18 February 2010 – NonFashion, originally uploaded by academichic.
Sources:
On E.
- Moby Wrap
- Blue green pashmina – unknown origins
- Jeans – Target
- Gray sweater – F21
- Hollyhock gloves – Tulle
- Wedges – thrifted
On baby e.:
- Hat: gift from great aunt
- Onesie: thrifted (yes, baby e. thrifts too)
- Jeans: Carters
Sources:
Folks, this is a very unfashionable outfit. These are my “mom” jeans and my standby sweater. But, S.’s post on GDR chic yesterday prompted me to step outside and take a photo with baby e. while I contemplated the difference between “fashion” and “style.”
S. summarized the distinction as “external vs. internal forces of expression.” (This differentiation comes up regularly in style blogging, and Angie of You Look Fab and Sally of Already Pretty have had some wise words to share.) And it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot over the past week as gorgeous images from NY Fashion Week have proliferated on blogs and in the NY Times Style & Fashion section.
Tricia, over at Bits and Bobbins has a recent thoughtful post regarding Fashion Week as an institution. And as I said in her comments, I tried really hard to be interested in NYFW this year. I really did. But somewhere in between information overload and washing another set of cloth diapers for baby e. my interest sort of petered away. It’s not that I necessarily think that Fashion Week epitomizes the effects of late capitalism ala Frederick Jameson — though the politics of commerce and consumption are certainly wrapped up in it — nor do I think that my own creativity somehow surpasses the thoughtful craftsmanship of those for whom clothing-making is a career. In fact, I very much appreciate those who synthesize the week for me and draw out interesting trends and highlights. But I do find that I treat even those images the same way that I do wardrobe_remix photographs: inspiration but not dictation, jumping off points not a finished product to emulate.
So on days like yesterday, when I am very, very unfashionable, I think I can still have style. Especially when purple gloves are involved. How do you understand the relationship between fashion and style? Do you consider yourself “fashionable” or “stylish” or both? What’s the difference to you?
18 February 2010 – NonFashion, originally uploaded by academichic.
18 February 2010 – NonFashion, originally uploaded by academichic.
P.S. Even baby e. got to participate in scarf week a little bit!
I would rather be stylish than fashionable anyday! Someone told me that i looked elegant the other day. seeing as i was wearing a pretty normal jeans and long sleeve top outfit it was possibly one of the nicest style related compliments i have ever received. It was probably the detail on the top – but i think the way we wear clothes and how comfortable we are in them and in our skin can be seen by others…..anyway can be a style queen when she is confident and comfortable in her own skin, but similarly too, when it is just about fashion and you don’t really buy it, well, you’ll probably feel like mutton dressed as lamb.
Bottom line is this: I think your outfit is you. and you are beautiful.
Just had to say that baby E. is ADORABLE! And you certainly still look stylish to me. I guess my short answer would be I like to think I’m stylish. I don’t always embrace the latest fashions, and don’t follow designers all that often.
Thanks for the shout-out, E. I loved Tricia’s post and could totally relate myself. I actually think that the blog coverage of Fashion Week makes it harder to process, in some ways. It’s so frantic and frenetic, and all about scooping the other media outlets. I’d much rather plunk down $30 for a lookbook in three months and process on my own time.
I think fashion is impersonal, style is individual. I’ll take style over fashion any day.
ok, first of all, baby e? TOO CUTE!!
i could just eat him!
that said, i generally agree that the difference between fashion and style is internal -vs- external. fashion is dictated to us where as style is personal.
am i fashionable? sometimes, but must of the time, no.
am i stylish?i like to think i am. it is something i aim for, and some days i feel i miss the mark. others might think i look stylish, but that would be according to *their* personal relationship with style, not mine.
I think style transcends trends and fads, and is an expression of self. Fashion can be an expression of self, but can also be a reflection of trend. I would pick stylish over fashionable. Personally, I would say I’m never fashionable, and sometimes stylish.
[...] now on to the recent discussion we’ve been having over here. I really enjoyed E’s distinction between style and fashion and would like to add, that like E, I tend to use both high fashion and street style photography as [...]
I relate to everything you said about fashion weeks in general. While I appreciate the summary of trends, I would not be interested in being there or following it closely. I try to modernize my outfits based on the fashion trends with a careful filter of my own realities. That results in a lot of trends not even making into my closet. So definitely style over fashion for me. Fashion is an art form in general… well maytbe that could be said for style as well.
Baby E. is super cute BTW! :)
Where did you find that baby?! Was it on sale? ;)
okay, that baby officially made me want to de-lurk myself. what a doll! as someone who is more of a thrifter than a retailer, i like to pursue style over fashion. my style icons are people like katherine and audrey hepburn, grace kelley, etc. this is not to say that i have achieved their style status, but that i think about them as i choose things. i’ve always liked looking a little different, but trying to always be aware of the total look of an outfit. no one has ever called someone “a slave to style”.
Gotta say I’m pretty much in agreeance with most on the idea that fashion is what you look at and chew on for a while and then there is style which takes that piece and makes it personal. I don’t think I’m very fashionable – so many of the trends just don’t work with my style. That said… I’m still in the process of developing a sense of personal style to call my own.
But baby e… now HE is stylin’!!
I think I tend to see these two words as much more synonymous than you and the other readers who have commented seem to think they are. The definitions of either word will lead you to the other. To be in style is to be fashionable, right? A personal style is to dress in a particular fashion. I like to think about both these words more interchangeably, but more as verbs, as fashioning or to style something. They both connote that there is authorship and agency.
I would like us all to take a moment to appreciate how insanely adorable baby e. is.
I also love your purple gloves. I want a pair now.
Baby e: best fashion accessory EVER!
how sweet!!
So cute! [Squeeze].
baby e. = best accessory ;)
I think style is something that makes me feel like me. And fashion is when I fall into trends (not high fashion but street fashion). I can wear my own ‘style’ and still feel put together and decent and looking fab. Whereas not all fashion suits me :P
How cute is baby e. He’s adorable!!! I agree he’s the best fashion accessory you have and quite the show stealer! I actually did not notice what you were wearing as I was so taken by him (I glanced at the first picture and went straight to the second for the close up!). I also think you look great –quite the yummy mummy if I may say so :) The teal scarf and purple gloves plus baby e’s (light blue or grey?) carrier make a great colour combo.
I have to agree- baby e. takes an otherwise mundane outfit and really takes it up a notch!
First off, baby e. is seriously adorable. I love his facial expressions!
I think Sal’s comment that “I think fashion is impersonal, style is individual.” is spot on, and like her I’ll take style over fashion any day. While fashion week provides a slew of often very interesting images of clothing, I don’t feel a connection to much of any of it.
I think HdM’s comment that the two are very related as verbs is also spot on, though. Fashion week, to me, is a parade of fashion-as-noun, not fashion-as-verb. I’ve no interest in wearing fashion-as-noun because it’s currently in vogue, but I’m interested in fashion-as-verb because in doing something myself, it becomes personalized. I think style is a broader term that encompasses both aspects of fashion (and then some), and leaves a lot more room for individual expression (which is why I say I’m stylish but not particularly fashionable).
You are so awesome, and baby e is gorgeous. I love this blog, and especially your posts…I relate so much to you but you are so stylish and put-together, and eloquent! I too am a grad student (defending in 1 month!!), and I had a baby boy last summer. Anyway, I love love love this post because I have felt so un-stylish since my son was born. Between finding nursing-friendly tops and clothes that don’t bunch too much under the Moby wrap (which frankly is the easiest way to move around town with a baby), I have so often felt like just giving up on style. I have never been a slave to fashion, but in the past several years I have tried to be more conscious about developing my own classic/ elegant/preppy style. But, since the baby, that has sort of gone out the window. I check out your site to be revitalized though. Thanks again for the inspiration.
teehee!!!! so cute!
Oooooooo, such a gorgeous little boy. Goodness he’s getting big! But lady, those are definitely NOT mom jeans…the outfit may be basic, but it is still so much better than most. The addition of the scarf definitely kicks it up a notch.
As a mom of a 2.5 year old, I am completely inspired by your they way you’ve continued to be fashionable in both pregnancy and as a mom, even in your “mom” jeans.
And now that I see you are a baby-wearing mama who uses cloth diapers, I appreciate you helping to break the stereotype associated with that. Will you do a special post on baby fashion (including using cloth diapers and baby wearing?
I think of fashion as art, and style as how an individual translates that art into their lives. I love watching slideshows from the various fashion weeks to see what the different designers are doing, but most of couture isn’t something most people could add to their daily wardrobes.
Regardless of whether we identify with “fashion” or “style”, I think most people want to look “current” with the fashions, even if current only means the length of our shirts, and rise and length of our pants, or shoe style, or what color families are “in.”
Thanks for the thoughtful post, E.! This is one of the many reasons I love your blog.
[...] Week: Fashion Weak by Tricia Royal from Bits and Bobbins blog. Non Fashion by E from Academichic blog. London Fashion Week AW 2010 – New Digital Era Spells Trouble for [...]