Can clothes ever be too young or too old to be worn by a particular person?
We can’t ignore the number of girls that shop in the kid’s section at thrift markets for little cute pastel coloured tops with the back label saying 6-8 years but we also won’t bat eyes and disregard blindly of the ones shopping in the men’s section for a much comfortable pair of pants or cooler jacket. Same goes for that one man that will stride past you in a mall silently yelling into the mouthpiece of his one of many phones with a strike of grey in his smart beard wearing a beach shirt and very tiny tights, his calves are poking and that young teenager bumping music in his ears, chewing loudly with his facial expressions changing every time he types at his phone in an evening tondeka bus. He wears extremely baggy trousers that only the top of his humongous earth tone coloured shoes are seen, an equally big shirt lying beneath the multicoloured or plain oversized four button chequered coat. Someone might call it a reversal of trends but it’s actually- it’s just- style? Style versatility, that’s just what it is.
My friend’s boyfriend’s roommate’s younger fourteen year old cousin sister has a style so impeccably versatile that interchanges among all the ones mentioned above and even more. There are several of those too who interchange between pleated skirts, overalls, long pastel coloured clothes, men’s jeans and grandmother flowy dresses. It’s an extensive debate if it’s a generation type of situation for the trends are visibly returning. Take for example the mid 80’s tacky vintage, nets and bows in hair returning into the scene several decades later.
Meanwhile, amidst all those kinds of people, there is you who seemingly wears what’s just right. This to you is probably a nice pair of fitting sneakers or heels, a fine tweed suit or smartly pressed sweaters. I can’t say otherwise of course, your style is befitting because it’s your choice. But I wonder if you would think the clothes suitable if you saw any of the people above, dressed differently from you. I am curious if you will be so alarmed that you’ll be extremely bothered by the size of their pants to ridicule them about what they are wearing.
Society has a notion mostly, for what most people and of what age they should dress like. Some professions demand a certain dress code; a men in black type of situation, others have designated uniforms like scrubs or overalls. Most professions however, don’t demand for anything specific, just smart and decent. Some people however, have a tendency of feeling a requisite to tease, hiss or advise someone else about their dress code despite not being their employers or the people that buy them those clothes. It is a bit distressing because could it be that the hissers want to dress like them or are just necessarily displeased at anyone that tries to look any different?
Some people however, have a tendency of feeling a requisite to tease, hiss or advise someone else about their dress code despite not being their employers or the people that buy them those clothes.
Regardless, people always find a way to express themselves. Be it the heavy dangling or handmade friendship bracelets, metal or plastic rings, flat flashy or dull coloured closed shoes and their blatant or subtle hairstyles. There is an unravelled sense of individuality that will still manage to surface in every one of them.
In 2017, Vivienne Westwood in regards to her punk sensibility and provocative designs said that punk feels very heroic.
When I say heroic, I mean to express individuality. That’s what it is, to be known in a crowd and forcefully express individuality.
Vivienne Westwood, 2017
The late renowned designer throughout her five decades in fashion, instilled every piece with a rebellious and edgy touch.
On the other hand, your inquisition is likely to trigger a feeling of embarrassment and discomfort towards the other person whose style might seem strange to you (unless it is what you aim for at which we might now instead need to revise your morals in relation with other persons.) A polite comment of inquisition on an outfit or kind gesture to notify someone of a cloth mishap is always appreciated no matter how slightly embarrassing it can be. It is however, tremendously insolent to give an opinion or impose a personal belief about someone’s dress code without being asked or signing a contract inclusive of dress code with them.
Nevertheless, confidently wearing your own cloth and not having to inescapably say a thing about someone’s sense of flair is more reputable and further valued above everything else to anyone.
