The Language of Fashion

[Anonymous No.5944826]

I'm a retard when it comes to fashion, but a friend of mine tried educating me on the subject recently. He talked about fashion as a way of expressing yourself and your personality.

This doesn't make sense to me. In my mind, we express ourselves through what we do, not what we wear, and yet my friend believes in this "language of fashion," the things we say with what we wear.

Can any of you guys explain this to me? How does one go about putting his personality into a fabric?

[Anonymous No.5944841]

I don't necessarily agree that you express yourself and personality through what you wear, but clothing and appearance play a large role in how people with judge you or perceive you. It takes basic knowledge and sociology and psychology to acknowledge this, I don't see how someone could disagree.

You could put your personality out there through your clothing if it really stands out and says something I guess. If you saw someone in Supreme and Obey for example, you might assume certain things about the type of person they are

[twerk it No.5944845]

a punk and a businessman pass each other in the streets, and immediately hate one other, all because of what was said by the clothing that they are wearing

[Anonymous No.5944843]

you'd really need to understand basic art concepts and their implied meanings like line, shape, color palette and coordination as well as subordination

essentially you're looking at fashion as an art form instead of a way to cover your body

it's like the intentions of runway fashion transposed to your day to day

[Anonymous No.5944844]

>>5944841
basic knowledge in sociology*

[Anonymous No.5944854]

>>5944843
This too

[Anonymous No.5944850]

It's not so much that people but their personality into fabric,
more that people wear what they think look cool and your opinions on what looks good or not can usually somewhat indicate personality.

[Anonymous No.5944856]

Choosing to wear something IS what you do. This decision reflects your personality.

When you were something, it is an action.

[Anonymous No.5944866]

You have already created stereotypes about the people in the picture. Don't lie.

As you can see, how you dress tells people a lot of things about you. Some true, and some false.

So if you dress in baggy jeans and ironic tees, everyone subconciously thinks of you as an immature little kid.

[Anonymous No.5944870]

>>5944866
is that a skinhead weaboo?

[Anonymous No.5944872]

OP again. I ask this because I don't really know what fashion means to me. I don't know what looks cool or not, objectively, and the things that I do like look dull, bland, or poor. shop at Walmart and TJmaxx, getting thermal shirts that I wear year round.

To me, that says I don't care, which, up until now, wasn't a problem. But my friend asked me "Why don't you care?," and I didn't know what to say. What does fashion mean to you guys, and why do you think it's important?

[Anonymous No.5944884]

>>5944845
Well said.

>>5944826
OP, if you care enough, you could read the following:

http://mafaldastasi.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/hebdige-1979-subculture-meaning-of-style.pdf

It's heady stuff at times, but it gives good examples of what your friend is talking about. How intent and culture can transform an object into a live thing, something "Pregnant with meaning" as Hebdige says.

[Anonymous No.5944885]

>>5944872
> objectively

This isn't a STEM subject. No one thinks about things like this objectively.

[Anonymous No.5944896]

Nick Rooster is a faget

[Anonymous No.5944897]

>>5944866
looks like some gay porn

[Anonymous No.5944894]

>>5944872
at first, i realized how important first impressions are so i started dressing like the sticky to a t and that really helped in school and when i was looking for an internship. a lot of people talk to you differently and seem to respect you more. but after a while i wanted more, i thought i was dressing kind of boring so now i integrate pieces i like from different subcultures and i'm pretty happy with what i'm working with now

[Anonymous No.5944920]

>>5944872
First of all, objectivity in any form of art is almost always an asinine idea.

To me, fashion is another art form that I find interesting and intriguing. The act of putting outfits together and making them convey certain emotions and such. Designing clothing or editing stuff you already own is really enjoyable. Fashion is also how most will perceive you before they get to know you. I personally feel much more confident and respected when dressing well rather than just walking out of the house without trying

[Anonymous No.5944940]

>>5944920
But in an art form that is so subjective, how can you tell whether you're dressed "well?" Doesn't that require some kind of objective definition?

[twerk it No.5944950]

>>5944940
no, the only requirement is that it's to your own taste.

[Anonymous No.5944966]

>>5944940
You have to take opinion and social values and condolences into account with fashion.

Some average person might think a business man is dressed 'well' because they're been taught to admire such attire, but a person who's actually well experienced with fashion might think he looks like shit.

Depends on what you're going for, but I myself would like to add my own touches and taste into an outfit if I had to fit a certain mold for social or economic reasons.

[Anonymous No.5944971]

>>5944940
http://startstudioarts.si.edu/2011/10/how-subjective-is-art-really.html

[Anonymous No.5945016]

>>5944971
>>5944884
Thanks for the links guys. In the sense of objective vs subjective fashion, aren't some things more objective than others? Like finding clothes that actually fit, or matching colors a certain way? Obviously, as much as there are "rules" in fashion, some can be bent, others broken, but what tend to be the guiding principles behind most "basic" fashion?

[twerk it No.5945027]

>>5945016
>Like finding clothes that actually fit

context matters

[Anonymous No.5945025]

Clothing shouldn't transcend personality but at the same time you are free to express yourself with clothing. Even if you're following what everyone else is wearing you're still only choosing to follow a select group of people. This is a form of expression. I do think it has a lot to do with insecurity tho.

[Anonymous No.5945035]

>>5945016
yeah there are definite guidelines and experienced people often break them or even subvert them

it's really the intent behind it and how that works with the rest of the outfit

like you'll definitely see beginners wear earth tones and neutrals (because they're non offensive colors and combinations) and some dadcore fit but then someone might mess with the proportions and keep the colors or another person might only use primary colors or another might only use high and low value colors

[Anonymous No.5945033]

>>5945016
> dress for occasion

Basically don't wear a suit to McDonalds. Don't wear Supreme if you're Obama.

[twerk it No.5945038]

>>5945033
but you can wear rick owens anywhere

[Anonymous No.5945043]

>>5944845
I fucking love that movie.

[Anonymous No.5945049]

>>5944826
It speaks volumes about the kind of people who idolize and what image you want to project. If you dress like your great great grandad it might say that you have a deep respect for some near-history; maybe you're big into literature from that time. If you're big into workwear, maybe you consider yourself more of a proletarian. Maybe you're a bit of a socialist. Menswear might say you consider yourself white-collar and luxurious. Streetwear shows a bit of an urban fetish; you may have a thing for 'modern culture' and like being out on the streets at night.

These are gross oversimplifications. But the way you envision yourself speaks volumes. It doesn't necessarily say everything, but it can say a lot. Sometimes it says things you wouldn't even think to actually say. And you don't always have the luxury of expressing yourself to somebody vocally.

[Anonymous No.5945051]

>>5945033
Lol, just giggled because I imagined Obama in a Supreme hat with Nike Roshes and cuffed jeans

[Anonymous No.5945052]

>>5945049
the kind of people you* idolize

[Anonymous No.5945054]

>>5945033
nigga I wear my sweats to house parties

[Anonymous No.5945058]

>>5945038

[twerk it No.5945060]

>>5945043
not sure why i didn't post this scenes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nwGndfR4l4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r5yc8G8OiY

didn't see the scene bout diff subcultures tho

[Anonymous No.5945064]

>>5944845
>the pic
isn't that a quote from MattHelders?

[Anonymous No.5945070]

You can sometimes make some genuine generalizations of what people are like by what they're wearing. For example, if someone wears bad suits with bad proportions and fedoras, they might try to exemplify older styles of dressing. They may not realize how out-of-place they look and how they don't resemble the people they're trying to look like. This shows a lack of self-awareness which is prominent in people with socially inept tendencies and bad interaction skills.


That is why fedora wearers are social autists, /thread.

[Anonymous No.5945081]

What about something like this, then? Is this "fashionable?" It's practical, nondescript, yet form fitting and unoffensive. Is that something that you would wear?

And for that matter, what is the purpose behind expressing yourself through fashion? Attention? The shaped opinion of others? Making some kind of statement? I'm trying to figure out how much of "fashion" is passive and how much is active.

[Anonymous No.5945092]

>>5945081
Practical, comfortable, and unoffensive, but I'm not really into it. A lot of people would think he's dressed well though.

>And for that matter, what is the purpose behind expressing yourself through fashion?
It's fun

[Anonymous No.5945096]

>>5945081
dis nigga just posted an action figure based off a video game

wth hahahahah

this thread was going in such a good direction

[Anonymous No.5945104]

>>5945081
fashion isn't for others. it's for the other "you" out there. the one in ten thousand who you hope will "get it" when they see it.

it's also for increasing the subconscious willingness of people around you to take you seriously and want to know you.

it's also about the love of clothing, which is a hobby like any other collecting hobby. except with more practical purpose. some dudes collect anime figures, some dudes collect guns. I think collecting quality clothing makes a lot more sense.

and no that's not fashionable in that picture. can you picture someone wearing that in public and looking good? you'd look like you think you're a hollywood badass. super lame.

[Anonymous No.5946720]

>>5945096
Indeed I did, sir. Indeed I did.

[Anonymous No.5946758]

>>5945081
better than the fedora you usually wear

[Anonymous No.5946766]

What you wear can express what you're into, what subculture you identify with (speaking of which, thx for the link poet), your attention to detail - or lack thereof. In a world where first impressions count for so much, your clothing can act as a useful shorthand for 'cultural identity' (i can't think of the phrase i'm trying to use). For example, I started talking to one of my closest friends at university because he had a cool supreme hat on - so i inferred he would be into hip-hop, and would be a fun guy to hang around with, thanks to the cultural cachet that a brand like Supreme has.

If you were lost in an unfamiliar city, you might be more inclined to ask directions from someone dressed in a suit, rather than someone in a tracksuit with their hood up.

Clothing choices send out signals, and generally, the more familiar you are with clothing and manners of dressing, the better you can read the signals.

However, it is important to remember it is only a superficial thing, and that it is fun.

[darkness_and_light No.5946785]

Your clothing projects the type of image you want to convey, movies and TV shows are the easiest example of this. If you see a woman in a pant suit you can guess that she is a driven career woman who has put aside romance for her work and will probably fall in love with a 20 something who will teach her that other things are more important in life. Clothing is visual shorthand for the type of character without having to waste time on backstory.

Besides your image, clothing can also use tricks of proportion, contrast, color, silhouette, etc. to improve your physical appearance.

The way I see it, its worth spending some time learning how to do something you'll need to do for the next forty of fifty years or so.

[Anonymous No.5946798]

>>5946766
>>5946785
OP here. Excellent responses. You've all enlightened me on the subject a great deal. Today, I graduate from a fashion retard, to a fashion babby. With luck, I may one day become a fashion noob.

[Anonymous No.5946864]

>>5946758
We have a board just for shitposting now. Go be a yeasty cunt somewhere else.

[twerk it No.5946868]

>>5946785
>for the next forty of fifty years or so.

you are awfully pessimistic

[Anonymous No.5946902]

>>5946798
oh, before you make any terrible purchases:
>pic related

But i'm glad we've helped.