Disgusted.
Disturbed, really.
In fact, the state of fashion journalism in this past week has given me so much cause for complaint
that I'm practically mute from my inability to articulate 1, let alone 1/1000th, of the thoughts that are currently running amuck in my mind.
that I'm practically mute from my inability to articulate 1, let alone 1/1000th, of the thoughts that are currently running amuck in my mind.
Between Suzy Menkes' "The Circus of Fashion", The Man Repeller's nod to it, and the 15 or so other blog posts I've read fully devoted to the subject,
I'm becoming...perturbed.
I'm becoming...perturbed.
I realize that the popular kids love to revel in their popularity, and that they shudder at the thought of being confused with a plebeian (flashback to 4th grade when I bought the same puppy-printed shirt as the undisputed cool blonde girl and was met with what is to this day, a nightmare-inducing eye roll)-
but c'mon now.
Your commentary is degrading.
The current "journalistic" (if that's what we're calling it now) trend seems to be that fashion has, regrettably, lost its exclusivity - that its embrace by the general public has debased the haughty art form into something wholly disrespectful and 'circus'-like.
And I get it.
The parade of passersby vying for the attention of sorrily gullible photographers in front of Lincoln Center (Tuileries, BFC, etc etc) is embarrassing and laughable.
It's also sad, and fully understandable.
Runway shows are amazing (I assert from afar).
They're a chance to live out our sartorial fantasies - for us to bask in the idea that everyday life could play host to artful ensembles not mocked by the "normal" folks around us.
That office attire could practically consist of plaid suits and cashmere beanies and holey denim with heels.
They're a chance to live out our sartorial fantasies - for us to bask in the idea that everyday life could play host to artful ensembles not mocked by the "normal" folks around us.
That office attire could practically consist of plaid suits and cashmere beanies and holey denim with heels.
So what's the problem?
Why are those of us without brand endorsements and agenda-setting editorial say not aloud to have fun too? Are we really meant to forfeit the street prancing to those with legitimate titles and Reward Style commissions and Instagram "follower" numbers succeeded by K's.
And as for the argument that "true" style aficionados only wear black ("We were once described as “black crows” — us fashion folk..."),
well,
well,
whatever.
I love black too, but I also don't think it should be the arbiter of 'fashion'.
If you're too cool/busy/important to care about what you wear,
then why don't you go ahead and hand over your editorial positions to those of us lurking outside of Lincoln Center, Hotel Salomon de Rothschild (etc, etc) dying to catch a glimpse of the latest lace-adorned gown and opt for a career in stage crew instead.
then why don't you go ahead and hand over your editorial positions to those of us lurking outside of Lincoln Center, Hotel Salomon de Rothschild (etc, etc) dying to catch a glimpse of the latest lace-adorned gown and opt for a career in stage crew instead.
And fine.
I realize that there's a shift abreast
I realize that there's a shift abreast
That bloggers will morph into some other form -
- that there will always be some version of the popular kids -
- and that maybe (read: definitely) it's just my wannabe status that's invoking this outrage...
but I can't help it.
Nerds just wanna have fun.
Thoughts?
PS: I just want to update this by saying that The Man Repeller's post on this subject was really respectable. It made me wish that I had approached this topic with slightly less vigor. I realize my defensiveness is a visceral reaction to what I felt to be a personal attack. It's difficult to take someone seriously when their criticism stems from feeling threatened,
so I fully recognize the irony of my own anger.
You tell em girl..... I had some serious thoughts after reading that article too.... She made a couple of good points but you can't typecast every single fashion blogger into the same "fame hungry" wannabes........ Some of us just genuinely love and appreciate fashion and still get dressed solely for ourselves, not to get an endorsement....... I keep coming back to you because I know you are genuine and have a serious eye for fashion. Screw all of the stigmas..... Let's just keep doin our thing!
ReplyDeleteBrooke @ what2wear
wow, I of course TOTALLY missed this article on NYT but just read it, omg I LOVE it. It's like whoever wrote that totally gets how I feel. Honestly I could not care less about going to Lincoln Center this year (as you well know) and am sort of shocked at how ridiculous it has become. The amount of people taking photographs is insane. I mean, I like looking at the photographs that are taken online but I'd much rather snap a photo of someone I actually really care about (ala Emma Watson). As I continue to blog I often think about what it means to be a blogger and I think I started it for the completely WRONG reasons. Like the article mentioned I wanted to go to fashion week so I started it with the hopes that maybe I would get invited. For me it's taken a totally different turn now. I think of it more as a diary and while I do get free stuff on occasion, I refuse to promote anything, or put anything, on my blog that I don't believe in. I sometimes get emails about receiving a free gown to wear on my blog, and I think to myself, really? do these people see what I'm doing? I don't think I've worn a gown since my sweet sixteen. For me, my blog, has really become more of an artistic outlet and something to get my mind off of the daily grind of actual work (yes some of us bloggers out there do have full time jobs that we cannot miss for things like fashion week). i want to be able to look back on my blog in the future and be proud of what I've written and created. I often quote books that I'm reading as well because hey in the future I want to remember what I read and loved! Not even going to lie, when I heard fashion week was approaching I got a tad annoyed because I knew it would be all that was on the blogs for the coming weeks. Like your blog, it's nice to see people who are actually creative and do something different! I posted yesterday a blog entry entitled "london" and someone wrote omg you fooled me I thought you were at London fashion week. Sorry to disappoint everyone, I was writing about my BFs dog... sorry for that incoherent rant! :)
ReplyDeletenot disappointed at all =-) i love your response to gabrielle's already dead on post. it's just funny that in these weeks that all the fashion weeks are taking place in NY, london and paris that it's on the forefront of people's minds. like you (and i'll never get to lincoln center because my full time job has me in hong kong), i've actually found that when blogs start to post exclusively about fashion week, my eyes glaze over. so, it's so refreshing to read posts like yours and gabrielle's that continue to stay true to your passions....what your blog actually is...not sure if you'll see this, but i thought i'd clarify my comment.
Deletexo
n
Preach it sister. I mean, I'm not overly concerned about fashion week aside from the artistic view point, but I thought these articles were pretty interesting myself. The funny thing is...all those socialites, bloggers, "fashionistas" who LOVE LOVE LOVE to get their picture taken created this "circus" like fashion subculture.
ReplyDeleteAll that aside, anyone who asserts themselves in an "us" or a "them" category is a total ding dong in my book.
xo
ashley
www.thephotogramps.blogspot.com
this post is everything that i have been feeling this past week. i'm so sick of hearing the very people who have benefited from the recent democratization of fashion lament the recent democratization of fashion. it seems like a lot of people are enjoying the view from the top so much they forgot what it was it like looking up. we all have to start somewhere, so if wearing live vertebrae on your head will get people to your blog and you're willing to do it then more power to you. but saddest of all is when some of your favorite blogs completely lose their voice to brand endorsements. if you started your blog as your PERSONAL style blog, shouldn't you stick to outfits you pick out yourself? cue the 4th grade eye roll.
ReplyDeleteabigail
www.farandwildjewelry.blogspot.com
great post, gabrielle. i have to go back and read the man repeller's post....i kind of glossed over it. and i have to find this NYT article. you always say it in a way that i totally get.
ReplyDeletexo
n
Ehmmm.... Just sexy!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's really interesting that so many bloggers have taken offense to Menkes' article. The fact is, she's right! Fashion Week has become a circus, and it's entirely due to bloggers' involvement in the occasion. Bloggers are essentially complaining about the circus, refusing to disband the circus, and whining when other people point it out. It's not that there's anything inherently wrong with having your picture taken. It's not. Not even remotely. It's just that editors have worked their entire careers to be where they are, and are now having their space invaded by fly by nights with no qualifications. I'd be pissed too. I don't think fashion should be exclusive. That helps no one. But I think that bloggers need to do away with the sense of entitlement they feel to be in spaces like that. They haven't earned that place, regardless of what they might think.
ReplyDeletePS. That DRESS!!! To die. You look amazing.
Hey Cate,
DeleteSuch a thought-provoking comment.
I think you're right, the sense of entitlement is the kicker.
It's really interesting that you take such different sides here - resectable too. The ability to approach it with such logic is commendable (something I didn't quite do).
It's hard to find the line between making fashion exclusive for the sake of exclusivity and weeding some of the more obnoxious people who get to step into these rolls of agenda-setters out of sheer luck, or enviable bodies, or really devoted boyfriends who take fantastic shots unrelated to any sort of real consideration for the industry itself.
Then again, even as I type that, I feel funny about saying "weeding" out. i want to base exclusivity on qualifications - I just don't quite know what those qualifications should be? Fans? Intelligence?