The meaning of "Wearable" - discussion

[*sayan]

Hi,
im am now over my 100t post, getting confortable and starting a debate

I am often reading comments using the "wearable-not wearable" factor. I would personnally love to hear more views af what it means for each person, as i think its a important factor in understanding different perceptions of fashion.

 

[Arturo21]

Good debate!

In my personal opinion, "wearable" is an individual opinion - it applies to an individual rather than I group. Meaning, what is wearable to one isn't wearable to the other. AKA - to "pull (something) off"

I think there's a similar debate on this in the Dior Homme thread between Tricotineacetat and Chinor1z, you might want to look.

 

[Pastry]

great topic, veru touchy, no?

i, cannot relate to clothing that is unwearable. people are going to massacre me, but many things from Dior Homme and Comme des Garcons would take a very strong personality to pull off. I enjoy classics with a twist!

that's why i think prada is such a great mind. essentially it's not new design, it's creative styling and very luxurious everyday clothes.

shrunken blazers, raw edges, worn denim - not for me. although i enjoy little eccentricities here and there. today, i bought a black sweater with silver lurex stripes running down.

 

[Spike413]

I totally agree with Arturo, just as tastes differ the definition of wearable does as well. For me personally, I find designers like Junya and the like to be unwearable as a look. To me, I just can't imagine myself or anyone else wearing those looks right off the runway while with a designer like Marc Jacobs or Prada you can take those looks off the runway and see them on real people. That's not to say that I don't like pieces by Junya or Yohji, but as a look it just seems very unwearable to me.

That's just my opinion of course, because in the same respect someone might look at (old) Gucci and see it as unwearable, so it really does depend on the individual.

 

[finalfashion]

It is much harder to design something that is wearable than something that is not, in my opinion... but it is a very subjective subject. I am fascinated by clothes that people want to wear all the time. What is it about them, as they are often kind of random, or quite boring things, that people have a connection with. Like a pair of jeans or a certain t-shirt... and you have it for a long time and wear it hundreds of times.

Something that is wearable is worn. It's just that simple. If it's not on the street, it's not wearable.

 

[Pastry]

It is much harder to design something that is wearable than something that is not, in my opinion... but it is a very subjective subject. I am fascinated by clothes that people want to wear all the time. What is it about them, as they are often kind of random, or quite boring things, that people have a connection with. Like a pair of jeans or a certain t-shirt... and you have it for a long time and wear it hundreds of times.

Something that is wearable is worn. It's just that simple. If it's not on the street, it's not wearable.

great minds think alike whenever i use public transportation i observe the things that people wear. why is it that most people kept clothe from the 80's and 90's adn not from any other decade. why don't they let go of mom jeans and bouffant hairdo's?

the concept is fascinating to me. in fact, it's worth bulding a fashion collection about. sweatshirts can be made intersting and the rise of the pants lowered. a hoodie made out of cashmere - a perfect blend of high and low to me

 

[*sayan]

To me the concept of wearable has a lot to do with how one feels, or how one wants to feel rather than strictly how one looks. Therefore i can find some extreme C Diem pieces wearable, or Comme and many others for that matter. My very idealistic view of fashion makes me think clothes have the power to transform a soul.
Wearing a colorful extreme Comme piece gives u a challenge in the morning, a challenge in presenting yourself in the street, a challenge in communicating with strangers or friends, dealing with looks, putting yourself in a position to take things more lightly, and especially makes the wearer take himself less seriously. It can also bring out very nice sides of people who would therefor not be noticed, or show a very closed minded side of someone believed to be the opposite. these are all just examples, but my point is: how does one feel after such a day, what sens does "enjoy the moment"(carpe diem ) takes after such an adventure. I cannot believe that such a challenging day doesnt forge a personality...yes, we all admire or at least are intrigued by people who "pull it off", BUT maybe that person wasnt as strong before and challenged herself by putting something crazy on her back. Maybe its the garment who's responsible for making that person strong. Garments making people more confident. doesn't it sound nice?
Sure being sexy is nice and can bring some self confidence. But being truly confident is holly.(and in my opinion much sexier )

"Life is to serious to take it seriously"

 

[Arturo21]

^I agree in several ways to the things posted above.

In the end, what I can pull off is something that I look good in, if it doesn't look good on me, then I simply can't pull it off - I have to come to terms with that, it could be a gorgeous piece, but it's not for me. It's called, sucking it up. Live with it, Arturo.

Meaning...yes, I have to look good in it too. The concept, the idea of the piece/outfit is only half of it

go ahead, butcher me now

 

[Scott]

*sayan,you speak volumes....not unlike most Belgians. I complete agree with on the feeling factor. I think that's what's most important. Humans are very complex and it's difficult to pinpoint what really is wearable for you because feelings often take control of many choices of dress. At least,if one doesn't follow trend mags Granted,however,we all probably have a vein in our tastes that are very identfiable...but it's never the same each day,I don't think.

But as far as this battle of wearability...it's completely subjective. Therefore,there is no right or wrong answer. Just one's own opinion and taste.

 

[*sayan]

I agree, thats whats interesting , different opinions about it. Although i have to say im not belgian im actually from canada(not canadian either but eh) Im here for studying.

 

[softgrey]

wearability...in industry speak...

refers to whether or not a vast majority of potential consumers can actally fit into a garment and have occasion to wear said garment...

personal taste is of course a factor...
but if the garment is cut teeny tiny...
then even if you WOULD wear it...many of you CAN'T..
so it is inherently unwearable to the vast majority of consumers out there...
which limits your market and your potential profitablity...
not a very good business plan...

 

[justinelm]

> majority of potential consumers can actally fit into a garment

Ok, it makes total sense but let's get this out of the way for this discussion of what is 'wearable'. I think people are more interest in the second part of your (good) definition.

> and have occasion to wear said garment...

What do you mean by occasion to wear it? As is understand it, it would be a place and time where some outfit would make some sense. But but but, ... then it's a matter of comformity?

I have a friend who wears the craziest clothes just to run around in the city (he's an artists so he doesn't have to deal with corporate dress-code). I've also seen some people wear really crazy things on the street of nyc and it fitted them fine.
I think those people don't care about the 'will i have an occasion to wear it?' but they create the occasion to wear it! I admire that. It certainly takes balls to face the potential idiotic comments from the masses.
I agree it's probably not a wise business decision to rely on 'the freaks' though

 

[softgrey]

yes-everyone knows there are exceptions to every rule...
that goes without saying and doesn't need to be spelled out...imo...

 

[AlexN]

I think there's a similar debate on this in the Dior Homme thread between Tricotineacetat and Chinor1z, you might want to look.

I also recommend reading that.

 

[tricotineacetat]

I don´t know, I´ve become a little tired of discussing what´s wearable and what´s not... because everybody has got his very own perception of what is and what is not - just as everybody has an individual perception on the role that he or she wants to play in a social environment.

I think above everything it is important that the wearer behaves naturally wearing the clothes, for example, if you are a woman that cannot walk properly in heels, you shouldn´t wear them (or at least, learn to)! Being comfortable and natural in the clothes that you wear, that´s what I find important above all. Some people, like our very own Alejandro, could probably pull off anything, but that´s a matter of attitude - if you´ve got the guts to wear something "out there" with confidence, than it won´t look forced on you.

As for the sizing issue that Softie addressed, I think that´s a different wearable/unwearable thing that Sayan tried to figure out. Of course if the proportions of a garment are rather unforgiving, technically only few will be able to to fit the clothes. I just recently spoke with Nicolas Andreas (Taralis) and he told me that in case of Dior Homme, they couldn´t keep up the uncompromising cuts of the early seasons because for a mass market that the company was designed for, this couldn´t work out in bigger productio volumes. on the contrary, being aware that his own signature collection is very small in quantities and distribution, he told me he was perfectly fine addressing a petite, androgynous clientele. I agree with him and also on the fact that with some people, skinny might turn out looking more natural than free, or loose fitting garments. It´s just a question of what and how people are used to wear clothes.

 

[Lena]

wearable/unwearable..
like other posted already it is all more a matter of personal taste than of 'design'
believe it or not, i find those hiddeous low waisted jeans totally unwearable, i never tried one on, honestly..
to me its not really a matter of fitting, its a matter of taste, choice, mood and suroundings.

like finalfashion noted, its only too easy to make something 'impressive' but totally unwearable and get ohhhs and ahhhhs from everyone, but the end client.

personally i always had more respect for designers able to bring in clever fresh ideas and shapes without jumping over the 'weird-o / unwearable' fence.
the strength in a collection is to present clothes people want to wear instantly.. i dont particulary respect the 'shock' factor, just becuase its far to easy to shock, much earier than to make something useful and still innovative

to wrap this, extremely 'hard to wear' shapes and impressive-for-the-sake-of-it styles, belong to art galleries, to museums, but not to boutiques

 

[Scott]

That's why I think the Belgians and even some of the Japanese are so good at what they do. Although it may appear odd,and one may percieve as unwearable visually,there is actually a real element of modesty in their works when looked at closely. It's a completely different feeling once you come in contact with it and try it on. It's like Boudicca...their work is so utterly dramatic on the catwalk and in stories,but when I saw their pieces on the Seven web site,seperately and on closer inspection...they work.

 

[rui]

Hi,
im am now over my 100t post, getting confortable and starting a debate

I am often reading comments using the "wearable-not wearable" factor. I would personnally love to hear more views af what it means for each person, as i think its a important factor in understanding different perceptions of fashion.

ANYTHING IS WEARABLE. Its up to the wearer to be confident in the garment!

 

[nqth]

Wearable = sellable:-P

 

[fashionista-ta]

To me the concept of wearable has a lot to do with how one feels, or how one wants to feel rather than strictly how one looks. Therefore i can find some extreme C Diem pieces wearable, or Comme and many others for that matter. My very idealistic view of fashion makes me think clothes have the power to transform a soul.
Wearing a colorful extreme Comme piece gives u a challenge in the morning, a challenge in presenting yourself in the street, a challenge in communicating with strangers or friends, dealing with looks, putting yourself in a position to take things more lightly, and especially makes the wearer take himself less seriously. It can also bring out very nice sides of people who would therefor not be noticed, or show a very closed minded side of someone believed to be the opposite. these are all just examples, but my point is: how does one feel after such a day, what sens does "enjoy the moment"(carpe diem ) takes after such an adventure. I cannot believe that such a challenging day doesnt forge a personality...yes, we all admire or at least are intrigued by people who "pull it off", BUT maybe that person wasnt as strong before and challenged herself by putting something crazy on her back. Maybe its the garment who's responsible for making that person strong. Garments making people more confident. doesn't it sound nice?
Sure being sexy is nice and can bring some self confidence. But being truly confident is holly.(and in my opinion much sexier )

"Life is to serious to take it seriously"

sayan, I certainly like how ambitious you are for fashion, which as we all know is notorious for being shallow ...

I'm not sure which comes first, the chicken or the egg. I guess I see two kinds of people interested in fashion. One kind is people with strong personalities, at least one standard deviation from the mean , who really want to express what's inside them & certainly can't do so via the mainstream. The other is people who are a bit (or maybe more than a bit) insecure, and can't stand to present themselves as anything less than perfect.

Clothing can be armor ... clothing can be support ... I guess now that I'm older and (thank God) more secure, I'm having a hard time remembering the role that clothes played for me before.

I do enjoy the conversations that clothes start, but to be perfectly honest the ones I've enjoyed the most have been based not on high fashion but on T-shirts that would probably cause at least a few people around here to faint Like my Timberland "Give Racism the Boot" T, and the "We Can Do It" Rosie the Riveter T (among other conversations I met a guy who'd lived down the street from the real Rosie during the war in Ypsilanti, MI). In fact, I'm now wishing I had a really good T-shirt to wear for MLK Day today rather than the rather slick ebony and ivory neoGothic look I am sporting

So anyway, I'm not sure I buy your idea, but I love it anyway.

As far as wearability, I agree with some of what's already been said. I find things designed for toothpicks only, and things that only the very strongest personalities can wear (vs the clothes wearing them, e.g., most of Pilati's work), to be unwearable.