Sometimes the garden of ideas and revelations continues to sprout despite oncoming, chilling autumn temperatures. When something hits, it just hits.
The whole 3-part series on what Management does to OTP leaders, the outspoken ones, did not touch on a tactic which we at Narnia believe is part of the emasculation process. This tactic concerns "the uniform" - i.e. clothing, hairstyles, perhaps particular mannerisms. Let's look at how Management can use clothing to subliminally manipulate fans' thinking and perceptions.
Jared Padalecki:
The beanie. I know that there have been voices who say Jared feels "insecure" without the now ever-present beanie or that he might be self-conscious of his hairline (of which I really don't see any reducing signs of, btw). And yes, Jared has at times worn a beanie cap for years, off and on, even dating back to 2006. But not nearly as frequently as he has in recent years, since around 2014:
And then, around 2014, began wearing more and more....
Today, at the New Orleans Convention, a short video appeared on Twitter showing both Jared and Jensen closing their Gold Panel and leaving stage. Watch what Jared's first instinctive action is as he exits, turned away from the crowd:
— Cheriethulhu 🐙🎃👻 (@cheriemorte) October 29, 2017
I don't think it can be emphasized enough. What is the first thing many of us do as soon as we arrive home from work, from a formal party, from wherever we've been that we want to take off or get out of: a constricting tie and/or suit, our shoes, hosiery, the bra, a tuxedo, whatever piece of clothing it is that makes us uncomfortable or we do not like once we're in the comfort of our home.
I don't know that many fans who are thrilled with the beanie, but because it's Jared and we want him to be "comfortable", no one has pondered for too long why. Now he wears this beanie in 90 degree weather, near the lake (I mean, does that make sense? On a boat dock?) And when I first came to the fandom, Jared was still known for his locks. The "Padahair". Now? No one talks about the Padahair anymore. It just seems like this beanie is now used to take away something away from Jared that was "signature". His hair is frequently hidden and I ask why? It seems to be more than just about aesthetics. It would be about control and persona.
Without going into too much detail, let's look at a few other examples of Management's heavy handedness when controlling or re-branding the image of some of our OTP men:
Even though the 'can't miss visibility' of The Payne Chain has garnered reactions like the following tweet, the adornment continues to be embraced. In fact, it appears to be growing in stature despite the criticism. LOL!:
@LiamPayne please don’t wear that big ass chain for your perfomance 😩😩— C. (@bedromfloor) October 28, 2017
Then we have Jake Gyllenhaal. In stark contrast to earlier years of more self-aware grooming, Jake has added a new human meaning to "free range" since his image was taken over by Endeavor (Formerly WMA-IMG):
In fact, the promotion for Nocturnal Animals contained many high-profile stories like the one above, with Tom Ford's frank (i.e., Too Much Information) quotes. "Just Jared" has become a highly visible, go-to source with post titles telling readers what to focus upon.
Then we have the "E" tattoo which is supposed to be a "cute tribute" to "girlfriend" Eleanor Caldor. No one knows, of course, where that gesture came from, considering Louis had been publicly "with her" for three years prior to their awkward reunion in January of this year, but Simon Cowell must be working under some strict deadlines. So we can't miss the attempt to marginalize all the other tattoos Louis has chosen over the years. Many of them believed to be couple tattoos with a certain curly-headed boybander.
An interesting parallel moment between Louis and Liam provides some deeper insight to the emasculation process. According to The Sun, Liam was so bored after jetting back to London from Los Angeles that he "fancied" getting his initials tattooed on his hands. A bizarre reaction to boredom, don't you think? The message is clear. The image unmistakable. "Liam is just an apathetic, careless guy." Hey, I'm sure that's a perception any ambitious, industrious young performer would want to have before releasing their first solo album. *snark*
Then we also have the scuffed up version of Liam Payne being "hooded" up and wearing large chains. The evolving look was just very different for him.
In hindsight, it's easy to think that maybe these images are being cultivated by the performers themselves, but that would underestimate what is going on here. These changes are not just about individuals growing older and wanting to appeal to a more mature demographic. Growing a fan base is normal. But, who would want to alienate an existing fandom for the promise of one that might not never come? Either these management teams are complete incompetents or something more nefarious is taking place. I don't think anyone has to ponder too hard over this one. Not when the closet is involved.
Collaborated: Methodical Muser & Prairie Girl
pic sources: Getty, Just Jared, promiflash, Zimbio, pinterest
our playlist: Change - Tears for Fears
Change Your Mind - Sister Hazel
Everything Changes - Kathy Triccoli
