My Strongest Suit: Daily Fashion Finds: Nature of Fashion

For this paper, I interviewed my sister April (fashion generation of 1990s), and my Mom (fashion generation of 1970s).

Question: Describe a fad, trend, and classic clothing item worn sometime in your life.

April: End of middle school or early high school everyone was wearing Girbaud or Birkenstock, and I just had like one pair of Girbaud that I wore all the time. I’ve never really stayed with it. I have clothes that I’ve worn for years and years, but that’s about it. Right now I wear skinny jeans, but that’s just what everyone sells.

Mom: A fad – overalls (1970s—specifically 73), a trend – Navy dungarees (late 60s), a classic – blue jeans, pearls, A-line skirt.

Question: Did these clothing items help to define you?

April: I think for some people it definitely does, but not so much for me. I just wear what’s comfortable. I think a lot of people think that if they don’t wear what’s in right now they don’t feel cool, but I just wear what’s comfortable. 10 years ago I would buy cheap stuff that looked like what’s popular, but I never wanted to spend a ton of money.

Mom: I was never much of a fashionista. Clothing never really defined me. I was always probably a few steps behind in fashion. I can’t say that it defined me, no.

Question: How did wearing these items affect your friends and family?

April: I tried to fit in as a kid for sure. I definitely think there are some people who judge you based on what you wear. Family didn’t care so much, but peers definitely did in high school.

Mom: I guess as far as with my high school-ish clothes I had to wear what everyone else was wearing to fit in.

Question: Would you describe yourself as a fashion leader, general accepter, or a fashion laggard?

April: I would say I’m an accepter. I don’t lag behind, but I’m definitely not a leader.

Mom: Probably a laggard. I was never really on top of fashion.

Question: Have you changed your attitude toward clothing over the years?

April: Now I just wear what’s comfortable. I just don’t even care about being “in”.

Mom: I just wear what I like. I look at what’s popular, but then I just wear what I like; what makes me feel more comfortable.

Analysis

After interviewing my sister, April, I see her “trendiness” in a different light. Growing up 12 years younger than her, I always thought she wore the coolest clothes and always looked “in”. After talking to her about her own perspective, it seems as though she cared a lot less that I imagined. While she would attempt to keep up appearances, she didn’t seem overly enthusiastic about fashion.

Growing up, I never felt “cool” or “in” with fashion, and I never seemed to care. In fact, I would openly reject many trends, thinking how silly it was that people completely remade their wardrobe based on what other people were wearing. I would buy almost everything I owned on clearance. I would wear t-shirts, jeans, and hoodies almost daily. I never got mocked, because (as discussed in class) those pieces are all classics. I remember one time corduroy was really popular for a season and I just flat out refused to buy corduroy pants when my mom really tried to push me; I was stubborn. (I was always stubborn. I refused to read Harry Potter until my mom spent a bunch of money on the hardcover books and I felt guilty.) Once the fad passed, I felt inclined to try a pair that my mom bought on clearance; I was quite the fashion laggard.

I also assumed that my mom was more trendy, based on the pictures I’ve seen of her and my dad together. My dad was definitely a fashion accepter. His main request for their wedding in 1970 was to wear a maroon tux and ruffled shirt and have his groomsmen wear light blue suits. From pictures I’ve seen of them together, they definitely appear straight out of a 1970s film; my dad had longer hair, a sweet mustache, and leisure suits. My mom wore turtlenecks, flared pants, and long poofy hair.

Overall, it’s clear that my fashion acceptance/lag is very similar to my family; none of us really feel the need to fully impress others with our choices. We all seem to feel the need to be accepted by our peers and at least wear things that we won’t be criticized or mocked for, but we don’t go out of our way to spend a lot of money to over-impress those around us. My mom, sister, and I all feel (especially at this stage of our lives) that it is important to choose function over fashion. None of us go so far as to wear sweatpants or old, worn-out clothes in public, but we all generally stick to classics in our appearance, as to avoid spending more than necessary to keep our wardrobes updated or follow fads.