Feature
The Unlikely Heroes
Samantha Cabrera
Perhaps it’s the inundation of reality television. There is this blur of women who look alike, act alike, and seemingly, think alike. From embellished blouses to the zillions of premium designer jeans on the market, the uniform of a cute top and jeans has grown into a nationwide craze that is seeping over into a global fixation.
While hardcore fashionistas scoff this dress code, a few are seeing the ease and comfort of having a closet full of nearly identical clothing would make dressing for an event a heck of a lot easier. And really, how different is this mentality of dressing in comparison to a black cashmere sweater and black skinny jeans? Reaching for the same look, that is constantly comfortable, constantly provides confidence, and constantly embodies what you want to portray is the same any way you slice it. Is there that big of a difference in whether that look is a Sky top and Seven jeans versus a Chloe blouse and YSL trousers?
Take a look at the E! network’s hit reality show, The Girls Next Door. Three blondes who favor false lashes, a certain older gentleman and have a penchant for lingerie-inspired ready-to-wear, all actually have a very distinct style when dissected. Most fashion-savvy is Bridgette, the fun loving, carefree girlfriend who is a huge fan of themes and anything having to do with them. The queen of matchy-matchy, Bridgette is always decked out in head-to-toe matching ensembles whether boarding a flight to Las Vegas or making a trip to the pet groomers. Polka dots, bows, and pink round out her looks, and while for some this may bring on a series of stomachaches, for Bridgette it brings yelps of enthusiasm that are as infectious as chicken pox in grade school. Sure, it isn’t McQueen, but it’s enthusiasm for fashion, something that much of the industry and its participants lack in recent history.
So is it possible that this latest flock of women is the new unlikely heroes of fashion?
The S/S runways were by some arguments, one giant show. Looks and trends blended together a little too seamlessly leaving a lot to be desired for fashion followers. Even designers who typically churn out the creative edge left us high and dry. The lackluster place in fashion is leaving us looking elsewhere for inspiration and fun. And fun is something The Girls Next Door, and The Real Housewives of Orange County know all too well through their wardrobes and beyond.
When reaching this far to find inspiration for fashion, you know the industry is at a standstill. And it is. With high end designers stretching themselves incredibly thin in order to create diffusion lines for mass retailers while simultaneously creating their own collections, it’s no wonder the industry is flailing. Accessories have taken over the bulk of profits, leaving clothing to take a backseat to everything that is extra. The creativity, and perhaps the desire, has faded, leaving us pining for It bags, $700+ shoes, and jewelry. You constantly hear the phrase, “It’s all about accessories,” and apparently, it is.
Yet these archetypal characters that inhabit the tube during cable primetime seem to hold true to having a great relationship with clothes. Sure they love Louis Vuitton luggage and bling as much as the next gal, but their real passion lies in dressing. Finding the perfect outfit for a night out for drinks or for lounging about poolside is just as thrilling as dressing for any other occasion and when it seems there are more options on the market for these occasions, you can see where the fun is. There’s a vast ease in dressing for yourself and not keeping up with the insane trends that change at every waking moment. The key is finding a balance and the place that allows fashion to be fun. It’s where dressing is still exciting, and not a chore. Dressing up because it’s a fun process that is inspiring and allows you to feel better about your day, rather than dressing for others and because it’s what’s expected. When it’s a rat race just to keep up with the trends, and tracking down a pair of Louboutins is more work than your actual job is, fashion isn’t doing us any favors. It’s becoming as inane as everything else. It’s simply becomes as tedious as other mediocre tasks in our lives if we let it. These unlikely heroes capture the fun that is fashion. While their taste may be different than your own, it’s no doubt that they have fun with a subject that is slowly but surely fading into the night.
Perhaps it’s the dawning of a new age of fashion; an age of more risks and less criticism. Regardless of your personal style, these unlikely heroes reach for the same inspiration you do when opening their closets each time they dress. While the end result may not be the same, we all look for this inspiration on a daily basis, and when fashion fails us, we are forced to look in some unlikely places.
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