Sunday, November 20, 2005
BLACK FRIDAY...Seriously Fashion
After reading Final Fashion and Almost Girl (see below) today I have also decided to contribute to Black Friday.
Style or Fashion? What do you choose?
I feel that fashion is taken too seriously. I often read out how much the average Joe or Joanne has forked out to purchase a pair designer jeans such as EVISU or a Channel handbag thus making them the envy of their friends and peers. Somtimes it's like fashion is a competion. Who has the most expensive outfit or who has the latest design. I mean sure, I am guilty of doing the occasional spend up on shoes or the latest design too, but it is occasional and that is the key.
As I have said in the past you don't need designer brands to look the part. Besides CUCCI and EVISU are just too expensive!
dictionary.com defines fashion as
1. The prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behavior: out of fashion.
2. Something, such as a garment, that is in the current mode: a swimsuit that is the latest fashion.
While style is defined as
1. The way in which something is said, done, expressed, or performed: a style of speech and writing.
2. The combination of distinctive features of literary or artistic expression, execution, or performance characterizing a particular person, group, school, or era.
3 A quality of imagination and individuality expressed in one's actions and tastes: does things with style.
4 A comfortable and elegant mode of existence: living in style.
5 The fashion of the moment, especially of dress; vogue.
So fashion is the current mode while style is individuality expressed in one's actions and tastes, and in additon the fashion of the moment. Style can be both! So lets express and not repress!
Lets look at Fashion HQ. Yes you guessed it TOKYO! I often walk down the streets of Harajuku and Shibuya filled with the most expensive shops to the cheapest. Would you believe that 'Thank You Mart' sells all its retro and imported clothes for 350 Yen? ($4.50 AUD). I always see people in that store exploring the aisles and experiementing with their clothes. They are having fun with fashion, not taking it seriously and looking dam stylish at the same time.
As I flip though the pages of fruits and street many of the 'models' actually redesign their clothes. The reality of it though, is that not everyone has time to do this and so turn towards independant designers instead.
Part of the philosophy at TOTE and its future direction is to take pre-loved clothes and to redesign them. Currently I redesigning a pair of jeans bought from 'Thank You Mart' (for myself though, but more to be made and sold via ebay) So as you can see it's easy to have fun with clothes. Just break the chains and do it!
TOTE
Black Friday Blogging
November 25 is in seven days, a day that is not only the "biggest shopping day in America", but also the day the anti-consumerists have adopted as Buy Nothing Day.My fashion blogging friend Almost Girl had a terrific idea to jog our thoughts about fashion, consumerism, and start a real discussion about the way we experience fashion, perhaps with an angle towards exploring the qualities of fashion that anyone can enjoy, regardless of income or status. Thereby observing Buy Nothing day, and hopefully sparking some lively conversation. Feel free to join.I'm calling my series, free fashion.
Style or Fashion? What do you choose?
I feel that fashion is taken too seriously. I often read out how much the average Joe or Joanne has forked out to purchase a pair designer jeans such as EVISU or a Channel handbag thus making them the envy of their friends and peers. Somtimes it's like fashion is a competion. Who has the most expensive outfit or who has the latest design. I mean sure, I am guilty of doing the occasional spend up on shoes or the latest design too, but it is occasional and that is the key.
As I have said in the past you don't need designer brands to look the part. Besides CUCCI and EVISU are just too expensive!
dictionary.com defines fashion as
1. The prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behavior: out of fashion.
2. Something, such as a garment, that is in the current mode: a swimsuit that is the latest fashion.
While style is defined as
1. The way in which something is said, done, expressed, or performed: a style of speech and writing.
2. The combination of distinctive features of literary or artistic expression, execution, or performance characterizing a particular person, group, school, or era.
3 A quality of imagination and individuality expressed in one's actions and tastes: does things with style.
4 A comfortable and elegant mode of existence: living in style.
5 The fashion of the moment, especially of dress; vogue.
So fashion is the current mode while style is individuality expressed in one's actions and tastes, and in additon the fashion of the moment. Style can be both! So lets express and not repress!
Lets look at Fashion HQ. Yes you guessed it TOKYO! I often walk down the streets of Harajuku and Shibuya filled with the most expensive shops to the cheapest. Would you believe that 'Thank You Mart' sells all its retro and imported clothes for 350 Yen? ($4.50 AUD). I always see people in that store exploring the aisles and experiementing with their clothes. They are having fun with fashion, not taking it seriously and looking dam stylish at the same time.
As I flip though the pages of fruits and street many of the 'models' actually redesign their clothes. The reality of it though, is that not everyone has time to do this and so turn towards independant designers instead.
Part of the philosophy at TOTE and its future direction is to take pre-loved clothes and to redesign them. Currently I redesigning a pair of jeans bought from 'Thank You Mart' (for myself though, but more to be made and sold via ebay) So as you can see it's easy to have fun with clothes. Just break the chains and do it!
TOTE
Black Friday Blogging
November 25 is in seven days, a day that is not only the "biggest shopping day in America", but also the day the anti-consumerists have adopted as Buy Nothing Day.My fashion blogging friend Almost Girl had a terrific idea to jog our thoughts about fashion, consumerism, and start a real discussion about the way we experience fashion, perhaps with an angle towards exploring the qualities of fashion that anyone can enjoy, regardless of income or status. Thereby observing Buy Nothing day, and hopefully sparking some lively conversation. Feel free to join.I'm calling my series, free fashion.
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Amen! Fashion is taken Way Too seriously too often... I loved seeing Fruits and the way clothes that aren't necessarily expensive or precisely a designer's vision can still be SO Compelling, and inspiring. The style value is demonstrably not tied to the $ value.
Fashion is, and should be fun!
I am finding so many awesome people with great ideas thanks to this excercise. I have linked you:)
Fashion is, and should be fun!
I am finding so many awesome people with great ideas thanks to this excercise. I have linked you:)
This whole event is so fun! I love the distinction between fashion and style. At my university a group staged a fashion show and I did my best to make that distinction in my review of the show. Most of the clothing reflected "fashion" but none of it really reflected the personal style or aesthetics of the University of Chicago.
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