Homocon

This is the catwalk version of the Limousine Liberal and the Gulfstream Environmentalist -- a fashion cue for the young and wealthy who love the comforts that money buys them yet feel vaguely discomfited about blatantly wearing all that wealth on their backs. If you read the article, you'll find that they're still splurging on loose-fitting cashmere sweaters and scarves, vintage designer jackets and boots, unhemmed and intentionally frayed Gucci and Prada -- it's now just cleverly camouflaged, disguised from casual view.

Ann makes the point that it could be a reaction not to overt displays of wealth, but rather, to the overt parade of sexuality that has been so prevalent in fashion for the last several years, and others believe that Bobo is a sign that "we want to begin withdrawing from luxury, but we are still addicted to it, searching for a way to hang on while we try to kick the habit."

Me? I like to see it as an attitude of Reluctant Capitalism on the rise within the leftist population's (artists, designers) psyche -- a reflection of our fluidly democratic (as opposed to the more Euro blood-line, class-based) structures, and a reaction to the unexpected successes of socially and politically conservative policies across the globe. Policies which are distinctly free-market and American in origin (natch).