Rec | TREND CYCLES ARE OUT

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Rec'd on 🧥 How do you balance the need for self-expression with the pressures of fitting in?

trend cycles are out

Thoughtful personal style is in

@cilantro

Oct 21, 2024

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@babyrat

thoughts on this video? https://youtu.be/pXtBFiF_32k?si=sZxqpLGAEc_21Gvf Genuinely curious as I don’t agree with everything she says. It’s an interesting perspective though.

Dec 23, 2024

@cilantro

babyrat It’s an interesting video! I’ll be really honest, lots of the experiences she talks about don’t really resonate with me — I don’t live in a fashion hub, don’t follow fashion week, don’t really consume fashion ”content“ in a broad sense at all. I do think there is a lot of salience to the idea that there is a cultural same-ness to the way we dress collectively. But I also think that it’s more productive to think about style as a way to express group belonging rather than individuality. I think this is particularly apparent when we think about subcultural and/or countercultural style—its about signalling insiderism to others. I also think that the second wave of fashion blogging that’s talked about in this essay is interesting in the context of the increasing backlash against gatekeeping in fashion spaces broadly. Anecdotally I have observed that people seem to feel entitled to know where particular pieces come from, or how people are sourcing garments. It’s not surprising — I think if you grew up on blogs that basically worked as advertisements linking particular products (rather than as maybe a documentation of a personal wardrobe over time, which I agree is the modality of the first wave of fashion bloggin) it’s not terribly surprising that we feel a collective entitlement to this knowledge. Anyways I feel a kinship to how Jager (spelling?) describes eccentricity of style as an aegis against the churn of the fashion industry writ large — I really do think there is something to choosing kind of wacky outfits that make /you/ feel good in your body as a way to make ur clothing last.

Dec 23, 2024

@babyrat

cilantro “But I also think that it’s more productive to think about style as a way to express group belonging rather than individuality.” I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID HERE. Mina Le is sort of speaking from a bubble. I do live in nyc and I do see the trends she directly references in the video. But I also see SO MANY other kinds of style. it’s not all originated from that “tiktok style” but I also think there’s nothing wrong with the tiktok style. Those who wear it are signaling to others, I am gen Z, I‘m on tiktok and we might have these in common. And I see other styles commonly worn among other groups that signal to those who dress similarly to them “I am like you”. I think regardless of if your look fits into a trend, there is a lot of individualism that goes into choosing the pieces that make up that trend. ok ur wearing an oversized tshirt and a skirt but what’s on the tshirt? that’s self expression and personal style. Hope all that made sense! also love that you snagged the username cilantro lol.

Dec 24, 2024

@cilantro

babyrat If you’re not familiar with her, Rian Phin (@thatadult most places) talks a lot about personal style and dressing as a way to assert group membership and insider signalling. She’s also really interested in designer clothes as a mode of aspirational social mobility (but she believes it doesn’t work). She’s whip smart and her takes are always well thought out — I recommend her work if you don’t know it! And she’s a fellow NYCer.

Dec 24, 2024

@babyrat

cilantro will check her out! thanks!

Dec 24, 2024

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