Revamping your attitude towards fashion
Long gone were the days that women wore corsets and men wore suits with tassels and ruffles. It’s funny how, in the present, men and women are no longer constrained by fashion. Everywhere you go, the idea of having a certain style that is “different” can be considered sartorial or just plain eclectic. People celebrate individuality. But what about the shy, the under dressed and the plain?
Fashion has always been regarded as a state of mind - an individual’s personality reflected in the way he or she dresses. It’s sad to say that there are people who restrict their imagination when it comes to their fashion choice. A certain piece of clothing or an accessory can award a person with the highest form of pleasure, confidence and comfort. Fashion choices affect the way other people perceive who you are.
“Why are you so dressed up?” is a common question I hear whenever I wak down the stairs of my own home. And as much as I would rather ignore the question each time it is asked, I always give it a quick shrug. It is not because I do not know the answer to the question; it is because I don’t feel it necessary to explain how my apparel was chosen on any given day. I chose what to wear based upon how I’m feeling. If I’m feeling great and extra special, I’m going to dress well.
The idea behind dressing up is not particularly complicated; it’s not rocket science that needs to be studied and evaluated; it is a behavioral concept. There’s a saying that goes, “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” In every bit of its meaning, this statement is true. How memorable was that person you passed on the street wearing a plain shirt and a pair of jeans? Yes, maybe their physical features made an impression on you, or maybe it was their personality. But their attire was nothing to remember. Those who you never got a chance to speak to? They didn’t even enter your mind as you crossed paths.
A girl who is impeccably dressed and feels as if she’s perfectly groomed can easily forget that part of her; she develops a kind of charm. A certain charisma isn’t forgettable. Eventually people will notice, and she will notice, as well.
The point I am trying to make is that it is perfectly okay to think outside the box in terms of fashion. Fashion is not always about utility and practicality. A piece of clothing is merely a piece of iconography used to express individual identity. You go to your closet and you choose a piece of clothing, which tells the world exactly how you felt when you put on that piece of clothing and reflects your caring or uncaring attitude toward fashion.
As Miranda Priestly once said to Andy Sachs, “That piece of clothing represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of stuff.”
Trends may not be for everyone, but fashion is. And it is not restricted to merely dresses and frilly skirts or that chiffon blouse. Fashion is reflected everywhere: in the street, in the air and in the sky. It’s the most powerful art there is. It’s movement, design and architecture all rolled into one, and it shows the world who we are and who we would like to be. So what does your clothing say about you today?
Top Photo Courtesy: Tumblr
