newsite12 Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I was at the Immigration centre today and spent an hour dawdling about while things got done blah blah blah.... Now while I am sat bored, looking at nothing special, I found myself 'people watching', and noticed a farang guy, who looked to me like he was in his late fifties who was dressed more like he was in his early twenties. It was then that I started to unconciously draw comparisons. When I say 'unconsiously', I mean that it wasn't deliberate or formulated, but more as a product of this strange sight. I started looking at all the farangs mingling about the place going about their business, and I became drawn to assessing each person's dress sense, both Thai and farang. I noticed that the vast majority of farangs dressed at least half their age in terms of what I would normally expect. In comparison, Thai people seemed to dress with their age. Trying to break this down in my head and search for a reason, I also noticed that most farangs had their womenfolk with them, assisting in form filling and translation etc... The alarming fact that stood out to me, is that all farangs seemed to dress the same age style as their female companion. Tell me... Who does the clothes shopping?? I am sorry if this may offend anyone, but I have come to the conclusion that a lot of farangs dress to look ridiculous probably without knowing it. Just because they have a girl on their arm that is 25 years their junior dosn't mean to say that they are the same age. I will give an example. In the Mall in Korat a week ago, I walked past a guy who was clearly over 60 with a girl sat next to him I would place in her mid to late twenties. The guy was rocking a pushchair (stroller) with what i presume contained their child. The guy should have been dressed by Dunn & Co, but looked more like he had just ransacked Quicksilver (surf dude shop). He probably thought he could pass for late 30s, but he just looked like a ridiculous looking over 60. I have quite a way to go before I am around that age, (20 years). If someone sees me dressing like that, kindly kick my arse ... back into reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) What's the old saying? Your only as young as she says you look. Maybe that wasn't it. Edited January 4, 2011 by bkkjames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhingeingMoaners Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Thank god someone has started to become aware of this strange phenomenon. The locals have been surreptitiously laughing at this spectacle for decades. Where have you been? In the beginning, it was an eyesore for us, but nowadays, we are used to this not-quite-so unusual scene and think of it as quintessentially part of the way that most mid-life male Farangs like to glam themselves up. Mutton dressed as lamb! Occasionally I wonder why some Farangs want to accentuate their peculiarities; to us, they are odd enough anyway, without their flagrant need for dressing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurnell Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 One must consider the climate also. My old man wore shorts and singlets into his eighties in Sydney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaiyenyen Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I believe the saying is"You're only as old as the woman you feel" I can't say that I see anything wrong with someone dressing for the occasion. If I'm going to the market, I'll wear shorts and a tee shirt. If I'm going anywhere official, I'll wear smart trousers and a shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endure Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 So the OP is Thailand's farang fashion advisor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Well spoke!! While you're at it, why not forbid drinking beer, listening to improper music and socialising with alikes as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I would like to know what the OP wheres in Korat while chewing the fat at his local Bok Bok stall = brown 3 piece suit, black shoes and white socks no doubt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Just wear what you like and don't care about others. Why in heavens sake would one wear a suit or dull clothes. I don't think its strange to see an older guy like my dad in t shirt and shorts. And my mom is 63 too she picks it out for him. I think this is a case of a idiot with a stiff upper lip complaining about others because he feel he needs a suit to impress people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I believe the saying is"You're only as old as the woman you feel" I can't say that I see anything wrong with someone dressing for the occasion. If I'm going to the market, I'll wear shorts and a tee shirt. If I'm going anywhere official, I'll wear smart trousers and a shirt. Depends how official, i just take a nice t shirt and some jeans but that is about as far as i go. No suits for me anymore. Been around enough pompous idiots who thought suits would make you smart or rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Why in heavens sake would one wear a suit or dull clothes.I have to wear one daily ... but it would sure be fun walking in to a meeting with a couple VPs wearing shorts and a tank top..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Why in heavens sake would one wear a suit or dull clothes.I have to wear one daily ... but it would sure be fun walking in to a meeting with a couple VPs wearing shorts and a tank top..! I used to have to wear suits too when i worked at a stockbrokers office as an accountant. I must say i did not like it but your right some jobs require it. But I never got it why a suit makes you smarter or better then someone without one. But when your employed you cant really go against your employer too much. Now.. no more suits for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I am now classed as a senior but from 14 years old wore Levi jeans and T shirts, for the last 30 years Custom cars on back and front the T's which l still wear today in LOS, so where does that put me in your thoughts. I had a double take the other day, l saw an old farang guy in Tesco's who's hair was dyed blacker than coal that looked ridiculous, could have been a wig, dressed all in black, shirt open with a big medallion on a huge chain on show . Perhaps he thinks he looked cool to the ladies but from a farangs point he looked like a circus presenter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I am now classed as a senior but from 14 years old wore Levi jeans and T shirts, for the last 30 years Custom cars on back and front the T's which l still wear today in LOS, so where does that put me in your thoughts. I had a double take the other day, l saw an old farang guy in Tesco's who's hair was dyed blacker than coal that looked ridiculous, could have been a wig, dressed all in black, shirt open with a big medallion on a huge chain on show . Perhaps he thinks he looked cool to the ladies but from a farangs point he looked like a circus presenter. I don't like Thai gold that much.. but got an 18k golden necklace i got from my parents for graduation that i have always worn. But haven't worn it now for a while because its back in Holland for repairs after a friendly fight with my brother last November. Got broken after i forgot to i had him underwater (honestly) and he started to struggle a bit too much and broke my chain by accident. I would never consider getting one of those big amulets on them. I mean that is a Buddist / Thai thing and i am neither. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orac Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I personally hate shopping and therefore my wife, who for some reason cannot go out without buying something, has ended up buying most of my clothes. Unfortunately she prefers 'value for money' so rather than look like a over the hill surfer I tend to have more of a refugee appearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I am now classed as a senior but from 14 years old wore Levi jeans and T shirts, for the last 30 years Custom cars on back and front the T's which l still wear today in LOS, so where does that put me in your thoughts. I had a double take the other day, l saw an old farang guy in Tesco's who's hair was dyed blacker than coal that looked ridiculous, could have been a wig, dressed all in black, shirt open with a big medallion on a huge chain on show . Perhaps he thinks he looked cool to the ladies but from a farangs point he looked like a circus presenter. I don't like Thai gold that much.. but got an 18k golden necklace i got from my parents for graduation that i have always worn. But haven't worn it now for a while because its back in Holland for repairs after a friendly fight with my brother last November. Got broken after i forgot to i had him underwater (honestly) and he started to struggle a bit too much and broke my chain by accident. I would never consider getting one of those big amulets on them. I mean that is a Buddist / Thai thing and i am neither. Oddly it wasn't a Buddhist thingy, well didn't look like one, more like the thing they wore in the 70's with the stick on hairy chest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I personally hate shopping and therefore my wife, who for some reason cannot go out without buying something, has ended up buying most of my clothes. Unfortunately she prefers 'value for money' so rather than look like a over the hill surfer I tend to have more of a refugee appearance. Ah i hate shopping for clothes too.. usually 1 shop in and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ijustwannateach Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Attention short- or long-term tourists: Singlets are not suitable city dress for middle-aged adults in ANY city in Asia, whether you are on holiday or not. At least please wear a T-shirt or sports shirt until you get to the beach!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 That old saying, "don't judge a book by its cover" is a nice bit of advice but the truth is everyone judges people by the way they look, its human nature and to look at someone and sum them up (hopefully correctly) is often a lifesaver (both literally and figuratively-- who sees a creepy looking guy and crosses to the other side of the road?) And Thais do judge each other and visitors by the way they dress. Wear inappropriate clothes for your age anywhere and you will look like a fool, wear inappropriate clothes in the wrong place in Thailand and you may find yourself either not getting helped or not getting the help you need. And my note to tourists: swimwear and beachwear are not appropriate clothing in town. If you are going to the bank or the post office please put some clothes on, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetlejuice Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I am so glad that someone has eventually mentioned this subject. I can relate to the OPs viewpoints 100%. I was beginning to believe that it was only me that thought this way. Sometimes I have been out and about and seen these guys with, to be honest, Thai women that look like bargirls who are about 15 years passed their sell by date and at other times walking hand in hand with Thai girls dressed like cheap sluts young enough to be their granddaughters. Not only myself but have also seen Thai people staring at them with a sort of discussed. I feel embarrassed just standing near them and prefer to keep some distance between me and the guys in case the Thais begin comparing me with them and tarring us all with the same brush. Call it snobbery if you like, but it`s just something that makes me cringe at the very sight of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckamuck Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Well I had a career and I had to look nice at those giant conference tables, but now I do what I like and wear what I want. That doesn't mean I wear beach clothes to the bank or other places of business or bureaucracy. But I wear shorts and a t-shirt 98.56% of the time because it is comfortable. I don't care what people at the mall think of me. However, Singlets are fine for people who are fit period. You won't see me wearing one outside my house unless I lose the final 10kg that has bee stubbornly hangin on. If Thailand was a cooler climate, I would have a little more variety in my wardrobe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I am so glad that someone has eventually mentioned this subject. I can relate to the OPs viewpoints 100%. I was beginning to believe that it was only me that thought this way. Sometimes I have been out and about and seen these guys with, to be honest, Thai women that look like bargirls who are about 15 years passed their sell by date and at other times walking hand in hand with Thai girls dressed like cheap sluts young enough to be their granddaughters. Not only myself but have also seen Thai people staring at them with a sort of discussed. I feel embarrassed just standing near them and prefer to keep some distance between me and the guys in case the Thais begin comparing me with them and tarring us all with the same brush. Call it snobbery if you like, but it`s just something that makes me cringe at the very sight of them. I think we should have a caption competition for these great pics. 1. Before 2. After Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) Why in heavens sake would one wear a suit or dull clothes.I have to wear one daily ... but it would sure be fun walking in to a meeting with a couple VPs wearing shorts and a tank top..! I used to have to wear suits too when i worked at a stockbrokers office as an accountant. I must say i did not like it but your right some jobs require it. But I never got it why a suit makes you smarter or better then someone without one. But when your employed you cant really go against your employer too much. Now.. no more suits for me The suit doesn't make you smarter, it's an old fashioned cultural-traditional thing. There are undustries where this requirement is slowly beginning to disappear; it's as if the world is finally realising the package is entirely irrelevant - its the content that matters. I experienced a funny moment in Freiburg, Germany, some years ago. A VP at a pharmaceutical company invited me for dinner one night and I was asked to dress casually. I expected the usual high end formal dinner with a bottle of whine. This guy was one of the brightest people I've ever met, and I had the greatest respect for him. So anyway, he picked me up wearing a pair of Dr.Martens 1460, worn out jeans and a bomber jacket, then took me to a couple of local micro breweries. After that night I learned that the package is nothing. Awesome place for micro breweries, Freiburg!! Dress the way you like and dont give a flying fig what others think, that's my concept. Edited January 5, 2011 by Forethat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsite12 Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 Lol.... I put this post on the Koratfarang board also, and it seems to have got a much different reception to the one on TV. Most seem to be taking it as a personal attack against them, hehehehe. Paranoia reigns supreme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Lol.... I put this post on the Koratfarang board also, and it seems to have got a much different reception to the one on TV. Most seem to be taking it as a personal attack against them, hehehehe. Paranoia reigns supreme. Come on now, tell us the truth mate, your Mrs got you a new suit from Big C in Korat and said you must wear it and when you did you felt out of place. It's ok, my wife gave me one of those christmas hat thingys she thought was really cool too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Lol.... I put this post on the Koratfarang board also, and it seems to have got a much different reception to the one on TV. Most seem to be taking it as a personal attack against them, hehehehe. Paranoia reigns supreme. Come on now, tell us the truth mate, your Mrs got you a new suit from Big C in Korat and said you must wear it and when you did you felt out of place. It's ok, my wife gave me one of those christmas hat thingys she thought was really cool too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominique355 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I would bet the OP is American (from USA), where people are supposed to behave and dress the way society expects them to do. My experience is that in USA people are much more constraint by the "rules of society" than in any other country I have lived. If you have a certain income, you are supposed to drive a certain kind of car and live in a certain neighborhood, dress accordingly. Except "casual Friday" a business man must wear a suit and vest of a a specific color. Any deviation from standard is frowned upon. Here in Thailand there is much more freedom and anyone (especially farangs) can dress the way he or she wants and feels. So loosen up and don't look down on people who dress differently that what you would. Show some tolerance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payboy Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Blame it on the designers at Camel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunky1 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Dress like a fool and then complain when you get bad service. Up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunky1 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Blame it on the designers at Camel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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