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Each week, the Open Thread newsletter will offer a look from across The New York Times at the forces that shape the dress codes we share, with Vanessa Friedman as your personal shopper. The latest newsletter appears here. To receive it in your inbox, register here.

Good afternoon. Hope everyone has recovered from the longest day of the year. I spent at least some of it mulling over a topic that has been much on my mind of late: the double-edged sword that is the pursuit of cool. The concept, not the temperature. I keep hearing stories of successful businesses that owe their results to a willingness not to be cool. First, there was Bonobos, the online men’s brand. I remember co-founder Andy Dunn sitting in my office when they launched, telling me how they had created “a better-fitting pant.” (It originated with college athletes whose big worked-out thighs didn’t fit into normal chinos.) And I remember thinking, “How many Stanford B-school grads trying to strike it lucky with the Next Genius Invention could say that with a straight face?” I mean, it was so… analog. But last week, Walmart bought the business for $310 million. Then this week comes Harper Wilde, a new online bra brand with one of the funniest videos I’ve ever seen and, again, a very simple premise: What if buying women’s underwear was as straightforward as buying men’s underwear?

The founders, Jenna Kerner and Jane Fisher, who met at Wharton, just got tired of the Victoria’s Secretization of underwear and saw a gap in the market for a simpler approach. It’s pretty no-frills, but my guess is it’s going to work for exactly that reason. Both brands solve a problem and make life easier. Isn’t that really what we want, in the end? I recommend you check them out, whether you are a consumer or just someone interested in the e-commerce landscape. Or check out the story of Thom Browne, perhaps the most underestimated designer in New York, in part because he has never chased the specter of cool.

Or read about Amazon’s new idea about how to get their customers to start shopping for fashion. (Like Harper Wilde, they are going to let you try before you buy, a nifty idea filched from the Warby Parker playbook.) And have a great weekend.

Your Style Questions, Answered

Every week on Open Thread, Vanessa will answer a reader’s fashion-related question, which you can send to her anytime via email or Twitter. Questions are edited and condensed.

Q: Why do the major fashion labels use teenagers, or extremely young, practically emaciated-looking men, to model their clothes? The majority of men who can actually afford those clothes are over 30, at least. It makes no sense. — Michigan Dad

A: This is a question that has been making the rounds for decades, usually vis-à-vis female models who don’t look anything like the average female consumer. It became relevant to men around the time of Raf Simons and Hedi Slimane, both very influential designers with an affinity for presenting their clothes on boys who could best be described as “scrawny.” It’s a trend that shows no signs of abating anytime soon — if the recent men’s wear shows are any indication. Though there are still some male models who hew to the old look of the hunky worked-out dude (see David Gandy, a Brit who has been called the only male supermodel, and who has been the subject of a book by Dolce & Gabbana).

As to why designers like these boys, my guess is the answer would be much like the one given to anyone asking why they like the girls they like: The models look like hangers and help showcase the outfits. Which is to say, designers are not choosing models who can best serve their customers. They are choosing models who can best serve their clothes and convey their message. And therein lies the disconnect. —VANESSA FRIEDMAN