My husband and I were commenting how funny it is that boxers versus jockey shorts seem to skip a generation. Have you ever noticed that? Is it because the current generation doesn't want to be caught dead wearing the same underwear that their fathers wear?

Obviously, clothing goes in and out of style, for example, bell bottoms, tie-dyed shirts, ankle-strapped shoes, platform shoes, shoes with pointed toes, long skirts, mini-skirts, etc. However, during my lifetime hats have never come back in style for women. What other styles have come and gone? Any others that have never come back? Any wonderful "stylish" words?

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
during my lifetime hats have never come back in style for women.

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Nor, indeed, for men. Except in Texas.

I teach the Chemistry of the fabric used to make white socks, Terylene (which has an excellent etymology, btw). These have been completely forbidden by the style police since 1983 - nobody in the whole world except Michael Kackson would wear them for anything but sport. However, in the last year or so they are coming back into fashion.

Baseball and Kangol hats, as well as flat caps are all quite popular. You could even say that Burberry baseball hats are currently fashionable amongst the UK football hooligan fraternity.

Well, yes, baseball caps and cowboy hats are popular (in the U.S. at least) for men, but dress hats haven't been in style for men for a number of years, either--right? Okay, Graham, I'll bite--what is the etymology for "Terylene"? I hadn't even heard of it!

I wondered where "dressed to the nines" came from, and I found that nobody seems to know.

But, Jerry, the phrase was recorded as far back as the late 18th century.

Originally posted by Kalleh: "dress hats haven't been in style for men for a number of years, -- right?"

My understanding is men's hats went out of style in the US when President Kennedy, wanting to show off his youthful good looks and handsome head of hair, rarely wore them.