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Sommer takes a Twitterdebate public. The Slanket: an enormous wearable fleece blanket, shapeless and akin to a cleric’s robes. Are these things ever appropriate? I say: yes, and buy me one.
Here’s how she constructs the debate:
In one corner are those who reasonably argue that these blankets are an abomination, too strange and ridiculous looking to even be considered a reasonable purchase. In the other corner, the comfort-at-all-costs camp, who say that staying warm while having your hands free is just awesome enough to merit looking like a jerk. These are invariably the same people who show up at the airport in their pajamas and think shorts and flip-flops are perfectly fine fashion choices for a second date.
Wow! I cooked you dinner yesterday and this is how you repay me? For the record, I’ve worn a tie to work twice this week, and vests — either of the button-up or sweater variety — every day. I overdress for air travel. I don’t own a set of pajamas, but if I did, I wouldn’t change into them as soon as I came home from work. I do, however, live in a drafty house and would prefer not to freeze or layer up just to watch TV or read a book on my couch. Is it so wrong to want to be warm and comfortable?
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The unfogged discussion also bears examination (although it eventually devolved into a discussion of whether or not the slanket embodies the unix design philosophy).
the teenager here in this household asks, “what the heck’s wrong with using a blanket?”
she finds this newly developed market niche for blankets-one-wears-like-bathrobes repugnant.
the spouse, on the other hand, would like one in camo print for his deer blind; he was explaining (read: hinting broadly) how toasty they would be with the addition of pockets inside for solid fuel hand warmers.
[sigh] it must be the testosterone.
as you well know from reading your history spence .. all good and true wordsmiths think more clearly when they are a little chilled and a little hungry ..
even van gogh suffered while alive .. and we all know eugene o’neill and dickens scarcely fed themselves while they wrote and lived ..
and then a’coure there was poe and blake .. who did barely well enough to feed their cocaine addictions ..
hence blake’s:
I mean, yeah it’s good to be warm and comfy…but I wouldn’t start a bonfire in my living room either. It isn’t reasonable! There’s no reason anyone should be wearing these things…it just seams like that’s the right answer to me.
chuck .. i beg to differ .. if you’ll watch the news you’ll see all the guys in in the al Qaeda videos wear one ..
Of course, the slightly tailored version of this was what was known as the “dressing gown” in Victorian England. Men were never supposed to be seen in their shirt sleeves, so when they were at home and visitors came calling, they threw this on rather than a full set of morning or evening clothes.
my beloved wife had a friend who made clothing for folk who attended middle-ages festivals .. her friend’s business went flat and lady kat came home one day came home earlier this fall with a full cloak including a hood for me .. burgundy crushed-velvet on the outside and lined with plush white faux-fur .. i swear it weighs almost 20 pounds ..
now .. i’d never wear it out to dinner .. but on a cold morning while the house is warming up the damn thing is super-warm ..
it had to have been made for a giant .. i’m 6′-1″ and about 195 and it drags the floor .. and who knows .. i may get to stage the sir walter raleigh bit some fine snowy mornin’
i think the poster who said her hubby wanted a camo one for his deer-stand has the right idea .. someone should make one with an oversized right sleeve with a slit to clear the scope and there ya go .. bambi’d never have a chance .. sort of arboreal ghilly suit ..
but i gotta admit .. the “cloak” is more “manly” .. eh ??
Not exactly hard to achieve already.
Spencer, I am so proud of you for wearing the vests! Really. Words can’t even describe how much.
now .. if he’d just zip up that fly .. eh ??
I don’t really see what more this accomplishes beyond what a blanket would do (at a considerable cost savings). Your arms don’t have to be all that exposed to do things if you’re using a blanket. I don’t think Slankets are a sign of declining propriety, rather, it’s a sign of people thinking that they need to buy a specific tool for a specific “problem”, from monopurpose kitchen tools to Ex Officio travel underwear to the Slanket.
On overdressing for travel: The most wrinkle-free way to ship a jacket/blazer is to wear it. (Since I also don’t own pajamas – throwing another comforter on in the winter works for me – Sommer won’t have to worry about seeing me in them in the airport.)
Get one with a cowl and snazzy rope belt, Bro.