Fashion VS Style
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Is there a difference between fashion and style?
Definitely! Fashion is most commonly used to describe the popular clothing of the day. In older times fashion changed slowly but in the 1780′s there was an increase in the rapidity of change due to the publication of French engravings. Thus began the evolution of the fashion “business.” People would then have their tailors and dress makers make them clothing like those found in the engravings. Although these engravings may have started the revolution most historians usually start the history of fashion from 1858 when Charles Frederick Worth opened the first haute couture house in Paris. Since then designers have become more dominant figures in the business of fashion. They are promoted now by modern versions of engravings such as magazines. Designers and magazines work to promote a new “fashion” every six months. How many people buy a new wardrobe every six months? Not many, that’s for sure.
Style on the other hand is defined as a way of doing something or arranging in a particular form. With clothes it is how we choose to arrange them on our body. We all do this every morning just by getting dressed! By this definition it is far more personal than fashion.
I like to go a step further by breaking down style into three basic elements of body shape, coloring and personality. Body shape refers to what flatters your figure. If you don’t take your body shape into consideration when dressing you will either make yourself look bigger than you are or put your figure out of proportion. What you want to do is make your figure looks its best. Coloring, I think, may be the easiest to determine. To find your coloring it is best to hold colors up to your face in natural light and see what happens to your skin and eyes. If the color brightens your complexion and makes your eyes sparkle then it is good for you. Think back to the 80′s when it was popular to get your colors done. Instead of seasons I like to refer to coloring in terms of cool and brights, warm and mid-tones. The last element of style is personality. This can sometimes be the most difficult to determine and the longest to develop. One should experiment with accessories and see what fits you and your lifestyle. Although this may be hard it can also be the most fun!So, keeping these ideas in mind would you rather be fashionable or stylish?
Photo By: Kevin Kobek
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