19 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.Sources:
- Scarf – vintage, from my grandmother’s closet
- Green top – ON, thrifted
- Blazer – J.Crew
- Black skinnies – thrifted
- Boots – Banana Republic
Endnotes:
First, some outfit remarks: This particular silk square scarf is actually from my grandmother’s collection. She decided that she doesn’t wear these kinds of bright colors anymore so she passed it down to me. It’s got a funny vintage carriage design on it with two carriage drivers in the center. This is not a design or motif that I would necessarily pick out for myself, but I realized that it doesn’t actually matter much what’s on the scarf as much as which colors are used for it. Once the scarf is folded, bunched, or tied, there’s often little more that a burst of color to be noticed. (See exhibit B here).
Today I pulled out this homage to 19th century transport because I really wanted that green edge to add to my green top + navy blazer combo. I tied the scarf using the ascot method and added black jeans and boots.
Scarf detail, originally uploaded by academichic.
Ok, 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 a launching point (rather than an exact blueprint) for my own outfit creations. I would like my style to be a blend of different influences and aesthetics, not necessarily identifiable as a certain ‘look’ or ‘trend’. This is one of the reason why thrifting appeals to me so much; so many of my thrifted finds are unique and different and when I put together a stellar ‘thrifted’ outfit, I feel most successful in having performed Style rather than Fashion.
Which brings me to the topic of thrifting – I had asked in my last post about the ways that I – or you – use clothing or style as a means of resistance. And several of you pointed to thrifting as a conscious act of resistance against conspicuous consumption, or, as reader Lisa put it, as “an obvious rejection of our throw-away society”. I was struck by this comment because thrifting used to be a need-based practice for me while growing up. My clothes came from thrift stores because that’s all we could afford. It was by no means a political act back then. But as my financial circumstances have changed, the motives behind my shopping second-hand have as well. Now I thrift because I love the search and the hunt, but also because I really believe in the political practice of reusing, recycling, repurposing, and making things last.
It’s funny how resisting during totalitarian regimes would mean sneaking in foreign goods, which usually reflected the latest trends and the most modern creations, while resisting capitalism has us reaching for the old and the discarded. While these may appear like completely disparate practices, I’m struck by the similarity in the objective of both practices: it seems like both acts are done in search of individuality and out of a desire to be unique. And that bring me back to where we started – the question of Style vs. Fashion. I believe the reason so many of us prefer the term style blogger over fashion blogger is because we perceive the first to be more about expressing individuality and creativity rather than just following the masses. And as history has shown us, no matter what the political context, there is a certain irresistibility to standing out and perceiving oneself as unique and contrary to the status-quo. I guess wanting to be unique is not so unique after all. S.
19 February 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.
I love this scarf! I love the color of the edging and I adore the print on it! So different and unique. I love, too, that it was your grandmother’s.
Whenever I acquire something that was my mother’s/grandmother’s/great-aunt’s, I love to know as much about the things as possible. Sometimes any information is forgotten, but sometimes I find out why the item was bought, how much it was loved, an occasion it was worn to.
When I don’t have a story because those details were forgotten or because it was a thrifted item, I love imagining that life it had before it came to me. I love that I’m continuing the life of a beautiful, unique piece that someone cared about before I came along.
And, like that amazing scarf you’re wearing, I love finding unique and different items, whether thrifted or new – it seems, though, that there are usually far more unique items in a thrift store than in department store/boutique.
Thank you so much for this post, and the ones before it on fashion vs. style. I always enjoy coming to this blog because I know I will get more than a daily picture of what you wore. I love the analysis of how style, clothing and fashion fit into society.
Clothes are so emotional in so many different ways, and that includes how we procure them as much as how we wear them. Status, financial means, geography, and personal priorities all figure in. And while some clothing-related decisions are about standing out, many are also about fitting in.
@Sara – that’s such a wonderful approach to appreciating those hand-me-downs. To be honest, I’ve never given the back story to those garments too much thought, except for with really obviously important items, like my grandmother’s dress that she wore to my mom’s wedding. I should really start asking more questions!
@Sally – you know, I thought about that too when writing this, that some people do dress to fit in and there is that other side of the coin. That’s why I was careful to say that there is an attraction to being unique and standing out, but I caught myself and deleted statements such as “we all want to…” etc etc. So thanks for making that point! I think this would be really interesting to explore some more: when is it that we choose to fit in and when do we strive to stand out? In what contexts (since I’m going to assume that these behaviors aren’t only influenced by someone’s personality but that they are often in response to a given place, time, context, geography)… S.
i think the scarf is lovely!
and i love reading your continued ideas on thrifting and style v. fashion. i too am definitely on the style side of the line (i hardly think of myself as fashionable!!!–which is also why my interest in NYFW is tepid at best).
The scarf really is lovely. =] I quite love this outfit.
For the scarf giveaway, being asked what I like to thrift stunned me. Thrifting isn’t something that I grew up with.
Reading about the family hand-me-downs, I don’t really have that same experience. My grandmothers, my aunts, my mom don’t really hand down their clothes to me. I also don’t have many female cousins, and the ones I have are almost all in Vietnam.
I’ve gotten jewelry from them, and I’ll occasionally rumage through various family members’ closets for clothes – but even all of those things are almost all bought from within the last decade.
That’s just the thing. My family (not my generation) all immigrated here with pretty much the clothes on their backs. They just don’t have “old” or “vintage”.
Furthermore, “old” and “vintage” were not items to cherish or to rework. My boyfriend wants us to buy an old house and fix it up, to buy a one- or two-year-old car because it’s just as good, etc.
These are things that I can’t imagine that my family would even approve of. We cherish buying a brand-new house, being the first owners of it; that’s exactly what my house is. When I got a car for my birthday, it had to be new, even though a senior that I knew offered me her old car for far cheaper. When I lost my phone, my dad was frustrated that I had located an old phone from a friend as a replacement.
So this topic’s interesting to me, and I really enjoy reading all these thoughts.
It’s nice that flash was used to take the photos. Really made the scarf (and snow!) stand out.
As for the issue, I thrift because I refuse to let myself believe that I can afford things. Also, it’s good for the environment. I may not have political causes or whatnot but there is one cause that I believe in and that’s the environment.
I love this look– especially the cool scarf you’re wearing!
S you’ve been having such brilliant posts lately. Bravo, I hope that dissertation writing is going well too.
Your analysis of state socialism v. U.S. market capitalism is interesting. The New York Times has a new article about how military styles come in and out, and how back in the 1960-1980s, they were worn ironically by anti-war activists and anarchists, but that now adays, many do not see wearing military clothes a political act, and therefore the irony and politics have gone. I wonder if there is a generational issue, though. Most young people (with some exceptions) do not see their consumption habits as political, but a small subgroup does. I am not a strict Aristotlean, but there is a distinction between clothes as resistance, a politics of clothes/style/fashion, and clothes AS politics, no? Wearing fashion as a non-conformist tactic operates on the micro-levels, and although what alternative style bloggers do is admirable, I wonder to what extent the lack of a clear politics (and a subsequent movement) affect this?
I think my head is still swimming in the recent Guardian article about the New Left Review. Keep up the great posts.
I think it’s interesting that we can both fit in and stand out at the same time. By this I mean “fitting in” doesn’t necessarily mean “blending in.”
We may wear clothing that by all means fits in with our society or social groups, whatever those may be – but we can stand out by making our style unique in our own way.
Does this make sense or am I just babbling.
Great post.
Thrifting in Oxford would be a sad experience and would result in a somewhat naked Sarah, but I am a huge fan of Ebay. My “resistance” is based in a refusal to pay any more than I think an item is *worth* to me, rather than what XYZ shop thinks a plain cotton shift is worth. On ebay you can decide what something is worth and pay it (unless someone else thinks it is worth more!). I like the control over shopping that ebay gives you, so long as you are capable of sticking to your own limits.
And I LOVE the vibrant green in your scarf and top. The scarf is very Hermes!
What a gorgeous scarf! And it’s so sweet that it was your Grandma’s. I love wearing my Grandma’s jewelry :)
These ideas about style vs fashion and the value of being “unique” often cycle through my mind, too. I’ve enjoyed reading your thoughts. And, of course, I enjoy the way that you’ve expressed your thoughts through your style, especially the history and the character of your grandmother’s scarf.
Love that beautiful scarf! it looks amazing with the green tee.
http://www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com
Just like you, I started to thrift when I was growing up, because of attention to money and because of the pleasure of seeking and hunting.
Nevertheless, I must say that my mother used to thrift long before thrifting became fashionable. Probably the fact that she had three children and many sisters have helped her to get this habit.
Anyway, I believe it’s a matter of good sense: producing, buying and throwing away continuously is pointless!
Your background is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! And you look beautiful, as always. :)
I, too, grew up with thrift shopping out of necessity, and I’ve been trying to regain a sense of only buying the things from thrift stores that I need and are practical. Too often when “thrifting” becomes fun and a hunt one ends up with masses of clothes that don’t go together and it becomes more of a struggle to get dressed in the morning.
I think there is a whimsical and fantasy quality for many thrift shoppers. Because the things are old, having some of them around can sort of create the illusion that the goods have history and continuity, and this is especially nice for people who have no or few things of their actual family’s. Wearing an old-style sweater can look like it was passed down from a grandmother, and one a few years out of date can look like a sisters.
I love to wear a quality older skirt than one from Target that will burst at the seams after a few wears, but I’m trying to get away from where I have my clothes in rotation with the thrift store (bags go in/clothes come out).
Your grandmother has wonderful taste, btw! :)
I LOVE this scarf… i have been following your blog for awhile now and thought i should say hello :)
i looove this color on you… the green is a stunning contrast to your dark hair, blazer, jeans and boots.
i would like to work something similar into my wardrobe.
you guys always have the best ways of incorporating scarves.
xoxox
[...] is because it makes a statement. I can’t put it near as well as one of the amazing ladies at academichic, so I’ll just quote her… I had asked in my last post about the ways that I – or you [...]
I just started blogging recently, and when I told people I’ve gotten into fashion blogging or style blogging, they were still confused about what that meant…I guess not everyone is technologically inclined ;P. But after reading your post, I decided to go with ‘style blogger’ on my business stamp. Thanks for the funky style and awesome advice.
-Tallulah doll