The Volokh Conspiracy
[Orin Kerr, May 5, 2008 at 11:21pm] Trackbacks
1930s Fashion Designers Predict Fashion in the Year 2000:
Pretty amusing — and nice work on the prediction about carrying phones.
GatoRat:
I love how the women still look like they are wearing clothes from the thirties and could possibly wear most the stuff today, while the guy looks like a total dweeb.
5.6.2008 12:15am
alias:
The commentary is hilarious. Swish!
5.6.2008 1:12am
John Armstrong (mail) (www):
Yeah, so he looks like a dweeb. But, "he'll be fitted with a phone, a radio, and [pockets for various sundries]". Sounds like a mobile and an iPod on the belt-loops of your Dockers to me...
5.6.2008 1:33am
Bill Dyer (mail) (www):
That "Oh! Swish!" is so stereotypical and delicious that I wonder if it's the prototype.
5.6.2008 6:23am
Ari (mail) (www):
Hey, at least give one of the designers credit for predicting the popularity of pants among women.
5.6.2008 7:00am
Tom Tildrum:
The guy's facial hair was prescient.
5.6.2008 7:47am
alias:
There's also the obsession with temperature control...
5.6.2008 7:52am
David Chesler (mail) (www):
Putting it all together, "Dweeb" is not what one would think if a 2000s man let out a 1930s "Oooh, swish!"
5.6.2008 7:53am
Hei Lun Chan (mail) (www):
It could be a dweeb on a basketball court.
5.6.2008 8:47am
Sean O'Hara (mail) (www):
Where are my aluminium clothes?
5.6.2008 9:59am
Paul Barnes (mail):
I wish I had candies for cuteies...
5.6.2008 10:18am
darelf:
"If he matters at all" was the most pointed predication that came true in that video. Kind of disturbing in its accuracy.
5.6.2008 10:18am
A.W. (mail):
Mmmm, are we sure this vid is legit?
5.6.2008 10:53am
WW:
I'm with A.W. Something smells staged here.
5.6.2008 11:08am
W. Atpoi (mail):
OSK - If you like this, check out http://www.paleofuture.com/ - ZSM
5.6.2008 11:27am
Bryan C (mail):
Well of course you'd need temperature control. It can get mighty chilly flying-cross country in your one-man autogyro.

FWIW, It looks to be an authentic British Pathe newsreel clip, of the sort that was once played in theaters before the feature film. The narrators on many of the human interest stories definitely had a sense of humor. If you visit the web site noted in the video's description you'll see more information about this particular short feature. They appear have many other British Pathe newsreels in their archives.
5.6.2008 11:33am
OrinKerr:
Temperature control must have been a high priority before the widespread use of air conditioning.
5.6.2008 1:00pm
Randy R. (mail):
What I find amazing is the implicit assumption that women today would still be concerned with looking elegant and stylish.

One may find that either amusing or sad, depending upon one's viewpoint.
5.6.2008 3:57pm
David Chesler (mail) (www):
Or true.
Yes, Bryan, it's clear that the narrator was having a little fun with the pictures, which makes a lot more sense for filler material than a serious study.
I'm more saddened by the assumption in the "More like this" feature on the home of the future, 1967, with online shopping, where Mom does the shopping and Dad pays the bills.
Often in these kinds of predictions, the implementations turned out different, but the problems solved are very accurate.
5.6.2008 5:04pm

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