External | "Go To Hell" Pants

Redingote has an article about the "Go To Hell"-pant, the embroidered pants that are a symbol of all things preppy. Maybe the perfect touch to re-new your wardrobe this summer?

And if your french's a bit rusty you don't have to worry. Just click the read more-button and you will find an english translation below. (Read)

It's time we get out of our long torpor. The world continues moving while we're absent. I'm sure you all haven't missed out on the opening of the new Ralph Laurenstore in Paris, an event that has titillated the entire internet-world of fashion for the last two weeks. We don't need to say anything more about that, except to advice you to go and take a look at 173 Boulevard Saint Germain. They've done a really nice job.

The opening also came at the right time, right in the middle of the craze for American clothing, for which Ralph Lauren

It is rather strange that the preppy wave that has been raging in France for quite some time hasn't yet reached into the corners of the upper-class world of clothing overseas. Even if they have paid into the false seersucker, heraldry and the more democratically college lettering, the collections of this movement have remained fairly conservative when it comes to pants. Chinos, denim, some velvet, but anything more daring than that has rarely been seen.

A real effort on the "go to hell" must have seemed a bit risky commercially but it would nevertheless have been a good way for a brand to get noticed, to affirm their understanding of this universe that's primarily composed of codes.

Obviously absent from Take Ivy, the bible of the genre (which will be reissued soon and which is available for pre-ordering), since the collection of pictures therein are from a university setting, therefore there isn't any question of finding one ounce of "go to hell", an attitude that is more country club or golf course, a kind of thumbing one's nose at the formal customs during the weekend.

It seems that opinions differ on it's true definition. Basically garish trousers, or even trousers made assembling various throws, it seems that today the name retains it's true meaning when referring to trousers adorned with small embroidered animals or objects, since the rest has become much more wearable and democratized.

First appearing in the 60's they can also be seen as one of the earliest examples of the humor of young WASPs wanting to mark a slight departure from the wardrobe of their parents.

Named by Tom Wolfe in an article for Esquire in 1976, Lisa Birnbach actually mentions them in "The Preppy Handbook" which she co-wrote. The specialist on the issue, Ivy Style, has an excellent and very exhaustive article on the "GTH"-style which will allow you to delve deeper into the subject.

In any case, it will be an excellent way to really push it to the limit this summer.