On this blog, I have used the terms fashion and style synonymously. But recently I realized that there is a huge fundamental difference between the two:
Fashion is temporary and particular to a specific moment in time, whereas style is unique and personable
According to Rani St. Pucchi, "[w]hen you are following fashion you are basically in comparison mode, wanting to look and be seen by everyone else...[s]tyle on the other hand...has nothing to do with fashion."
Fashion has more to do with what's "trendy". It's the attire you're going to see at runway shows; the stuff that's going to sell for thousands of dollars. While keeping track of what's fashionable and trendy may be fun, like it is for me, it can also be incredibly costly and not particularly helpful.
Many influencers actually advise against buying trendy items because such items will not be relevant for long. This is because fashion constantly changes. Think about it: each season designers like Dior and Versace release a whole new line of clothes differing from their past lines.
The world of fashion is seemingly about one-upping the competition. It's about creating something specific for that specific moment. Something eye-catching but that likely won't be worn for very long if at all.
The way I best see it is that fashion is an art form, whereas style is being your own curator of said art.
Style is much more personal and involves your own identity. It's about creating your own wardrobe based on what you think and feel. In this sense, style has much more power than fashion.
Not only that, but according to Syra Brownlock, "[s]tyle is so much more interesting [than fashion]." Developing a sense of style puts you in control, not the designers. You decide what you want to wear and likely have your own personal reasons for it. This makes style fun and exciting.
It even has the power to change your very reality, as I've said numerous times before.
While most of us can only observe fashion occurring around us, with style, you are in charge.
Your style can consist of whatever you want, and this greatly depends on what kind of person you are.
For example, my closet is filled with Oxford shirts, waistcoats, sports jackets, suits, and linen button-ups in the summer/wool sweaters in the winter. I would say my style is professional because that's the type of person I am
Conclusion:
As stated above, fashion is essentially what is trendy whereas style is unique to you.
While in the past I have been apt to use fashion and style interchangeably, moving forward, I will only use the term "style"
Fashion and what is fashionable has not, and probably will never have, a spot on this blog. That's because, simply, it doesn't impact me at all. As I said, it can be fun and thought-provoking to see what is trendy, but at the end of the day, I will always be more concerned with developing my own sense of style, and of course, helping you develop yours.
What do you think?
Are you more interested in working on your own sense of style or with the world of fashion?
Do you think what is trendy can be implemented into your style
Let me know in the comments!
-Ryan S.
Note: Despite no longer using fashion and style to mean the same thing, the label for such posts will remain "fashion". This is because, as far as I know, I cannot change the label name, and at this point, it wouldn't make sense to create a new label.
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