"Fashion should not be expected to serve in the stead of courage or character." - Loretta Young
A lot of my friends have asked me about my perceptions of fashion and 'looking good' after they realise that I'm getting increasingly more fashion aware. First of all, I'd like to make clear that I post about fashion NOT because I want to get into the industry, become a fashion guru, an online celebrity or any of the sort. I only want to be fashion conscious, but don't want to be a slave to it. I don't want to 'educate' in any way on how I think others should dress; the last thing I want to do is show off all the branded clothes to persuade my readers to do the same (I don't have branded clothes anyway). There are too many people in the world to group everyone's sense of fashion into 'good' and 'bad', and collectivise opinions about beauty into 'acceptable' or 'unacceptable'. Some people may think a natural look is 'pretty' whilst others think a well done up look is. To be honest I don't even care, or even want to know about what others think look good. I do my makeup the way I want and dress the way I feel most comfortable.
I like fashion because it makes ME feel good. Fashion is an art form, and to be living in art constantly gives me a good vibe. I think if we were to dress for others, fashion itself will automatically become a very shallow concept and will willow away to nothing in a society where individualism is so important. Ironically if you consider the word 'fashion', it describes a conventional way of dress which is popular and 'mainstream' at a given period of time. As G.Bernard Shaw calls it 'an induced epidemic'. So in fact it's in some way already a very boring thing since if you think about it, eras in fashion have developed because people all copy each other to spread the styles. Presumably because they want to dress to look 'in', aka they dress for the opinions of others. So it's really down to all the people who literally do not care about others' judgments to make 'fashion' live up to its name.
I think the saddest thing about society is how everyone has expectations and stereotypical views on everything. I don't ever remember learning that we all have to be skinny, have flawless skin, perfect hair, good fashion sense etc to possess 'beauty', but everyday we're exposed to expectations of how people should dress/look like and so i guess these ideas have stuck with all of us. I'm not saying people should stop thinking skinny, 'pretty' girls are not beautiful, but rather that there should exist all types of opinions about beauty, not just the ones everyone else thinks. Basically 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' is definitely something the society needs more of. I'm personally fine with people judging me on how I look, not because I think it's a great idea, but because it's already the norm as stereotyping people comes as an instinct to all mankind, which can't be avoided. Also, I wouldn't go change myself no matter what their opinion is, because everyone thinks differently and what s/he thinks looks good I won't necessarily think so.
Like I said, for me fashion is an art form, and art is something that evokes the senses, which will have a different effect on everyone. Sure, in fashion art is overly commercialized and closely linked to money nowadays, but I don't think looking good is all about purchasing the most expensive brands and flaunting your status. If I think a Primark bag looks better with my outfit than a Michal Kors one, I'll wear the Primark. If someone points out to me that they are wearing head to toe in designer brands, it wouldn't make me think they're fashionable. In fact it will have the inverse effect if I didn't like what they're wearing. A look is a creation of art, almost like an artist working on a painting. Expensive paints and equipment wouldn't necessarily make a good painting. Then again what makes a good painting? It's so subjective I don't think anyone can properly define it. Different styles and techniques relate to every individual. Just like not everyone will like Da Vinci's paintings just because he's famous, not everyone will like Chanel just because it's branded.
Just one last and quite bitter rant...
I want to express my thoughts on the difference of the concept of beauty in the East and West and how much impact it has. Quite frankly said, I HATE how in Asia, people care so much about their looks to the extent that it's so obvious they are doing it for others to see. Open a magazine and there are endless tutorials and extreme weightloss plans. Some friends of mine hurt their already slim bodies by eating nothing and going to the gym excessively. Some Taiwanese people I know comment on my makeup the moment they see me, talk about dieting 24/7, compares breast sizes, and even make crude remarks about the size of my face, thickness of my arms etc. And I can't STAND the Korean obsession with having small faces. So what if I've got a big face? I actually like my square angular jawline thanks very much. I've actually had people tell me that I have an advantage of skinny legs (lol) because men in Asia go for girls with long skinny legs. I remember replying to that in utter disgust, because I'd rather die than to dress for men and 'sex appeal'. When I see girls with Prada heels in a university lecture, I just think they're going too far. Fashion and looking good is not an enjoyment anymore, it's more of a burden that's soul crushing and pointless. A motto quite universal to Asian women is 'there are no ugly women, only lazy ones', and I still don't know what to make of it. Sure, looking good is a skill because it shows the effort you have put in, but then again how can beauty be defined so simply? I know it's correlated to effort, but I don't think arduous effort is the only cause of beauty.
On the other hand, my Western friends have NEVER talked about my weight/made judgments on my appearance in front of me or told me stupid things like 'guys prefer girls with long skinny legs'. Everyone looks and weighs differently, and not all of them want to exercise/diet to achieve a certain look. Take Adele for example, she doesn't WANT to be like all the other skinny girls, and good for her. In fact, I find this more interesting, than seeing a group of skinny Asian people who all have the same frame and talk about the same annoying things constantly. In Asia, matching couples are definitely more common than in the west. If you see a stereotypically attractive Asian guy, you can bet is girlfriend is some sort of goddess. But in the West, guys go for girls of all shapes and sizes, looks and styles. It makes living so much more interesting and removes the heavy weight of expectations of having to be like something you aren't.
All in all, people should dress the way they want and wear it with confidence. Wouldn't it be so bland if there wasn't a personality beneath the clothes and makeup? Afterall, bravery to look the way you want will never be out of fashion.
