all about our generation's inability to avoid irony.
It was in response to a message I sent him about Henry Alford's latest mockery of hipsters in the New York Times.
And it floored me.
For the first time, I truly considered how often I use my clothes and overall style to "cite" something else, instead of using them to fulfill an instinctual urge.
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Instinctively, I'm drawn towards anything nature-esque, symmetrical, lacey, or derived from a dead cow.
Intellectually, however, I can make myself like just about anything - simply based upon from where it's derived. Did my favorite blogger wear it last week? Did Keira Knighley wear it in Pride and Prejudice? Did The New York Times do a streetstyle slideshow on it?
But I'm not spoofing my favorite blogger,
I'm emulating her.
So this isn't irony.
This is mimicry. Idolization.
The halo effect instilled by a persuasive series of trend setters.
It's still "citing",
but not in an ironic fashion.
It's still "citing",
but not in an ironic fashion.
Yet, I do often feel as if Irony precludes this emulation.
I mean, how often has your favorite new fad started as a humorous reinterpretation of a once-serious style?
Heeled tennis shoes? Rocker tees? Bell bottoms? Crop tops?
I mean, how often has your favorite new fad started as a humorous reinterpretation of a once-serious style?
Heeled tennis shoes? Rocker tees? Bell bottoms? Crop tops?
How many times have you scoffed at what's "in", only to find yourself weeks later clad in the very same trend?
What starts as irony
becomes the ideal. The life of a modern day trend, if you will.
It's cool to be uncool. It's cool to be "in the know".
It's cool to be uncool. It's cool to be "in the know".
It really seems like very few novel fads are created independent of these "clever" socio-historical references.
But that's not to say things won't change. I have eternal faith in the human race's insuppressible capacity for weird.
Case in point:
Case in point:
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| everything in this ensemble is ironic in some fashion. pleather pants, wife beater, black bra, denim shirt tied around waist, BIRKENSTOCKS. Cherry on top = trashy red lipstick. Thank you, Thank you very much. |
Cheers.
All I gotta say is thank the freaking lord god above that it's "cool to be uncool" ;) I am always emulating...never spoofing! And same here: I will justify ANYTHING as cool! Have you seen the show Portlandia? I think you will like it...SO funny! It's on Netflix bby.
ReplyDeletexoxo Britt
that nyt article about hipsters was amazing. i think the real cherry on top here might just be that scrunchie around your wrist. the ultimate in ironic accessorizing! you somehow managed to make birkenstocks look good and now i'm like wait do i need those?? how do you do it?!
ReplyDeleteabigail
www.farandwildjewelry.com
funnily enough, that was the only non(consciously)ironic part
Delete-gab
As usual it all boils down to taste. Whatever you like, it may be a sack of potatoes, if you find it cool you wear it and feel pretty in it. Don't see where the problem is :D
ReplyDeleteLove your cute sandals!
it sneaks up on ya! i started using 'dope' ironically, now i can't stop. dope post.
ReplyDelete