1.15.2010

{ how to win friends and infiltrate people }

though i do occasionally wear jeans, there is a good reason why i shy away from them more often than not: to understand it, just take a subway ride in new york. look down and 99.99% of the sea of legs surrounding you will be decked in denim. it's like a uniform for humanity, and it's sort of scary.

the truth is, every society and subculture, no matter how obscure, has its own sartorial norms. whether you are personally inclined to escape this fact or embrace it, you'll be struck by the stark reality presented by exactitudes {exact + attitudes}, an artistic observation by photographer ari versluis and social profiler ellie uyttenbroek. these two collaborators have catalogued hundreds of comparative street style studies over the last 14 years. the results are entirely incredible:


{french touch / bordeaux, 2006}


{le filles du 7ème / Paris, 2008}


{hipsters / rotterdam, 2008}


{holly hobbies / limburg, 2009}

really makes you think a bit about your favorite trends, no? ultimately, this trestise exemplifies the phrase: a picture is worth a thousand words. and yet, i'm dying to hear what you all think about it!

72 comments:

Yasemin said...

WOW! I never really thought about that, that's amazing! Haha my favorites are the hipsters. I really really want their jackets

Ezmerelda Endora Enid (or is it??) said...

I only EVER wore my ONE pair of jeans last year two times, and I gave them to somebody yesterday. It was nice.... I hate them for the same reason you do---human uniform!! My friends think I'm crazy for never wearing them, but being unique is MUCH too important to me than their so-called 'comfort'.

By the way, you are my IDOL of the moment--I am SO inspired by your style!!

Denise said...

that is so weird,
maybe is the fact that i had never given it much tought.
But not that i do, is some what sureal. But i do see how not wearing jeans seperates you from the pack.
P.S. love your outfits and blog, and your etsy shop.

the prism & the pendulum said...

so beyond creepy.

Amanda said...

perhaps there is a reason they have become a 'human uniform'. not that i'm advocating following of the pack, but perhaps they are simply the most timeless piece of clothing. I find uniqueness incredibly important, but sometimes that favorite pair of blue jeans is much farther than tempting.

Liv said...

Whoa. Stepford hipsters. I practically live in jeans and there are definitely moments when I look around and feel like I am wearing a uniform. But seeing them all grouped together like that is sartorially sobering. But also pretty hilarious.
http://idlefascination.blogspot.com/

duckalicious said...

I'm totally with you on jeans. it's just not fun wearing something everybody's wearing!

Brigadeiro said...

Ah! I cannot remember the last time I wore jeans - mostly due to the fact that I no longer fit mine, and have not been able to do so in so long...for which I am partly greatful for, it has forced me to be more creative :)
xx

Gabrielle said...

You couldn't pay me to dress the norm, for a good outfit means a good costume, right ?

Creepy observation but unfortunately way too true. 99.99% percent of my school fits into everyone of those categories ! they'd probably love this...

Anonymous said...

Ahhhhh! It's the end of the world as we know it!!!

The only jeans I actually wear are really cool patchwork Levi's. Patchwork jeans or none at all!

InnyVinny said...

This is terrifying to see...

The Sound of Lace said...

It's like cookie cutter humans....scary. I do love a good pair of G-Star jeans but I've been trying to venture out of "the box" more and I feel like I have SO many more layering options when I pick a cute dress or skirt.
VISIT ME
http://thesoundoflace.blogspot.com/
http://thesoundoflace.blogspot.com/
http://thesoundoflace.blogspot.com/

Jen said...

I've recently been thinking about how much I wear jeans and rely on them too much. I must have about 9 pairs I think! This post just proves it, jeans are worn by everyone. Maybe because they're so easy to wear, no? But still, makes me feel like maybe I should try a little harder next time I'm reaching for those jeans!

J x

http://www.fashionchuhi.blogspot.com/

BloodieMary said...

WOW this is so absolutely terrifying !! The one that scares me the most is “les filles du 7e” (I’m parisian). The “7e” is a district in Paris which include the Eiffel tower, very bourgeois, people have a lot of money and children go to the best schools. Anyway, every single girl is dressed like that! Jeans or slim, light cardi, some white or grey t-shirt, converse or repetto ballet pumps, (always) long hair with a big lock and LE Darel, a bag that the girl in the middle, last line is wearing.
It’s no less than a uniform, and what does a uniform do ? It perpetuates codes and traditions so that you’re not lost, you know where you are and you’re part of the group. People recongnise you as “one of them”.
This forces to put things into perspectives, to rethink the way we dress, the way we think we are original. Compare to who ?? To your home background certainly, but aren’t you falling into another uniform, another very stereotyped way of dressing ?
This rises a lot of questioning about one’s style. Thank you Kelly for that !
I think my conclusion would be something like “Be original, be yourself, please make that effort !!” (I’m talking to myself at that point!)

Chloe said...

Thank you for posting this, and to me it resonates the idea that, "We are all unique little snowflakes- just like everyone else." It's my favorite line to repeat to myself at times, and I could never figure out why. I think this "picture study" is why.

I don't find it creepy or terrifying, I'm more amused than anything else. For all of the advances in thinking and technology and etc etc etc, most humans are pretty darn happy to just fall into a particular rut, I think. LOL.

Anonymous said...

I remember making the same observation, looking out of a bus window going down Camden high st with so many so-called alternatives... all in jeans, like everybody else!
I rarely wear jeans, and the fact is, they don't even suit everybody, but they wear them anyway.
If you're working outdoors, they're practical, but they're not even comfy if you're sitting behind a desk, yet people still wear jeans daily to the office.

Celina Murphy said...

What I love about this exhibition is that it puts all the social groups on an equal footing. It shows that the more "styled" groups, like the ones you've posted above and the super-trendy Geeks or Pin-ups of London are every bit as much a devotee to their sartorial sect as, for example, the Grannies of Rotterdam or the Chairmen of Beijing.

It's hard to be different. And fashion is so often a question of geography.

It also makes me think how ridiculous it is that people in one group so often make fun of people in another for dressing like drones, when really, we're all guilty of it. I've slagged off groups like these before (in Dublin you could fill a contact sheet of D4s - abusers of fake tan, denim mini skirts and Ugg boots - from the pedestrians on any given street) but now I wonder what Exactitude piece I'm part of. You could probably make one from the most Out There dressers you know if you tried hard enough.

My friend reckons the exhibition highlights how little room there is in the world for original thought, a rather depressing view, but definitely a valid one.

Personally, I think the thing to take from this is that it's not wrong to have the same ideas about style as somebody else, but it would most certainly be wrong to keep your more instinctive impulses, if you have them, wrapped up in a cardigan and jeans.

Helen said...

The issue here is not so much that everyone opts for jeans (or, for that matter, leggings at the moment) because they're convenient but because the majority of people are scared to be individual and look different. Standing out from the crowd is fine if you're an extrovert (or you live somewhere like New York or London where the population density tends to loosen sartorial boundaries on a broader scale), but if you're made uncomfortable by the scrutiny that comes with trying to be individual then it's understandable why people just try to blend in. It's a shame that more of us don't have your confidence to be creative, because then it would be more acceptable to break away from 'the uniform'. I get strange looks in my home town here in the UK just for wearing hats...

-h said...

It's like the saying, "You're unique, just like everybody else."
I don't think anybody can be different (just for the sake of being different), you can just be yourself. And if it happens to fit into a category, so be it.

janavi said...

This actually doesn't surprise me, things have been getting so homogenized for a while now.
I don't wear jeans either- have one pair. Besides the uniform factor I just don't find them comfortable anymore.
Love your blog-if I see you on the street I will say HI.

phantasnight said...

I dare stand up for these guys (or at least the people in the images). I resent uniforms just as much as anybody else, and I am almost daily driven a tad mad by the 'Zara' generation.BUT, looking at these images, I cannot not notice that approximately all the persons displayed here seem to be in their teens , or in their early twenties. And I guess that this is an age when one has not yet formed his/her personality/set of values/ taste in pretty much everything, including fashion. It's not everybody's case, but probably the majority of youth tries to define itself by belonging to a certain category (it's always been like this: be it hippies, punks, hip-hoppers, or, more nowadays, 'indie'-ers ...); some of them manage to form an individuality and break out of the mass earlier, but most do so over the years. and by aging you let yourself be more daring, speak up and express yourself... the way you clothe being an important means to this end.
Fashion-wise, one relevant example comes to mind : Gwen Stefani ;compare the style she had back in the No Doubt days (which is pretty much what any rock-punk-hardcore chick would wear )with what she is presently wearing ...


p.s. today I am wearing a huge orange sack-dress, colourful cowboy boots and even more colourful accesories . and I am pregnant. and everybody is turning its head , either admiringly or curiously . and I love both :D . it's nice not to be ignored :D:D.but I've not always been like this :)

Magda said...

It depresses me how few women get dressed up these days. And by dressed up I mean: 1. makeup 2. designer outfits without wearing jeans 3. nice handbag that doesn't scream "Look how much I spent on my gigantic logo bag." 4. great haircut. People tell me "wow, you look great and you are so dressed up." The sad thing is I am not dressed up. I just don't look like a slob like too many American women and I think outside the box. I won't ever change because I think it inspires my friends to make an effort to look great.

Anonymous said...

This is interesting. Trends are exciting when I first see them and then quickly become boring once everyone jumps on board. The challenge is to put one's personal stamp on a trend to make it unique. Youth culture grasps onto trends stronger than those of us of a higher numerical value, so it isn't a surprise that these photos represent younger people. Magda, I agree that it is sad when people (men and women) do not make an effort to lessen their slobbery in public, however I don't necessarily belive that designer equates with dressed. Let's not exchange slobbery with snobbery. Anyone can dress well without breaking the bank on designer duds. Thank you Glamourai for opening the discussion and teachign us how to express individuality through attire.

THE GLAMOURAI: said...

Hi everyone!

Thank you for your thoughtful replies! I am really enjoying this discussion. I don't want to add to much to it yet, but I do want to clarify that the subjects in the study came from EVERY age group, ethnicity, etc...

I chose to run the younger images because I found them the most compelling in the context of the blogosphere, which is largely youth-oriented.

xoGlamourai

crowdedcloset said...

wow. I love the thought of turning your every day upside down. It will def make me think twice before pulling my trusty old blues out of my drawer.

It's only 9:33 am and you've got us thinking bigger. Thanks for starting the day off like this ;)

xo, Kim www.crowded-closet.com

Anonymous said...

I gotta say I love this project! Thanks for linking.

I'm not quite sure it's as apocalyptic as some posters suggest (tho' I understand the impulse), mostly because the older I get, the more I see myself as part of a social/historical/economic moment: not an original subject so much as the product of forces mostly out of my control and understanding. And my clothes witness that every day, no matter how careful I am about what I put on.

Is it a bad thing to declare your belonging to a larger group? I mean, since the project suggests we'll do it whether we consciously choose to or not! Women used to obey Parisian hemline declarations, and laws that prescribed the amount of fur they could wear on their court gowns... it's not as though this sort of thing is new. Probably more conspicuous and wider-spread because of mass production. But not new.

The dream of Uniqueness is the best advertising in the world, isn't it? I wonder how much money was spent in the last day by people convinced that buying THIS bag rather than THAT bag would prove their originality to the world... something this beautiful photo-set instantly undermines. I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or go put on some pretty pretty clothes!

Laura said...

Wow that is so interesting I don't really dress like every one else I don't like to because I feel so uncreative but that is so very interesting all those different people wearing wearing a variation of the same thing it's a bit of an eye opener.By the way I added your blog to my blog roll I hope you'll check it out, though at the moment I need to add more to my blog. =)

www.artfullyartista.blogspot.com

{Tara} said...

Wow...this is incredible. I feel like you can notice this kind of fashion copy-catting in bigger cities much more easily than in smaller cities [where I currently live]. It always did amaze me when I lived in NY, that there was almost a "uniform" among the ladies heading to work in the morning. And I would think to myself: this is NYC, for god's sake -- one of the fashion capitals...and everyone is buying and wearing the same things! There must be some sort of primal/communal urge to look the same on some level...?

girl6_NYC said...

hmmm someone should do this regarding bloggers and how so many of them have a very similar style.

There are very few bloggers who have a very unique and distinct style, such as yourself.

stealthnerd said...

I am dressed like every single one of the girls in “les filles du 7e.”

Time to officially re-think my own uniform, huh?

Meg said...

Wow that totally creeped me out... I guess we're all little fashion sheep hey?

Anonymous said...

HAha! I love this! Thy're all from nyc, paris & london. The last decade was all about this sort blandess. The crazy part of it all is people paying $200 + for jeans. Haha!

Anonymous said...

Oh & It looks like an urban outfitters Lookbook. haha.

brooke said...

i do believe that not wearing jeans can allow for more creativity with outfits, but then again, there is the chance that all of the non-jean-wearing girls could make up an "exactitudes" feature just like this. maybe they would just be wearing an above-the-knee skirt, blouse, trench jacket, tights and sky-high heels instead.

the challenge of being completely original is almost unattainable, so i think the most respectable fashion choice is to accept that fact, enjoy choosing your daily outfits that fit into either a small or large social group, and simply love who you are despite it all.

Kati C. said...

Thanks for this post! I've always thought that way about jeans; I only wear them occasionally (ie, on lazy days or if I'm popping out to a nearby supermarket).

But I guess jeans -or denim in general- are very durable and don't need to be washed very often, and so are quite low maintenance.

As for the similarity in style, it's bound to happen! "Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known."
— Chuck Palahniuk

Lipstick Chick said...

Not be a purist, but this is exactly why I hate trends. Being short and curvy, I had to find a style that worked for me at an early age--and it definitely was not always what was trendy. Fashion should make you feel good and accentuate what you have. And if you create your personal style around that ideology, you WON'T wind up looking like everyone else!

And I love that you never wear jeans. Because with the exception of my jeggins and a very wide leg pair...neither do I. ;)

xo,

thelipsticklist.blogspot.com

emily said...

I don't understand why so many people are frightened or annoyed by this. Maybe because they thought they were being original? It's certainly not new, not a rising homogenization. Every age has this, and it's why we can look back at an era fondly and say, that's how they dressed in America in the 1920s/60s/80s, etc. It evokes an age, a mood, politically, emotionally, socially. And what is wrong with wanting to belong to a group of people? It isn't being a clone, it's being human - identifying with others. We can't help but have at least some shared mores and ideas and feelings, and if we didn't, to some extent, express that through a shared wardrobe and body language, we would find it exhausting to communicate (I believe fashion expresses more than just the whims of a designer or stylist), with little shared language upon which to build the new ideas we're all, obviously, excited about. Perhaps you could call it sartorial empathy. Art can't thrive without some shared understanding of the world and the body and ourselves. Why fret so much over being unique? How is that not an insecurity as deep as only dressing to fit in? Better to dress because you want to accentuate the body you have, because you want to enjoy color and texture and artistry, because you delight in what you're wearing. Likely, that will make you stand out - but why should that be the goal? What good does it do on its own? I don't understand.

emily said...

but on second thought... i come to your blog often because you are the most unique dresser I've ever seen, and even though our styles are different, your style challenges me to see colors and shapes and textures in new ways, and to dress in what delights me rather than what's trendy. Your cheer and your obvious enjoyment of life add to that. But i think you are unique not just for your own sake, but for the sake of the community as well - because you delight in creativity and are happy to fill your world with it. Food for thought. Only... I still stand by not being afraid of this!

Pearl Westwood said...

I rarely wear jeans, they are a bit of an easy option. I do have a pair of 70's high waist ones that I love. But I do see them as more of a 'filler' that the focus of an outfit.

Pearl Westwood said...

OOps that posted before I ahd finished..
I think this is such a great post, really thought provoking. Many people want to dress similar as they feel they will fit in with the social norm. It is almost like a security blanket. I notice this alot as I work at a University, if I wanted to go in diguise all I would need is a pair of uggs and a hoodie and I could pass as a student! I do think it is a bit creepy seeing all the images together!

Kimberley said...

Magda: Not everyone can afford designer clothes.

I know what you're saying though, OP. I love jeans, but I try to go for more variety on a day-to-day basis. I went to the mall the other day, and I kept thinking how much all the women looked like clones.

b.a. said...

wow! is this for real? these are all totally random people? not organized, styled, modeled or selected? even the posing??? wow. admittedly, i'm okay being one of "them" as long as i feel good about myself & my look. but it is very interesting to see the trends en masse. i guess "nothing is new under the sun" right?

keenonboys said...

i love your outfits, but i tend to like all the styles here [besides the hipster ones, those are a little extreme for me]. if i EVER tried wearing some of your outfits in the town i live in, i would probably be laughed out. its just not accepted here like it is in bigger cities.

joelle van dyne said...

this is great! and very interesting. i love that such simple collections of images provoke such strong reactions.

personally, one thing i think that we all have to eventually throw out the window when interested in fashion is the idea that any one of us is doing something so special and unique and individual.

for the most part, we're all shopping at the same hundred or so stores (with the exception of people who make their own clothes). and even when someone has a great sense of putting items together, other people are going to copy it. so a fresh idea will never stay unique for long.

blogging makes this so easy to see- suddenly everyone on lookbook is wearing boyfriend jeans and fake nerd glasses and brogues. or furs. or sequins. and then when you think you've found something unique (your jewelry line for instance), people start knocking it off!

in the end, i think the best thing is to figure out what you like, and what looks good on you, and wear it, and not worry about who else is or isn't wearing it. easier said than done, but i feel like it's best to accept it and move on. (maybe i only think this because i'm a boring dresser, i dunno! lol.)

Anonymous said...

i think this project is very interesting, but i think i would have preferred the sets to not have been labeled. or to simply just be set 1, set 2 etc. but perhaps the labeling is what helps to evolve this project from scientific to artistic ?

anyway, i love it.

BloodieMary said...

I could not agree more with you, Joelle, especially when you say that the important thing is to wear things you like and that fits you (this sounds simple but it is not - you have to really think about it and know yourself for that...)
Fashion is often categorised as "shallow" but I think it can be much more than that. It can be a way somehow to externalize a part of your inner self. Sounds weird said like that but still! ,-)

Shannon said...

It is a bit creepy and I have to admit I'm glad I didn't see my look among them.
However, not wearing denim does not make one any more unique than the people shown. You simply would be collaged together with other non-denim wearers and look like a skirt clone.

I'm not surprised to see some of these from Paris. When I was there I was a little shocked and saddened by the strict fashion uniformity. I was itching to get back to the states where there is much more variety!

KD said...

I LOVE exactitudes! I love subcultures and these pictures are just awesome, though I don't think the last one is as cohesive as the other two.

Ayalah said...

What an interesting project! And the identical posing definitely strengthens the effect.

Fashionistable said...

Hey Glamouri, this is my first visit to your site. Style Artisan told me about you. This project is amazing and even more so when you see them all together. We are all in tribes but dont realise it. It is cool how they remember and recognise all the tribes and get them to pose the same too..

ashford said...

yep i've always thought that. sometimes i tire of fashion for this reason. I try to add at least one totally wack piece to my outfits so i feel original.

The Bambina said...

Makes me feel very commercial! Though I wouldn't classify myself into one of these groups, I will try to not pose in any of these poses!

Moda Citadina said...

yeah.. It's kind of sad but we understand that most people just don't like the pressure of being different and they just want to blend in! We sometimes do wear jeans too! :)


love,
Madalena e Sara
www.dimogonda.blogspot.com

Crystal said...

I'm honestly a little freaked out by this. I've never personally worn any of those looks, but feel like I have the pieces to create a few of them. Now I'm going to look in my closet and whimper

Anonymous said...

I knew about that project, and it makes me feel good about lousy dress-days. Even on a bad day, when an outfit is not just right, or when nothing seems to work out as I wanted, I still look very different from every subgroup they photographed.
But why does that make me feel so good? Why do some of us refuse to blend in? Just wondering what it is about blending in that creeps me so much...

Catti said...

I have to agree with Emily. This idea of trying so very hard to be unique is the equivalent of trying so very hard to fit in. What is terrifying about being part of the human experience?
And to get down to brass tacks (or studs if we follow the recent trends),
how many of us "original dressers" wear truly avant garde outfits? Do we not use skirts, pants, cotton, silk but avoid jeans because they are so common? But these are all norms and conventions. Vintage wear? That was the other era's uniform, as Emily pointed out above.
I think the "uniqueness" comes in the details. As an alumni of catholic school uniforms, I can assure you that even within the strictest parameters there is always an opportunity to express yourself.

Sandra @ DebutanteClothing said...

It's funny that for many, many years, I did not wear jeans. I'm 5'00" and was up to a size 16 at one point. At that point, no one was making jeans for plus size. Since then, I've lost quite a bit of weight and now live in jeans.

After seeing these images, I seriously need to find new staples. What an amazingly jarring visual wake up call!

Thanks!

Erica said...

cool jackets!

-Erica
http://allaboutitt.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I'll wear a bedpan on my head, a skort made out of tree bark and a jello blouse.

OH, dear soldiers of purely idiosyncratic and anomalous apparel, your fight is fought in vain.

I love jeans, they are comfy!

Lorena said...

How interesting... it is kind of scary to be in uniform.. I see it a lot at the mall - all girls wearing the same..
I think it is one of the reasons I crave vintage and old prints. Thanks for sharing !

Fanya said...

haha. Interesting. I first noticed their style formula, then I noticed the postures.

Then I noticed the lack of bright colors, except for 1 or 2 cities. I do not go out of the door without a fun pattern or a bright color (no problem since my winter coat is cyan).

Hanako66 said...

this is so interesting! you notice certain trends, but to see it in such large quantities is quite alarming, you're right!

Susu Paris Chic said...

Hey this is fun... I like the khaki accessorized one!

alexkeller said...

i agree with emily to some extent - i'm not afraid of this, and it does evoke a time period. wait a few years - it will change. also, a project or study is usually conducted by people. and those people are going to have tendencies and may be seeking out similar people to photograph. and that's what this project was. so it should not be surprising that the subjects are similar.

i find it amusing to see hipsters wearing flannel and believing they are original. or punks sporting dyed hair and mohawks. *sigh* even tattoos and piercings are ubiqutous.
my mom used to ask me in high school, "if everyone was wearing horns and tails, would you?" i gave her an emphatic "yes." people do it to fit in.

i personally like to change up my accessories a bit and follow a few trends. it's not practical for me to dress to the nines everyday - not as a SAHM nor when i was a professional. but it is eye candy to me to see what fashion bloggers wear.

that all being said, i'm going to go put on a pair of jeans. they've withstood the test of time.

Ash Fox said...

Jeans are part of the American uniform. It's all in how you wear them. In the case of the images above, the people look like drones. I don't particularly like wearing jeans. I find them uncomfortable. Interesting topic for discussion.

Christine said...

Glamourai,

Perhaps one of the reasons for the popularity of jeans is economical practicality. Jeans are mass produced, there is a wide selection.. and let's face it, they are accessible to the masses. Whether you pick up your jeans from an indie designer label or from a department store, they are accessible and acceptable for a variety of life situations for most people - work, school, hanging out, dressing up (moderately), etc.

With that said, I rely on jeans a bit too heavily in my wardrobe rotation, and I am fully aware of it. But here's the problem - I am a school teacher (right here in NYC), so I am on a limited budget and need to wear comfy clothes to get me through a long day on my feet with crazy kids. Jeans fit the bill. But I am looking to branch out, so I am going to propose a challenge to you.

Here it is: create a posting in your blog highlighting a week's worth of outfits - not including jeans - that is financially accessible and comfortable enough for a "regular joe" like myself to wear on a daily basis.

I hope you consider the idea, and look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Anonymous said...

Alas as others have said individuality is an ephemeral dream. The harsh truth, one even I say with a bit of hesitation is that no one on this earth is original anymore. Everyone can be grouped and categorized into their own boxes including fashion bloggers.

So many fall into style patterns and familiar accessories that I see a uniform clearly emerge as I go through my blog roll:

Heels of every variety but all very high, leggings - thigh high stockings - tights, - skirts of the mini and maxi clan and one wacky print or another. To each, individual unique in how they pair it but once compared to the whole, startlingly familiar.

Jeans are so readily seen because they appeal to the masses. Whether you have a lot of money or a little you can buy jeans, if you're not fond of vintage or chain stores you can buy jeans, if you're a size 2 or a size 24 you can buy jeans, whether you're a student, mom, or grandmom you can wear jeans, boy or girl? You can wear jeans. Rich or poor? You can wear jeans. Student or office worker you can (usually) wear jeans.

Jeans are comfortable, cheap, easilly accessible and frankly fun. Just as you make it a point to wear skirts and be fashionable I've seen many people wear jeans and look fabulous and fashionable. Rather than strive for an unattainable individuality (by the law of statistics alone there are atleast 10 other human beings on the planet dressed exactly as you are today) simply enjoy yourself and relax.

When I get dressed I dress to be happy and pleased with my appearance. I add pieces that speak to my personality and enjoy letting people become acquainted with familiar pieces which define my style. I see some familiar patterns and I strive to try new things without getting ridiculous.

Simply...I have FUN. Best thing to do everyday.

SC said...

So true. I have a limited amount of denim in my closet as well. However, I do look at them as a canvas. At the end of the day it's all in how you style them. While I don't shun them entirely it is quite disturbing watching the same person walk down the street over and over again it seems. It's hard to see past the signature slouchy bag and Tory Burch flats. UGH!!!

Melanie said...

Well, this could be said for a number of pieces.. but probably best captured in jeans! They're classic, timeless, and the right fit can make you feel amazing. The oversize purse girls are my favorite, though:D

גילי said...

Thanks for posting about this Kelly - it is very revealing!

The German sociologist Simmel researched fashion and wrote about this back in 1904 - he said fashion allows people to differentiate from the masses, while at the same time be identified and accepted as part of social group(s).

And while modern people strive for individuality, we are basically memetic creatures (Dawkins has the copyright for this idea), and this is a style/idea evolution.

Bottom line, I side with Joelle - always dress for your own fun and liking - and you'll be good.

Shalom!
Gili

The Photodiarist said...

Not sure that I care that by wearing jeans I look like other people. I wear them because I like them and they are comfortable. Nor do I care that by carrying oversized purses, I look like other girls on the street. I like oversized purses because I like to carry a lot of stuff, including my camera. I dress to the nines for work Monday- Friday. On the weekends, I don't want to think about it. So, I wear black jeans, black boots and a black jacket. Maybe I may wear a top/sweater that is not black. But not likely. Sometimes, being uber-fashionable and different is exhausting. Unless only one of everything is sold, we are bound to mimic other people. We can't help it. Even the most different people out there are drawing inspiration from some other different person. Does it really matter as long as you are comfortable and happy in what you are wearing?

All Women Stalker said...

I admire the different trends that surface and resurface every year. But I don't really follow them. I like doing my own thing. Which is, well, really laid back. I just wear what looks good and feels comfortable on/for me. It's about my clothes fitting me and not the other way around.