Have you ever wondered what fashion is? how you kept up with the latest "fashion"? how do you define fashion?.
in my terms fashion is clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyles and body posture is all forms of self expression and independence throughout a certain time and place in a specific context. fashion could be something we look up to and I believe the way we present ourselves from the outside really does tell a story. you don't have to know a specific person personally to know who they are, you could honestly just tell what type of people they are from how they bring themselves out to the world either by their clothes they wear to their job interview, their posture while sitting in the train on the way to London, their makeup while we ask for Assistance at a store. I do know there is a saying "don't judge a book by its cover"! but in reality would you really show up to a funeral wearing all pink? would you show up at your first interview wearing your lazy trousers and a oversized t-shirt with a curry stain on it even though we could say that is "fashion" too.
But no! lets be real here. we dress to impress. Well I would say most people do. it doesn't only have to be by clothes but with how you present yourself.
Fashion today is very broad. looking back in the day fashion now is very different. I would say it has been very modernised. My grandparents told me how they dressed back in the day back in Sri Lanka. However, my grandma used to wear super cropped tops and draped sarongs but wearing something to show your skin back in Sri Lanka is a crime now! you get judged really hard and not only by young teenagers but old people! I always asked her why? why was it okay to dress like that back in the day but not now? and she replies saying "the clothing we wore was a cultural and social identity so it is different from what young girls wear now". I know a very wise sentence haha!. But yes that's when I understood it as it was simply a symbol for each persons identity. This means every country or place has unique identity qualities that are expressed through traditional or unique clothing, traditions, traditional music, and language.
I researched Thorstein Veblen as I was very interested about his perspective of fashion. in my understanding, he says that there are certain clothes for men and women to wear to show that they are wealthy enough to buy these clothes. he says "Dress must not only be conspicuously expensive; it must also be 'inconvenient'" . This is because, within the competitive logic of the leisure class, overt displays of wealth can be supplemented by wearing clothes that show the person in question "is not engaged in any kind of productive labour". With my understanding, He believed more of quantity than quality to show your wealthiness. he also mentioned By wearing garments that are both expensive and inconvenient, such as ornate dresses, corsets, and complicated hats, women show that they do not need to work and so increase the "pecuniary repute" in which the head of the family is held.
In my opinion the separation of different classes from higher to lower class has always been there. from the fabric to accessories and shoes too. Its honestly really sad. There are still people out there who thinks shopping from fast fashion stores is not good enough because its cheap or bad quality. however, back in the day owning a certain type of heels was considered as "rich".
Fashion is very playful and surprising actually. Putting together random pieces could turn out a look. But I think its about how you style it. I always knew that even when it comes to body types there is a way of dressing according to how you are built. but in reality there is so much empowering women that is either plus size or is struggling to gain weight showing so many women and men out there that it is okay to wear whatever as long as you feel beautiful. Fashion brings out your identity as a whole. and now shopping at charity shops or thrift stores in my opinion is amazing!. its about buying the clothes you know that suits you and styling it around. I mean that is what fashion is!!. I am a very casual girl that's very goofy! however, my comfort colour is black! I love wearing black because it makes me feel comfortable. I could honestly buy anything black and still style it out of my comfort zone and still feel amazing! so you do you girl!
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