wifebeaters Re: Closets and Wardrobes

[Carol]

Magpie:
> I would think that if the character is 23 the name would be
appropriate for her intended audience. You can always point out that
some people are offended by the term and let her decide. I assume
she's using it "correctly" in terms of this is what it would be called
by her characters and random people she knows, and we don't know if
she's ever thought out the name.
> 
> Why not just drop the color entirely, pointing out that the two
words together sound like you're referring to a person? It's kind of
classic Mary-Sue author to over-describe everyone's clothes.

Carol responds:
Good suggestion. Although you have no idea how well I know that
tendency of inexperienced authors to overdescribe clothes, having it
encountered the most incredibly detailed (and boring) descriptions in
other manuscripts. BTW, the wifebeater makes four appearances in this
one. There's also a reference to an undershirt. Whether they're used
synonymously, I haven't discovered yet. If so, that could solve the
problem.

And, as I said upthread, I do intend to query the use of the word, not
correct it. But it's always up to the author to accept or reject the
copyeditor's corrections, and even a spelling correction (e.g.,
"cornor" changed to "corner") is regarded as a suggestion.

Carol, who is enjoying this discussion