Style vs. Fashion

The debate on what it means to be stylish goes on in many fashion blogs. I must admit I don’t consider that many people stylish in the actual meaning of the word (i.e., having elegance or taste or refinement in manners or dress). Don’t get me wrong here, many fashion bloggers are very trendy and fashionable indeed. But stylish? Maybe not that much. Let me explain.

Fashion fades, style is forever?
Having read dozens and dozens of fashion and style blogs I’ve been puzzling – once again – about the question as to what it really means to have a great sense of style. Does it mean keeping up with the latest trends? Does it mean making sure you’re always wearing the latest “It” items? Or does it, in fact, mean dressing in an original way that suits your own personality and body type?

I have to say I believe in the second definition more than the first. Yet, when I read all those fashion blogs or fashion mags, there seems to be a very strong pull to the first one, which is, of course, understandable from the industry’s point of view. But it’s pretty clear that fashion fads are a blip on the fashion timeline. For example, one season everyone is sporting leggings under minidresses, the next they are wearing skinny jeans. In my opinion there’s nothing wrong with dabbling in must-haves: each to their own, right!? However, all those “It” items will only be hot for a short period of time.

Fashion trends are notoriously quirky. The fashion industry is always on the hunt for what’s new. For every new, must-have item, there’s another that gets tossed aside like yesterday’s trend. Affordable trendy clothing, which is sometimes called “fast fashion”, is like a double-edged sword. Fast fashion makes fashionable looks accessible to everyone, but when the market is totally saturated with a look a trend loses its appeal.

Style, however, is never out of fashion! I’ll stay in the camp of creativity and flair rather than this season’s perfect outfit. I believe people should get to know themselves and their own body type and wear the shapes and styles of clothing that flatter them – whether those are in or out at the moment. Fashion is in the clothes. Style is in the wearer.

There’s dressing differently because you don’t care, and there’s dressing differently to express yourself. If you care at all about your place in society as a whole, then it’s important to understand the difference.

A cool representation of this was in a campaign done by French Connection a few seasons back and I think its so true.

Another innteresting read that I stumbled upon is Greg’s Three Rules For Clothes:

Rule #1. Clothes are seldom worn in isolation – it’s not about the individual shirt you like, but how you wear it WITH something else.

Rule #2. Most designer brands REALLY ARE worth the higher price tag. The reason why you pay more for designer brands isn’t so much the vain sense of status and recognition (although those do play a role) as it is more about the particular FIT, QUALITY of materials, CUT of the fabric and overall STYLE of the piece.

Rule #3. There’s no excuse for a bad body. Let’s face it – when you’re fat, you get all the worst choices of clothes.

Part of style is personal identity: self-awareness and self-knowledge. You can’t have style until you have articulated a “self.”

Style is also part personality: spirit, verve, attitude, wit, inventiveness. Style announces to the world that you have taken command of yourself.
I think the battle will continue until you decide what you wish to follow is it style or fashion.