Many people, in my experience, feel that fashion is superficial and unimportant—that comfort takes priority over what something looks like. Who really needs more than a few pairs of pants, a few shoes, and several different outerwear pieces for the changing seasons?
I would argue fashion is a representation of who we are, our cultural identity, and even where we want to go. As someone deeply embedded in the culture since the early 2010s, I can confidently say that fashion, when paired with style, is not superficial. Rather it is a beautiful form of self expression, no different than curated art found in museums across the globe. Fashion can simultaneously be practical, utilitarian, and affordable, yet so many people refuse to believe that it exists outside of major fashion houses such as Prada, Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Dictionary.com defines fashion as “a prevailing custom or style.” The keywords here are “prevailing style.” Fashion is not only in relation to clothing, but also hair and decoration. Trends, on the other hand, are what is popular at that point in time for the masses. Trends are superficial. Unfortunately, “fashion” and “trends” are often used interchangeably while there is a clear distinction between the two. What is currently in your closet? How do you style your hair? How do you accessorize, if at all? The culmination of these things is your fashion taste and style and not fashion as a whole; that is the point here.
Magazines and editorials like to tell consumers what the latest fashion trends are and what we should be buying for the current season. Typically, images of celebrities and models are associated with certain products to create brand recognition. While these tactics are legally sound, the cultural implications of this type of marketing creates figurative clones. We begin to tell the story of the brand rather than our own stories. Brands with the most money for advertising are pushed to the mainstage while leaving more innovative, smaller brands to fend for themselves.
As a result, consumers see the same trends season after season, knowingly or not. Every year, brands release “updated” seasonal items, usually only differing in color variation, while the patterns generally remain the same.
If fashion is superficial, then we are all superficial, because we all buy from the fashion industry. Fashion, when paired with style, is unique to you. If you’re someone who feels you don’t have style, I challenge you to put together your favorite outfit and put it on. Whatever you come up with—your style—represents you. It should send a message about who you are without having to say anything. Remember, it only becomes superficial when you begin to tell someone else’s story, or try to be someone you’re not … swag it out y’all.