# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/61 "2026-01-19T12:54:25Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > How about writing things down instead of just making a list on your phone? My aunt got me in the habit of keeping a tablet fixed to the fridge with a pen hanging from it, so that if you used up the last of something, you wrote it down. Or if you were doing inventory on ingredients for a recipe, you were right there to write down what you needed. My aunt always went over the list with one of those multicolored pens to label which part of the store particular things were in, so we weren’t running around. She’d tell one of us to get the couple of things we needed from dairy, another from cleaning supplies, etc. I shop online now, so order doesn’t matter. Even with tip and the yearly membership fee, I find I save money, because I have eliminated impulse shopping. I also do not walk around a store pushing a cart with my elbows, while reading a list. Pushing a cart with your elbows has to be a geezer thing, but I doubt it was ever cool. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/62 "2026-01-19T13:36:55Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I saw what you did there. 😃 The Butler did it 🙂 … ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/63 "2026-01-19T13:53:44Z")
Very good! ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/64 "2026-01-19T14:33:25Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Pushing a cart with your elbows has to be a geezer thing, but I doubt it was ever cool.. I’ve been leaning over a cart to push it all my life because it helps my back - so not only a senior thing. Unless I am visualizing something different here. I kind of push with my upper body. Never thought it was cool. ---
**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 19, 2026, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/65 "2026-01-19T14:50:35Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Rock music isn’t dead, it’s just merged with pop and jazz. Assimilated, if you will. Rock music is comatose and jazz is on its way to the morgue. (I am a big jazz fan). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/66 "2026-01-19T15:13:31Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > > [@Patx2](#): > > > > How about writing things down instead of just making a list on your phone? > > Again, a question: when did people say that writing things down was cool? “Boy, that Jim gets all the ladies, look at the way he writes stuff down!” And also, that’s just a tech change, not a habit or style change. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/67 "2026-01-19T15:15:58Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > > [@Mijin](#): > > > > Joggers are much more popular for young men, and various leggings for young women. > > In my completely anecdotal experience sitting outside the middle school (now high school) to pick up my kid, I see way more sweats, joggers, leggings and pajama pants on the kids these days than I see blue jeans. Also, i see a lot of dresses and skirts, usually worn over tights. (It’s winter here.) When i was in college, no one wore skirts. Now i see tons of skirts ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/68 "2026-01-19T15:26:29Z")
Remembered from a soccer clinic c. 2002: > INSTRUCTOR: Does that all make sense? > > STUDENT: Yep. > > INSTRUCTOR: “Yep?” That’s it? Just “yep?” You know, I remember when the “cool” thing to do was to act energetic and excited… ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/69 "2026-01-19T15:30:24Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > it’s just merged with pop and jazz. Assimilated, if you will. - Why do you resist? We only wish to raise quality of music, for all genres. - I like my genre the way it is! ---
**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 19, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/70 "2026-01-19T15:35:22Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > Rock music is comatose and jazz is on its way to the morgue. (I am a big jazz fan). Frank Zappa 52 years ago (on “Roxy And Elsewhere”): “Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny.” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/71 "2026-01-19T17:08:32Z")
Recently retired programmer here. They didn’t dare tell us what to wear. We held the keys to the kingdom after all. Mostly jeans. Shorts and flip flops where ok too. But it was generally too cold for that. ---
**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 19, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/72 "2026-01-19T17:34:27Z")
… after all, IT lives on the “ **-6** ” floor ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/73 "2026-01-19T17:51:50Z")
Yeah, my daughters are 9 and 11 and both recently added jeans to their wardrobe. Jeans are alive and well and not going anywhere anytime soon. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/74 "2026-01-19T17:57:14Z")
We lived where ever we wanted to. ---
**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 19, 2026, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/75 "2026-01-19T18:07:51Z")
I think we’re mixing two ways of thinking. Some are saying things they might see, in this time an “old lady writing stuff down” as what a geezer might do Not that it was so “cool” but just done in olden(er) days. A younger person or even just a tech savvy older person sees that as old fashioned. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/76 "2026-01-19T18:20:19Z")
Anecdotally: My 16 year old son is a big fan of ELO, I’ve taken him to concerts which he enjoyed. OTOH I doubt he’s even heard of Styx or Foreigner. ---
**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 19, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/77 "2026-01-19T18:28:01Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I doubt he’s even heard of Styx or Foreigner. Good for him! Leave it like that. ELO is ok, though. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/78 "2026-01-19T18:45:15Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Not that it was so “cool” but just done in olden(er) days. Well, the OP asks about things that were once cool and now scream “old geezer”, so i feel like anything that was never cool isn’t really on topic. ---
**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 19, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/79 "2026-01-19T18:49:57Z")
William Shatner and Eva Marie Saint. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789/80 "2026-01-19T19:06:00Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I see way more sweats, joggers, leggings and pajama pants on the kids these days than I see blue jeans. When you say “blue jeans” , do you literally mean jeans that are blue? I don’t see males wearing leggings or pajama pants and plenty of them are not wearing blue denim pants - but a lot are wearing pants that are more similar to jeans than any other style of pants , even though they are different colors/fabric. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-were-once-cool-but-today-scream-old-geezer-ette/1026789.md?page=5)