Isn't everything popular ?

[SwanDiamondRose]

so fashion has gone on and on forever. in endless self-references to the past [and a past that gets more recent as we go on, as in we reference the 90s in the early 2000s], style-combining or cross-pollination, sub-cultures that get popular then return to their subculture status, and even pop items that get appropriated and blended in subcultures or into status symbols, etc...

i mean when you ask what is popular or what is a trend. yes some things do seem to have a momentary spotlight on them. but with all this style going on, couldn't you really choose any item or style and say it was popular at the moment. there is always enough imagery, photos and people into everything to support the claims.

 

[bismarck]

I don't know about saying any and every item is popular, but I do agree that nearly everything is accessible and doable in this age. In each season, practically every decade is present. Sometimes I see a weird/new item I've never seen before, but that's rare. And most of the time I find out that the aforesaid "new" item has been done before, but I was just too young/unlearned to know at the time.

I wouldn't say top hats are popular, even though I might see one every once in a while. Nor are Hitler-esque mustaches.

 

[mesmeri]

That's an interesting point, but this is a result of living in a postmodern world where everything is borrowed and referenced. A century ago women were still in tight-laced corsets, and Chanel's loosefitting garments were revolutionary. That was a change fuelled by demand - women's independence. These days pretty much anything goes, and there really is no major issue to change fashion. Or if there is we're too close to it to be able to see.

 

[Whitelinen]

Isn't everything popular? --- Yes. Trends change rapidly, although they are always borrowed, more than ever. Now when being original is appreciated you can take any item and make it fashionable. Is this bad or good for fashion? I don't know.

 

[SwanDiamondRose]

I wouldn't say top hats are popular, even though I might see one every once in a while. Nor are Hitler-esque mustaches.

ok that's funny AND true

 

[fash ho']

its either a dizzying merry-go-round or a slow evolution in details . . . things that may be reappropriated have usually changed in cut or nuance in some way.

with streetstyle and those in the discerning fashionbubble, it seems that there is a 'anything goes' feel. but when you look closely, its still as tribal as ever. for example, trends such as kayifehs (or here vibsov scarves), novelty ugly spectacles, spandex are now internationally hip.

 

[saann]

ofcourse everything has had it's time in the spotlight, but when you talk about popular trends you usually talk about ongoing trends.. that's why you can still say that something is popular and something else isn't..
I hate to use the word 'in' or 'out' anymore because I don't believe in that anymore..

but ofcource compared to before, a lot more things are popular at the same time compared to before, maybe because in the end there isn't much you can do in fashion that hasn't been done before..
there are designers such as Chalayan who do new things but they're hardly RTW.. there is a limit to what people choose to put on and that's what has resulted in the recycling of former trends, and all trends having pictures to support their existence

also you can blame the overexposure of fashion, trends are coming out to the 'public' faster now and a lot more ppl are having an interest in fashion in general, so it's not that the trend has never been there before it's just that it's coming to our knowledge faster now.. like: there will always be people sporting the 80's style no matter if it's popular or not, and others sporting the highwaist etc, but with the internet and streetstyle blogs etc it will seem as if all trends are at the same time when they've really always been there but just haven't been spotlighted as much

I hope I made any sense

 

[SwanDiamondRose]

i just find it really fascinating. how things are evolving. how there is so much of almost everything. how styles move from demographic to demographic more quickly. and the core groups that always have their own thing going on.

in a way it seems we have finally gotten past everyone looking the same. and then you look at it again and there are massive clumps of people that look the same.

i'd love to see some sort of graph/flowchart of this evolution.

 

[Autumn]

Maybe there has always been a current of trends developing and dying but we didn't know the scope of it before the Internet age. Without that, we'd be looking by and large at what was popular in our respective communities. Even magazines can't keep up with how fast things change or cover the range of it.

 

[dreamecho]

saann made a great point about the overexposure and popularity of fashion now, and Autumn brought up how the Internet has contributed to that. Indeed, we are moving through trend cycles at a much quicker rate; through the Internet, we can learn about trends quicker, and through the exposure of fashion in mainstream media, more people can pick up on trends. We've been hearing more and more about the democratization of fashion, and I think now more than ever, we are seeing trendsetters at all levels of societal hierarchy, not just from the elite. On one hand, the democratization of fashion seems like a good thing. It is indicative of the growing democratization of society in general--a growing equality among people, willingness to accept of others and increasing accessibility of information to the public. Yet, at the same time, when you factor in consumerism, all this information blasted at us encourages shorter attention spans--just look at how quickly we jump from trend to trend. There is less value and importance attached to things; in the process, we may be losing the ability to truly appreciate and value life.

There has also been something else on my mind...

Each era of fashion is a significant evolution, refinement or, often, revolt against the attitude of the previous era. That's what makes each era distinct and distinguishable from other eras. For instance, the minimalism found in the 90s was a revolt against the indulgence of 80s.

What I am curious about is, if in this era any and everything goes...then what will the next major era of fashion bring?

Will we find a new strictness in fashion in the next decade? Or perhaps will our current freedom keep evolving?

(This subject is fascinating to me.... I have been thinking about starting a thread on the democratization of fashion or something similar, so kudos and karma to SwanDiamondRose for doing so. )

 

[thefunkykitten]

I'd loved reading all these view points, it's a fascinating topic.

where yes, everything is popular in the sense that you can make anything you wear unique, but trends still exist and always will. i see trends as something really only for the mainstream crowds - as a commercial take on fashion. designers and street culture will always have their own spin on things and follow their own tastes. for example - the smock top. a huge popular trend on the high street... but take something like MC hammer drop crotch trousers. NOT a popular trend (at the moment) but it could easily be worn by the "hip and trendy" street "trendsetters" and not look out of place. am i making any sense? i guess smock tops are easier to wear than MC hammer styleee pants, but i actually had difficulty thinking of an item that isnt a high street trend at the moment! hmm... does that make my point of view invalid now?

i do find it difficult in this age to find a look, as we have so much choice. we are not "forced" into wearing a certain style or silhouette as we've seen in the 20s/30s/40s/50s/60s etc.... we take inspiration from and use these past trends.

i worry that although we are now able to find our own identity and style - many are lost in a world of too much inspiration... and find it difficult to know, even understand, what it actually means to be living in 2007 onwards.

apologies for rambling! i've confused even myself.............

 

[PerfectPerfect]

In a capitalist and consumer world, of course anything will go. But there are still nations and religions that do not follow that - women in some places are still restricted by wearing traditional garbs that cover them head to toe. So not "everything" goes for them. Or the people who live in third world countires, lets ask them if everything goes.

In developed nations everything goes with certain people because of centuries of allowing the government or religions dictate on what was acceptable. Even then not everything goes. Depending on your income and where you live, you will still be praised and knocked down for what you wear and dont wear. We wouldnt have fashion magazines if everything went now.

 

[thefunkykitten]

^ I don't think anyone was really referencing to third world or poorer countries...

 

[dreamecho]

^ Thank you, thefunkykitten. I can't speak for everyone else, but I was referring to the people in developed countries who have the luxury of concerning themselves with fashion. This entire subject--and forum--is based on the premise that apparel is, for some, more than just bare necessity. However, PerfectPerfect, I am glad that you brought up these subjects. I myself am often dismayed at what seems to be a complete disregard of other cultures, races and income levels. Many people in first world countries tend to lose perspective since they are entrenched in materialism. I would like to see more of a mindful approach to fashion in developed countries. As I said in my previous post, I was concerned that the "everything is popular" and fast-fashion attitude also may reflect our increasing inability to value the things we have--and the fact that we are fortunate enough to have and enjoy these things in the first place.

thefunkykitten, I find it interesting that you said there was too much inspiration. The overload of images and ideas is another result of the "anything goes" attitude, and like you, I wonder where fashion will go from here. Even greater freedom or a revolt thereof?

 

[PerfectPerfect]

But those hinderances occur in developed nations too. Maybe it's not that everything is in fashion but what you can afford is in fashion.

What part of "everything" is not clear though. Everything is EVERYTHING.

Anyway, it could seem on the surface that everything is in, but it really isnt. Within your friends, community, city there are certain trends that are in and people follow. When you see someone wearing something you dont like or you pass judgement about how someone is dressed badly, even how they are dressed specific to their region, if everything was in, there would be no do's or don'ts lists or anyone speaking badly of how people dress. Same with the level of your income (because this coordinates with where you live), certain things will be in fashion for you but not for someone else.

We are definitely 100% free to wear what we want, there is no doubt about it. Is everything in though? I would still say no.

 

[SwanDiamondRose]

i guess what i am saying is if you choose even one small item of clothing/accessory you can find somewhere at this moment that it fits in. and if it doesn't already, you can make it so.

things have become fragmented but yes democratized. meanings and histories of items have been dumbed down but at the same time what they represent HAS been absorbed and accepted into popular culture.

and i too find the idea of where will we go from here interesting. how much recombining can we do? i actually think it is infinite. but we have definitely dug into many [almost all?] sources of inspiration.

and i find it interesting in certain countries where for example certain items of clothing will still cause outrage that people are pushing forward in ways other parts of the world went through decades ago.

all the interconnecting cycles and mini-cycles.

 

[astatine]

i think that referencing and combining can be indefinite...although we keep looking back for inspiration we do mange to come up with new interpretations.

for example - kimono tops are very popular in my country right about now, but instead of the bold colours or all over prints our mothers used to wear, i see them with border prints and softer colours now.

but to get back on topic, i personally think that it's great that everything can be "in" just as long as you find a way to make it work for you. like what saann has said everything is popular somewhere, and if you put it together in a melting pot like tfs you might suddenly have a list of trends from many different countries, which i imagine would amount to quite a few trends that seem to be going on at the same time

 

[Lena]

we had a discussion about 'the end of mainstream' or something like that in the title, which was focusing on the newfound 'freedom' from trends and the trouble companies have to focus on 'new trends' for their clients..

i honestly believe that there is an ongoing revolution against 'set trends' and that evn though is mainly happening between the 'fashion consious' consumer, it affects fashion understanding in a much wider circle

on the other hand, there sure are some contemporary trend 'highlights' which change so quick, so in the end, with the recent rise of 'personality/individuality' as a 'popular trend', i agree, that if not 'popular' sure.. almost anything can be acceptable and can be adapted in today's 'free' fashion world

it's all about 'doing things our own way', a perfect trend for our meta-modern, self-expressing lifestyle

 

[Kimkhuu]

True, it is getting hard to catch on......

 

[SwanDiamondRose]

it's all about 'doing things our own way', a perfect trend for our meta-modern, self-expressing lifestyle

that is the part i like.