Fashion is expression.Fashion is Freedom.But is it really? I did some research to find out.
Cultural probe participants were asked to submit outfits that spoke to them throughout the day.
Tee is someone who wears all black, yet loud pieces and outfits spoke to her.
Bri dresses safe and stays in her comfort zone, yet the outfits that spoke to her were bold and fearless.
They believe they dress for themselves, but the way they spoke about getting dressed said otherwise.
They prioritized messages they didn’t want to convey.
I want to say:
“I’m cool”
“I’m cute”
“I’m single”
“I’m polished”
“I’m chic”
“I’m fun”
But, I’m afraid of saying:
“I’m easy”
“I’m not worth respecting”
“I’m a sexual object”
“I’m not respectable”
“I’m not to be taken seriously”
So, when using words like
effortless
not too much
polished
safe
comfortable but cute
They weren’t just describing style, they were describing boundaries.
93%
of poll respondents feel that their outfits are being judged when they go out.
81%
are doing the judging.
When we get dressed, we’re heavily considering how others will perceive us. Showing that:
Fashion isn’t just who you are.It's who you're allowed to be right now.Alyssa’s reflection corner
As a self-certified fashion killa who’s comfortable with my personal style, the messaging around fashion and style discovery isn’t what got me there. It was being comfortable enough to experiment and express myself through my outfits. Phrases like “be yourself” are used relentlessly, but I knew it wasn’t that simple. It’s a sentiment we’re all cognizant of, yet it’s hard to live by when we’re constantly under pressure to dress to impress (whether we admit it to ourselves or not). The prevalence of social media has only amplified that pressure. Fashion needs to give up these platitudes and speak to people’s lived experiences.