# Things that were once cool, but today scream "old geezer/ette" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2026, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789 "2026-01-18T14:34:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/1 "2026-01-18T14:34:01Z")
**Jeans** come to mind … once the preferred leg-cloth of the young and adventurous, is today a staple of 50+ guys/gals … I was recently at a casual after-office event, that had bi-modal audience (half around 60 the other half around 30) … and guess what all the 60ies wore? … and now guess what all the 30ies did NOT wear? … jep … JEANS **Facebook** , also falls into this category, it seems. other examples? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/2 "2026-01-18T15:51:08Z")
Don’t know what you’re talking about, everyone of all ages wears jeans, _especially_ younger people. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/3 "2026-01-18T15:56:05Z")
My three kids, in their early to mid 20s, all wear jeans. > **['Denim is having a moment': Why jeans are the hottest trade in the retail world](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/denim-is-having-a-moment-why-jeans-are-the-hottest-trade-in-the-retail-world-140045239.html)** > > American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Levi's, Target, and Kohl's are all chatting about denim. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/4 "2026-01-18T16:06:04Z")
Smoking? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/5 "2026-01-18T16:48:28Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > **Jeans** come to mind … once the preferred leg-cloth of the young and adventurous, is today a staple of 50+ guys/gals … - That’s because the young and adventurous then are the 50’s-60’s today. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/6 "2026-01-18T16:51:27Z")
Posting on niche internet message boards. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/7 "2026-01-18T16:56:16Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Smoking? The number of teens/young adults who smoke is now under 2% in the U.S. but [remains high](https://tobaccoatlas.org/challenges/youth/) in other countries and even increasing in some groups. About 6% of middle and high school students in the U.S. vape. A certain percentage use “smokeless” tobacco. Hopefully the image of teens puffing away on their vapes will seem ludicrous to future generations. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/8 "2026-01-18T16:59:02Z")
Flip phones (of the non-foldable glass variety). ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/9 "2026-01-18T17:02:49Z")
**alcohol** is way down (on a global scale, I understand) … IMHO, (obv. n=1) … old geezers gravitate towards jeans, younger folks towards cargo pants ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/10 "2026-01-18T17:03:02Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Posting on niche internet message boards. Winner winner chicken dinner. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/11 "2026-01-18T17:12:34Z")
Rock music, the rebellious youth music of old times, is basically dead, at least few people under 40 still listen to it. Hey, even punk turns 50 this year (if you count the Ramones’ first album as the start of punk). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/12 "2026-01-18T17:15:15Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Rock music, the rebellious youth music of old times, is basically dead, at least few people under 40 still listen to it. FWIW, a couple of years ago, I worked with several young people (late 20s) who were, literally, _in a rock band_. They played covers, a mix of older and newer rock songs. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/13 "2026-01-18T17:16:35Z")
Yeah, of course some young people still listen to or even play rock, but it’s a niche genre for them. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/14 "2026-01-18T17:22:30Z")
Funny little quips(😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/15 "2026-01-18T17:23:47Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Rock music, the rebellious youth music of old times, is basically dead, at least few people under 40 still listen to it. Hey, even punk turns 50 this year (if you count the Ramones’ first album as the start of punk). good point - go to any classic rock concert (Deep Purple, AC/DC,…) and you are going to see a high proportion of geezers (on and off stage 😉 ) … most likely dressed in jeans ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/16 "2026-01-18T17:25:26Z")
Walking with their head held high. Kids always looking at the phone. Unless they have it recording and holding it up. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/17 "2026-01-18T17:26:07Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Don’t know what you’re talking about, everyone of all ages wears jeans, _especially_ younger people. Completely agreed. I regularly work with people in their 20s and 30s, and while not all of them wear jeans, it’s still very common, IME, even if it’s not in the OP’s little corner of the universe. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/18 "2026-01-18T17:27:15Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > good point - go to any classic rock concert (Deep Purple, AC/DC,…) and you are going to see a high proportion of geezers (on and off stage 😉 ) … most likely dressed in jeans Yeah, ask me how I know… 😉 I’m going to see the Damned for their 50th anniversary on Feb 3, definitely dressed in jeans (because I’ve never worn any other kind of pants since I was 10), and I don’t think there’ll be a mosh pit. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/19 "2026-01-18T17:32:00Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > go to any classic rock concert (Deep Purple, AC/DC,…) and you are going to see a high proportion of geezers (on and off stage 😉 ) Especially Black Sabbath 😃 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/20 "2026-01-18T17:33:28Z")
Funny, I dropped Levi’s a while back and switched first to cargo shorts and then also cargo pants. I’m pushing 60 at this point. The cargo pants are just very handy compared to Dockers or jeans. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789.md?page=2)