suburnite trying to look like an inner city gangster.

[napi21]

18. Naw. It's a regional thing. I 'm from Pgh. Pa, and when I was

transferred to SC, I was told that I better get a new wardrobe! I'm a female, but always wore a business suit, and blouse with a collar and bow at the neck, similar to the men's suit and tie. The people who worked for our company and were originally from the south all told me how out of place I would be if I wore that attire in SC, and they were right! You would never even find a man in SC wearing a navy blue suit, unless he was a yankee attending a meeting.

Stetsons and boots are a regional thing too.

[stepnw1f]

39. Like I Said... Cheesy (nt)

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Er...you do realize that some of those are Democrats too, right?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. I don't care. adults playing dress-up is silly.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. May you live the remainder of your life in a grey suit and tie.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

21. LOL....

We all wear costumes of one sort or another, it's that the "cowboy" costume is a real set of work clothes that has been claimed by many to signify a "real American."

Why not a welder's apron, an Iron worker's harness?

It has become as flagrant as magnets and lapel pins in its jingoistic underpinnings IMHO.

peace.

[The Backlash Cometh]

38. When I went to New York I was surprised by the number of twenty

somethings that dressed in black. It wasn't Gothic, but trendy black clothes. I looked closely at their faces and thought to myself, "Oh, here's where the non-techy, but brainy nerds of the South go to live."

So, yeah, everybody has a uniform.

[Marr]

48. HAHA! I'm a designer and I recently went to meet with some

agencies in New York (I'm from Los Angeles). I laughed my ASS off at all the advertising and design people walking around in black. It *is* like a uniform. Just wearing brown makes you stand out- it's f'ing pathetic. :P

[The Backlash Cometh]

50. I was there ten years ago!

LOL!

I was in LA this summer for the first time. Hmmm, I wasn't really there long enough to pick up on any clothing affectations. My Observations? Traffic: a real problem, much smaller cars in general than anywhere else I've been in the U.S.

But L.A. squirrels are the junkyard dogs of the West. Ohhhh!! BIG, smelly, mangy and unafraid.

[Marr]

53. LOL- the weak ones were killed by the smog long ago.

The survivors have special smog-based powers.

[catnhatnh]

8. That's it...ridicule be damned.....

...I'm dressing up as a pirate.....

[Theres-a]

10. ARRRR!

[hootinholler]

44. Yes! and as an added bonus.

The FSM will bless you.

-Hoot

[Retired AF Dem]

11. Liberal

Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.

tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.

Wish I could find more on DU.

[crispini]

19. It's human nature.

whenever you find people in large groups you will find people piling-on, making fun of others for superficial reasons such as weight, appearance, clothing, etc.... :shrug:

'scuse me, I have to go make fun of Mann Coulter now. :evilgrin:

[etherealtruth]

65. Now I will join you in berating that Coulter guy ...

:evilgrin:

[donco6]

20. No kidding.

If it isn't fat people or southern accents or religion it's cowboy hats.

Tolerance? What's that?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

22. I own a pair of cowboy boots and a cowboy hat...

and I wear them when I go to TN and help my Sister and Brother-in-law cut the herd. That's about it as far as the wear and they are well worn.

Would it bother you if I walked around in an AF uniform even though I never was in the AF but I thought the uniform was cool?

peace.

[Retired AF Dem]

23. It wouldnt bother me in the least

but I do believe there are federal laws against doing it.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

52. In that case, there should also be a law against people dressing as

wait staff who are not.

Just my opinion, because they are every bit as important as anyone else.

[donco6]

28. Good for you.

Now that we know when it's appropriate to wear cowboy boots and hats, we can all follow suit. Next time I'm "cuttin' the herd" I'll remember that. :sarcasm:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

66. Oh, blow me. You know darned well what's trying to be said here.

:toast:

[donco6]

67. Oh yeah.

We all bow to your mighty intellect. Amen.

[petronius]

29. All he said is he thinks a certain clothing style looks ridiculous

How is that non-progressive or bigoted? He's not advocating banning the style, or mistreating those who wear it. Your quotes are very nice, but being liberal doesn't mean that one must approve equally of every little fad or foible that comes down the pike, to avoid being 'intolerant.'

Personally, I think the miniskirt and Ugg boot combination is utterly asinine, and I don't think saying so diminishes my progressiveness. I'd bet that every person in this thread who jumps on the OP has, in the very recent past, looked at a person on the street and thought "what kind of a jackass dresses like that?"

[Retired AF Dem]

36. I think he started the thread with

"these fucking idiots". I don't remember ridiculous ever entering in to it. I have lived my life in the belief that people have the right to live the lives they want with no interference on my part or any others.

[petronius]

41. The wording was harsh,

perhaps too harsh considering there are probably some hat & boot folks here, but it is still a common usage to use 'idiot' to refer to a person behaving in a way that is silly, foolish, stupid, or lacking in common sense. ("Ridiculous" was my substitution.) The OP was stating that he thinks this style is idiotic. You may disagree with him about the style or object to his wording; my only point of disagreement with your post is the implication that he is being non-progressive. I feel that that accusation is being thrown around far too much these days.

And in truth, he didn't advocate any interference.

[Liberal In Texas]

68. Thank you, good post. n/t

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

51. "He" was especially referring to the people in power...

Who have usurped the costume of a working class citizen to infer that they are "of the roots of America."

I could have spelled it out a bit more, but I had faith in the cognative skills of the readers.

I was wrong.

[DBoon]

12. I never thought the Village People would come back

all those Texans singing "YMCA"

[Democrats_win]

15. Given what they do, lawyers should dress professionally.

I really don't like lawyers. They help criminals like Delay and Citibank get away with crimes. The justice system broke when the court jesters appointed bush. We are all paying for the injustice of this action.

When they wear flamboyant clothing, they invite trouble. They make it personal!!!!

On the other hand, I recognize that this is like telling someone not to wear suggestive clothing so they won't be attacked. A person should be able to wear what they want.

On the bright side, with the lawyers looking like clowns, it's easier not to accept the injustices of the joke that they call the law.

BTW: cutting horses are better than an amusement park ride. They can turn on a dime. They are amazing animals.

[Lex]

25. Ummm . . . lawyers also help people too.

You said, "I really don't like lawyers. They help criminals like Delay and Citibank get away with crimes."

They also work at legal aid clinics, the ACLU, and some work long hours at small, hometown law firms making sure proper adoptions take place, people get wills and living wills, titles are searched on properties, defendants are represented in state court, and a million other things.

My observations is that there are far more of the latter than the former.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

26. Lawyers wouldn't have to help others...

If it weren't for other lawyers (LOL).

Me? I'm with Shakespeare.

[Lex]

32. I'm with Shakespeare too! The quote is often taken out of context.

As the remark by the plotter of treachery in Shakespeare's King Henry VI shows - "The first thing we must do is kill all the lawyers," - the surest way to chaos and tyranny even then was to remove the guardians of the law.

[anitar1]

62. So right. I know some very good lawyers and appreciate

their intelligence. Have also had occasion to be represented by a couple of them. Thank the Goddess they are around.

[CBGLuthier]

35. Gerry Spence

I would rather have Gerry Spence, with his "silly" outfit, than any "sharp dressing" lawyer.

[0007]

17. Home, home on the range........

[dretceterini]

24. I do care if people

are cross-dressers, as long as they don't try and screw us over, like the governement does.

[cynatnite]

27. Did you ever watch Dallas?

My stepdad wore his three piece suit with his boots and on occasion wore a cowboy hat with it.

Nothing unusual or moronic about it. It's normal for many in states like TX, OK, and KS.

[never cry wolf]

30. You mean this distinguished look?

[catnhatnh]

34. JESUS...

..he and Michael Jackson look like Kool Aid drinkers waiting for the Mothership to arrive....

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

37. Ka-Ching! Give the man a Kewpie doll!

Dat's da one!

[annabanana]

40. It's Judge Doom from "Roger Rabbit". . . . . n/t

[Bernardo de La Paz]

31. All Hat, No Cattle. . . . Do you suppose they worship Faux "News"?

[gulliver]

33. It's kind of threatening...

... like wearing a bowtie or a tattoo. They want it to make you mad or laugh or whatever. They are daring you to call them assholes. And they also think they are elevating cowboy chic by adopting it symbolically.

There's the old joke of course: What's the difference between George W. Bush's cowboy boots and a real cowboy's boots? Answer: The real cowboy's boots have shit on the outside.

The whole fashion-for-provocation thing comes to mind. One of the scariest cowboys I can remember is the cowboy in Mulholland Drive.

Just riffin'. Never cut cattle myself.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

42. Jeans are from the same era as cowboy hats.

There were suits back then, too.

So no one should wear jeans? Or a suit? Or a hat? Or cowboy boots?

:freak:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

54. It's the pretense that one is associated with "field work" by their dress.

These assholes wouldn't know which end of a cow to rope.

[UTUSN]

43. Like Easterners Wearing Hush Puppies

One of these, after visiting South, said he would NEVER EVER wear synthetic soled shoes again.

That said, it *is* a regionalism and very cash and class conscious. Some of those people would look at certain others and say, "YOU are wearing a Stetson/Resistol?" Like only caste members can wear a hat.

That said #2, a hat is for protection from the sun. These days, I don't step outside to pick up the newspaper without a hat. The sun and glare hurt the eyes. It doesn't equate with cutting cattle.


So, those who DO do things with cattle ONLY wear them when doing that specific task?---not other times in the sun?

And what about Hollywood types wearing their pants-legs INSIDE the boots?

[UTUSN]

46. That Said #3, This Dude *Is* Repellant, with or without the Hat

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4943943

[Greyhound]

45. "Save the bombardier! I am the bombardier. Then save him, save him!"n/t

[Marr]

47. Cowboy dress-up bars are fine, but everyone LAUGHED at my

samurai dress-up bar! :P

I've never understood the whole "dress up like a hero from the old west" thing.

[DefenseLawyer]

49. That seems a little petty to me

Western culture has a different aesthetic. It's not my taste, but other than that I could care less. Why does it bother you what someone else wears?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

55. If someone walked into your office dressed like a scuba diver

wouldn't it make you think they were a bit strange and pretentious?

[DefenseLawyer]

59. Maybe in Manhattan

wearing cowboy boots is the equivalent of scuba gear, but out west it is fairly common attire. But no, if scuba gear is your thing, knock yourself out. I honestly don't care how people choose to dress.

[Marr]

72. Cowboy boots are designed for riding horses.

It's stupid to wear them as fashion. It just is. Half my damn family walks around in those stupid shoes, and I think it looks almost as silly as wearing snowshoes to the beach. I point this out to them constantly, to no avail. Meh, it's all in good fun.

[DefenseLawyer]

73. So you are what, the shoe police?

I just don't see how one person's taste in shoes can be any more "stupid" than anyone else's. I understand that it is all in good fun, but it just rubs me as a bit elitist to project superiority based on choices of footwear.

[Marr]

75. YES, THAT'S RIGHT!

Shoe Police! Pull over! Do you know how lame you were going???

[cynatnite]

74. I used to call them goat-ropers

:)

I grew up in NW OK and it was cowboy boots everywhere and even had three pairs myself. One was for working, one was casual wear and the other were for dressy occasions.

My stepdad had three as well. Two were for work and the other for nicer occasions, too.

Most everyone I knew whether they needed 'em for blue collar work or behind a desk wore cowboy boots. Most of the men wore them with their sunday best to church.

Now, I don't even own a pair.

[Buns_of_Fire]

57. I dunno. At times, it makes lots of sense.

When I've worked out "in the field" without a hat, everything from my neck up looked like a radish by the end of the day.

With a baseball cap (my sacred one with "Mustang Ranch" written on the front), only my ears looked like fresh-cut tomato slices.

But with my good ol' Stetson, I'm protected from the sun, from the rain, from the snow, and from people who want me to explain what a "Mustang Ranch" is... :shrug:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

58. Darn right! You were WORKING, outside...

You had a reason. Now if you were doing open heart surgery...

[Buns_of_Fire]

63. I see your point, but...

I'd rather have a Hawkeye Pierce (who occasionally wore a cowboy hat) cutting on me than a Frank Burns (who never did).

For those not needing it at the time, it's just a personal affectation. Heck, we're all full of them, just because we think it looks neat on us, or we're emulating someone we admire, or for originally more practical reasons and we just kinda got stuck on it.

But I'd still rather have a Gerry Spence, fringed buckskins and all, represent me in court, rather than an Alberto Gonzalez.

[DS1]

60. It's playing dress-up, because none of them are there to actually work

[Liberal In Texas]

70. I'm calling bullshit. I work as hard as anybody, schlepping equipment

back and forth. Boots are durable and comfortable. See my post below.

[Uncle Roy]

64. It's all a drag show. "Business attire" is just another arbitrary

convention, socially determined. "Formal attire" is another one. It's not all that surprising that in a country as large and diverse as ours is, that there be local variants. But they are ALL silly, equally.

We are funny about "uniforms" in general. I suspect it's a tribal identity thing.

Roy

[Liberal In Texas]

69. I wear "cowboy" boots, or western boots for business. I discovered that

like 30 years ago when standing on a concrete studio floor for 8 hours a day, they were more comfortable than conventional shoes. (Good quality boots, not cheapies.)

I'm now in the legal business (not a lawyer) in Dallas and wear boots with my button-down shirt, tie, and jacket. I don't wear a hat, because it doesn't suit me, and I think they're too warm to wear.

I've worn them in England and in northern states. If anybody thinks I'm wearing a costume, well the tie and jacket are as much of a costume as the boots are.

Judging people on what they wear is what the "other side" does. Don't fall into the discrimination trap by how people look.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

77. Try a pair of Clarke's Most comfortable shoes I have ever worn!

A good pair of boots are comfortable, but put an inch of the plantation crepe between you and the floor...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

71. You want to know what's REALLY pathetic?

Before moving back here, I looked at the Yahoo Personals for the area, and I couldn't believe what I saw: guys dressed in cowboy hats...in Minneapolis.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

76. My husband is a sixth generation Texan

His family having come to the Lone Star State before the Civil War. They were ranchers and share croppers, and you can't get more Texan, imho. Anyway, I've been to a family reunion in Woodson, and NO ONE, I mean NO ONE was wearing a cowboy hat. It just wasn't appropriate for the gathering, I guess. My husband wears a lot of different hats, but I don't think I've ever seen him wear a cowboy hat.

[seabeyond]

78. texan husband here, never seen him in a cowboy hat either n/t

[blondeatlast]

79. My dad really did farm and was horrified by men who didn't remove their

cowboy hats indoors.

His itty-bitty mom would have smacked him a good one if he'd left his hat on.

Cowboy abd baseball hats are not exempt from the rules of propriety.