JAYEE LIM

DESIGN SOPHOMORE / DES 3515 Design Research Studio 1

For the MDD Research Studio, the author presents “You Should Wear Whatever You Want! (terms and conditions apply).” An analysis of fashion rules pervasive nature in culture despite the ongoing premise that people “should just wear whatever they want.”

How do freedom and restriction of play in fashion formulate the present and future understanding of what is fashionable vs what is not fashionable?

Who gets to decide what is fashionable?

Is fashion a reflection of who you are or is it a reflection of whom you answer to?

These are the questions the author wants to uncover.

To do this the author looked at different aspects of fashion and some of its arbitrary rules: Trendsetting, the aesthetic of timelessness and dressing for your age or occupation.

Trendsetting: The history of trendsetting can be traced back to ancient times when influential people such as monarchs and religious leaders set the standard for fashion and behaviour. In the modern era, trendsetting became a cultural phenomenon in the late 19th century, with the rise of consumer culture and mass media. The emergence of fashion magazines and advertising created a platform for new trends to be disseminated on a mass scale. In the early 20th century, Hollywood celebrities became powerful trendsetters, as their style and behaviour were widely imitated by fans.

The aesthetic of timelessness: On one side of the coin, it means that timeless style lives beyond the traditional trend cycle. where the style goes against the idea of the capitalist, consumerist and unsustainable structure. On the other side of the coin, it also frames the Timeless style as an aesthetic but it excludes dress outside of the Eastern/European methodology. Additionally, Timelessness frames the dress of non-European or non-Western cultures as Traditional, Festive, or exotic instead of normative on the basis of geography.

Dressing for your age or occupation: No one can escape it. No matter the audience, we have heard the phrase “dress your age.” or “Choosing clothes suitable for your age group” But why? What happens if we don’t? Is the person no longer an adult? Are they now too childish or too old? OR is it because we dress for the acceptance of others? In a different light, in almost every business centre in the world, men and women wear suits. How did that become the symbol of business attire? The way we dress is an indication of not just our job but also who is in power.

TLDR; fashion is supposed to be fun and it absolutely can be. However, we cannot deny that it is also about power, consumerism and a desire to be accepted and fit in. Humans dress for reasons other than ourselves all of the time. So where does dressing for yourself apply especially in the 21st century?