Gamer fashion goes too far

by Alexander Sliwinski { Dec 2nd 2006 at 6:30PM }

If it were only a joke, we could laugh and move on -- but it's not a joke. It's time to rethink how far the kitsch fun-factor of gaming fashion can actually go. J!NX is cool, Hot Topic gets a little more commercial and the belt-buckle idea was kinda neat a year ago. But now we've been slapped with Dolce and Gabbana's atrocious $175 Mario shirt and spanked with the unbelievably awful NES Advantage belt buckle. Gamers already have a lot of stigma to overcome as is, this isn't ironic fashion, it's ugly. On the other hand, if fashion is cyclical, then we passed way beyond bad and are on the breakthrough of respectable gaming fashion. No idea what that will look like.

Tags: fashion, nes belt buckle

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

melophonist @ Dec 2nd 2006 6:41PM

Come on, just wiggle my joystick.

The1 @ Dec 2nd 2006 6:47PM

Can anyone say RETARDED?

moominsean @ Dec 2nd 2006 7:03PM

it's obviously supposed to be FUNNY. duh.

nerdXcore clothing @ Dec 2nd 2006 7:15PM

That's funny, we blogged about this yesterday. Our conclusion: retro & irony only go so far, and then you're just being stupid.

They're charging $50 for the damn thing too.

Iced_Eagle @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:07PM

Speaking of gamer fashion...

http://store.valvesoftware.com/productshowcase/productshowcase_HL2HeadCrabHat.html

Blain Newport @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:13PM

I have to admit, there's something fun about being part of an underground hobby. Watching that hobby get progressively more mainstream takes some of the uniqueness of my identity as a gamer away. That said, trying to recapture that "fringe feeling" by becoming an eXtreme gamer seems fairly ridiculous. I game because I enjoy it, not because I'm pretending to be a rebel.

David @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:33PM

For $50, it had better be a working NES Advantage.

Mike @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:43PM

Pretty funny - These crack us up too - Funny T-Shirts - TShirtHub.com - Um,
We Like T-Shirts.

Funny T-Shirts @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:45PM

www.tshirthub.com - Funny Shirts

Mephistopheles @ Dec 2nd 2006 8:58PM

...It looks like it is once again up to me to rule the world and guide mankind into a future or sensibility and logic.

reppy @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:18AM

A Wii-mote could potentially make a great belt buckle.

reppy @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:19AM

Also @5

Thanks for that link, dude. I think I have just found my brother the greatest Christmas gift ever.. (He has sort of a weird fetish for head crabs.)

Stop bytching @ Dec 3rd 2006 8:22AM

wow i just remembered when controllers had name Nes advantage NES Max etc etc

PapaChabre @ Dec 3rd 2006 11:30AM

What? That's hawt. Who doesn't want to walk around with a gigantic belt buckle sticking out in front of them - pulling their pants down, getting caught on doors, making it impossible to stand close to a counter-top. I guess the plus side is that it shields your most vulnerable area, but I'd have to imagine that wearing it would invoke others to really try hard to kick you in the balls. At least I'd try really hard to kick you in the balls.