What in the heck are "Smart Jeans"?

Whatever the pros and cons of the word "smart" when referring to clothes, it pales into insignificance compared to the word "nice", as in 'can I wear a nice top?' or 'will I be okay on formal evenings wearing a nice pair of trousers?' that ladies often ask.

Whatever the pros and cons of the word "smart" when referring to clothes, it pales into insignificance compared to the word "nice", as in 'can I wear a nice top?' or 'will I be okay on formal evenings wearing a nice pair of trousers?' that ladies often ask.

Original meaning “foolish, stupid, senseless” apparently. I’ve seen a few to merit that description aboard over the years.

David.

Original meaning “foolish, stupid, senseless” apparently. I’ve seen a few to merit that description aboard over the years.

 

David.

Maybe that's where "Tim Nice But Dim" comes from? :D

To clarify, I said "smart" means "intelligent" in the U.S. Something that's technologically advanced can be considered intelligent -- as in A.I. When they called it a "smart" ship, they meant it was technologically advanced. I didn't say anything in my original post about "smart" referring to dress in America. What I said is that, instead of "smart" to describe nicer clothes, Americans usually say "dressy" or "business casual."

 

 

 

I hadn't heard the term "Bristol" before, apart from the name of the city. You've taught me something new! :)

Aha! I had confused your original comment:

"The terms for "smart" in the States are generally "dressy" or "business casual.""

As for "Bristol," you'll often find it in descriptions of yachts for sale. (e.g., "She is Bristol.")

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Maybe that's where "Tim Nice But Dim" comes from? :D

My favorite misnomer is "decimate," which is often used to describe "total destruction" though actually meaning to "reduce by 10%."

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My favorite misnomer is "decimate," which is often used to describe "total destruction" though actually meaning to "reduce by 10%."

 

 

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https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-original-definition-of-decimate

As usual I am learning quite a bit from this board, even things not specifically related to Cunard. In particular because of this thread I know now about the term "Bristol" and an internet search has revealed information about the character "Tim Nice But Dim" that I did not know about prior to this.

One additional comment I have about this "smart" discussion (to go even further off topic) is that I often hear those from the UK use the word "clever" to refer to someone we in the US might refer to as "smart". In my experience, the word "clever" has a slightly different connotation in the US, usually referring to some action that is a bit sneaky or sly. For example, we use the word clever in the context of a "clever ruse", but in my experience it is not typical in the US to compliment an intelligent person by referring them as being "clever".

Anyway, thanks for the education on some British terms I was not familiar with prior to this thread.

Regards, John

It's interesting isn't it, I was aware of the different names we have for things but not necessarily that adjectives had subtly different meanings.

SMART jeans are the very latest thing - they connect to the Internet.

Actually, "Smart" jeans are trousers made of denim fabric with a thread count of over 110 but less than 120. With a count of 120 and above, a pair of jeans would qualify as "Gifted" or "Genius". Below the count of 110, the jeans would be considered "Average". Counts lower than about 90 have not been seen since the late 1950's, when the youth market began to react negatively to anything "Wear Challenged".

Color has no effect on the smartness of a pair of jeans. Denim is blue. Nor do rhinestones or poodle appliques have any effect on the smartness of jeans. Many consider such embellishments to "Dumb" the J-IQ.