I strongly agree. Clothes have alot of meaning while being worn and can effect the way the person feels. Clothes can bring out a different side of people, for example if a girl who wears a dress for the first time in years may start feeling sexy and sophisticated. A woman who always dresses sexy finally wears something more conservative will definitly change the way she feels about herself. Could you imagine if you saw someone working out in an evening gown, or going out to dinner at a expensive restaurant wearing workout clothes. This is how clothes change according to what we are doing or where we are going.
Fashion
The designers, the models, the shows and of course, the clothes
"People use clothes to create different impressions of themselves in different situations. This is particularly true of people who play a variety of roles . For example , a carrier women may wear smart tailored suits and shirt blouses for work , a seductive evening dress when she goes out in the evening , and sporty clothes at weekend around her house. On one level these clothes express her participation in certain kind of activity but her choice also expresses how she wishes to be seen and treated. Her work clothes suggest efficiency and a serous approach to her carrier :they express her desire to be treated as a colleague. Her evening dress , on the other hand , may stress her identity as a woman and one who wishes to be seen as attractive and treated as such. Her selection of clothes are an important indication of which aspects of herself - which roles - the woman is emphasising at any time .
But not everyone modifies his or her appearance according to the social situation . For example a skin head tends to to look the same whenever and wherever he goes or whatever he does .
However , clothing is not used just to create an image or impression for others ; it also helps establish a sense of identity for the wearer. Putting on certain types of clothes can make you feel different . Berger suggested that 'One feels more ardent by kissing , more humble by kneeling , more angry by shaking one's fist . '(10)
In the same way , if you put on a long -flowing , elegant gown and you began to move around in it , it can make you feel elegant and sophisticated . Of course clothing cannot completely transform people's sense of themselves. Someone with strong masculine identity is not going to feel elegant in an evening dress, he would feel ridiculous.
Never the less clothing seems to be an important element in the way social identities are established for others and for oneself ." (Ref.- Rouse E. Understanding fashion,60)
In reply to TorrieB:
Agreed - so why do we let fashion dictate what we should wear, instead of making our own choices that suit our individual personalities?
PIC>:latimesblogs.latimes.com/ thedishrag/2007/09/
All said, etiquette and the purpose of a particular item , I think that ... it isn't always totally ' black and white ' .... or isn't there something more in the chemistry of what you wear that needs to pull it all together ? : the right time ( timing ) , the right place, the right wearer ..... such as the 'psychology' of clothes, the spirit of the wearer , the spirit of the moment , the element of 'creativity ' ..... just guessing ! ....
I believe that clothes alone are totally helpless and meaningless when wanting to feel or look good ... they can only acquire a 'meaning' to the wearer and obtain 'psychological power ' if the wearer can identify what works, what doesn't , what compliments his/her body , which colours makes the wearer look 'radiant' and positive and add that sense of self assurance with total conviction ...
How you stylised what is going to work and transform you into that positive and welcome character or 'personality ' is in a way far more important that the clothes the person choses to wear .... just guessing
I was looking at some pictures of beautiful showbusiness woman with equally fabulous bodies wearing extremely expensive clothes to certain venues where they would certainly be scrutinised by the public from head to toe ... but my God! , their total lack of sense of what is called STYLE and subdued taste made them look very foolish as to turn them into a caricature version of themselves , nothing could be worse in their case when having the label of ' glamourous' stars... that is when their credibility seems to evaporate in thing air , I then ask myself ... don't they have a huge mirror at their palatial homes ?
I must say that to have style as in STYLE is not as easy as one might really think ... and after having watched a documentary about Mrs. Anna Wintour at work ... I was rather disappointed to see how often Anna had at certain moments the wrong piece at the wrong place and under the wrong light of the day that didn't totally totally in her personal favour and figure.... of course she also looked very fashionable most of the time .... looking very crisp and I dare to say somehow rather .... to clinical, sterile-sque.... in my very personal opinion of absolute no importance ...
It is indeed a world apart from a former editor of Vogue who was not only a true Icon of style, a true inspiring personality but was ever so knowledgeable in the matters of knowing the art of truly imaginative inspiring aesthetics !... Diana Vreeland !
I have seen Anna in two gala dresses that somehow seemed to literally shout l ... " look at me and just me " ! ... but then again it is all a matter of personal taste and certainly depends on the ability of being able to judge yourself first and then come to the right conclusions !
Perhaps Anna should consult Carolina Herrera in the matters of how to use style to your most fantastic advantage ... whatever your age, height , skin complexion or figure ...::):)
I think that style is something not to be taken for granted even if you happen to be the the the most well known ' expertise ' of one of the most influential top fashion magazines in the world !
In the the end in that documentary she seems to come across as a very contemporary ambitious carrier woman who has certainly " the best job in the world " ... that is when I think ... no , it is not only the " best job in the world" but most important of all .... it is a mission and the exercise of an art ... the art to be not only creative but to have also the ability to inspire fellow humans .... My conclusion, of no importance of course , is that the veil has revealed a lot more that one could wish for ... the distinguish enigmatic quality somehow seems to have vanished like snow under the sun ... in my perception the 'ice' has melted .....
PIC>:abcnews.go.com/Exclusiva/ popup?id=4311816
CAROLINA HERRERA
“I love the idea of elegance and intricacy, but whether it is in a piece of clothing or a fragrance, the intricacy must appear as simplicity,” says Carolina Herrera, the 2004 CFDA “Womenswear Designer of the Year,” of the esthetic sense that has driven her during her for 25 years as a fashion designer. “I think that standard has served me well; women seem to love my clothes. I am extremely grateful for the success that they have given me.”
Spoken without a stitch of ego, the statement reveals a great deal about Carolina Herrera. Her entirely straightforward approach toward her business--which Herrera founded 25 years ago after being prompted by fashion legend Diana Vreeland and her great friend, the late Count Rudi Crespi--is perfectly balanced by her entirely impassioned feelings about her late parents; her husband Reinaldo Herrera; her four daughters, Mercedes, Ana Luisa, Carolina Herrera and Patricia; the family house in Venezuela, La Vega, built in 1590, and of course, her dogs, Gaston, Gaspar and Olivia.
..... “I started doing this because I loved fashion,” she says. “But I had no idea what it would become. I can only say that I am very lucky my mother instilled such discipline and structure in my life!”
Herrera, born in Caracas, Venezuela, descends from a long line of Venezuelan landowners and statesman. The designer is animated in her affection for her parents, Guillermo and Maria Cristina Pacanins, admitting that she is “spoiled as far as men’s looks are concerned” because her father was so dashing. She refers with love to her mother’s “cultivated aura.” “She was very strict, but not in a loud way,” Herrera adds. “There was a time and place for everything. I have carried this idea with me all my life.”
That noble sensibility, combined with a slightly wicked charm, enabled Herrera to make the transition from her halcyon days as a chic and renowned beauty on the international scene--where she spent days with royals and nights with the Warhol crowd--to a designer with such talent and business acumen that she could not be ignored.
After receiving a positive reaction to a fashion collection she created in 1980 as “a test,” she moved with her family to New York from Caracas in 1981 and formed Carolina Herrera, Ltd. Her exquisitely detailed, expertly crafted creations were immediately in demand. Chic, sophisticated women all the world-over turned to Herrera’s label for the type of impeccable suits, dresses and gowns she instinctively knew how to design--the legacy of having grown up in a world where women wore only couture. Herrera herself had attended her first couture show, that of Cristobal Balenciaga, at the age of 13 with her grandmother.
.... . Herrera states that, “light and color are basic elements in any of my creations.” Its shape and colors are both classic and modern, inspired by Donald Judd’s minimalist sculptures and Mark Rothko’s chromatic rectangles.
“With my clothing and fragrances,” says Herrera, “I believe that it is best to be realistic, but to always mix a bit of fantasy with reality. It’s the same with life, really.”
www.couturebridelv.com/ Carolina_Herrera.htm
PC>:www.buy.com/.../ q/loc/106/39732362.html
PS> In my opinion , what also makes Carolina Herrera a very truly glamorous stylish lady of our times is not only her sense of taste and aesthetics but most important of all her humble aristocratic manner of how she is generous towards her fellow human beigns when it comes to how to treat them no matter their origin or class , a great quality considering her status .... that is a kind of absolutely positive beautiful magic that makes a person .... inspiring in the total sense !
Andy (Anne Hathaway, left), Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and Emily (Emily Blunt).
PIC>:www.salon.com/ent/movies/ review/2006/06/30/prada/
____________
EXTRACT from " The Devil in (Thing) Disguise " by Marilyn Kirschner
... " There was practically no newspaper, weekly magazine, or website that has not broached this subject and in fact, the cover story of the Thursday �Style� section of The New York Times, June29th, �The Duds of �The Devil Wears Prada� by Ruth La Ferla, included the observation, �You�d think that a movie about fashion world get the clothes right, but fashionistas bemoan its lack of chic.� Ouch! The consensus of opinion within the fashion world seems to corroborate this opinion. But after seeing the movie, I had a slightly different view and felt that much of the criticism directed at Patricia Field was undeserved. In general, she fared far better than I was led to believe.
That said, while I felt the clothing choices for Anne Hathaway�s character and the assorted fashion editors and assistants scurrying through the halls of �Runway� were �edgy� enough and pretty believable, I did agree with many that Ms. Field�s choices for the most �powerful fashion editor on the planet�, were disappointing, a bit more more hit and miss, and in certain cases (like the fussy striped collar fur or the dowdy �Dallas� portrait neckline black gown), it was more �miss� than hit.
For the record, for those who argue that with an assistant�s lowly salary, it�s not realistic to think she could be dressed in Chanel head to toe, or dress �better� than her boss. I beg to disagree. Actually, when I was an editor at Bazaar, there was a fashion assistant who wore Chanel (head to toe) on a daily basis, and whose boss also wore Chanel quite frequently. And may I add that this assistant managed to pull it off in a much more youthful, offhandedly stylish way. While I�m not suggesting that all assistants outshine their bosses, there certainly are cases (and not few and far between) where assistants have more personal style and savvy than their higher ups.
Let me point out that even though fashion assistants don�t make a great deal of money, they are not exactly from deprived, low income households- some are even from families wealthy enough to buy and sell Conde Nast or Hearst if they wanted to. (Well, almost). Vera Wang was once a fashion assistant at Vogue, and Tory Burch was a fashion assistant at Harper�s Bazaar. Need I say more?
The bottom line is that this is Pat's interpretation, and her goal was "to give Streep a regal look" according to AmNY (www.amNY.com), because she "imagined her character as the Queen of fashion, and proceeded to dress her like a queen". To that end, Ms. Field reportedly relied on a $100,000 budget from which she borrowed clothes and accessories from Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Dennis Basso, and Miuccia Prada among others (about half Meryl�s shoes were Prada). I don�t mean to be a Sunday morning quarterback, but she blew an opportunity to �educate� America (as if they really care) as to the vagaries, the perfect below the radar details that spell the difference between being inherently chic, truly stylish, and not; the difference between merely getting dressed in of the moment designer labels and IT bags, and exuding personal style; the difference between merely following trends and affecting a signature uniform that transcends the vagaries of seasonal 'ins' and 'outs'. ..."
REF>:http://www.fashionlines.com/2007/march/peopleDevilWearsPrada06.php
In reply to Galileo's Universe:
Clothes, I don’t know where to start. I love clothes just like most other girls. I think of clothes as my freedom of speech. I can where what I want when I want. People may judge me by what I am wearing, but I don’t care what people think. I feel lucky to be able to through on anything and not care.
What I do when it comes to picking out my clothes for the day is I where what I feel. That is not obvious, but I literally wear what I feel. If I wake up and feel like wearing all black and a punk rock style then I will wear that. I go from wearing boys clothes like cargo shorts to tall t’s. I have gotten many complements on my style. I can go from a preppy look to goth to gangsta to even dressy.
Clothes are amazing. You can do so much with them. That is why I decided I wanted to become a fashion designer. It is a chance for me and other people to be creative. I love designing an outfit that can make a statement. An outfit that makes some feel good about themselves and stands out. I know I can bring expression into my clothes and show a certain personality.
Clothes are each persons individuality. Like I said before it is like a freedom of speech. Clothes is the main piece of fashion and fashion is a huge industry. That is why clothes have an endless way of being worn. Clothes are every woman’s dream come true.