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Sunday 1 November 2009

Curious statement dressing




Everyone is banging on about ‘statement’ dressing. Fashion Era says "Winter 2008/9 will be remembered as the statement season. Watch out for statement coats and statement fabrics. You will also see statement heels, statement shoulders, statement jewellery and statement hair, together they define the next fashion era as one of classy grown-up clothing! Investment dressing is back."

So is statement dressing tantamount to style with brains? What statement are we actually making through our choice of clothing and accessories ... and why do some of us prefer glamour, whilst others go for grunge?






Style has social and psychological implications. If you think about it, every piece of clothing or accessory makes a statement that’s related not only to its design, shape, colour and fabric, but also to the point in time when it was made and the significance of the item to the wearer. What's more, our choice of clothing also affects the way we feel. These days, almost everyone, subject to the requirements of work and their income, has the freedom to wear virtually whatever they like. Each and every one of us is making a unique statement that’s a snapshot of our personality, our taste and our place and time in history. When we get dressed every day, it’s up to us to choose exactly how curious a style statement we wish to make.





I was talking to an older friend over dinner the other night, who suggested that, in days gone by, a woman’s power was in her femininity. He complained of women today grunge-dressing, drinking, swearing and being “worse than men.” He suggested that, in recent years, women have become un-emancipated – and, due to their lack of self respect, are now treated disrespectfully by men. He felt that even gay men were more enthralled by (and jealous of) the beautifully dressed belles of yesteryear.

Of course, in the distant past, men focused on hunting and protecting their women and children, whereas women were caring and nurturing. In fact, our basic instincts haven’t really changed that much since we were cavemen and women – they’re still based on survival and protection - it's society that has changed dramatically, causing many of us to become horribly confused.





And what has happened in the world of fashion is that we’ve been transported from the elegant feminine lines of the 1940s and ‘50s to the androgynous t-shirts, hideous hoodies, utilitarian trainers, ripped jeans and rucksacks of today. I suppose this has a lot to do with women seeking equality and wanting to wear the trousers … but, despite men’s growing ‘metrosexual’ tendencies, I’m curious to know why we don’t see more of them wearing skirts? Let’s face it, in the fashion stakes, the sexes remain far from equal!








Anyway, I’d just like to mention this heavily beaded (and fabulously shoulder padded) vintage ‘statement’ jacket, designed by Diane Freis at the height of the 1980s power dressing era, (and available at ShopCurious), as a perfect illustration of the sort of garment that might appeal, if you like to stand out from the crowd. It’s got a fairly masculine, boxy shape, but with glittery sequins and beads in a riot of crazy colours. It’s clearly designed for the woman who wants to show she’s in charge, but still be womanly - a curiously clever style statement if ever there was one, don't you think?

Do you?

15 comments:

Jill said...

I actually checked out that jacket several days ago. It's a fabulous riot of color. Love it! I don't look so great in that shape...unfortunately.

Susan said...

Thanks Jill, glad that you like the jacket, but you're totally right that shape (as well as size) can be a big factor in choosing what we wear. If we're fortunate enough to have the choice, we should lead with the heart when choosing what to wear. In my opinion, it's best to reflect our personality and make a truly unique style statement (so long as the style suits us).

Make Do Style said...

Yes why don't more men wear skirts?

Sister Wolf said...

YES to everything! Hoodies = hideous. The word "hoodie" is itself an abomination.

Men should definitely wear skirts, just ask David Beckham or Marc Jacobs!

As for "statement" pieces...god, if only we could give it a rest. First it was bags, now it's shoes. When I get dressed nowadays, my statement is: "If it's clean, I'll wear it."

But that crazy jacket would look GREAT on me, damn it.

Susan said...

... and cleanliness is next to godliness.

Male readers are also very welcome to
comment.

WendyB said...

That DVF is extraordinary. Those boxy shapes are difficult though. I recently wore one of my own leather jackets from the mid-'80s and...what were we thinking? It's just not flattering.

Susan said...

Some boxy shapes can look rather manly. A model friend - tall and scarily skinny - tried on this jacket and it looked utterly fabulous with her jeans and vest top ... she even managed to make the shoulder pads look ultra cool. Might suit Agyness Deyn?

nearlywinter said...

I wholeheartedly agree with what you say about style being a snapshot of one's character - I tend to think that endlessly trotting out jeans and hoodies is symptomatic of not knowing quite what character you are, how how to express it...

I'll turn 30 at the end of the month, and only in the last year or so have I been confident to dress the way I want without apologising (handmade dresses or high-waisted skirts, 40s cardigans knitted by my Mum, Mary-Jane shoes from Clark's, Victorian pendants, Edwardian blouses). I daresay I look a touch eccentric, and probably not completely at home in the 21st century, and as if I listen to lots of Tom Waits. But I'm OK with that!

(That jacket is amazing, would look appalling on me - I'm all hips).

Susan said...

Thanks Sarah P, we love eccentric... By the way, I meant to ask you about your writing - do you have anything published or a blog that we can read?

nearlywinter said...

How sweet of you to ask about writing...yes: I've been published in the Spectator and in a short fiction anthology, and for some time I was a theatre critic for the arts site MusicOMH.com. I had a blog on sgperry.blogspot.com, but it is defunct: I'm in the final year of a Creative Writing PhD and was getting distracted by staggeringly substandard writing - but there's some snippets there, including a coupla daft fairytales x

Susan said...

Wow! That's pretty impressive, I'm glad I asked and will take a look at the blog. Do you belong to any online writing communities? I've heard that Litopia is rather good.

nearlywinter said...

Oh gosh, not at all impressive but thanks! I'm not part of any online communities - I do a lot of sitting alone in my study weeping gently into a glass of Scotch! - but I'll check out Litopia fo sho.
x

Sister Wolf said...

Oh, nearlywinter, I love the gentle weeping. You paint such a lovely picture!

Jackie Montgomery said...

My "statement" piece is my Betsey Johnson Pearl Tea Party Necklace. Google just that and you'll see it. Not every woman could rock such a bold piece. I love it and get lots of compliments when I do wear it.

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