Fashion
While standing on the tube platform this morning (trying to ignore the general unpleasantness associated with London’s public transport system), an advert caught my eye. It featured a model wearing a T-shirt with a periodic table on it. For a brief moment, I was overcome with the notion that chemistry had become fashionable, possibly even sexy.
Further evidence of the chemistry-fashion interface is, admittedly, rather scarce. A few years ago, a manufacturer of safety glasses came up with a new streamlined design, incorporating brightly coloured arms and so on. I thought this was pretty ridiculous – it’s very difficult to make safety equipment look trendy. But they went down a storm with my colleagues. I was even criticised during a safety inspection for not wearing the ‘cool’ version of the safety specs (and not for safety reasons - this is not a joke…)
Other than that, my university’s chemistry society had a few rather sad T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as “Chemists have solutions” and “Tickle a chemist and see the reaction”. But who knows? Maybe chemical elements could become the new iconic brands? Fashionistas wearing ‘Sb’ logos could look down on their less up-to-date friends, who are still wearing last year’s ‘Cs’ jeans. Where would it all end? Any other ideas?
Andy
Andrew Mitchinson (Associate Editor, Nature)
Comments
it's very difficult to make safety equipment look trendy
During one of our lab-wide 'clean-ups,' I stumbled across a slick pair of (heavily) tinted safety glasses from the 1970s - they were actually pretty stylish (for safety glasses) and fairly comfortable...
As for clothing, I know some chemists who are hoping that hypercolor t-shirts make a come-back soon...
Posted by: Joshua | June 27, 2007 09:05 AM
There are definitely lots of those shirts out and about with chocolate and caffeine molecules on them, but I think the general impression is that they still border on geeky (perhaps because of the fake stains/chocolate smudges?). What we really need is for Tyra Banks or Jennifer Aniston or someone to show up at the Oscars in a 'Pt' dress to get things moving...
Posted by: Catherine | June 27, 2007 10:22 AM
Sadly I must admit that I am wearing a silver pendant today in the style of a periodic table entry for silver (a rectangle with 47 in top right corner, Ag, then 107.868 in bottom left).
You can also buy many hormone jewelry items such as estrogen and testosterone.
Last summer there was a shop in town selling periodic table print skirts - I just couldn't bring myself to buy one! It would have gone nicely with my 'I heart NMR' T-shirt that I got free at a conference. NMR conferences are great for geeky tshirts, I believe this year was a play on 'love hurts' but written 'love Hz', with a picture of a FID below. They were too popular so I didn't get one ;)
Posted by: Propter Doc | June 27, 2007 11:49 AM
I heard that a t-shirt with a molecular graphic featured in an X-file. Perhaps one of your readers is sufficiently familiar with the minutia of this show to be able to confirm this and provide episode information. Does Scully prefer VDW to Connolly? It is obviously time for a cold shower.
Posted by: Great Molecular Crapshoot | June 27, 2007 04:25 PM
Bench time is life,
All else is waiting.
Posted by: Uncle Al | June 27, 2007 05:55 PM
It's not a fashion accessory (yet) but I designed invites for our wedding anniversary with a red phosphorous motif. Because paper, cardboard, string, silver - whatever - are really boring, we decided to go for atomic number anniversaries.
Posted by: Black Knight | June 27, 2007 07:12 PM
All I have to say is that when the element symbol belt buckles come out, I'm all over tellurium....
Posted by: Terry | June 28, 2007 11:28 AM
(sorry for late posting) but I can answer Propter Doc's Query, Yeah sure, Scully prefer VDW.....
Best regards
Posted by: computersnext | July 13, 2007 03:44 AM