We’ve all said things like “this person has a good sense of fashion” or “they are very stylish” and yes, I am sure all of these were true but what actually makes a ‘good sense of fashion’?
Let’s break this down.
To preface, be prepared for a lot of question marks in this piece as I do not have the answers to many of these questions as most others, however I think they are very interesting to pose. As someone who adores fashion, I love to extend it beyond clothes and styling and consider a broader perspective of substance.
Fashion is a powerful tool of expression, identity and culture but it goes without saying that it is highly subjective. What looks good to me won’t necessarily look good to the next person and vice versa. Why? I am no sociologist and I don’t have the answer but this duality is so fascinating to me. The concept of ‘good fashion’ is one that is not very tangible. What is it that defines something as ‘fashionable’? What does this consist of exactly? I guess the question I’m asking here is, what makes fashion ‘fashionable’?
The ironic thing about this question is, as open-ended as it is, I think to some extent there is an already existing and accepted answer of what ‘good fashion’ or ‘taste’ is. It is something that is highly personal yet collectively we have decided on what this constitutes. Where does this decision come from? Perhaps designers who set the tone of trends each season and leave us to interpret them in whatever way we choose? So then is just dressing according to the latest trends that makes one fashionable? You could argue yes as that’s what fashionable means right, being influenced by current popular styles.
Sometimes we associate ‘fashionable’ with minimalism and a neutral colour palette. Being refined and sleek but at the same time, a colourful and experimental style that cuts through the noise could also be thought of as fashionable. But then again, there is a particular kind of colourful that we find stylish, the retro vibes and clashing of prints kind of offbeat look. I’m sure you can picture what I mean and already think of many influencers who fit in this category. Do you see what I am getting at here? It is so subjective, yet there is a somewhat general consensus.
Conversely, going against what is traditionally considered as good taste can also be ‘fashionable’. We’ve seen this with the notorious ‘ugly’ dad sneaker look and chunky velcro sandals which have become highly fashionable in their own right.
I guess this is a never-ending rabbit hole that we can fall down but one thing is sure, all roads lead back to confidence and comfort in your own style, no matter what it be. This is where fashion ultimately stems from.
