Fashion subjective and ever-changing (2024)

Fashion is a lot of things. Architecture. Art. Self-expression. But above all, fashion is subjective.

A million articles in Vogue, Marie Claire or any random Internet blog can tell us who the greatest fashion designers in the world are and what's the most fashionable thing to wear. However, when it's boiled down, there always will be someone somewhere who thinks the height of fashion is ugly.

"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months," said Oscar Wilde, who himself was known to indulge in the style trends of his time.

"Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are," said Quentin Crisp, a 20th-century English author.

When connected to Wilde's hypothesis of fashion's ever-changing nature and fluidity, it makes sense that you can change who you are often if you don't know who you are. But then again, it's subjective.

When asked about his designs, Ralph Lauren has said that he "(doesn't) design clothes, (he) designs dreams." On the surface, it may seem self-serving and narcissistic, but that is what fashion is about. Lauren designs dreams; to some people, those are wonderful and enlightening, but to others those dreams may be nightmares.

Perhaps it's fashion's subjectivity that makes it so compelling. It's not just designers and stylists and editors who partake in it, but also businessmen, children, mothers and any number of everyday people.

In the film "The Devil Wears Prada," Meryl Streep's character speaks about the color cerulean and how it started with one designer and "filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner, where (Andi) ... fished it out of some clearance bin."

She went on to say that cerulean represented millions of dollars of research and business and was not just an inconsequential color thrown together in a factory. Even when someone opts out of fashion and their opinion disapproves, they are obligated by society to wear clothes and in the end partake in the ritual they abhor.

Fashion is . Fill in the blank with whatever sounds appropriate. Fashion is up to the audience. Fashion is whatever is made of it. Even fashion that is initially disregarded by critics as ugly and unwearable may one day become the inspiration for the latest trend.

Conversely, French poet and novelist Jean Cocteau once said, "Art produces ugly things which frequently become beautiful with time. Fashion, on the other hand, produces beautiful things which always become ugly with time."

Regardless of whether you follow today's trends or opt for classic wardrobe staples (or opt out of style altogether), fashion is, according to designer Oleg Cassini, a "mirror of the time in which we live, a translation of the future, and should never be static."

Seth McCormick Cooke is a stylist and freelance writer based in Charleston. Reach him at SethMcCormick@me.com.

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Fashion subjective and ever-changing (2024)

FAQs

What does Georg Simmel say about fashion? ›

According to Simmel, fashion (non-cumulative change in cultural features) derives from a basic tension specific to the social condition of the human being. On one hand, each of us has tendency to imitate others. On the other, we also have a tendency to distinguish ourselves from others.

What does it mean when fashion is subjective? ›

Fashion is subjective and you need to wear what makes you feel comfortable. And what you can personally identify with. Even if you wear a shirt with your favorite singer on it or carry a bag with your favorite cartoon character, your personal style should, as the term implies, be personal to you.

What is the reason why fashion always changes? ›

The answer is probably as simple as the fact that people change. Over time, the new replaces the old. People are influenced by popular culture, including athletes, musicians, movie stars, social media, and royalty.

What is fashion best answer? ›

Fashion is best defined simply as the style or styles of clothing and accessories worn at any given time by groups of people.

How is Veblen's writing on fashion different from Simmel's? ›

Where Veblen's interest in people's imitation of fashion was prosaic, Simmel's was more philosophical. He suggested that imitation provided a means for people to mediate the omnipresent tension that existed between their desire for social conformity and personal distinction (Simmel [1904] 1971: 19).

What is a main concept for Simmel? ›

Simmel's thought is that a recognizable social experience is possible only under certain conditions. We must be able to place individuals into generic social types or roles, otherwise every new encounter would be so utterly novel that social life would have no regularity.

What are examples of being subjective? ›

Read on for some examples of objective and subjective statements.
  • Subjective: “This carpet is my favorite color of red.”
  • Objective: “This carpet is red.”
  • Subjective: “I don't like folk music.”
  • Objective: “Even though I don't like folk music, many professional folk musicians are objectively skilled players.”
Aug 10, 2021

What does it mean when an answer is subjective? ›

Subjective most commonly means based on the personal perspective or preferences of a person—the subject who's observing something. In contrast, objective most commonly means not influenced by or based on a personal viewpoint—based on the analysis of an object of observation only.

What are examples of subjective things? ›

This is used to describe an action that is interpreted by feelings and opinions. Examples: Movie reviews and opinion columns are examples of people writing subjectively. Lawyers are better when they are not involved subjectively with their cases.

What are 4 factors that influence fashion changes? ›

Factors Influencing Fashion
  • Social Factors.
  • Cultural Factors.
  • Political Factors.
  • Environmental Factors.
  • Psychological Factors.
Jun 22, 2021

What influences fashion to change? ›

Fashion trends are influenced by several factors, including cinema, celebrities, climate, creative explorations, innovations, designs, political, economic, social, and technological.

What influenced change in fashion? ›

Social factor is one of the most significant factors that influence fashion frequently and expansively. Its area is pretty wide and includes many factors, such as place of living (urban area or rural area), educational and cultural background, status in society, gender, profession, and, of course, occasions.

Why is fashion important 3 reasons? ›

Clothing is an essential part of people's lives. They offer many health and beauty benefits. Fashion is crucial to history because it sets the tone for how people present themselves in every era. Everyone lives through fashion, sometimes by choice and sometimes because of societal rules.

What is fashion in your own words? ›

fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place. the current fashion. style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste.

How does fashion define you? ›

Clothes reflect who you are, how you feel at the moment and sometimes even what you want to achieve in life? Always remember whatever you wear should reflect the real you. Your dressing sense reflects your personality, character, mood, style and what actually you are as an individual.

What are two economic factors that have an influence on fashion change? ›

If we check out the historical background of the development of the fashion industry, we will find that from time-to-time, economic factors such as recession, inflation, the national economic policy, and of course, economic growth have profound influence over fashion.

What are the two theories of how fashion is adopted? ›

The three major theories of fashion movement are trickle-down, trickle-up, and trickle-across.

How does fashion express individuality? ›

The importance of individuality in fashion

Fashion is an incredibly powerful form of self-expression. It can be used to express identity, beliefs, and personal style. By embracing individuality in fashion, individuals are able to set themselves apart from others in ways that make them feel unique and confident.

What is the conclusion of Georg Simmel? ›

Simmel concludes his essay by noting how the city influences individuals and provides the "opportunities and the stimuli for the development of ... ways of allocating roles to men. Therewith these conditions gain a unique place, pregnant with inestimable meanings for the development of psychic existence." (Farganis, p.

What is subjective and objective culture Simmel? ›

Objective culture involves those objects that people produce (art, philosophy, science and so on) that become part of culture. On the other hand, subjective or individual culture refers to the capacity of the individual to produce, absorb and control the elements of objective culture.

What are the central ideas of Georg Simmel? ›

Explanation: According to him, the central idea of Simmel's analysis was: the society consists of a vast number of people, all seeking goals and desires with no regard to others 'goals (beyond, possibly, personal friends and familiars).

What are the 3 types of subjective well-being? ›

Subjective well-being has three components: life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) (Andrews & Withey, 1976). Individuals are said to have high SWB if they experience LS and frequent PA (e.g., joy, optimism) and infrequent NA (e.g., sadness, anger).

What are three subjective examples? ›

Here are some examples of subjective statements: It feels very warm outside. Dogs are better than cats. The plums in the icebox tasted delicious.

Is Beauty subjective or objective? ›

The word “beauty” (and cognates) can be used to make objective claims (claims whose truth is meant to be determined by the object referred to) or subjective claims (claims whose truth is meant to be determined by one's subjective experience). It can work both ways.

What is objective vs subjective answers? ›

Objective means making an unbiased, balanced observation based on facts which can be verified. Subjective means making assumptions, making interpretations based on personal opinions without any verifiable facts. Objective observations or assessments can be used before arriving at any decisions.

What is subjective thinking? ›

Subjective thinking

It's completely based on an individual's beliefs and may or may not reflect the beliefs shared by others. Subjective thinking may dismiss facts to align with one's own personal opinions.

Can something subjective be wrong? ›

A subjective claim cannot be proved right or wrong by any generally accepted criteria. An objective claim may be true or false; just because something is objective does not mean it is true.

What is a good sentence for subjective? ›

Dreaming is a subjective experience. a person's subjective perception of the world Personal taste in clothing is very subjective. In reviewing applicants, we consider both objective criteria, such as test scores, and subjective criteria, such as leadership ability. Law can be maddeningly subjective.

What makes something subjective? ›

If you're looking at something subjectively, that means you're using your opinions, feelings, or perception to shape your thoughts about that subject. In other words, subjectivity is influenced by one's own emotions and beliefs and therefore varies from person to person.

What is an example situation of a subjective experience? ›

For instance, we are all having a subjective experience whenever we are experiencing pain. Although we as an individual can identify and feel the specific components of the pain no one else can fully measure or feel our own subjective experience of pain.

What are the 3 key influences on fashion? ›

Fashion Designing Basics: Factors Influencing Popular Fashion
  • Fashion Forecast (Colour & Fabric) Deciding the colour, fabric and look for the upcoming season is something that every designer works on. ...
  • Movies & Music. The entertainment world is a major influencer of fashion. ...
  • Fashion Stylist. ...
  • Economy of a Country.
Dec 20, 2017

What are the 5 elements of fashion? ›

5 Important Elements of Fashion Design
  • Colour.
  • Silhouettes.
  • Fabric.
  • Body Shape.
  • Balance and Rhythm.
Jan 6, 2021

What are the big four in fashion? ›

The Big Four, sometimes referred to as The Big 4, is the name given in fashion to the four most notable Vogue covers; American Vogue, British Vogue, Vogue France and Vogue Italia. The term is commonly used when a model completes all four covers and is considered one of the biggest achievements in the fashion industry.

How does fashion reflect changes in society? ›

It's a form of expression that helps people display or define their attitude, and personality and communicates their beliefs and ideas in a silent (or loud) manner. Therefore fashion is a social commentary which comprises literature, architecture, art, behavioural patterns, prevalent social trends, economy etc.

What determines a fashion trend? ›

Fashion trends now start and evolve through five key ways: from the runway, from street style, through celebrities, through fashion bloggers, and through the different fashion capitals of the world.

Who has influenced fashion the most? ›

The 12 Greatest Fashion Icons of All Time
  • Princess Diana. One of the best-dressed women in history is Diana, Princess of Wales. ...
  • Rihanna. Rihanna remains an influential fashion icon that even international brands recognise. ...
  • Audrey Hepburn. ...
  • Harry Styles. ...
  • Billy Porter. ...
  • Jackie Kennedy. ...
  • David Bowie. ...
  • Cher.
May 4, 2022

Is fashion a social change? ›

Fashion serves as a window into social class and social change as it reflects and influences the cultural, economic, and political climate of society.

What social factors influence fashion? ›

Social Factor Influencing Fashion
  • The place where a person is born and brought up;
  • Family's environment;
  • Culture & tradition of the native place;
  • Gender;
  • Profession;
  • Occasion; and.
  • Social status.
Oct 13, 2022

How does fashion affect our lives? ›

Fashion keeps a society lively through different new styles and subsequent changes. Fashion promotes social changes from time to time and also respects traditions and customs in society. Fashion encourages to modify or amend all those customs that are rigid and have no relevancy anymore.

Does fashion affect your confidence? ›

Clothes Can Make You Feel Powerful. High-quality, well-tailored clothing can help you feel more confident and powerful, allowing you to take on challenges at work and in your personal life. Research has shown that wearing formal clothing can change the way you view and approach situations.

What is the purpose of fashion? ›

Fashion allows you to modify everything around you as indicated by how you want to present yourself to the world and the way you feel. You can experiment as much as you want with various styles because that's what art is, the freedom to be whoever you want to be.

How do you think fashion will change in future? ›

  1. Future Fashion Trends: Focus on Health and Well-Being. ...
  2. Rental Service and Second-Hand Fashion for a Lower Carbon Footprint as a Fashion Trend of the Future. ...
  3. Reducing Resource Consumption with a Circular Economy in Future Fashion. ...
  4. Future Fashion: Reduction of the CO2 Footprint. ...
  5. Personalization: Specialists Are in Demand.
Mar 12, 2023

How does fashion show your identity? ›

Fashion is a non-verbal communication that can represent one's political and religious beliefs, gender identity, occupation, and essence. Whether intentional or not, the way that you dress can send a message to others about how you view yourself and how you want to be seen.

Why is fashion an identity? ›

Fashion becomes inextricably implicated in constructions and reconstructions of identity: how we represent the contradictions and ourselves in our everyday lives. Through appearance style (personal interpretations of, and resistances to, fashion), individuals announce who they are and who they hope to become.

How does sociology relate to fashion? ›

In a society that values diversity, a person's identity is defined by their fashion sense and sense of style. Fashions are extremely varied and special in that they can meet almost all of the social, religious, and cultural demands for identification found throughout the world.

Which fashion theory is associated with the views of Thorstein Veblen and Georg Simmel? ›

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Thorstein Veblen (1899) and Georg Simmel ([1904] 1971) explained how imitation acted as both cause and catalyst in the creation and consumption of new sartorial vogues.

What did Georg Simmel believe? ›

Simmel believed in the creative consciousness that can be found in diverse forms of interaction, which he observed both the ability of actors to create social structures, as well as the disastrous effects such structures had on the creativity of individuals.

What does psychology say about fashion? ›

Clothes have developed from a practical asset to a social marker: they affect the way we see ourselves. They help us to be seen in the light that we wish to be, and also exude our personalities and social status. In many societies, dress sense embodies personal wealth and taste.

Can fashion reflect social change? ›

Fashion serves as a window into social class and social change as it reflects and influences the cultural, economic, and political climate of society.

What are the social factors that influence fashion change? ›

Social Factor Influencing Fashion
  • The place where a person is born and brought up;
  • Family's environment;
  • Culture & tradition of the native place;
  • Gender;
  • Profession;
  • Occasion; and.
  • Social status.
Oct 13, 2022

What are the key sociological factors influencing fashion? ›

Social factor is one of the most significant factors that influence fashion frequently and expansively. Its area is pretty wide and includes many factors, such as place of living (urban area or rural area), educational and cultural background, status in society, gender, profession, and, of course, occasions.

What is the trickle up theory in fashion? ›

The trickle-up effect in the fashion field, also known as bubble-up pattern, is an innovative fashion theory, born in the late 1970s, that believes that new trends are to be found in the streets and that innovation flows from lower classes to upper ones.

What is the trickle-down theory in fashion? ›

In the world of fashion, trickle-down describes a situation where particular trends are first accepted by people in the top social class. Then, over time, those fashion trends become gradually accepted by those in the lower classes.

What is the trickle across theory of fashion? ›

the notion that the adoption of a particular fashion will spread horizontally within several socioeconomic classes at the same time.

What is the sociology of Georg Simmel summary? ›

Simmel conceives sociology as the science of social forms (in a sense affording form analytic primary over content - although in reality they are inseparable). He makes use of a helpful analogy of geometry as the study of forms (ie. shapes) which may exist in an unlimited variety of physical materials.

What is the tragedy of culture Simmel? ›

The Tragedy of Culture

Simmel viewed human culture as a dialectical relationship between what he termed “objective culture” and “subjective culture.” He understood “objective culture” as all of those collectively shared human products such as religion, art, literature, philosophy, rituals, etc.

What are the 4 psychological reasons consumers participate in fashion? ›

These include conformity, desires for variety seeking, the need to express personal creativity, and sexual attraction.

How does fashion affect our mental health? ›

Mental health effects

If you're constantly picking up your outfits keeping in mind what society considers ideal, then eventually your self-esteem may take a hit. A poor body image may lead to negative thoughts about yourself.

Does fashion shape our identity? ›

Fashion influences identity in a wide variety of ways; from the colours we choose to the shops we frequent; our sense of style deeply reflects who we are. Anything we do or wear, such as hair dye or tattoos, reflects our sense of style.

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