People attach far too much value to the clothes they wear. The same can be said for various other material possesions but clothing is the catergory that really gets my goat.
When I speak of value I mean cultural worth. It seems that many people believe in purchasing a particular product, they will acquire some substantial quality with it; be it intellect, sophistication, alternativeness, hardness or something else. The particular quality varies in correlation with the item. I suppose all of these sought after traits can be collectively grouped under the deplorable term of 'coolness'. Acquire the product, acquire the 'coolness'. Now dont get me wrong I enjoy a shopping trip as much as the next, as I do the wearing of a new garment. However I realise that wearing a piece of clothing will not change the type of person I am. New clothes are nice but they cannot transform your soul. No sir.
It seems that men and women the world over believe that a well planned purchase, of a cravat say, or an astutely sloganned tee-shirt off the internet, will be the magic ticket to social credibility; to acceptance and credence amongst peers; to public glory. And in some cases this may well be true, but only on social scenes as shallow and as dull as the 'must have' items circulating them. Clothes and hair cuts seem to have replaced ideas and activities as points of interest amongst even bohemian crowds. What a terible state of affairs. Today it seems the mark of a man is not the actions he takes but the fit of his jeans.
Okay, I may seem a bit ambivalent here, again, as I can and do recognise ill fitting jeans from well. However I also recognise that a matter such as this is pretty trivial when it comes to appraising a persons overall merit. Good people wear bad clothes, bad people wear good clothes, and vice versa. In the grand scheme of things it doesnt matter much. It pains me when I hear individuals chastising others for wearing something out of season. What the fuck does out of season mean anyway!? Surely anything of real quality can and will withstand the test of time. Anything that doesnt must have been disposable in the first place and these fuckers who are doing the mocking where wearing this attire last year? Idiots.
Another tragedy of the consumer generation is that some of the now generic looks where once a part of something socially meaningful. Many who adopt these styles, do not, and make no attempt to understand the inspiration and legacy which sometimes lies behind the wears. Styles which were once significant and indicative of a moment in time (the MOD look for instance), are now largely redundant; cheapened by those who wear, but do not understand.
What annoys me further is that all of the latest trends and items are products of a relentless commercial process. Those who think they are in the know, the pretentious ones who are scathing with their opinions, are actually being fed all this shit by magazines and celebrities and capitalist organisations; and are readily eating it.
The whole idea of personal style is that it is personal, curated by you and you only. Some people seem unable to grasp this concept. Tailoring your outward style is a really effective way of suggesting what type of person you may be to others; it is good for complimenting ideas you possess and effective in demonstrating your creative zeal. However one cannot just overhaul their wardrobe and expect to find an interesting person looking back at them in the mirror. A fetching baseball cap or an abstract quiff will not make you worth knowing. Newsflash; where not in high school.
