FASHIIN AND STYLE

prompted to write about the real difference between fashion and style after reading a piece in Melbourne’s Saturday Age newspaper entitled “Maybe it’s time for a change of gear in fashion’s fast lane” written by sociologist Dr Ruth Quibell.

Dr Quibell proposes that the pace of fashion is so fast now that keeping up is nigh on impossible (citing mega chains like Zara, whose stock turns over twice a week – throwing out the traditional “seasonal” change in store windows altogether).

Dr Quibell suggests that we may wish to

“… strengthen our social selves, our character, rather than simply letting our uniforms do the talking.  To do this, we might avoid fashion for a while – to experiment with style, rather than what’s “now”.”

I loved that, as it speaks to not only the connection between clothing and our sense of selves (something that seems beyond debate, as much as any topic ever becomes so) but that to ‘take a break from fashion’ is something that might be soothing, healing, helpful.  I also love that statement – “to experiment with style”.  Amen!

So what is the real difference between fashion and style?

Here’s my definition:

Fashion is the relationship to the external.

It is concerned with “what’s out there” (fashion items, in the stores).  It’s a matching process between what’s out there(fashion’s primary interest) to what I’m wearing.  Is what I’m wearing a ‘match’ for what’s ‘out there’, to what’s been deemed ‘in fashion’?

Style is the relationship to the internal.

It’s about “what’s in here” (my sense of self, my identity, my perception of who I am).  The matching process is between what’s in here and how that is reflected and expressed in what I’m wearing.  Does my clothing ‘match’ my sense of who I am, at least for today?