I really enjoy creating outfits and shopping for new clothes... what girl doesn't?! But having recently become quite style orientated and becoming thoroughly financially drained, it's got me asking myself a few questions. This blog was also inspired after having a nosy on facebook at people I used to know - it's funny how some people seem exactly the same as they did several years ago, isn't it? (Be true to yourself but change and growth are very important!)
Is fashion really important? Is what we choose to wear really about conceiving our thoughts, feelings and personality with clothes and belongings? We say fashion is about expressing ourselves, showing our personalities and being individual... but are we really? Or are we really just becoming victims of consumerism? Driven by the media and our peers?
I'm particularly inspired by vintage trends and fashions, but also by my friends who are very artsy and individual like myself. I take bits of what I like and style them to suit me, I spend forever browsing online and in charity shops. So i'm actively choosing what I like and dislike rather than copying a fashion because topshop tells me too. (I'm not slagging off topshop fans btw!) But i'm sometimes left wondering "how much of this is really me?"
Surely this continual move towards vanity and self indulgence isn't good for the soul? It's a viscous cycle of wanting more and more... and not being contempt with what you already own. It's that demon again... Greed. But more importantly, this can lead us to feeling less contempt with our lives, possessions and selves. Is that what we're really striving towards?
One of my aims for the rest of the year is to try to be less excessive with belongings. I'm craving inner peace and i'm not going to find it in my wardrobe!!!
I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts and ideas on this, please share!
Ohpandahat.
Fashion is an interesting topic. Although people don't always dress to express themselves - as someone who is decidedly not a morning person, I tend to just grab whatever sensible garments I see first after rolling out of bed - I find that people do tend to share a fair bit of information about themselves by the type of clothes they wear. Sometimes it's an unconscious choice - you might find a top you like, then realise later that it is similar to one worn by your favourite character - and other times it is a conscious decision, such as wearing clothing with a reference to your favourite book/game/artist/etc. into town.
ReplyDeleteEither way, as long as people wear something that they truly like, rather than out of fear that others will or won't like their chosen outfit, even if it is similar to something worn by someone else, I would argue that they are expressing themselves.
I feel that self-expression, as long as it does not hurt others, is a good and healthy thing. It helps us to find like-minded people and make friends, and can help with confidence.
That said, how many different outfits does it take to express someone? After all, there is rarely, if ever, only one aspect to someone. One day, you might be in a businesslike mood, and wear smart clothing. Another, you might wake up feeling upset that you are the only one in your friendship group who likes a certain thing, and go out wearing clothing reminiscent of it with the hope of finding someone to talk with. On a cold day, you might dress solely for warmth.
That said, whilst it is nice to have several different outfits to express yourself, it's also a luxury - one that people need to think carefully about in order to save money.
When buying clothing, I think it's important to make sure that what you're getting is good quality, and that you like every aspect of it. Do you already have clothing that would do for the same circumstances? Do you really need this new garment too?
I tend to only buy garments that I love, then keep them for as long as possible - I can sew up small rips or holes rather than throwing the whole thing away. When I'll be living on my own, I hope that I will have the time to be able to make cushions and things out of my old tops and skirts too - it'll save me money, and I'll be re-using materials that I like anyway. Besides, there are other ways to express yourself as well - speaking to others on forums, or joining a local book or activity club can work far better for finding like-minded people.
Anyway, sorry about the essay. It seems like I'm in a wordy mood today!