Laver's Law:
Indecent: 10 years before its time
Shameless: 5 years before its time
Outré (Daring): 1 year before its time
Smart: Current Fashion
Dowdy: 1 year after its time
Hideous: 10 years after its time
Ridiculous: 20 years after its time
Amusing: 30 years after its time
Quaint: 50 years after its time
Charming: 70 years after its time
Romantic: 100 years after its time
Beautiful: 150 years after its time
I think that my favourite thing about it is the use of the words 'outré' and 'dowdy'. But it's so true! And reminded me of another, similar, more up to date take on Laver's Law. A diagram created by Emily Miethner:
The hat analogy is brilliant. Forgive me for continuing it...
These theories, as simple, yet accurate as they are, unfortunately got me thinking about how fickle fashion is. And how fickle WE are with fashion. It makes me concerned about the superficiality of fashion and how ridiculous a concept it can be. As of course, whether it is shameless, smart, ridiculous or beautiful, the hat is still the hat. It.is.the.same.hat! It hasn't changed! But the way we feel about it has.
Perhaps for some, that is what makes fashion so great. As it is the feelings towards the hat, and the connotation of history that seems to attach itself to the hat that makes it fashion. Not just a hat. The hat becomes more than just material, it becomes metaphorical. Perhaps it is the art of fashion that is a concept I find difficult to grasp.
I guess one of the best things about this though, is that you can apply it to almost anything; music, art, architecture, interior design...
In any case, if it means that in 140 years time I will consider my bolt jeans, skateboard-riding, dirt-bag grunge look 'beautiful', I'm willing to abide by the law of fashion.
But just to be clear, I will never surrender my Tamagotchi to words like 'ridiculous'.
L.
