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Tintin and the Picaros: In defence of Tintin's trousers

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skut
Member
#1 · Posted: 12 Sep 2004 21:16
There's always been a lot of discussion about how Hergé got rid of Tintin's famous plus-fours and replaced them with jeans for Tintin and the Picaros, as well as giving him a motorcycle with a peace symbol on the crash helmet. You'll also notice that Tintin has longer sideburns!

Most people don't like these changes, and see it as a sign that Hergé was doing something subversive or messing with tradition.

I totally disagree. I thought the changes were interesting, even if they were unprecedented.

I mean, I wouldn't wanted to have seen Tintin as a hippie or with a completely new wardrobe, but a few cosmetic changes after more than 40 years aren't as outrageous as some people have made them out to be...
Harrock n roll
Moderator
#2 · Posted: 12 Sep 2004 22:19
I totally agree with that skut. People have also pointed out that his slightly flared trousers look unfashionable. But - like it or not - flares came back in fashion again a few years back. In fact, I thought they looked naff at the time but they actually look quite trendy now (it's ok folks, I'm in Camden, North London where 'anything goes'). I also think the sideburns make Tintin look mature. Personally I'd liked to have seen Tintin as a 'Mod' ...
Tintinrulz
Member
#3 · Posted: 13 Sep 2004 01:25
No, sorry, I prefer 'old school' Tintin.
jock123
Moderator
#4 · Posted: 13 Sep 2004 07:55
I think the main problem was a "crime of fashion" - brown, flaired jeans (probably polyester) and a blue pull-over (acrylic, in all probability) have never been fashionable, not even in Camden.
He looks like a teacher at a school disco.

At least at the start Hergé allowed that Tintin have some variety in his regular street clothes (I'm not counting disguises and other costumes, uniforms etc.), what with his yellow shirt, Norfolk jacket and the occasional tie. I do see the plus-fours as the epitome of Tintin's get up, but think that if Hergé had really wanted to up-date the wardrobe, perhaps he could have gone for blue jeans and a tee-shirt, or a vee-neck jumper or sweatshirt, and maybe occasionaly have him in a jacket and tie again.
thomas
Member
#5 · Posted: 13 Sep 2004 10:08
The origin of Tintin's jeans is the animated movies. It was more easy to animate Tintin with jeans.
Harrock n roll
Moderator
#6 · Posted: 13 Sep 2004 10:40
I just did some research on plus-fours - they were originally worn by golfers and were cut four inches longer so that they blouse more fully. (If taken down they become a nice pair of flares...)

As thomas pointed out, the jeans actually started with the Belvision cartoons (way back in 59) although Hergé didn't start drawing them on Tintin until the early 70s. He must have felt that plus-fours looked very dated at that time.
tybaltstone
Member
#7 · Posted: 13 Sep 2004 14:18
It was more easy to animate Tintin with Jeans.

Is that why they did it? Or just to make Tintin appear more modern perhaps? I always find the bottoms of trousers horrible to draw (jeans are especially odd), and for me plus-fours would be better because the trousers go into the socks, so disappear, and then you have a nice 'bit of regular leg' to go into the shoe (clothes always get in the way of a nice drawing). Trouser bottoms are so much more random and chaotic. But then that's more my lack of ability.

I think we should be thankful Hergé didn't go with another popular 1920s trouser - the 'Oxford bag' (though I think they were more American). Tintin's quite iconic in appearance, and the plus-fours have become part of him, so Picaros always looks a little un-Tintin-like.

I agree with jock123 - the fact that the jeans were brown was probably a big part of the oddness!
jock123
Moderator
#8 · Posted: 13 Sep 2004 22:42
Harrock n roll commented
the jeans actually started with the Belvision cartoons (way back in 59)
Didn't the jeans appear at the time of the Prisoners of the Sun movie, in 1969, rather than for the TV adventures in '59?

I'd have sworn that Herrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgé's Adventures... were in the pantalons de golf...
Harrock n roll
Moderator
#9 · Posted: 13 Sep 2004 23:37
I just went and checked those Belvision cartoons and you're right jock, he is sporting his preferred outfit featuring baggy golfing 'knickers' with black socks - my mistake :)

It got me thinking about what Tintin's wardrobe might be like - a very long row of plus-fours, beige macs, white shirts and blue jumpers with a solitary pair of brown flared jeans at the end...
Tintinrulz
Member
#10 · Posted: 14 Sep 2004 00:45
Plus fours were popular with boys and young teens between 1922-1927, after that they were out of fashion, except for golfers.

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