Shirts With Horizontal Gray Stripes...?

[Master Xander]

Okay, I've been downloading (to the chagrin of my dial-up modem, I'm sure) the episodes, and I've noticed one thing. The costume people seem to love shirts with horizontal dark gray stripes on them.

1. Charlie's been wearing a shirt with those stripes since he's been on the island.

2. In Kate's flashback, the first time we see her, she's wearing a shirt with those stripes.

3. In Jack's flashback, the first time we see him, he's wearing a shirt with those stripes.

Does anyone think this could be significant? It was just something I noticed watching three episodes in a row. :)

[JacksGirlfriend]

I have noticed Charlie's and then saw Jack's (didn't notice Kate's).

Maybe the wardrobe department ran into a great sale?

Just kidding. I can't even imagine what it might be except I'm going to be watching even closer now. Gray tends to fade into the background, so there might be something there.

JacksGirl

[rosalind711]

I noticed this also, but thought it was a coincedence. Why hasn't charlie changed that shirt anyway.

[mnemosyne23]

Huh... Interesting point. On this show, it's pretty hard to believe in "coincidences," right? Perhaps, if it DOES mean something, it means they're all prisoners in their old lives? Jack was a prisoner to his father's low expectations; Kate was literally a prisoner to her crimes; and Charlie was (and still is) a prisoner to his drug addiction. Since the good old striped outfit (albeit with black rather than gray stripes) is a common synonym for "jailed criminal," then it might be significant!


-M

[JacksGirlfriend]

Good point. Was anyone else wearing stripes?

Every time I read something I want to re-watch the tapes. This is going to be a problem as we get more episodes.

JacksGirl

[16L43]

Horizontal stripes tend to make someone look more compact in stature. Perhaps the use of horizontal striping is a psychological thing, one that forces the characters to feel smaller and more insignificant on the island...or, it could simply be that stripes are "in" this year, which the local fashionista insures me they are...

(Though the black and white striped convict "uniform" is making somewhat of a comeback--kind of hard to ignore if someone escapes--most places have gone to one piece, one color, coverall type garments. Why so? Money. It's far simpler to have a garment that's one color when it comes to manufacturing, maintenance and laundering than the classic black & white stripes. The most popular color for prison coveralls is international rescue orange since it stands out in just about any weather--other top choices are lime green, bright yellow and in some jurisdictions, Pink Panther Pink...)

[azteclady]

From 16's post:
"pink panther pink"

Oh, my!

I'm giggling uncontrollably, thinking of all those hardened criminals, in-jail gang members, rapists, serial killers, and what have you, in pretty pink. How do I control the urge to start fashioning tiaras for all of them????


Beto
I'm not twisted - it's a gift

[mnemosyne23]

16L43: That is far too much knowledge about the appearance of inmate outfits. LOL! Very interesting though. Pink? That's just an image I can't shake. LOL!

And when I mentioned the "striped inmate uniform," I didn't mean it literally. I meant it more figuratively speaking. When you go to a costume store and buy a convict costume, it comes in the traditional black and white stripes. The Hamburgler (to use a pop culture reference) wears the black and white stripes. It's something people associate with criminals, just like when you see a brown uniform and think "delivery man," even though FedEx and DHL wear entirely different uniforms than UPS. So on a subconscious level, the stripes might represent being a prisoner, nothing more concrete than that. I should have probably been more clear in my original post. :)


-M

[16L43]

mnemosyne23--Spent many years as a police officer and a few working in a county lock-up as a deputy transporting prisoners. The only experience I had being locked in a cell was when the county opened their new regional jail and local citizens and officers spent time locked up to raise money for the abused women's shelter...we did quite well!:D

I'm glad the image of pink prisoner uniforms gave you and azteclady a good chuckle. Believe it or not theft of prison clothing costs local and state jails a lot of money--the thought is that if you make it some intense, terrible, color the theft rate drops. It's been true, from what I've read on the subject...