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

[valak]

Everybody is born with an individual sense of style or appeal.
Developed or not is, in my humble opinion, is not the important issue as long as the individual is able to transmit confort and well being .an individual such as Marylin Manson for example can be so appealing to some and grotesque for others but no one can deny His style...

 

[ThisHollywoodLfe]

I think everyone is born with some sense of style but I think your freinds and influences add to it. Its why some people when they get rich think, im gonna go buy a gucci suit, but they hav eno idea how to wear it or if they should even be wearing slim fit suits. You need to know your limits, I think thats also an important element to style. I do strongly believe in the over time part, becasue its the process of seeing what works and dosen't and then you;ll have that understanding from that time on.

 

[xcoldricex]

in Hiphop dance/b-boying- the notion of style is discussed frequently. because when it comes down to it, Hiphop is all about style. it doesn't matter if you can do every single move in the book.. if you don't do it with style (emphasis on personal style, biting (copying) is NOT acceptable), you get no respect. i think it applies to dance in the same way it applies to fashion. sure you can teach people the fundamentals of a movement, but you can't teach the style. everyone has to find their own style, make the movement look good on their own body, and make it align with their own personality. that's the beauty of Hiphop, it welcomes the notion of taking something and infusing it with your own personality and claiming it as your own.. because no one can take it from you, no one can emulate someone's style to a t.

as far style for me, my style is largely influenced by the music i've listened to over the years- my middle school days were filled with old school punk rock, hardcore, emo (yes, i admit it haha), and Hiphop. through these musical genres and cultures i've taken a liking to a few different style aesthetics- from the gutterpunk to the nerdy emo kid, to the sneaker-loving street style. i think my style is constantly evolving and changing and reflects where i am in life, what i've done in the past, what i'm doing, where i want to be, where i want to go, etc. someimtes i also think of fashion as art (an outlet of expression).. i like thinking about making a piece of art out of yourself and experimenting with different things...

 

[Ninimini]

i think style definately develops over time. Its all about experimenting with different styles and putting your personality into that style. Sometimes you get it wrong but eventually you'll discover your own style.

I know a lot of people who just follow trends and wear the latest thing that's supposedly "cool" and end up looking the same as everyone else, but i think eventually some of them will move away from this and develop their own sense of style and individuality. but then again i think the majority of people will always follow the trends, and clones will always outweigh the individual.

I definately agree with Scott about the make-over programmes. They never take into account that persons own style and i don't think you can suddenly give someone style and a new personality overnight.

 

[tealady]

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.

Amen!!! And how does one come to know oneself? Is one born with the ability to really SEE oneself? Or is one trained by mother, older sisters, friends etc. to evaluate and make the most of one's good points??

 

[Spike413]

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

Yes, I totally agree that finding your style is a process. I think it really starts in youth, as early as your elementary years because at that age it's all about fitting in and from there you spend your years developing an indentity. Even though that desire to fit in and the standards set by your peers are bsically the antithesis of what style is, you need to go through that before you find yourself. I think for most it starts late in your teens, you start to become yourself even if you aren't yet comfortable with it. Approval starts to mean less and being true to yourself takes priority.

 

[saturnine]

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.

Very true, in the vein of make-over reality TV programmes.

As for the original question, I think you are both born with your own personal style, and it is 'bred' as you grow and change as a person.

 

[evexa]

It is difficult to say because style is basically a form of art and with that comes the age-old question of what is art?
Style changes, what someone wears one day might be devastatingly stylish while 20 years later it might be the epitome of bad taste. So like art, style is subjective.
But is it purely subjective? Or are stylish people like prodigal child artists and born stylish. I think they are, I think some people are born with an eye for the aesthetic.
My own style has developed over the years and comes partly from what I find beautiful. Unfortunately I see myself being drawn more and more to what is considered fashionable by 'fashionable people', it is natural for me to compare myself to others and be concerned about what they think, so I think I was not blessed with the gift of style - it was acquired and is considered by others to be stylish because it is familiar and popular. I think that is why I can say that people are born stylish - because I wasn't

 

[Atelier]

I think style is way too mystified on reality tv makeover shows.

In a way, it has to be because the entertainment is in the process, not the end result. Therefore there's all this explanation, analysis and conflict between the changer and the changee.

I think it's much more simple than that. Basically, to paraphrase Calvin Klein, it's either important to the individual or it isn't.

To me it's important and I appreciate it. Whether it comes naturally to someone, is time-consumingly calculated or somewhere in between, I don't really care.

Also I don't put stock in the idea that "being yourself" is necessarily the key to being stylish. When the two concepts are in harmony, hey, that's great. But clothes and accessories sometimes allow a person not to be him or herself and I don't find anything lesser about that.

 

[model_mom]

I think style is way too mystified on reality tv makeover shows.

In a way, it has to be because the entertainment is in the process, not the end result. Therefore there's all this explanation, analysis and conflict between the changer and the changee.

I think it's much more simple than that. Basically, to paraphrase Calvin Klein, it's either important to the individual or it isn't.

To me it's important and I appreciate it. Whether it comes naturally to someone, is time-consumingly calculated or somewhere in between, I don't really care.

Also I don't put stock in the idea that "being yourself" is necessarily the key to being stylish. When the two concepts are in harmony, hey, that's great. But clothes and accessories sometimes allow a person not to be him or herself and I don't find anything lesser about that.

Nice idea, and best of all I can understand it.

 

[justlooking]

i think you have to be 'bothered' to be 'stylish.' you have to be interested in yourself as a package... i know people who are extremely interested in how they present themselves aesthetically, yet i find their style horrendous. Does someone become stylish once a majority favour that someone]s style?

do you have to be 'stylish' all the time? <e.g. at home vs. out > and If you:re not, does that mean you:re not? (sorry if its been all asked- just scanned through the posts as quickly as i could)
As said by others, i think style requires effort. Anyone can be naturally good at something but everyone makes mistakes whether it be sport or fashion etc.

 

[Missoni~Heiress]

style develops over time... and over a process of trial and error... eventually you can be at ease with the marriges of colours and materials... it becomes inbuilt... if you dont have body confidence or feel comfortable in you own skin you can look at ways to give optical illusions....

 

[justlooking]

You can naturally be good at something but still makes mistakes. I guess, like everyone:s said already, that also goes for being stylish.

Rapidly forgetting the details of everyone:s posts (apologies for a short memory) so sorry if i repeat what everyones already said as if its my own brand spanking new thought....i wish.... anyway...
what makes one stylish? i mean everyone has a style- whether it be copied, sloppy etc. do you become stylish after a majority agree that they like your consistent look?
I think 'being stylish' takes effort. i think you have to be interested in how you present yourself. style is a statement.... but i guess we all know that.

 

[justlooking]

sorry - posted twice thinking first post didn:t go through

 

[strawberry daiquiri]

Just as you either have a musical ear... or you don't, you have an appreciative eye for visuals... or you don't. Some people do just walk into a room and immediately notice ways to improve its physical appeal. Though I'm sure it's not essential, I'd say it makes developing your own style (after appreciating others') a lot easier.

 

[HotSpot]

I think style is a combination of both. Some people just know what works and have their own personal style, some can pay for a stylist and have style like most celebrities. Lots of people get style ideas from others as well. I think the problem is what the definition of 'style' is. Everyones opinion of style is different, so who really has the right to judge who has style and who doesn't? No matter what the style is it has all been done before on this earth at sometime or another, so does that mean that it is just another trend...? If it is a trend then can it still be considered as personal style? Hmmmm

 

[pluff]

Regarding the makeover shows i think that you overlook the fact that it's TV and a high %age watch the shows just because the people involved in it are such characters. I mean.. Who doesn't know Carson?
On how they dress people up they usually seam to either have low self esteem or just don't care wich to me shows a good ammount of self esteem gone bad. This turns into the other question wheter or not style is aquired over time. I would say yes.. For me it all started when a gf i had bought me a pair of jeans. I would never have bought them but i felt really good in them. Might i note that before this i would wear whatever was on top of the clothheap and call it hiphopish just because it didnt fit. Really made shopping easier.. Anything would fit, oh well back to the subject.
Someone mentioned monet as someone with extreme talent as a born gift. True, I would never call myself Mozart just because im not mozart but I really like fashion and find myself deeper and deeper in for every day that passes and also find new ways to wear the things I already have, also find alot of things that I now know just doesn't work..
I think my rant is over, tried to incorporate my personal experience with the question at hand just don't know if i added something to the discussion or just made a fool out of myself.

 

[*Happiness*]

I think style comes from confidence and knowing yourself and being comfortable in your own skin. Even if you have a pair of sweat pants you can still have style (believe me, I've seen it) or you can have on an expensive piece and be stylish. It totally depends on the energy that an individual exudes. Being yourself and doing, wearing what feels best to you is style. Style is not how many compliments you receive from an outfit, style isn't looking at what a celebrity has on and mimicking it, style isn't wearing a bunch of high end designer labels from head to toe. That doesn't make you stylish at all. Personality, independence, being "abnormal" in a "normal" kind of way, knowledge and appreciation of clothing and fashion, acceptance of the total you and happiness make a person stylish to me.

 

[tealady]

^^^ Amen!

 

[clay]

What you wear and how you wear it, how treat people and live your life, what your values are can all be summed up in terms of style. as someone earlier is their one style that is better than others. must it appreciated by others. I say no in general terms. But breaking down to fashion, I think it is way a person put themselves together that seems to always look appealing to a broad range of people, not just fashinistas, artist,
Wall streeters, hiphoppers or whatever. A woman or a man can look great in a pair of levis 501's and a t-shirt. Sometimes there is just something a little different about the way that person wears it and when they walk into a room full of really fashionable, they will be the best thing in there. maybe cause it is the way they groom themselves, their attitude and them radiating total comfort in their own skin. I think it not ony about the clothing but the persn ding it. And your all right about the little quirks a person adds and not try to follow the path set by others. But we al ( most anyway)
wear things that are considered acceptable, dress, shirt , skirt, trouser ect. Then what about the make up, jewelry( or lack of it) shoes, cleanliness, aroma, posture, laugh, smile, mannerisms. I believe they all play a role.

I saw a a PBS program on Jaqui O and they went thru the phaes of her life stylecause we all know she set some pretty high marks in her life fashion wise, but a friend of hers tells of her days when she was editing later in her life, and she would meet her for lunch at some well to do reasturant and she would walk in with a pair of trousers, maybe simple cashmere sweater and this old beaver coat that wast really some what tattered, like worn around the edges of cuff ect. and her friend said but she carried it off cause it was her being her and she never looked out of place.ALL that money and history and she just did her thing her way. I respect that kind of style.