Urbane Tomboys Wear Jeans and Blankets

The Observer has spotted a hot new non-trend: The Urbane Tomboy. The style says, “Sure, I’m still turning heads...but don’t think it took me more than 5 minutes to get out of the apartment.” It's utilitarian chic, and women city-wide are finding solidarity in sweatpants. Or rather, $500 designer jeans. And occasionally a "giant blanket." Next up? The return of the couch dress.

Since mystery lurks behind heavy makeup and designer dresses, there's apparently an upside for men who don't typically go for the "natural" look: if they take an urbane tomboy home, they know what they're getting ("reducing that element of gamble or risk"). She may even borrow your t-shirt! Think Annie Hall, or Sarah Silverman. And meet Moe Tkacik, Jezebel editor and poster girl for the "new" city-pretty.

And these gals are everywhere in New York. Urbane tomboys in $200 jeans, they wear sneakers to the office or the studio (they probably work in a creative industry). They’ve largely given up on mainstream women’s fashion, with its expensive, often unflattering vicissitudes, finding refuge in an eternal sporty girlhood that may or may not be tied to any real athletic bent.

While this is way better than the metrosexual trend, since when are $200 jeans inexpensive?

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on March 20, 2008 10:06 AM

Comments [rss]

surplusj

Word. This is ruh-tarded. But for once my jeans and sneakers don't automatically mean I'm gay. (http://fishunderwater.blogspot...

robingee

Remember when Grunge was the "non-fashion fashion?" Even THIS stupidity has been done before!

Lesliepbg

Reminds me of that saying-- Even a broken clock is right twice a day. So my roll-out-of-bed rumpled jeans, dirty sneakers, no makeup-look is now a trend...who knew?

janelle

seriously, non-trend is now trend? in my world it's just called 'saturday' or 'laziness' when i skip makeup and throw on jeans and a unisex tee. this is a sure sign too many people are working at reading culture rather than producing it.

amsci

That AV club article is awesome.

You mean there are women who actually DON'T want to look like Patricia Field's closet threw up all over them, or would actually turn down a Bubblegum-tini?!

Oh em gee!

zodak

"Guess I'll take a trip down to Georgia and pick up some floor length frilly pastel dresses and parasols..."

southern belles FTW!

ljantill

I wasn't aware this was a trend...I don't think I've liked makeup on girls since the 6th grade.

1987porsche944

Oh great, that's just great. So now I'm going to be labeled for wearing jeans and sneakers?!?! There's no escape from the insanity!

Will I be considered a wanna-be because my jeans aren't designer???

UGH!

Guess I'll take a trip down to Georgia and pick up some floor length frilly pastel dresses and parasols...

Jen S

These comments are making my day.

loki

The urbane tom boy, how dumb. Yeah, chicks that shop at " urban outfitters" are looking for an identity now its not a very new concept.. Maybe these twat monkeys are getting hit hard in the vuitton wallet so they're" slumming it" and calling it "trendy" so they can keep themselves "relevant".

plk779

haha, hslaton, you beat me to the punch - allow me to also recommend the Hater's take on this: http://www.avclub.com/content/node/76215

hslaton

I highly recommend Amelie Gilette's response to this in her "Hater" feature on The Onion A.V. Club today. Amelie totally blows this bullshit "trend" apart, as it should be. Let me clue you guys in on a little something: "Trend" articles, and the stupid, cutesy names for these trends that go with them, are how no-account writers get big articles in flashy publications. Does anyone remember the "Grups" article in New York magazine? No? And for good reason: It's like when you watch an old Seinfeld and come across one of the jokes that didn't stick and enter the pop-culture parlance. It feels just as artificial as it always should have.