Comparative Fashionz

Russell Street

Russell Street

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ITT I hope to have "other" stylez and designz and the like explained so that one may attempt to appreciate them.

At the moment, some of this stuff is striking me like modern art*, where there is some elitist weirdness for weirdness's sake because if the masses understand or like it, it can't be good.

Specifically, I'm grasping to get this SZ aesthetic of elongated waists, shortened legs, and funny boots. It flies in the face of the eternal tradition on striving for a long-legged look.

We have the disagreeable thread for disdain, this is for striving to get it, to discuss the aesthetic, design ethos, and other values.

*see, I have gone to a modern art museum and, after reading the little placard, had a greater appreciation for something that I'd previously found laughable. I'm hoping for such enlightenment here.
 
So it's deliberately edgy and countercultural but exclusive in terms of size and premium pricing (partially reflecting quality) . I'm not exactly sure who the intended audience is beyond people actually in the fashion business.
I'm guessing this stuff is definitively a young look too, although I want to say there are a couple hip codgers that do it.
 
Modern garbage is often considered art, but there are a lot of mentally ill people in the world.
 
I could make some comment about how it's easier to embrace the safe and familiar, but I'm too busy.
 
My two cents excluding cost.

SF oriented styles both MC and St&D, to me are acceptable and easier understood regardless of the location of residence. However the city of residence must be taken into consideration when choosing SZ pieces. Subdued and masculine pieces are generally acceptable, but skirts/hamakas/sheers tend to become centre of negative attention (speaking from personal experiences) when worn anywhere outside of NyC/Chicago/LA/SF. All styles take skills, knowledge, visual acuity to achieve whether discussing fit, color combinations, or congruency. In certain way, good monochromatic fits are harder to piece together because all of the details are blended in. To me, Fuuma seems to be a person who has a good grasp on both areas.
 
Russell Street said:
I could make some comment about how it's easier to embrace the safe and familiar, but I'm too busy.
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I think SZ brands allow people to explore style outside of their comfort zones. In addition, the line of is rather androgynous. The boundary between sex appropriateness is pushed into the extreme. IMO no man (straight/gay/bi/neutral) should wear mini skirts regardless of the context of the setting, but pieces with strong cultural influences should be taken into consideration when discussing an overall fit.

In terms of construction/fabric, there is garbage in both realms.
 
Everything new is old again. There was the androgynous look since ancient times blurring of lines between males & females. Eunuchs, transvestities have had roles in temples and ancient courts. Fast forward to the androgyny of early Bowie & the New York Dolls. Christ, transvestitism was/is popular in England so much so that it appears in popular culture. The appropriation of military, mystic, ethic garb has always been used to signal outside the mainstream
 
Fashion/style undergoes a cylindric cycle. Details are updated or changed according to the time period, but fabric/construction/color choices remain unchanged. Some argue that music/pop culture and fashion strongly influence each other, and I somewhat concur. But style, to me is rather personal and shouldn't be easily influenced. I guess what's what separates the knowledgeable from the general public.

Women's pieces tend to fall into the category of fashion rather than style.
 
Trend is more applicable to women's clothing/shoes/accessories than men's. Menswear, to me, is driven the era than current trends; however hypebeast/sufu might disagree. The fabrics/construction/techniques have remained unchanged. Pitti Uomo is an extreme representation, because those visitors know they are been photographed. Menswear goes though cycles of popularity such as the re-emergence of Americana(EG, WWM) and raw denim, but those pieces were simply re-interpreted from the past. There has not been an revolutionary movement in menswear in the recent years. Variations of the same idea is different of a trend that disappears after 3 months.
 
In my mind, I think trend is often defined by the idea of the moment perpetuated by the mass media and celebrities/pop stars, who often are clueless regarding to the topics of discussion. But that idea fades within a very short period of time. Abercrombie&Fitch is a perfect example to illustrate trend which we can all agree is not style.
 
When I spoke of style, I gravitated more towards individuals rather than the mass markets. Designers who repeatedly use similar ideas, to me, are expressing their creative ideas rather than setting trends. One can argue that fashion and style are inherently intertwined, but I think the former is dictated by the mass markets while the latter is defined by the individuals.

IMO Foo, despite, appearing horrendous in many of his fits, has developed a style that's distinguishable and unique. Not suggesting he looks good, but he has successfully projected an image to the world that is easily identified (both positive and negative)
 
gufasd said:
So can someone have an individual style based off of fashion - since you can be both a part of a mass market and individual in your purchases.
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Yes. Pairing and colors and minor nuances of wearing can impart a lot. The whole Ivy/Trad thing is based off of a few staples but can yield very individualized looks depending on whether one goes all argyle sock and bold repp ties and pink shirt or is more staid. We all know that people can go into the same store and buy very similar items and look nothing alike.
Contrast Don Cologne and InStitches. Don, while supposedly a thrifted high-end brand whore, has a very distinctive look. InStitches is dumb enough to get the stuff new and lacks any presence or identity whatsoever. Cover up the head, change the pose, you know it is Don. Who would recognize the other guy or even find it noteworthy?

Of course if you are slavishly devoted to fashion, you are a cypher. The clothing will never reflect the wearer because they do not choose it to do so. It is merely a uniform of the moment.

As much talk as there is in some areas of timeless style, the real trick is to balance a current look with one's own personality and avoid regrettably extreme fads. Unless one is all bespoke, they will be influenced by current fashion if only because, you know, good luck finding those 16oz wide-legged high-rise trousers some other way.

On the timeless front, the current suit design, which is not that much changed in the last century, continues on because it is a functional and good looking wardrobe item. It's like car aerodynamics where there is a practical goal that must be reached, but if the style is too radical people recoil. Evolutionary design pace seems glacial (except for classic purists that despise all change) but it is more refined in concept and more fitting to it's ideal than more casual clothing. It is more tradition-bound for sure, but short of people bemoaning ties or asking where to put their electronic gadgets, there is not a push to modify and invent because the need is not there.
 
I wonder how many people take pictures just to post on SZ or actually wear them outside. Again I assume most of them live in Nyc or Europe where the absurdity is much tolerated.
 
What we perceive normal, I think, it's still rather outrageous by normal standards. I remember a few years ago when I worn my Drkshadow cropped jeans, I had several people asking me if I was wearing oversized women's jeans. Even now when I am decked out in Rick or Damir, I received some unpleasant stares from people.

There is a poster on SZ who lives in Cleveland and wears Julius skirts and such. I am surprised he hasnt be beaten yet.
 
I think as men become more aware of aesthetics under the influence of GQ/Details/Esquire, the negative attention will subdue. The stares I get are usually shock filled with confusion particularly from women. Usually I just put on a mean mug and no one really bothers me. Occasionally I get the "that's an interesting shirt, where did you get it" question. I always respond Barney's.

I have met a few students from Kansas City Art Institute who were familiar with the works of Rick and Ann.

I am just glad that the Ed Hardy/Aflliction/True Religion fab is over.
 
gufasd said:
It is really only 3 or 4 posters who actually post the odd stuff, and even there it is extremely rare to see anything absurd. The only people who post up skirts or other outlandish stuff work in fashion or in stores like darklands.
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I had to look that up.
http://www.darklandsberlin.com/site/
It all looks very goth to me, like depressed people that want the world to think they are Satanists or undead.
 
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