Born or Bred?...Style Discussion...

[softgrey]

There are currently innumerable makeover shows on several continents...queer eye...what not to wear...etc...there are even home makeover shows...changing rooms/trading spaces...

practically every women's and men's magazine has a section devoted to developing your personal style...talk shows regularly have entire episodes dedicated to makeovers...

so what do we think?...is any of this realistic?...

is style something that can be bought?...
is style something that can be taught?...
is style something that you are born with?...
is style something that develops over time?...

is it NATURE or NURTURE?...BORN or BRED?...

what do you think?...
please share your thoughts...

 

[softgrey]

is it possible for an eye to be trained?...
or is it something you are just born with...?

are there some people that will never get it?...
hmmmm.....i'm thinking...hmmmm...

 

[Oria]

There are currently innumerable makeover shows on several continents...queer eye...what not to wear...etc...there are even home makeover shows...changing rooms/trading spaces...

practically every women's and men's magazine has a section devoted to developing your personal style...talk shows regularly have entire episodes dedicated to makeovers...

so what do we think?...is any of this realistic?...

is style something that can be bought?...
is style something that can be taught?...
is style something that you are born with?...
is style something that develops over time?...

is it NATURE or NURTURE?...BORN or BRED?...

what do you think?...
please share your thoughts...

I personally believe style is something that develops over time. I know young girls who are such carbon copies of magazines, then I know the young girls who break-out on their own. I went through several styles before I finally figured my own, but I always think there is an underlining theme with some. Like I've always been into luxurious things, but I loved bohemia as well. Learning to balance and finding your way to me takes time- but it's also very individual. I honestly don't think being individual can be taught, but nutured yes. Taking the time to go through the bad stuff to get to the good, to me is what it's all about. Again underlining themes to me will always be with you, even if you are 50 tour style and sophistication may appear mature, but the theme is always there, who are you will always speak volumes through your style.

I also think all these "how to/help you" shows and articles can give you a basic idea of what works on say a certain body frame, but I think people should never follow them to the letter.

 

[stilista]

I don't think style can ever be taught...It's something you feel inside. When you look in the mirror you know instantly if it looks right or wrong, or you know something needs to taken away or added. It's like a gut feeling or instinct, something you feel inside.

I love beautiful and unusual things and appreciate great design be they expensive or very cheap. It's not about spending lots of cash to achieve a look, and buying the "it" things of the season, but maybe growing into your own style through time and choosing items that somehow speak to you...

I work in fashion and know very, very few stylish people...Most of them buy the newest things, all have their haircut in the newest style, all listen to the music they think they should. They all end up looking like clones who think they're individual.

To have style you need to have your own quirk, your own way of doing things and a little dash of eccentricity doesn't go amiss either...

 

[cosmocat]

I work in fashion and know very, very few stylish people...Most of them buy the newest things, all have their haircut in the newest style, all listen to the music they think they should. They all end up looking like clones who think they're individual.

I can relate to this, I'm sure everybody knows 'individual' people.
I don't think style can be taught. You can teach people what will look good on them, and they will feel good and fashionable. But as soon as you have to teach someone what will make them feel good, then you know they don't have style. I don't think many do. I think most importantly style is feeling completely comfortable in your clothes, even if they don't flatter you. I definately don't think you're born with style, probably through your teenage years you develop your style as your personality develops. You can instantly recognise someone with style, even if its just in the way they wear things or hold themselves.

 

[helena]

I think its important to define 'style' - "a : a distinctive manner of expression (as in writing or speech) b : a distinctive manner or custom of behaving or conducting oneself ; also : a particular mode of living <in high style> c : a particular manner or technique by which something is done, created, or performed"

I don't think style is something you can learn almost by definition because style is "a distinctive manner of expression" - distinctive from others, so how can someone else tell you how to do this. Lets take an artist as an example - famously Monet painted the gardens at Giverny - he painted an impression of what he saw that was a representation of his feelings about the place; another artist could have painted those same gardens and painted them with technical skill & accuracy, as he was taught at painting school, but without the distinctiveness with which Monet painted. Monet painted with a new style which was his own, through and through. And this set him, and his art, apart from the others who painted by the conventions of their day. Another example is the pianist - there's the one who plays all the notes correctly & on time & according to the musicbook & theres the pianist who plays with feeling & passion & thought for the music's meaning - which is the most stimulating to watch? The enjoyment we feel comes from his passion which is something within that pianist (albeit encouraged to flourish by his teachers).

Whilst by no means do I compare Monet's greatness with someone who simply dresses well (although there are some truly inspiring 'dressers'), there are some common threads....I think personal style is about putting some THOUGHT and feeling into how you dress. Its about thinking differently from the pack. Doing something unusual with a scarf or putting two enxepected colours together or a girl wearing mens trousers etc etc. - it all shows intelligence & thoughtfulness. Thats what makes that girl stylish, unusual & an individual. Of course style can develop over time & can evolve gradually but I think to be truly stylish there must be some constant that makes YOUR style YOU. Its not about following a rulebook (although you can develop your own yays and nays) or copying a celebrity or wearing head to toe gucci, prada or comme des garcons (ahem ). Its about expressing your own distinctiveness.

Sometimes I think personal style is more important than my own personal preferences - like anna piaggi (sp?) - she has such amazing personal style - she is just so HER - I wouldn't wear it but I can respect her style.

(....I dunno, i qualify all this by saying that you can be taught not to have bad taste... I think thats what makeover programmes can do. However, no makeover programme can turn a Britney Spears into a Charlotte Rampling (and I don't just mean physically)).

ANyway enough of my ramble....

 

[orlem]

A person can learn style well, just like a person can learn to draw well or write well. Some people are very good at it when they are young, and other people are only good at it if they take an interest in developing it.

I have seen style come most easily to the artsy types.

 

[mikeijames]

while i do think that style develops over time i think it's a unique creative commodity that one either has or doesn't. but i don't confuse style with being "put together"...being put together largely depends on trend and fashion. these can be learned and applied, as i think most reality shows do. style is much more than that. someone can wear the exact same outfit and put it together in a completely different way. one fashionable woman walks down the street in an off-runway look from prada, where a stylish girl gives her own unique spin to each of those same pieces making them look true to her character.

 

[Deleted 2]

I agree with the consensus view here, that it's possible to teach only the rudiments of "style", but some of the blame for the general lack of it in personal dress lies with The Mirror Problem. You know - someone puts on a Narciso Rodriguez dress and suddenly she's Karolina Kurkova in the mirror, despite being 5'2" and bowlegged. How con one teach someone to be objective in the mirror? Lot of psychology there before it becomes natural to see the actual image instead of the intention.

 

[travolta]

I think style is innate as well..and I agree with mike james about "looking put together" which is a completely different thing. I think style is an aura that one has about themselves-and they wear the clothes like a second skin instead of the clothes wearing them. I do agree style is dynamic and you'll go through a few looks...but its more like an inner compass, where even if you deviate a little you'll always know where you're going.

 

[Scott]

Well,these make-over programmes get on my nerves. Why? Because the large majority of them always seem to leave out the person's personality in the way of being fashionable. And that's what I we must detatch from the notion of style. It isn't about being fashionable...it isn't even about fashion. Its about one's identity. And I think they sometimes dress these people with their own tastes or fashion's trends in mind rather than quite the opposite. I mean,for these so-called "experts" they sure don't know a whole lot about helping a person get to that point of who they actually are.

Sure we go through all sorts of phases in our lives but it's merely our development in search of our own identities. You can't train anybody to do that,I don't care how hard they try.

 

[Estella*]

i like the idea of an inner compass! also i think that somebody who wants to get taught to have style...or the secrets of style..is lost anyway...of course you can learn from other people...watch other people...stay curious. but i think something must be there in the first place.

 

[softgrey]

omg scott...you took the words right out of my mouth...

edit...i'll add more when i've had more sleep...

 

[Scott]

I just think that it's a process you go through..and one nobody can teach. You have to find that yourself.

 

[Spike413]

I think that style is like clay. It can be molded by outside influences in the quest to find it, but at the end of the day it is only you. Nothing else can give you style, it's what makes you who you are and no ammount of money, teaching or intention can give you style.

 

[jovana]

i think some people are born with it...the same way some people are born with artistic talent. some people are born with the nature ability to put things together and to see beauty in things...

that being said, some artists are trained. likewise, for some people, an eye for fashion is developed. i would like to think that i am one of these people. i knew nothing about style for the longest time. as a little girl i grew up with no mother, only a father. i was a tom boy for the longest time until i got into highschool where i thought fashion was wearing what all the other girls wore from the gap or j crew. i have actually had to work at developing a sense of fasion. it has taken research and reading and developing an understanding of myself and my body....cultivating style isn't easy, but i think its within every individual's capacity.

 

[Oria]

I just think that it's a process you go through..and one nobody can teach. You have to find that yourself.

You have said it so much better than me, I must learn to command English better. your words.

 

[Missoni~Heiress]

I think to have style... you have to be confortable in your own skin... some have try work on style more than others... but it should seem effortless...

Growing up my mum was heavily in to shopping and fashion... and i find that alot of my style is reflected from her... i even get inspiration from pictures of me as a little girl in my dresses and bows...

There are alot of books on style too... you can learn from people you look up to...

if you need help i can alway give advice xox

 

[MulletProof]

I dont know..I think you cant buy it nor just born with it. In my opinion, I think it's something related with education, some people have a lot of money but are so horrendously vulgar (paris) and some other grew up in the suburbs or isolated places and have a great sense of style (bjork, kate, etc). i dont know really
*walks out*

 

[MJCouture]

There are currently innumerable makeover shows on several continents...queer eye...what not to wear...etc...there are even home makeover shows...changing rooms/trading spaces...

practically every women's and men's magazine has a section devoted to developing your personal style...talk shows regularly have entire episodes dedicated to makeovers...

so what do we think?...is any of this realistic?...

is style something that can be bought?...
is style something that can be taught?...
is style something that you are born with?...
is style something that develops over time?...

is it NATURE or NURTURE?...BORN or BRED?...

what do you think?...
please share your thoughts...

I have always been torn with questions like this. Because style is such a personal thing, and it is really no one elses right to make a generalization on whether or not you have style, it is difficult to say. There is no doubt that some people are BORN with style, and there are people who will never get it, but I do think that there is an inbetween. You can not learn style really, but you can grow and change and develop it. You can probably be trained to dress with style far better than you can be trained to embody style. As far as having an eye, I think that is something that is much harder to learn, and may really be paired to different workings of the brain, and how one processes what they see.