Fashion – What Is It?

Wikipedia explains it as follows:

… The terms "fashionable" and "unfashionable" are employed to describe whether someone or something fits in with the current popular mode of expression. The term "fashion" is frequently used in a positive sense, as a synonym for glamour and style. In this sense, fashions are a sort of communal art, through which a culture examines its notions of beauty and goodness. The term "fashion" is also sometimes used in a negative sense, as a synonym for fads, trends, and materialism.

Since I became more fashionable I encountered these two meanings for the first time myself. I get complimented more often than before, but I feel these glances, measuring me up as well and I can read thoughts like: 'What an arrogant cow', or 'What a show-off'. So it seams that one needs a bit of guts to dress well and a bit different from the norm.

Of course I want to be fashionable, but only in the nice sense of the word - apart from the fact that most of the items that are in fashion these days don’t fit and suit me anyway.

3 years ago I definitely wasn’t fashionable, good grief – I was more than the opposite. And I never got compliments. Nowadays I’m not really fashionable either, but I get complimented quite a lot.

So there must be something in-between 'fashionable' and 'unfashionable'. I would like to call it 'Personal Style'.


Find a 'Personal Style'

This style should filter through into the different roles we have to play in our lives. I like to see this world as a stage we are on. We have to play mothers, girlfriends/wives/singles, working women of different professions, and people doing sport, traveling, going to the theatre, and having dinner and parties. If you would ask someone to impersonate all these people in a broadway show, but no props or costume allowed - it would need a pretty good actor to do make this show a success.

However, I believe that there are quite a few of you out there who are attemting exactly that!

I did some years ago. For about 5 years or so I had one good outfit to wear for weddings, award ceremonies, and so on. Only that half of the time I was too fat to fit in there. The rest of my clothes had to cater for home, office, dinners and friends parties without distinction. Only for DIY and garden I had a set of old clothes. My sports clothes were basically my comfy trousers for home and T-shirts which weren't good enough for the office anymore.


Put on the right 'Show'

Since I have clothes for office events and normal office days, home, sport and parties I feel that the roles I have to take on become so much easier to fulfill. Be honest: How often did you think you would get away with it and then felt rather inappropriate?

So fashion actually is a good thing, and it basically is good that it changes so quickly. Given that you are not following fashion like a slave, buying the newest stuff as soon as it hits the rails – that would firstly make you very poor, and secondly you would look like uniformed with all the other fashion addicts. But due to the changes that happen in fashion through the seasons, you can pick things here and there and create your very own style over time. One year you get good trousers, then fashion changes – no trousers but good shirts are around. One year the colours are horrible, the following year they may be bliss.

When I started my 'Project Rika' I got so lucky. The shops were full with my colours (green and orange). The year after it was all blue-ish. So I only topped up on basic brown and olive colours. This year is not a good year either - everything is A-shaped  and has flimsy sleeves which don’t suit me. So I’m happy to wear my summer clothes from two seasons ago for another year, I might get some new accessories, though, and I might find the one or the other pair of shoes.

So if it is a good season I’m happy to spend the money on good quality items which make my personal style because I know that I will wear them for more than one year. And if it’s a not a good one - Well, then I know that I’m looking good with what I have and feel happy about the money saved.

IL - Articles on:


Fashion ...
Silly-buys make outfit
Fashion - What is it?
Shoes, Shoes, Shoes
Whose fault is it?

...& Beauty
Haircolour, Oh my...
My Magic Aloe Vera
From Fluff to Buff
From Fluff to Buff- Sequel
From Fluff to Gorgeous

Other Links
Play Make-Up

Word of Mouth
nyx&HollyBlue - Woodbridge
RD Hair - Woodbridge
La Ola Boutique - Fuerteventura


Back to Top
Feedback
Copyright 2007 incredible-ladies.com
Author: Rika