'In order to be irreplaceable, one must be different' -Coco ChanelFashion shapes the world as it does not only exist in the clothes we wear but presents itself as the intangible lot in society. It exists in the form of ideas, images, and possibly even words. Fashion builds the visual construct of a person's mind and determines current trends. It is non-static, for the ever changing perspectives and ideals people have in mind of 'What's in, and what's out'.
In relation to the above quote by Coco Chanel (french fashion designer of haute couture), fashion thrives in the aggressive pursuit of people in sought for the liberty to express oneself aloud, and differently from others. Because years passed and fashion is still considered a novelty, it is commonly associated with indulgence and wealth. Put it this way, the value of your take home item from the shopping mall progressively increases with the amount of money you have in your bank account. So the question is, does keeping up with the latest trends to make a unique statement for ourselves make us more superficial?
To a certain extent, the pursuit of fashion does make us more superficial as our perspectives instinctively identify themselves with the way other people dress. More often than not, we also find ourselves being assessed by the way we dress. This contributes to the impressions we formulate about people in our cognitive schemata when we meet them for the first time, neglecting other variables that make up individuality, notably character and morals.
The novelty of fashion escalated in this new age and time with the growing affluence in the global economy(relative to the past) and we unknowingly find ourselves living in a consumerist society, among many brand conscious people. Some people splurge excessively on luxury items to satisfy their material needs, and to 'fit in' with society, forgetting that the aim of fashion is not about what you wear but how you wear it that acclaims individuality.
To me however, fashion is viewed as an art form, and in many art forms lie an element of expression, to liberate, and to make a statement. It carries a voice that varies from one person to another and it gives people the freedom of expression which our ancestors fought so hard to gain. While fashion has tendencies to promote superficiality in our behaviour, it largely stimulates creativity and without it, the world would be a dull and boring place.
Fashion is a means of expressing oneself. What you are on the inside manifests on your outside. People started using clothes as a way to express their beliefs, their culture, and their personal style. Skinheads, punks, rastafarians... You get the idea. They all dress in a way where their beliefs and culture shows as their outward appearance.
ReplyDeleteI think fashion is fine as long as you don't go overboard with it. I think superficiality happens when a person feels the need to dress a certain way even when he/she doesn't want to.
"Judge ye not a book by its cover, nor a man by his clothes."
The notion of individual pursuit of personal style for fashion is a strong motif, not uncommon in the popular fashion world. Anyway I agree with your entry as now in the present, fashion presses us to become more conscious of our expectations of the contemporary fashion scene and to take a more critical look at our own yardsticks. When it comes to fashion, everyone is somewhat being superficial to a certain extent as of creating a ‘signature look’. It is also uncertain if these ‘signature looks’ are what can be defined as fashion in this day and age, where everything can arguably be taken as fashion. Personally, fashion to me is like creating an electric personal style by mixing and matching vintage and contemporary trends, a discerning eye and a real self-awareness to figure out how to dress in an original way. It doesn’t cost much to do that and that would have made the effort and the experience worthwhile. Forget the 'WHAT' and work with the 'HOW' whoopie! :>
ReplyDeleteHi Terence, I agree with you that what we are on the inside manifests itself on the outside, that is why many a time fashion is like an art form which gives us the freedom of expressing ourselves aloud using clothes and accessories. Fashion is hence interesting to me because you have so many of the same type of clothes in the market but they do not necessarily look the same on different people. It is how you wear the piece of clothing that attributes to creating your personal style.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that one should not go overboard with regards to fashion and that means not spending excessively if one does not have the means. Such people should consider high fashion as a luxury, not a necessity.
One should only dress according to what he/she is most comfortable in and not to merely conform to trends. Once again, thank you for your constructive critique of my entry!
Hi Dee, I share the same views as you. Fashion is an integral part of our lives, the only difference is the way people view fashion. Some may gravitate to different styles to suit their preferences, be it high fashion, street wear or chic, but in all aspects still encompass the art of fashion which act as the engines to liberate society as a whole. After all, fashion is an avenue to express oneself freely.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, fashion does not exist only at its high end. Fashion could also be well represented with a good mix of clothes that are affordable. I quote, 'forget the what and work with the how' can still make you a fashion statement!
Hi Amadea!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that fashion is crucial in the world and that it does not only apply to clothes, bags and shoes alone. Fashion can come in a range of things from the latest gadgets to what we say from day to day! It is trends that shape our society and although trends are an indication of how the masses can sometimes follow the crowd blindly, it also shows how everyone influences one another and are interconnected in that way.
I think that because of first impressions formed so quickly at first based solely on how you look and dress, your fashion is the way that you present yourself to strangers passing you by on the street, new friends and new colleagues. It is a way to express yourself in a non-verbal way and how you want people to see you. It may indicate your financial status, from millionaires to beggars, we all need some clothes and these clothes would show everyone a little something about you without you actually saying anything. It could also be a way to express yourself to friends and family in terms of your mood or even your personal growth!
Personally, I don't think fashion is as superficial as people might think it is. Yes, you need some amount of money to dress up but you don't need obscene amounts of money. There are many cheap alternatives and ways you can express yourself with fashion without spending a fortune. So kudos to fashion for giving every individual a personal outlet to express themselves!
Hi Amadea!
ReplyDeleteFashion is everywhere. It is in you, in me, in the places we go to etcetera! Fashion sure is a way of expressing oneself and even a way of life!
Having said that, I have mixed thoughts on whether fasion makes us superficial. Firstly, like you said, fashion is a form of art, where one expresses oneself. From this percpective, I feel that fasion is not superficial.
Then, from the social perpective, I find that fasion can be superficial. Just look at the stereotypes we are all guilty of. See a cool-looking lad dressed impressively on the street and most of us would associate him with positive traits. In this sense, fashion makes me superficial because it influences our judegement on strangers. We fail to see other important aspects of that person and just focus on how the person looks.
Also, as raised in your commentary, fashion is also very much associated with wealth and status. People who are able to afford luxury goods can be viewed differently from someone who is not able to. Perhaps this materialism could also be a form of superficialty where we judge a person by the means to afford luxury goods. Take for instance bouncers at clubs who treat someone carrying a Chanel bag differently from someone who carries a "brandless" bag. This could be because judging from the Chanel bag, they assume that the person carrying the Chanel bag has more spending power and thus, is more beneficial to the club.
All in all, I personally feel that whether fashion makes one superficial or not is up to you. You choose whether it makes you superficial, or not. Afterall, fashion gives us the freedom to express ourselves!
Hey Amadea.
ReplyDeleteI really love your article and i can see why you chose it being a trendsetter yourself :)
I don't think being fashionable makes us superficial. Its the idea on judging one by looks and attire that makes him/her superficial.
that being said, Coutre Wear: just for the runway or for common streetfolk to wear? Many pieces from John Galiano & Paul Smith have loud prints (oh god Ris Low flashback) and intricate trains for their tops, how does one be persuaded to purchase these clothes? especially with its exorbitant prices & non-functional materials?
imo, i'd choose comfort over style. and yes, a non-verbal communication method is attire/fashion style. we are what we wear.
Haha i agree with terence here that Fashion is a means of expressing oneself. Take me for example. People can almost instantly tell I'm a rocker above all other things through my black clothes, spiky hair, wristbands and sneakers. We dress the way we do because it makes us feel good about ourselves and it is somewhat a reflection of what we are inside.
ReplyDeleteFor me, fashion is good as long as we view it lightly. It is definitely not worth dying for, and not worth STARVING for (I remember how people skip meals just to save enough money for that certain branded top or bag). Everybody wants to be unique, and most people see Fashion as a way to achieve that, but don't they already realize that they are unique? In terms of looks, behavior and mannerisms, right down to the way we walk. Sure is something to think about right?
hi dea,
ReplyDeleteyup I do agree about fashion being a form of expression and that it is not about whether it is the trend now but rather how one wears the piece. A genuine Chanel tweed covered bag can look fake if carried by an Ah Lian on the streets. And, an imitation can look real too when a "tai tai" carries it. To me, fashion is all about the matching up of one's entire appearance, even attitude can be considered a contributing factor to how good an item looks on a person.
I do agree to some extent about how fashion "breeds" superficiality because it is very rare to see fashionistas being with fashion disasters right? haha somehow people with a particular taste will be like birds of the same feathers, flocking together.
Hi ams!
ReplyDeletei agree that fashion is a way of expressing who you are and to make a statement.
While walking down the streets of orchard road, we often find ourselves whispering to our friends about the dressing of other people. Either scrutinizing or complimenting what they wore on that day. Sometimes we wonder to ourselves why would some faggots wear such disgusting clothes out to town? and dont they ever look in the mirror before they leave the house?
we can clearly see that people's impression of you is formed by what they see physically on you (ie clothes). and perhaps thats the reason why to some extent, we may be superficial if we try to follow fashion trends. But hey, i believe we all do want to look good!
so i guess it all depends on your own judgement on which clothing suits you better or which fashion trends to follow. But not follow blindly cause the stuff that looks good on others may not do so for you.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteSoul is peace and clothes are the devil.
Dressing is a way of letting people know who you are and sometimes making a stand.
I feel that people often ignore that fashion is not what you wear but how you wear, like you said, so people think that just owning any expensive branded good makes them fashionable. But truth is if they do not know how to put their clothes on following certain rules (usually breaking them) no matter how much they spend, true style comes from within.
Namka
http://lifestoolong.wordpress.com/
Well-argued =) Fashion is timeless. It is also a very good way of expressing our individuality, personalities, to differentiate ourselves from others. "To make a bold statement", how often this phrase is used to describe the impact one's dressing can make on the people around us. Many a times, our clothes can "speak" of us, who we are and sometimes our way of thinking, on our behalf.
ReplyDelete"Clothes maketh a man", as Shakespeare declared in Hamlet. This seems all the more true in today's society, where we have become more and more affluent and lavish in our lifestyles. Hence, an increasing emphasis is being put on our outward appearances. Fashion is playing a larger and larger role in our lives today. This has, undoubtedly, made us ever more conscious of the way we look and of the clothes we don. Consequently, we not only judge ourselves, but others as well. In a way, we have become more superficial, choosing to discern a person based on the way he or she dresses, rather than taking the effort to find out more about him or her. Well, such is the situation in our increasingly competitive world today, where speed is of the essence and thus first impressions count. And what better way to make a good impression than through our style and dressing?
Maybe the superficiality hasn't increased solely because of the existence of fashion. After all, fashion has always been around, even in the past. There were fads and trends surrounding the way people dressed too (take a cue from big hair of the 80's or retro styles of similar eras). They too made an impact on the way people thought about clothing and appearance. Perhaps the reason why superficiality seems to be more evident today is because of attention we have chosen to give to fashion. How much we talk about it, be it in our conversations or media and how much we spend on it. All these come as a result of the technological advancements and economic development we've experienced over the years.
And fashion has, without question, become a significant driving force in many areas, including the economies of some countries. It does also add much vibrancy and colour to our lives, refering to your commentary! So at the end of the day, it's up to us to decide how to perceive fashion. Let's just not forget the true person that lies beneath all the fabric on the outside.
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Fashion does not meaning piling clothes that are worth thousands on your body, but being able to embody the art of wearing clothes-how you wear it and not what you wear. I am an avid fashion of affordable street wear where you can mix and match to suit your daily needs and preferences. Pants for the day can mean harem pants with a cute cropped top that looks chic on anybody that wears it.
My arguement on whether fashion is superficial does not really comprise of the monetary value of the clothes we wear but the intrinsic value of it. Surely, one would be superficial when he judges another based on whether he/she can afford the clothing, but does it make one even more superficial by judging another person by means of whether he/she is able to put on a decent arrangement of clothes is another question of superficiality.
*argument
ReplyDeleteHi Valerie,
ReplyDeleteIt is a superficial world we live in and in some way or another, society influences to become as such too. However, we can definitely curb the extent of superficiality in the way we view things. Like you mentioned, first impressions count and we normally favour people who dress better. However we should not let this hinder out options in making friends. Once we have that balanced out, we are much less of a superficial person already.
Of course, no one is superficial if he/she views fashion as an avenue to express oneself, to partake in the kaleidescope of colours fashion brings into our everyday lives. Fashion as art- It only makes the world more interesting.
Hi Isaac,
ReplyDeleteWell said, being fashionable does not make us superficial, but the idea of judging others who are not as fashionable is. I agree with you wholeheartedly on this extent. Many a time, people judge others according to their physical appearances, however we should all learn to get past that first stage of initiation and move on to a more real and genuine form of interaction.
Nothing wrong with wearing clothes that are comfortable because as long as you can carry off what you are wearing, and what you wear defines your personality, you have met the criteria in being fashionable!
Hi Jere,
ReplyDeleteYes, people can instantly tell that you're a rocker and is part of a band instantaneously, from the way you dress. This is one good example of how fashion dictates your personality and interests. There are many different types of dressing that relates to different personalities and they all form the very colourful and non-static world of fashion!
Of course, one should never be excessively obssessed with fashion such that he/she does not have money left to eat. Therefore whether it is fashion or anything for that matter, it should never be overly indulged in to avoid detrimental effects. Fashion should live up to its name in being in good taste.
Hi Chia,
ReplyDeleteWell said on how fashion is all about the matching up of one's appearance. Each piece of clothing is like an accessory to complete the entire outlook, careful not to excessively pile clothes such that one ends up looking like a christmas tree though!
Fashion has the ability to verbalize one's character by way of dressing and hence is of utmost importance to most people, however yes, also 'breeds superficiality' if one allows it to affect his or her decision in making friends or judging others!
Hi Pyrena,
ReplyDeleteHaha your critique cracked me up. Yes we all have the tendency to fall into the web of superficiality, by which we judge other people while walking along the streets of orchard road etc by the way they dress. Some totally unacceptable to us like you mentioned such that we wonder if they do check themselves out in the mirror before they head out. However I believe this is how society and the media influences our thinking, by segregating fashion and non fashion on cool and uncool people respectively. Segregation like this occurs in the common American high school scene where students are grouped according to whether they are cool or not, very often judging from their dressing as well.
Hi Namka,
ReplyDeleteyes i agree with you. Fashion is not about how expensive the piece of clothing is, but more often how we wear it.