DO: To Bogan Or Not To Bogan?

I have a confession to make. Not like the confession I made last month when I let you all into my cheap fashion secrets, namely that I love a good Sussan sale rack. This is far worse. Far, far worse!

I recently nicked one of my Mum’s nighties, pale pink with flowers embroidered across the chest, a billowing expanse of cotton resting just below the knee. Now that may not sound so bad but I have taken to wearing it with my ankle high ugg boots and a long cream cardigan, looking exactly like I have been reincarnated as bogan version of Madge from Neighbours circa 1987. All I need are the Winnie Blues and some rollers in my hair.

So I began thinking, am I the only one that feels like this, the only one who takes comfort in wearing the clothes of bygone bogans? Apparently not. After chatting with my girlfriends over the weekend, they all agreed there is nothing more satisfying that putting on the Bonds singy, slipping into the faded navy trackies and slumming it at home. One girlfriend went so far as to tell me she even wears a big flannie around the house, sans knickers but that’s another column!

Now up until this point there is nothing wrong with donning a bluey, some tight jeans and cracking open a Veebs after work, but some people have decided that their guilty pleasure need no longer be so guilty and they are unleashing it on the streets of Australia with a vengeance.

About two years ago we began to see flannelettes trickling in to the high street stores and at first I thought they were a bit cool. A hark back to my childhood. But this simple item has now evolved into a whole fashion subculture of it’s own…. it’s a classic look I like to call vintage bogan.

High waisted stonewashed jeans carefully selected from the range at Salvos coupled with a loose white manstyle shirt and vintage 80’s style glasses complete the look for women. For men, it’s ridiculously tight black jeans and flannelette shirts. I am just waiting to see a pair of Tencel jeans about on the streets and then I know I will have seen it all….in fact I overheard a friend mentioning the denim party she wants to hold, laying down the challenge to her guests to find the most hideous illustration of denim possible. My Tencel’s might get a run again!

But in all of this satire, there is a real trend here, but as the mantra goes “not all at once”! Nudie are producing fantastic examples of high waisted denim jeans at the moment, but rather than a tucked in flannie, why not try an American Apparel white tee or a little stripey boatneck and some strong geometric beads. For guys, the flannie is ok, but maybe try a fitted version with a sneaky little waistcoat and tan laceups to add a bit of class.

My final piece of advice….if you must get into bringing out your inner bogan, I give 10 points to the person that purchases and finishes a carton of West Coast Coolers, in my eyes you are a God!