Fashion is often perceived as frivolous. And it’s easy to understand why. Fashion companies releasing countless ‘collections’, the cheapness of ‘fast’ fashion, the rise of ‘it’ girls, the influx of ‘sell out’ fashion bloggers, are all factors that seem to tarnish fashion’s reputation so that its significance is almost forgotten.
Its reputation as a commercial enterprise has indeed reduced it to a soul-less thing, like so many other mass manufactured products. The value of fashion only lingering long enough to be worn a few times, oohed and aahhed by the right people and then thrown away, onto the next unsuspecting item.
Come to think of it, fast fashion can be likened to a doomed marriage. It all seems shiny and new at the beginning, but then the ‘high’ of the purchase (wedding day) wears off and you’re looking for a fresh new item to acquire (or new partner to be with!)
But whilst fashion’s significance seems almost forgotten, it hasn’t been completely forgotten.
The fashion cynics will have us believe that fashion isn’t important, but then again, we don’t walk around in the nude (unless it’s in the privacy of our own homes!) We wear clothes because this is a social construct that begun (arguably) some 40,000 years ago that we as a society have upheld. From the weavers of our great ancient civilisations through to today, fashion has been used for self-expression, whether it is expressing an identity, protecting an identity or projecting an identity. And peer into either a boardroom or a nightclub – anywhere humans congregate actually – and you will see that fashion is also used to either attract or influence others or both. Right from the very beginning, fashion has provided insight into society, culture, gender, sexuality, class and image.
Whilst there are those that say that fashion shouldn’t be used to judge a book by its cover, let’s be real, it often is. Don’t take offence fashion cynics, this has been happening as long as fashion has been around. Take a look around you. Hiring managers will judge you if you walk into an interview in your trackies (tracksuit pants for those of you who are not aware of this Australian colloquialism) as much as you judge a female wearing the tiniest of miniskirts in broad daylight. Fashion cynics can scorn all they like, but living in our judgemental world is almost assurance in itself that even they are participating in ‘fashion’. Whether they realise it or not, NOT choosing what to wear says much about them as what they DO choose.
And then there are others like me that appreciate fashion (ethical fashion!) as an art form – a living art form that is constantly changing, evolving, breathing. I fell head over heels for its creative design, superior tailoring, splashes of colour, hand sewn garments, haute couture and its ability to convey a message without uttering a single word.
Indeed fashion captivated my heart and my imagination – and still does to this very day. You can sneer at my sentimentality but to sneer at fashion is to sneer at art – and where would the world be without art?
Coat + jeans + shirt: Savers / Vintage bag + shoes + sunglasses: eBay / Ethical fashion necklace: Faire Collection (to purchase, contact me)
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