Nb: If you're going to get mad at the fashion industry, and consequently your own fashion blog, don't leave the blog on a sour, frustrated note, depicting dead fly eyelashes, vagina necklaces and transvestites in soiled dead rat bikinis. People who have never viewed your site before WILL deem you psychotic. Best just to step away with your dignity.
It is with this in mind, that I think I got away lightly with the blog correspondence I have had of late. Yes, I've had a few suspect emails, and less of a positive response from my last post ("feel bad 4 u :("), which was to be expected. There's bound to be conflict when you're writing about an industry that you have little respect for! But I have come away with some good messages of note, I've had two emails agreeing with my opinions on Fashion Week and one asking me to "PLEASE BLOG AGAIN". I also received a very inspirational today, which is what the focus of this post is going to be about. I've decided that I need to start actively responding to the nice people in my inbox, and there doesn't seem like a better place to start than with this particular email...
I'm not going to mention the sender by name; anonymity and all that.
But his email was with refernce to my 90's grunge, heroin chic post. Here's how the email conversation started:
"Lucie,
I really like your site, but I have one question. Do you feel that grunge can be fashion? Isn't it more of a way of life and an attitude?"
My response:
"Hi [name],
Thank you. I am glad you like my site!
Interesting concept. I would say that grunge is a lifestyle and attitude- but surely fashion is all about expressing yourself? It's a product of lifestyle and attitude.
What's your opinion?
Lucie."
Now this is where the sender (let's call him Dan, for the purpose of this blog) really shows me up in knowledge and writing style (please ignore the compliments, I wouldn't have included them, but they are relevant to my later points)...
"Lucie,
There is this concept of reengineering. It is basically taking something apart and trying to recreate the exact same thing, but better. True grunge existed only in the vortex of the time - early 90’s. It had social, political, and economic ramifications. Once we label something, we compartmentalize it, we say not only what it is, but what it isn’t. I’ve been to Seattle; people wear flannel because it’s cold. Yet, in Southern California it isn’t practical. Flannel is associated with lumberjacks, the working man, just as work boots are – doc martin’s are just a more comfortable alternative (Pardon the pun). I certainly agree that fashion is a statement of expression, however, our true nature, our better angels, must be true to the genuine state of who we are. As an auteur, you have an acute sense of what works. Yet, you have only your experiences to judge from. We can’t read Kafka from Shakespeare’s eyes if that makes any sense. Therefore, what was fashionable say in the Victorian Era might not appeal to your sense of style. Sure, you could appreciate what was happening in form, structure, texture, and pattern, but your natural preferences and sense of practicality always weigh in. I would say the same holds true of the liberated late sixties and the fashion it evoked and provoked as well as the swingin’ seventies. Additionally, there are technological aspects. An example is the advent of spandex in the eighties. There was a perfect storm with the new back to health lifestyle, aerobics, and the hollow beauty of greed and money at all cost conjured up by the fall of Russia and the opening of Soviet bloc counties to democracy and the concept of supply and demand. Someone as beautiful as you projects that beauty because of who you are on the inside. I suspect you are intelligent, inquisitive, energetic, and bold. The clothes you wear are a statement of what type of person you want to project - Johari window. What I also find striking about you is your vivaciousness, your salaciousness. There is so much to discuss: movies, art, literature, theatre, music all in or out of the context of fashion. I would be interested in learning more about you and your preferences, your ideas, your statements of conscious and feeling. I can tell you, I really like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Carhartt, flannel, and dusty jeans. But, I like many different types of music. I also like the sleek style of Calvin Klein. I like the Hollywood sadcore of songs like “videogames.” I like the deep forest green of Burberry wax jackets. Does that make me eclectic or erratic? I encourage you to write when the mood strikes you. I want to know more about you and what you value and why? You never know, you might make a new friend.
Dan."
I was taken aback by such a detailed and informed response. I appreciate intelligent discussion and this intrigued me a lot. I was left wondering if Dan writes his own blog? And if not, why not? But moreover, I was left wondering why he is interested in my blog? After all, my opinions and musings appear far less educated than his, and certainly more whimsical than factual. In any case, I didn't think it apt to bombard him with questions about himself, so I settled for the following reply, thinking that it would give him the opportunity to tell me whatever he felt comfortable with:
"Hi Dan,
Thanks for this, really enjoyed reading it and will follow it up.
Would you mind if I maybe use it as a basis of a post tonight? Promise I won't misquote you or take it out of context!! I will also keep it anonymous, so no one will know it was you.
May I ask what you do? You seem to have a sound knowledge of trend and excellent articulation.
Lucie."
His reply was as follows:
"Lucie,
Quote away. Among other things, I'm working on my Master's degree in creative writing. I do hope you like to read. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Dan"
A-HA, a masters degree in creative writing! What an excellent choice.
Anyway, I've veered off course...
So, the reason that I have chosen this email to respond publicly to, is that Dan has reignited my belief in fashion and reestablished it's role in my life.
I do still believe that a lot of fashion is superficial bull, and consumerist propoganda. But this email made me realise that actually, fashion is shaped by environmental triggers. Be it historical or current, fashion is constantly evolving and adapting itself to the changes that happen in the world on lots of different levels- economically, politically and even physically. You tell me that global warming hasn't affected your wardrobe choices in recent years!? (Or is global warming just a myth? Oh, wrong blog...)
Therefore, fashion through the ages actually depicts a timeline of our historical landmarks. Be it seamed silk tights from the parachutes of World War 2, or the braless revolution of the feminist motion, which makes it "ok" for girls to wear backless dresses now, or of course, as Dan points out, the change to a new marketplace economy with the fall of communism in the 80's, where fashion supply and demand became the norm.
It reminded me of this YouTube video that I'd seen, I don't know if any of you have seen it? I know a certain Nicki Safe that would appreciate it anyway, so this one's for her... ;)
This pictorial timeline I found also shows a very brief outline of some fashion trends:
I guess maybe I struggle with current fashion as it's difficult to see the bigger picture as to why certain trends are the way they are right now. Or perhaps, I just don't dig that deeply and am actually just ignorant. So I'm going to get of my high-horse a bit and try to apppreciate fashion for what it is. An expression of milestones.
For, although I wouldn't necessarily say that fashion has a big influence on the world (or maybe, would hope that it doesn't), I would say that the world has a big influence on fashion. Cause and effect, innit. Perhaps that's why I get annoyed? Because the big names in fashion seem to put themselves on a pedestal, when realistically, it is the collective movement of the world as a whole that influences their designs and brings trends into popular culture. They're not geniuses; fashion is a path that would take it's course and shape itself naturally, regardless. They're just replicating the "look" of the current economic and political movement. It's little more than plagiarism, if you ask me ;).
Another thing that caught my attention in Dan's post was the idea of the 'reengineered' fashion concept. It reminded me a little of the previous post I did about the cycle of fashion. Also...
The Johari Window concept is certainly worth reading up on if you're interested in personality triats and how you present yourself to others. Having studied psychology, it's something that I touched on for one of my modules, but I would only bore you to elaborate on it now.
As a closing thought, Dan, in answer to your (probably rhetorical) question as to whether liking all the things you like is either eclectic or eccentric- I would say it's neither. I would just say that it's a reflection of your own trend timeline.
I too like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains will always hold a small place in my heart from the good old days. But I also like Wu-Tang, Pharcyde, Architechts, Taking Back Sunday, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bach, to name but a few of the vast mix of music I enjoy today. I like heavy metal gigs and i like early nights, I like whiskey and I like green tea. I like drinking champagne on a yacht and I like drinking cider on park bench. I like my DC trainers and my skateboard, and I like my Ralph Lauren coat and my Kurt Geiger platforms. I would read all the time if I could, but then I wouldn't have time to work, which I also like. And the reason I like all of these things isn't because they're 'cool' or 'on trend' or because I'm erratic or eccentric, but because every single one of them represents a different part of my personality. And these things have become important to me because of the experiences I've had; in the same way that fashion has been shaped by world experience.
So I hope that that gives you some insight into me as a person.
Friendly advice: don't get me started on my dislikes. ;)
L.
