From the archive, originally posted by: [ spectre ]

http://www.thegreysweatsuitrevolution.com/

MISSION STATEMENT
THE GREY SWEATSUIT REVOLUTION is a voluntary experiment in personal and
social expression via the limitation of one’s superficial identity to a
grey sweatsuit for a pre-determined and extended period of time, such
as a season, or for the rest of your life.

1.
The battle against fashion needs to be fought differently. We cannot
simply dress weirder than the mainstream in an attempt dull our sense
of complicity with western consumer society. Dissent through conscious
differentiation simply feeds the fashion system by providing it with
fresh expression to appropriate.

Look at trucker hats. Artists rip off the blue-collar worker because
it’s cheap, edgy, ironic, kitsch, whatever. Subsequently the fashion
system rips off the artists. Thanks for coming out rebel! What’s
next? Cow shit covered boots? Awesome! Get a life.

The fashion system operates as a parasite on the body of authenticity.
It feeds off cultures and subcultures. The pattern is obvious and so
should our reaction. Stop fanning the flames. Let that shit burn out.
It’s boring anyway.

The grey sweatsuit is our Trojan horse. We create a street trend, a
visible statement, the system co-opts it without understanding it’s
significance and then… BAM! Grey sweatsuits all up in the area! Our
symbolism spreads like anthrax across the anorexic bodies of
fashionistas everywhere! They look frantically for the next trend but
there is nothing. Only grey sweatsuits. What’s hot for next season?
How about the death of your vanity?

The ultimate rebellion is to be generic and very comfortable. Fuck
using clothes as a form of expression. Think of something more valid,
like what you do with your time or what you have to say. See what
happens when your clothes don’t speak for you. Oh shit! How will I be
cool? Maybe I’ll have to participate in something…

2.
THE GREY SWEATSUIT REVOLUTION does not take place in any one location,
it takes place everywhere! When in a grey sweatsuit anyplace you decide
to go the revolution will go with you, whether on the bus staring at
strangers, in the market buying lentils or in the club scoping some
ass. But you won’t be alone! Socials will be held in all the
participating cities (Toronto, London, New York, Paris, Halifax). There
will be parties, parades, bike rides, nature walks, and reenactments.

3.
We see them everyday on the street and at our local bars, we avoid eye
contact, we look away hiding our embarrassment. No longer! Fashion
victims everywhere need our help. Want to participate? Please do!

All you have to do is get a grey sweatsuit and wear it as much as you
can. You should be able to obtain one in your hometown, if not contact
us and we will arrange for a suit to be shipped to you, don’t lose
hope, we will find a way!

We understand that money is an important factor in staying alive and so
on. With this in mind, unless you have a cool boss, wearing a grey
sweatsuit at work is not necessary. It would be awesome but it’s not
necessary.

Participants are encouraged to submit their experiences stories and
ideas revolving around grey sweatsuits so that the trajectory of the
movement may be properly documented.

Fashion will never be the same because fashion will be dead.

On your marks, get sweat, go!

SWEATSUIT
Listen up people! This a grey sweatsuit! (see below).

Let there be no more confusion! It is both grey and a sweatsuit and the
worst thing to happen to fashion since MC Hammer. Way worse!

This is what you’ll be wearing (or something close to it) when you run
into fashion on the scene and say, You know what fashion?! I’m tired of
changing my look every season because you want to sell more shit! I’m
happy with who I am and don’t need to create a 1980’s (or whatever it
is currently in fashion) version of myself to have fun anymore!

What we’re exhibiting in our diagram (download printable PDF version
below) is the ideal sweatsuit. By no means do we expect everyone to be
able to meet this standard. We understand that not all greys will match
and that peoples bodies sometimes don’t work with the whole, S,M,L,XL
and M/F code.

For example, we knew a guy in school who wore womens jeans, just ’cause
it felt right. Do your best. We trust you and trust is the most
important thing in any revolutionary relationship. Download the
printable PDF now or read below to experience our decidedly-less-rad
html version.

TOP
Hoody or sweatshirt. Both permissable. Reinforced neck (observe the V).

MATERIAL
A conventional cut of light grey coloured material.

LOGOS
Observe, NO LOGO’S anywhere! If you have logos cover them with a grey
sweatsuit patch, and then everything will be fine again.

WAIST
Drawstring or elastic waist pants.

POCKETS
If you’re lucky you may have pockets, if not use a “Fanny Pack”. A
money belt has also been a suggested solution for the pocketless cut.

PANTS
Beware of fit in this area! Avoid going too baggy (Hip Hop) or too
tight (Aerobics). Both have their weaknesses. Think neutral, perhaps
slightly fitted. Wedgies and protruding penis might be an issue in this
locale, take note.

CUFFS
Cuffs on both the sweatshirt and pants.

ACCESSORIES
Recommended accessories include white socks and t-shirt with dark
sneakers. Or, for the more hardcore, Kung-Fu slippers!