I'm not fashion conscious, it's more like a coma

One of the most popular blogging topics, it seems to me, is fashion. I can't begrudge a person who writes about fashion because it's a very popular interest and some people are very invested in it. Like religion. You may not agree with it, but it exists. This is very much how I feel about fashion.

I have always been a jeans and a t-shirt, or sweater, girl. Usually with sneakers or boots. I like to dress up from time to time and I like to wear clothes that I feel look nice on me. Most of what I would call my "style" revolves around whatever I have found that I like the look of (both on myself and also just in terms of the aesthetics of the item of clothing in question), mixed with what I guess you could call "vintage" clothes. These are mostly things that my mom saved for me from when she was younger, or that I found in Black Market on those days where every item in the store is $10 or less, from used leather jackets to rock t-shirts. I went through high school wearing overalls from the 70s and form-fitting plaid flannel shirts over a Marilyn Manson tee (mine, not her's). Nearly everything of my mother's that I still fit into and wear on a regular basis gets compliments every time.

On the question of being someone who does not follow fashion but wears what I think looks nice, I want to point out that I am aware of the "trickle-down" in fashion. I know that the shirt I picked up that has that pin-tuck detailing I like probably only exists because pin-tucks were all the rage on the runway, or something. I saw The Devil Wears Prada. I remember Meryl Streep's little speech to Anne Hathaway about why Anne's blue sweater was that exact shade of cerulean.

So much of fashion is quite ugly, and very expensive, and therein exists the reason I fail to understand it. I know that fashion is art, and that sometimes art is very good but happens to be very ugly. What I don't understand is how someone can spend a ridiculous amount of money on an ugly dress that is only in fashion for one season before it becomes dated. I would rather buy an ugly painting by a well-know artist. I would know that the painting won't out of style as quickly as the dress, and is likely to be worth more money as time passes. However, I don't have a ridiculous amount of money at my disposal, and so perhaps I can't imagine what it is like to have money to spend on outfits that will be useless in just a few months.

Another aspect of fashion that irks me is that a relatively small group of people dictate what should be worn and what shouldn't. Someone decides what is in and what is out. For example, styles of jeans. At the moment (I think) people are still wearing tight-fitting jeans. Personally I am a fan of a more relaxed fit, preferably with a flare in the leg. This business of skinny jeans is just cruel, because it forced millions of fashion-conscious yet chubby young girls to fore-go jeans that were actually flattering (read any women's magazine and it will advise a heavy-set girl to wear jeans with a relaxed fit and a flare to visually balance out their body) in favour of pants that make the girl look like the Penguin (skinny little legs and then nothing but gut).

You could say, "You're being mean! Women can wear what they want no matter how they look!"

That's exactly what I'm arguing. They aren't wearing what they want. Not really. They are being told what they want to wear. Moreover, the fashion world worships impossibly thin women. I am 5'7" and a healthy 135lbs, and that would be considered grotesquely fat. If I were an overweight young woman, I would probably not be fashion-conscious. I would wear what looks good on me. I would not subscribe to a lifestyle that mocks someone of my size. Also I would try to lose weight because no matter how good you feel about your body, heart disease remains a threat regardless of sass.

This notion of what is in or out irritates me even more because there are things that I would like to be wearing, but can't, because they aren't in fashion at the moment. At least not yet.

What I would like to see is bell bottoms (face it: there's nearly no original thought in fashion anymore. Most styles are recycled from another era. Bell bottoms are among those things that were so awesome that they will regularly come back into fashion and go out again only to come back a few years later). I love them. They have always been my favourite type of pant. They were in fashion for a moment in high school and I had several pairs which I have now outgrown. If they would come back in style that would be great, because I could stock up for the next ten years and get my fix.

Awesome! And reminiscent of an era of better music, movies, drugs, and sex.
Being born into this particular generation (1984 to present) is a huge, cosmic joke.

I also want to see more saddle shoes (for some reason I always thought they were adorable) and 1920s dresses because they are just so darn pretty.

Beautiful!

Make it happen, internet!

Yes, I realize that if these beloved items of clothing came into fashion, it would then make me a fashion follower. I'm already aware of the irony, so don't feel so darn pleased with yourself.