Nobody likes a copycat. But, sad as it may be, society today is focused very much around conformity and an obsessive need to ‘fit in’. Not only are more and more people turning into socialites, spreading themselves thinly in order to be associated and seen with as many cliques of cool kids as possible, they are also adapting their fashion and style.
Fashion is about individuality and what you wear expresses who you are. Although many simply follow high street fashions, others adapt their styles to match those around them, whether it is ‘on trend’ or not. University life puts pressure on young people to look a certain way. This year Leeds is all about girls in high-waisted denim shorts and boys in chinos and boat shoes. Last year was all about the Barbour jacket and Henry Holland tights. Even something so minor as tying up the strings at the top of your American Apparel hoody became such a necessary detail. God forbid a boy was seen with his strings hanging loose.
Being from Liverpool, I find the shifts in fashion between cities fascinating, having been brought up around glamorous men and women who strive to look their best. On a Saturday afternoon it’s the norm to see countless women strutting around town with rollers in their hair, a face fresh from the MAC makeover counter as they search for an outfit for yet another Saturday night on ‘the cobbles.’ Living for the weekend is what it’s all about and even more important is how you look. Making the most of your appearance to reach your full potential is key, because if you’ve got it, why not flaunt it? Looking good makes you feel confident and happy; as Audrey Hepburn once said “I believe that the happy girls are the prettiest girls.”
Some argue that those who make effort are ‘try hards’, but is it that they are trying too hard or do they simply care about their appearance? I don’t know if I try hard or not, I just dress how I want to dress and make as much effort as I think is acceptable. I’m never going to ditch the acrylic nails, the eyelashes, and even though I stand at 5’10”, I couldn’t function without my 7 inch heels. Quite frankly, I don’t want to.
Watching trends change whilst I’ve been at University in Leeds has at times left me speechless. To see girls on nights out wearing American Apparel hoodies with Nike high top trainers was an alien concept. They were everywhere. Was it meant to be cool? Was making yourself look worse and dressing down the new thing to do? Granted, some girls don’t need to try to look amazing, but this was taking the ‘effortless’ look to a whole new level.
I think people would be lying if they said they’d never adapted the way they dress to fit into a certain surrounding and it’s style. There was a severe rough patch in my life as a fashionista during the summer of 2005, when staying at my holiday home in the Welsh surfers paradise of Abersoch, I spent the summer wearing board shorts in an array of different patterns including psychedelic swirls and hounds tooth. In hindsight, not the best look. But more importantly, because of my curvy hourglass figure, the hip riding, oversized shorts did nothing for me. This is where following trends can become a very dangerous game.
If it’s in Topshop it’s going to look good, right? Well no, actually. Even if something is fashionable, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will suit your figure. The end of the Noughties saw the rise of the ‘bodycon’ (body conscious) style. Tight to the figure jerseys and lycra dresses and skirts hit the high street faster than Gok Wan can get your baps out. However, unless you are slim or have perfect curves, the style does nothing for those ‘lumps and bumps.’ Designer Hubert de Givenchy hit the spot when he stated that “The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body follow the shape of the dress.”Unfortunately, some have had to learn the hard and shameless way. The same is said for boys regarding the ‘carrot fit’ trouser and skinny jean. If you’ve got hips and a bum it’s not going to work honey. Sometimes, you’ve just got to give in and accept you’re never going to be able to wear it.
American Apparel’s ‘disco pants’ have been on my wish list for the past year. And this is where they’re going to have to stay. My thunder thighs and Beyoncébooty are going to have to accept that high-waisted lycra trousers is a slight step too far. This point is expanded through the brilliant writing of psychologist Leonard Felder. He begins his book ‘Fitting In Is Overrated’ with the powerful and thought provoking question, “How do you balance the desire to be accepted by the people around you with the desire to follow what’s in your heart and soul?” Personally, I don’t think it’s worth changing yourself for the sake of others, though admittedly this comment comes with a lot of self-confidence and esteem. Perhaps this is the key to accepting who you are. You have to feel good in your own skin before you can stop hiding behind others.
It’s all about wearing the right clothes and having the most recent hairstyle; the Ombré or ‘dip dye’ as it’s more commonly known, is particularly common at the moment. And whether it be leather leggings, bright lips, minx nails or statement necklaces, many want to be seen keeping up-to-date in the latest trends. Though however great looking up- to- date and fashionable may be, it’s important that we don’t lose ourselves. When it comes to attire, things can often get out of hand, and I’m not just talking about the bank balance.
As a nation, we’ve gone kinda crazy. Checking the Daily Mail online five times a day for a quick ‘break’ in work has kept us up to date with the latest trends and fashion faux pas. Following celebrities and their styles on such a regular basis has also had a great effect on UK fashions. Last year, one of the best parts of watching the X factor on a Saturday and Sunday evening was to see what masterpiece Cheryl Cole would walk out in for tonight’s show. We were obsessed. Similarly, back in May we saw our favourite Princess Kate Middleton step out to meet Michelle Obama in Reiss’ £175 ‘Shola’ dress. Britain’s favourite new fashion icon, looking every inch glamorous, caused nationwide hysteria. Within two hours of its release, the’ Shola’ dress was a sell- out and the over-eager customers managed to crash the Reiss website for two days. The dress however, was soon being snapped up on eBay for over £500.
The legendary Yves Saint Laurent famously stated, “Fashion fades, style is eternal.” There couldn’t be more truth in this comment. We can all follow trends, but it’s the way we wear our clothes and the pieces we put together that determines our style and boasts our individuality. What you wear is about you. Whether it’s mixing H&M and vintage or couture and Primark (controversial), it’s about wearing the clothes that reflect your personality. Blending in with a crowd is one of my biggest fears, and the one thing that I’d never do and that you should never do is change, because quite frankly we’re perfect, just the way we are.