Old before their time: fashion turns to bingo, caravans and Mrs Thatcher chic

We've had kidults, adultescents and middle youths. Now the backlash could be here after a study found that today's young people are bored with sexually-explicit advertising and like playing bingo. "Young fogeys", it would seem, are the latest socio-cultural phenomenon.

We've had kidults, adultescents and middle youths. Now the backlash could be here after a study found that today's young people are bored with sexually-explicit advertising and like playing bingo. "Young fogeys", it would seem, are the latest socio-cultural phenomenon.

Showing a prurience more traditionally associated with the middle-aged, today's young urban adults are disinterested in the more racy marketing campaigns, according to the survey produced by the trends analysis firm HeadlightVision. They are also turning to fogeyish fashions and pastimes including that bastion of the elderly: caravanning.

The somewhat surprising findings that young people can best be targeted by more wholesome advertising appeals followed interviews with young people and trendsetting leaders in the world of publishing, fashion, music, technology and the arts in London, New York and 14 other cities. Matthew Hirst, who co-wrote the report, said the prevalence of sexual imagery has deprived sex of the mystery it once had for young people.

Crawford Hollingsworth, chief executive of HeadlightVision, said: "There is a boredom with the obvious. You can get numb to sexual language and imagery." The report cited the example of the clothing chain French Connection moving away from its FCUK slogan.

The prurient approach to sexy advertising, however, is not the only example of today's young people showing interest in values and pastimes rather more usually linked with the middle-aged. The National Caravan Council recently announced more than 28,000 touring caravans rolled off British production lines last year - the highest number for nearly 10 years and more than any other European country.

The demographics of caravan ownership are also changing with the young and trendy challenging older people for dominance, according to those in the industry. While many enjoy older caravans' chintzy interiors, the larger manufacturers including Swift, Explorer and Bailey are now producing trendy "Ikea-style" interiors for the style-conscious younger owners.

The same can be said for bingo. Once the preserve of the blue-rinse brigade, bingo has been reincarnated as a popular if somewhat unlikely pastime among style-conscious youngsters. An estimated three million people play bingo every week in one of 699 licensed clubs in Great Britain, making it the most popular out-of-home leisure pursuit after fishing. High profile fans including Kate Moss, Liz Hurley and Russell Crowe.

And the ultimately unfashionable socio-cultural dinosaur: bag-in-box wine - once viewed as cheap plonk. Growth in sales of boxed wines is more than three times the growth of the overall wine market, according to figures produced by the supermarket chain Asda. Its researchers found that more than nine per cent of all glasses of wine consumed at home are from a bag-in-box. This means that the British drink more than 535 million glasses of wine from a bag-in-box per year, compared with 420 million glasses only two years ago.

Even the fashion world is reflecting the young fogey trend in a style seen on catwalks around the world being dubbed the "power frump". Designers such as Marc Jacobs are showing shirts with pussy-cat bows and demure tweed skirts. As Jacobs recently said: "This season is all about finding the 'Margaret Thatcher look' sexy."

TEENAGE KICKS (REVISED)

* Bingo, quiz nights and board games, including Scrabble and Monopoly, have become popular with the trendiest of drinkers at exclusive bars on both sides of the Atlantic. Research suggeststhe popularity of such old-fashioned games shows that young people are trying to reclaim the innocence of a bygone era.

* Anxiety about travelling abroad since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks has been cited as one reason behind the popularity of caravans among young people. Richard White, marketing director for Swift, the caravan manufacturers, said: "The average age [of ownership] is coming down. Since 11 September the world has changed. Caravans offer safe accommodation and allow you to pick your moment."

* Tweed skirt suits, sensible shoes and pussy-bow blouses are this autumn's "big news", according to fashion experts. The Thatcheresque "frumpy" look has already appeared in the autumn collections of designers including Louis Vuitton, Giles Deacon and Marc Jacobs. Even granny handbags are set to appear hanging from the slender forearm of the most eager fashionista.