Dress For Protest: Group Wants Wall Street Occupiers To Suit Up

[DeepModem Mom]

(NOTE: Please read past the first line of this post, to the end. It's interesting.)

Among the many issues that people have with the crowds currently still occupying Wall Street is that, well, the folks down there look like a bunch of dirty hippies. A large part of America still doesn't like listening to folks who look like they just got back from a Phish show. But at least some protestors have gotten the message. Enter Suits for Wall Street, a Kickstarter project that would make Barney Stinson proud. Because "In the Battle of Ideas, Aesthetics Matter."

The project, which has already exceeded its goal of raising $800, is clever and to the point:

"We all look great in suits. To reporters, to workers, to skeptical tourists, we'll look like people to listen to, or, at the very least, to hear out. Lazy journalists won't be able to easily dismiss us and will have to actually listen to what we say. The conversation will grow out of the echo chamber and into the wider world -- where it belongs."

Suits are camouflage in the warrens of Wall Street. And there are other advantages. Need a bathroom? Try wearing a suit. It's easy. Want to walk past a police barricade? Put on a suit.

Put another way? "In the 1960s you could fly your freak flag high. In 2011, it just looks sloppy. We are the 99 percent, but we need the support of the 60 percent who think we're just messing around."

The group is looking for money (or suits!) and plans to dress protestors for success on October 15 when, along with a "crack team of well dressed artists, designers, and wardrobers" they "will deliver racks and racks of business attire, free of charge to anyone at Liberty Square. We'll be joined by progressive tailors, radical barbers, and folks who want everyone to look great."...

LINK:
http://gothamist.com/2011/10/10/dress_for_protest_group_wants_wall.php

[dmallind]

1. shouldn't be effective, but probably would help yes.

I'm not a suit type myself sartorially, while being quite small c conservative aesthetically, but if credibility is your goal, the costume undeniably helps. At least non-denim pants and button down shirts.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Sorry, I forgot link! Have added it now. nt

[TBF]

3. I kept thinking this was an Onion story ...

way to give in to the status quo. I'd love to know who is funding this "group".

[Cid_B]

37. Really?

Is it so easy to dismiss for you?

Welcome to reality. Who is more likely to be heard? Not what you want or how it should be... but how it is...

[TBF]

38. Yes, really. The whole point of his protest is anti-establishment,

why on earth should the protestors be expected to conform to capitalist norms?

[Joe the Revelator]

43. You keep proving that you don't get whats going on with this movement.....at all.

[Vincardog]

4. This is a movement that should be nation wide

[Ineeda]

5. IMO, counterproductive.

OCW folks should look like what we are: the 99%. That means suits, t-shirts and jeans, union-logo'd shirts, hard hats, scrubs, etc. All of it represents.

[Earth_First]

6. More vanity bullsh*t!

Blah. Blah. Blah.

[ChandlerJr]

7. It worked when we "Came Clean for Gene" but

that didn't stop Bobby Kennedy from co-opting the movement we had started.

He felt so entitled.

[DeepModem Mom]

16. A historical precedent -- didn't think of that. Thanks! nt

[NightWatcher]

8. Me likee. Corporate Raider Camo, but how do you keep the 99% from giving you shit?

Might consider keeping a Fawkes mask in your briefcase with your tambourine.

A suit would however start to look like shit after a few days camping in the park

[yeswecanandwedid]

9. DIRTY FRIGGIN HIPPIES...

I just love reading that.

You had me at... "Among the many issues that people have with the crowds currently still occupying Wall Street is that, well, the folks down there look like a bunch of dirty hippies. A large part of America still doesn't like listening to folks who look like they just got back from a Phish show."

HA!

[JuniperLea]

10. Why? Dress like the 1% in order to be valid?

I think not. This is ridiculous.

[JI7]

36. but many who wear suits are in the 99 percent

[JuniperLea]

42. I dress in that corporate costume myself...

And rip it off the moment I get home.

I can't afford the extra dry cleaning bills to wear them 'socially.' I would rather do without altogether. Most of the people I know who wear suits would rather not. I get that it would make a statement though... I just can't see being that uncomfortable at a protest.

Ick... just talking about it is making me itch! Ha! Now all I want to do is go home and put on some cotton!

[MuseRider]

11. Good fucking grief!

As soon as groups start making people fit into a certain category this will end. As soon as that happens and they start following orders and needing talking points and memes and political policy statements with one or two go to people with those specific statements this becomes winnable for the other side. They will use it and abuse it and bend it into something it is not. This is a large group of disparate people who are angry about many things. Inside the box does not work anymore so they are working outside the box and it seems pretty damned successful to me.

"In the Battle of Ideas, Aesthetics Matter." :eyes: Not so much.

Dirty hippies my ass. That is a diverse crowd representing a huge group of people, the 99%. Some of them ARE in suits. By the way, many of these people would probably love to own a suit but can't afford one.

Posted by someone who used to be called a dirty fucking hippie while being very clean but dressed in the style of the day. Yeah, sounds great. Lets make them pliable so they are acceptable to the status quo. Can I roll my eyes again? Sure I can :eyes:

[Warren DeMontague]

12. More hippie punching crap from people with totally misplaced priorities.

Thanks but no thanks, Fashion Police.

:eyes:

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Pah. Have these assclowns ever BEEN to a Phish show?

If you ask me, the crowds at Phish shows could use MORE longhairs, and fewer dudes in little baseball caps who look like they just came from the frat kegger. (Dave Matthews is that way, guys!)

But since we can't seem to avoid Phish as a topic here, You might as well Enjoy Myself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqH0KKEw_7M&feature=related

[Earth_First]

15. BOY! MAN! GOD! ....SHIIIIT! n/t

[PuraVidaDreamin]

27. Boy.... Man.... God...

SHIT!

good stuff!

[State the Obvious]

14. I don't like the idea. Sounds like a Republican "set-up"

The protesters are representing Americans who are struggling with job losses, upside-down mortgages, student loan debt, and other financial tragedies. Americans are suffering. Why would they be wearing suits?

Republicans are trying to figure out some way to slow down the movement, and would love to visually morph the two groups together......"hippy" protesters (99%) and Wall Street "suits" (1%) . This would feed into their claim that there is no reason to protest.....they are all one and the same.

[nc4bo]

18. There's room for all. I kindof like the idea of some protesters appealing to another

group in our society.

Incorporate it. It's the way all of us dress, or not. Represent everyone who dresses a certain way, or not.

Not everyone has to do this, just enough to show that even suit wearers (aka professionals I'm assuming) are included in the OWS movement.

At least that's how I'm looking at it.

[marions ghost]

45. right

Use the idea as appropriation. A symbol of inclusion. Everybody doesn't have to do it. Leave it to those who really want to make a point about "us vs them."

The 99% represents a LOT of people who wear a suit (or some kind of corporate neat-uglies) to work.

[butterfly77]

17. WTF!!!!

Now we are suppose to have a script tell us how to protest??? Fuck that shit,this is what America looks like this is some of the shit I have heard on Fox.
\

This isn't a fucking job interview!!!These people are now trying to dictate a protest....

[nc4bo]

20. If this small group within a group wishes to do this, who cares?

But you're right, no one should try to dictate how any of the OWS protesters should dress.

If they want to dress up, let 'em.

[Lizzie Poppet]

19. I like the idea of a wide variety of appearances.

If occupiers are going to give consideration to how their dress looks to an outside observer (rather than simply dressing for comfort in the conditions they're going to see), then I think they should dress in a way that represents precisely who and what they are. This would be a better way to counter the RW claim that the occupiers are nothing but "hippies and anarchists." It would show just how wide, demographically, the movement really is.

[FirstLight]

21. Rec - just for the Barney Stinson reference

;)

No, we don't all need to 'suit-up' to be there...and truthfully, the cold and nature of the occupation is not conducive for that kind of attire. But if they are 'with' us and want to offer the folks there a change of clothes for a day, why not? :shrug:

"Rule #1, get a suit, suits are cool...see Exhibit A" :rofl:

[choie]

22. that happens to be what

civil rights protesters did - they wore their Sunday best.

[DeepModem Mom]

24. Another historical precedent I didn't think about. Upthread, "Clean for Gene" was referenced. nt

[Raine]

23. GOOD Idea!!! nt

:thumbsup:

[in_cog_ni_to]

25. Oh G-d. Now we have Hippie hate/discrimination? Seriously people? Sounds mighty RW to me.

This is insulting. There's not a damn thing wrong with the way the protesters look.

[TBF]

39. Agree. nt

[cwydro]

26. LMAO!

A dress code for protesters!

Will they be allowed to have casual Fridays??

[Dr Fate]

28. Worked quite well during the civil rights marches.

I have been known to suit up at events like this myself- I think it is ahold idea.

[DeepModem Mom]

29. Didn't notice at first: a VIDEO AT THE LINK has pics of famed well-dressed protesters dating back...

more than a hundred years. It's clever.

[eppur_se_muova]

30. What's attractive about a suit? It's a completely arbitrary choice.

If it weren't for the tastes and influence of one George Bryan Brummell, we'd likely have a completely different standard of dress.

[Bake]

32. A suit jacket can hide/disguise a middle-aged belly better than a tee shirt

Also covers up a great big ass.

At his heaviest, Bill Clinton looked great in a suit. Just for example.

Bake

[Brigid]

31. Obviously this comes from a man.

I am not joining a protest wearing a skirted suit, pantyhose, and pumps. That just isn't happening.

[surrealAmerican]

47. This is what I was thinking too.

That's fine if you're male, but pantyhose and girly shoes cause more problems than they would solve.

[Enrique]

33. people look worse in suits

imho.

[loyalsister]

34. It's smart strategy

There are people who have semi- professional jobs sitting at home rolling their eyes. Yet, they are solidly among the 99%. For example your average insurance salesperson office assistant, etc.
If it looks like there are some people from their "tribe" are involved it may draw them out.

The 99% claim to represent 99%. But under that claim, there are not a significant number of people involved. Most people are busy with work, school, kids, etc. too stop and take it seriously. One of my friends took some time to attend a march and said it was "a blast." :eyes:
One goal the civil rights movement took seriously was to court like-minded, somewhat apathetic white folks sitting in front of their TVs. It took seeing themselves in those crowds to make it happen.
I see a lot of potential and hope to see it evolve into something that actually inspires change, but I don't think I will be an enthusiastic supporter until I see it as an organized effort to employ serious strategy in order to make something real happen.

[marions ghost]

46. good point

:thumbsup:

[Warren DeMontague]

35. divide and conquer.

Way to alienate people who are dedicated & passionate; tell them you don't approve of their haircuts and clothes.

[Whisp]

40. I like this idea. Of course not for everyone but

there are a lot of 'suits' in the 99% so I can't see why them being represented is some kind of sell out.

[Amonester]

41. Obviously, some came late to the scene. Suits?

There are suits in the OWS supporters. Here:

Spread around.

[DeepModem Mom]

44. Whoa -- I didn't think about those suits. Thanks for the reminder! nt