Of Flies and Men
Design for men’s clothing as well as design of distance learning and signs for traffic and political campaigns require understanding of each. Awhile back, studies were conducted that showed that political campaign signs in the color orange were more effective than traditional red, white and blue.
Instructional design seeks minimal use of video since watching a video on a computer screen is less effective than reading text and takes more time.
Dress designers particularly skew their designs to clothing even when designing traffic signs. Palm Springs Airport traffic signage is colored in soft desert tones. Nice looking–in daytime–but difficult for drivers to read at night.
I am particularly aggrieved by design of men’s slacks and shorts by Ralph Lauren.
His popular Khakis have a back left pocket too narrow to place and remove a man’s wallet with ease. The side pockets are set back too far and are difficult to reach quickly and his flies on zippers are so tiny they get caught in the zipper. I have to carry a small knife when I wear them, if I can’t release the fly from the zipper.
But most of all I detest Mr. Lauren’s designs for briefs. Perhaps Ralph Lauren is wealthy enough to pay others to urinate for him, but the designs for his men’s briefs are simply inadequate.
The reasons for that, I’m certain, are Mr. Lauren’s dress designers, none of whom wear men’s briefs. That’s why a very low man’s voice accompanies Duluth Trading advertising that promises comfort, not good looks.
