Wearing Murals
6:47 pm
“The relationship between fashion and art”
This is basically a very detailed explanation about why I love fashion so much. While some may dismiss the idea of fashion culture and its relevance or importance in society, I strongly stand by the idea that fashion, like art, serves as a reflection on society- what it’s thinking, what we’re doing, how we’re living. One of my favourite examples of the power of fashion is seen in the mid-twenties in the age of the ‘flapper’. An era characterised by debauchery, financial freedom and a dramatic increase in wealth following WW1, is perfectly encapsulated in the typical outfit of the flapper woman. The skirts got much shorter and typical silhouette that tapered at the waist (with the assistance of crazy uncomfortable girdles and corsets), was replaced with a loosely fitting, dropped waist outline to look more like a 'garcon'. This clearly demonstrated the transformation of femininity and women’s role in society as many of them began to enter the workforce during the war. Women were freer to do as they please, smoke in public, and in the words of Great Gatsby author, F Scott Fitzgerald, “conduct themselves according to the rules of an amusement park.” Hah! I do still remember quotations from my matric final novel.
Short hair, lots of long strings of pearls and bright, sequined party dresses symbolised the ‘live fast die young’ attitude of the post war society... I love how all of this can be portrayed in the way people dressed. The story of a time long ago can be quickly identified simply by noticing a cloche hat, mini A-line skirt or pair of bell bottoms and tie die shirt because there were reasons why people wore what they wore.
While fashion has the ability to reflect an entire society, we are also well aware of its ability to almost instantly show someone’s personality. Despite the clichéd use of the idea that ‘fashion is the ability to speak without saying a word’, I’ve accepted the fact that there is a reason clichés are clichéd. It is true and it is amazing. Art is the use of a medium, to convey a certain message and fashion’s medium is clothing and shoes. Fashion is art that has been crafted for the human body, to accentuate it, to protect it. I find it pretty darn cool that the human lack of fur has borne a culture, phenomenon and billion dollar industry…
This outfit thus serves as an ode to the marriage between art and fashion. As you can see, my Zara shift dress (from the kids section lol) has a very large and bright print of a landscape painting of a Japanese garden. (Almost like a Monet but not really). I’m wearing dark green slip ons from Topshop and the gold box clutch is also from Zara. Oh and I also got shorter braids, which I think look more ‘me’ than the long variety. Is it ambitious to say that I kind of feel like I look 55% like a flapper with my loose dress and snipped hair?
This wordy post is dedicated to the time that was supposed to be spent doing chemistry…
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