Fashion and Style                    

Fashion, according to the Macmillan English Dictionary, is “the activity or business that involves styles of clothes and people’s appearance” and style in this context is the way we dress. Fashion can be sexy, glamorous, mysterious, confident, graceful, empowering and allows us to express our individuality. It also has history, which gives us a small glimpse of the events of its time.  

In 1966 when Yves Saint Laurent launches his famous and fashion phenomenon the “Le Smoking”, tuxedos for women, it created controversy but empowered women and offered them the choice to wear a suit that was normally exclusive to men with influence and power (Baker 1995 and White 1995). The tuxedo was then revived in 1981 (White 1995) and recently in YSL’s 2011 Fall/Winter collection.

The romantic and historic time of Jane Austen where fashion consists of “organdie ruffles, silk flowers and the empire line” (Johnson 1996, 17) and equates to a sense of opulence (Johnson 1996). Or the decadence designs of the twenties where style was bohemia and eveningwear “catches the scent of silent movies and opium dens” (Johnson 1996).

The 18th century romanticism and lavish rococo design of Marie Antoinette’s time and pre- revolutionary Paris, where gowns were made from layers and layers of pastel fabrics, ruffled lace, bold patterns, embellishments and beading (Huckbody, 2006).

Fashion comes in many combinations, structures and designs and like designer Paloma Picasso said “It’s very important to use fashion only as it serves you and not to become a slave of fashion”. And Nicole Chavez, stylist to celebrity such as Rachel Bilson and Scarlett Johansson, “Bring your personality into your clothes and have [your wardrobe] be an extension of who you are”. 

 

Reference List:

• Baker, K. U. 1995. Evening Star. Vogue, May
• White, L. 1995. The Saint returns. Vogue, May
• Johnson, A. 1996. Scene stealing. Vogue Australia, November
• Huckbody, J. 2006. The New Rococo. Harper’s Bazaar Australia, December