Defending your fashion interest

[dizzytacks]

AARGH I go to an all boys school. This school also seems has only a mixture of nerds and rugby players. When i wear a grandad collar shirt, or skinny jeans(p.s not together) i get called "gay" lol so i used to explain how these are fashionable, yet that just encoraged physical ridicule. But some are starting to recognise my ideas now because girls we know say good things about what i wear. Its funny at the moment when some of these boys ask me what to buy atm!suckers! Btw this post had no real cause to it, just thought i would share it as im sure that many of the males on here have experienced such comments.lol.One love x

tell me about it!!!seriously i used to go on this site and style.com in secret, now my whole family knows i am interested in fashion but my sister and i had a fight recently and she told me that she would tell all my relatives that i was interested in fashion(like it is a crime) but anyway, regarding friends, they don't know that i know the difference between giorgio armani and ralph lauren since no one here does, but i have always been complimented for my style, and seriously alot of my new friends wanted to be my friend becuase of my style, but outside of my house no one knows that i am interested in fashion...I guess where you live dictates your interest a bit, i live in the red state of canada, but i never knew what prada was until i went to japan as an exchange student and i really got interested in every aspect of fashion.

 

[ivypixie]

Oh, this thread applies to me for sure!

When I was younger, I hated fashion and clothes and shopping. I allways hated that my youger sister wanted to shop when we were on vacations, and I couldn't understand why my friends was so crazy about it. What was it which was so fabolous with this? I thought fashion was shallow and unnecessary. I complained about it all the time. I wore only hoodies and jeans. That was it.

Untill I was 15 and started in high school. And since that it's just been bigger and bigger and more and more for me. Now I am totally obsessed by clothes, style, fashion, shopping... I know a lot more of fashion than my sister and all my friends (except one, but she's my best friend, and we are obsessed together ).

From mom fussing with me about "Here's some money, honey, can't you buy some new tees" and "Please go shopping with me today, honey", it has went over to "Honey, another dress again?" and "Do you barrow money, hon? How can you afford this?! ". And my dad thinks I'm very affected. Luckily for them and me, they didn't raise me up as a spoiled kid, even though they're rich enough to do that mistake. I pay everything myself with my own earned money, but sometimes I buy so much that my mom is worrying. She can think I'm borrowing money, and she doesn't like that. She's worrying about me getting problems with people. BUT I do not borrow money for my fashion interrest. Sometimes I hide my new bought clothes, and when I've had them for a little while, I can wear them and say "Oh, this isn't new, I've had them a long time". It feels less like a lie then . Also, they probably think I could save the money instead of allways spend them clothes. Save them to eg. my vacation to Portugal this summer.

Sometimes I also says that I skip buying food, and just eat food home, so I use my money on my fashion interrest instead. But I figured it out that that was not so smart, 'cause then they start wooying about something else about me... And, there's clothing items I can't get enough of, like eg. skinny jeans and striped mini-dresses, so people ask me what's the point, I already have similar clothes! And eg. I just "Nooo, this one has red stripes together with black and white. The one I already have is just black and white!" (This just happened earlier today! ).

 

[mr.minglesworth]

i have come to learn that fashion goes so far beyond labels.

high school was a piece of cake. 'looking good' meant lacoste or burberry polos and nice shorts or slacks (for me), and any combination of bebe, abercrombie, burberry, prada, coach, or louis vuitton you could imagine (for the femmes). its not that i wasnt interested in everything that elle and instyle (or details and men's vogue) had to offer, i just wasnt compelled to buy any of it, because i was comfortable in my horrifying preppiness.

college comes (along with thefashionspot.com) and boy am i in for a surprise. so many of les hommes on this site are so much more 'immersed' in their love of fashion: not just names and labels, but beautiful peices and artistic quality. they take so much time to think about what they will wear, to piece together amazing outfits, to spend hours shopping...(and they have the money to do that?!?)

i like to say i enjoy reading harper's (elle and instyle are long gone...harpers and british harpers are like gold now), i know what is going on in the world of haute couture and seasons and runway shows...but to be honest, i still am, at heart, an accessories guy. and a label guy (to an extent). i guard my louis vuitton fixation vigorously, always sad when people immeadiately peg lv as brown with monograms...and i love a lot of what comes out of marc jacobs, ferragamo, hermes, and chanel. i used to focus only on men's shoes at prada and lv and tods, but lately i have taken an interest in more bespoke men's footwear, like j.m. weston and berluti.

in conclusion (my thoughts on where this is going are blank), although i enjoy reading and participating in this forum, my everyday is not particularly 'stylish.' like diorling mentioned, there are some (most) days where i just do a polo and jeans or shorts, just because im not at that point yet...the point where i have gobs of money to throw at SAs and gobs of time to shop/put together ensembles. patience is not my best trait.

i really enjoyed reading this thread though. so many of the other members seem to experience the same things i have, or at least, things that i can look forward to (hah).

 

[coffeeandasmoke]

Well, I kind of think of it in the way that artists use paint and paper, musicians use instruments, I use my body to express my artistic interest. I wear clothes and shoes to express how I'm feeling and my personal style. If anyone has a problem with it, then I don't feel the need to associate myself with them.

People spend vast amounts of money on things like stereos, tvs, computers, cars, and other things, I choose clothes and shoes.

 

[Arturo21]

I definately experience the same as Dizzytacks, but I have expressed my love of fashion with one friend who is very interested in music. He makes me download a song, I direct him to a website to see the latest from Rick Owens

Also, same thing with IvyPixie.

I find though, that it's just mainly the US - when I was in Sweden and England (but particularly Sweden), the "normal" guys were so much more into what they wore.

 

[astatine]

I like the way coffeeandasmoke put it

Been having this problem lately...TFS has opened my eyes to a lot of things, and I'm seeing things with a more discerning eye. Visconti's account got me giggling

What I don't really get is how people can be so quick to dismiss my fashion interest as being frivolous or something along those lines, but defend their
interest in computers/sports etc. as something 'worthwhile!' and 'useful!'

Fashion is serious business. Ask French customs.

 

[shadow]

I believe the criticism and snide remarks are pure jealousy and insecurity on the part of those who attack you. In my case, it bounces off as if I was made of rubber. My mother always encouraged me and my sisters to buy the best we could afford (as she did herself) and she was very strict on looking after our clothes and accessories.

I started working while I was still at home, but with marriage plans in view. I literally blew my first two salaries in a Cartier watch. My mom adviced me to enjoy the freedom of spending my own money, before things like a mortgage or children would tie my salary for years on end. Carpe Diem.

I still have the watch, of course. 18 years later

 

[snowqueen]

the other day something horrible was said to me regrading fashion and it really hurt me .. because it offended my mum .. all my mums friends and her were sitting around it was in our lounge so i was there .. and they were all talking to me about what i wanted to do at uni .. a doctor ?? lawer ?? what ?? and when i said fashion one of my mums friends remarked to my mum well i guess thats what you get for spoiling her .. i see her walk past my house (she lives just down the road) all most everyday ladden with shopping bags. and i didnt know what to say .. my mum doesnt spoil me .. i dont let her .. i hate her wasting her money on me ... i work a part time job as well as college... so i dont have to totally relie on parents. but the things is as well they were all talking about what academic .. medcine or law degrees etc. thei kids were doing .... when my mum piped up .. you can learn law or medicine but style is something that cant be taught .. people think fashion is an easy subject or not an as good subject .. but seriously the fast amount of knowlege my daughter has this subject is amaizing far more then any law facts etc. youd have to learn for a law degree. and to me thats something to be admired for. my daughter can be creative and not a sheep.. and i couldnt be prouder of her...

I seriously could have jumped up and hugged my mum there on the spot .. all her friends were gob smacked and speachless .. i love my mum at times like this

so i dont need to defend my interest my mum does it for me

also in college etc. i dont get critisised for my love of fashion i get complemented and admired for it .. so i guess to me its never been a problem.

 

[Arturo21]

^ Happy for you

 

[snowqueen]

^^ me too i think that was one of the nicest things my mum has ever done for me.

 

[astatine]

tiamaria your mum's so nice! Karma for her!

 

[whiteshells]

Noone has ever attacked me. But I would simply say that to me, it's an environmental thing. Most people want a decent house, a clean yard, and good food. I want to enjoy it while wearing good clothes.

People are so irrational about some things. Fashion is seen as irresponsible or shallow and materialistic. I'd like to have the person accusing me to step back and think about it a little more.

 

[SophieKawaii]

Karma for your mother, tiamaria!!
This is the most important to me, to not be a sheep but study/work with what i really love! Be proud! You are great!

I've never been offended face to face cause my fashion interests, but i'm sure there are people on the street that think bad about me they just don't say it to my face. You know, there is this generalization: a nice looking, well dressed person can't be clever and serious (because he/she must stand in front of the mirror all day than sitting over the books ). But who cares, as long as i'm a member of this great community (Tfs) i don't care what other people think.

Ps.: narrow-minded ppl should come here and see how many clever, gorgeous looking people live all over the world.

 

[isntonthelabel]

whenever i complain that my boyfriend spends too much on comics, he tries to compare it with me buying fashion magazines...pshh...

 

[Sylphide]

it would be really, really interesting to do some research about attitudes to women's appearances/style/dress in the world of academia and the different fields.

interesting! I am moving towards a career in academia and sometimes I feel like I am too "frivolous" in my appearance sometimes to be taken seriously. I am in the arts though, and some people do dress a little more creatively.

 

[whiteshells]

Come to think of it, I do get comments from a male bud about me buying handbags. He says you can't play with them or do anything with them. I just equate that with disrespect. You don't have to like it, just as much as I don't have to like what you like. But that mere fact that it's something that I enjoy should warrant respect, not ridicule. So aside from explaining that they do serve a purpose, I also nudged that it was disrespectful.

I had another comment that wasn't directed at me, but I took it personally. I mentioned something that I saw in a fashion magazine once. And the person I was talking to said, "Ugh. I hate people who need other people to tell them what to wear." Referring to people who read fashion magazines. It just irritated me, because I don't think he even knows what the inside of a fashion magazine must look like. Besides, it's how you take it. I suppose some people read Vogue as their bible, but there are so many options that fashion is now really personal. I pointed out that it's more of an art magazine.

 

[shadow]

Everyone respects mens' obsession with fast cars. While in most countries you cannot drive faster than 120 km/h. Now THAT is a waste of money...

 

[SophieKawaii]

Everyone respects mens' obsession with fast cars. While in most countries you cannot drive faster than 120 km/h. Now THAT is a waste of money...

good observation

 

[ShuggaStiletto]

I'm very into art, and I see fashion as an art form, as in designers/collections. Defending my fashion interest is that I'm a creative and artistic person, and see clothes and the way that I am styled as an extension of the creativity running through me! Also, going to public high school in the suburbs (although I might be switching to private academy next year!) everyone wears jeans, tight little shirts, and consider abercrombie as high fashion. I don't necessarily care about making a statement or standing out, just looking well put together, "cool" if you will B) and just not like another suburban high school clone.

 

[soozq]

yeah don't u get soooooooo annoyed when people put down fashion as something frivolous and stupid!?!
argh i mean yeah thats not totally wrong to say it can be a frivolity but why cant pple see that fashion can be a serious industry too?!?!?