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"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months." - Oscar Wilde
Discuss :)
oscar wilde was weird :P
Weird? How about Genious! Throughout history the "weird" (ones that didn't act like the rest of society) were quite often the ones with the brains. ie: Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, Frederic Chopin, Albert Einstein........and the list is endless. Thanks for sharing the quote Resonance. Really great!
wierd = enough self confidence to be different. sometimes it is interpereted as insanity. people who do not understand genius mistake it for insanity. if you encounter a person being described by some as a genius you will invariably find others who call him or her insane- so is there really a difference between the two?
i think wilde's comment about fashion is at very least astute. ugliness is very subjective though... self confidence can transform trendy into fashionable. what is ugly on one may not be on another.
weird also means the potential of being outcast, unpopular, ostracized, etc. its normal human nature to desire to be attractive, particularly to the opposite sex. maybe it means i have low self esteem, but i would rather be called fashionable than weird any day.
It's the people with the guts to be themselves and do what they like that lead the most fascinating and interesting lives.
Those too weak to be themselves live a life that isn't nearly as fun and interesting because they're too busy trying to satisfy other people. It's YOUR life, not theirs. You only get one life, live it the way YOU want, not the way someone else dictates.
I'd rather be called "independent", "free spirit", "non-conformist", or something like that than live my life trying to be "fashionable" in hopes others will like me more.
life isn't only about your own self though. the important things in life all consist of interacting with others, and even ones personality is formed by your experiences with others. if you look good you will feel good and have more confidence, and other people will react to that. is there honestly anyone who doesn't like hearing "you look good today" or "youre handsome"? now like anything, when taken to extremes a desire to look good can be unhealthy. but a desire to be accepted, attractive, liked, sexy, etc. are all healthy GOOD things.
Hi!
I've never exactly been a slave to fashion, but my decision to grow my hair long about 16 months ago (after a couple of false starts) seems to have caught the trend spot on! There seem to be a lot of men around with hair about the same length as mine is now. It's good that flares are back as well! I always liked the semi-hippy look, although even I would have thought it very 'out' ten years ago.
But a fashion for long hair cannot come in overnight, as many of us know only too well! It takes time, folks!!!!
Cheers, Barry
Fair point, but looking good isn't the same as being fashionable. Looking good is about knowing what wears well on you - be it hair or clothes or deportment. Style is more important than fashion because it isn't ephemeral in the way that fashion is. Take the time to work out what looks good on you.
I couldn't agree with you more. Very well put. Thanks!
the fear of what others might think... hmmm- as i see it anyone willing to 'ostracise' me because of what i'm wearing or the length/style of my hair isn't worth my time or attention.
its normal human nature to desire to be attractive, particularly to the opposite sex. maybe it means i have low self esteem, but i would rather be called fashionable than weird any day.
i'd rather meet women who will accept me for who i am. i wear what makes me comfortable. if someone finds that weird then its their problem.
How close to Oscar Wilde are you in your assessment of fashion?
Oscar Wilde was incredibly witty and I can't help but agree with his comment. I couldn't keep up with fashion even if I wanted to (being a poor student and everything), I'm very much a jeans and sweater sort of person.
I just like the way that uninterrupted hair growth transcends any sort of fashion. Any girl or guy with long hair in, say, the seventies who didn't mess around with it looks just as great as any similar person today.
Absolutely. My hair is similar today to how it looked in the late 70s and early 80s, but even better because I've learned how to take care of it properly.
That's why I say avoid undercuts, avoid the mullet, and stay away from fashion atrocities that suddenly become stylish (leg warmers, thin ties, bellbottoms, etc). I know people that have literally burned any pics of them with their mullets. In five or ten years, the undercut crowd will feel the same as they look back on the hideous look of it.
Some looks transcend time. Long hair that's basically one length (or close to it) never looks dated or silly. A good pair of Levi's and a t-shirt or sweatshirt never look dated (except for maybe the bellbottoms of the mid to late 70s).
And yes, I'll admit it, I wore the bells back then!
I wear what I want to wear, I don't care what others think.
I have hair down to my waist. Many years ago I wore bell bottoms
including elephant bells (the huge ones). Today I wear JNCOS including the 50" ones.
I wear clothes and hair the way I want to, I don't care what others think.
My hair is also similar today as it looked in the '70's, 80's and 90's. Except it's a little longer. I don't listen to the Fashion Police when I get laughed at, or told to "get a haircut". And if someone tells me that long hair for guys is out, I tell them "The genie is out of the bottle, and you can't put him back in".
So did I: bellbottoms, elevated shoes, baseball shirts---and yes I still have them to this day, but I don't wear them.
eh I used to be so anti-fashion, now I realize how lame it was. People make such a big deal about it, Is it such a bad thing to wear clothing that is up to date? These people usually get called "posers" or whatever term is popular these days by the "outsider" people. Seriously, if you think about it the only people that you usually see arguing about fashion are teens (guess im an exception), or adults who haven't outgrown their teens (and are usually below middle class, which tells you something). Pofessionals, the people that are truly "living large" don't care about being a "poser", when was the last time you saw George Bush call someone a sellout for wearing a certain article of clothing... he doesn't and neither does any mature person b/c it's immature. These people do care about looking nice though, because in this society image says alot. Besides the people who are against fashion have a fashion of their own, do most heavy metal fans really need to own a leather jacket??? If you listen to grunge is your only option for keeping warm a flannel shirt??? You may not see it on ads and commercials but it is still fashion among a smaller group. Basically I think music has a huge effect on the way younger people feel about fashion, But not all of us! I listen to Dream Theater AND buy clothes from The Gap! WHOA!
it's true that fashion isn't everything. however, longer hair on guys is definitely coming back in a big way. long midback hair will never be in vogue. but shoulder length hair and shags are seen everywhere. i'm 18. i took a year off, until this fall when i go to college. i've been growing out my hair for 6-7 months from a crew cut. my goal is shoulder length hair. i want to pursue a career in fashion--photography or being an editor of a men's magazine.
here are some very recent fashion ads that evidence shoulder length hair being the next trend. (not to say that i'm growing out my hair for a trend, just giving a fact)
Agreed, the whole surfer/skater look is being picked up in a pretty big way over in the UK, too. Now if only we had the concrete and beaches...
? The Gap? ewwww come on man, that is gay cloth. Gotta rock the real deal cloth like Ecko, Enyce, Rocawear, Sean John, Polo, Gucci, Versace, etc :)
Classics never really go out of 'fashion."
A T-shirt and jeans are ALWAYS "in style"...and a nice kilt (especially the
genuine ones) have been around for centuries...
Even those flannel shirts and jeans with maybe a white undershirt...
are still seen on some catalog covers.
Things that stand the 'test of time' are much less likely to make you laugh...
when you see pictures of yourself...years from now :)
Funny, cause my bother was just telling me on the phone today that long hair was not in fashion now (as it was in the 70s) and that more guys are going for the shaved head; he doesn’t understand why I’m growing my hair.
Well, my dear brother Paul, I said: I absolutely agree with you that long hair is not much“ in fashion” these days. However, as you’ve known since we were kids, I’ve never been a fashion follower like you. This summer, I “woke up” and decided to go back to what I’ve always liked: having long hair & wearing mohair sweaters when it’s cold. I’ve never given a sh*t about fashion and always wear what I feel comfortable in. I think the family didn’t take me very seriously about me growing my hair long when I started back in June (except for our sister Lucy, she “understands”) I think you’re all in for a shock for the next few years.
Well, he said, I certainly wouldn’t grow my hair long at my age (he’s 42) even if I weren’t bald. Well to each his own I guess.
Yep, you got that straight. See you at mom’s & pop’s in a few weeks
End of conversation.
you gave to your brother!
Oscar is spot on - as usual..
The trouble with fashion is it's so damn fickle. And, there's the dichotomy that it invokes. On the one hand the advertising that drives us to follow fashion is tapping into our desire to rise above the crowd, to stand out, to be one better. However, to work effectively (i.e. lots of sales) it relies on the natural herd instinct inherent in mankind. So, we like to be different, so long as we don't stand out from our mates...
If you spend too long thinking about that you'll go nuts... :-D
Me - I've always done my own thing. At 44, I ride a motorcycle, wear hair down on my shoulders and have a dress sense straight out of the 1700's. I guess I'm beyond redemption. At least, most folk seem to have given up.
Do I look like I care????