Why the everyday matters in fashion

The performance of perfection

Fashion is often shown at its most extreme and not its most real. Fashion shows, designer collections and editorial campaigns shows there is such a dominance of runway and luxury trends. These become epitome of fashion and something we should all aim for as fashion students and people working in the industry at the peak of our career. But what if that no longer interests you? Why should we have to aim so high for something that doesn't resonate with our values or passion?

Social media boosts this kind of content and prioritises this spectacle of fashion over reality. At a time where many people are struggling with body image issues, the rise of health and wellness trends and even the cost of basic living, fashion media showing only the 'perfect' and polished aspects damages fashion lovers' views of something they should find comfort and joy in. After studying and working in the industry for many years, there has always been such a gap between what is shown versus what is lived and I think this is a time for it to change.

Most of us don't live life in this spectacle of perfection and luxury, this is actually something such a small amount of people experience, it quite literally doesn't exist.

Repetition isn't boring

Fashion media and content shown to us on social media should be bought into real life. Repetition, practicality and comfort isn't boring, it's real and should be shown as what it is - normal.

As someone with a love for fashion and an appreciation for the art that it is, I will still be dressing for comfort and practicality most days. Fashion designers are artists who create complete sculptures and are talented in their field, however, as someone who lives a very usual life, I can't afford to nor do I have the time to dress in the way luxury fashion tells us to. There may be certain styling 'rules' people follow when dressing but this isn't practical to stick to everyday and doesn't suit everyone's lifestyle. Also the practice of wearing only pieces that flatter you is completely dated and can't be used when dressing.

Many people, including myself, will have outfits they wear on repeat because it's a 'safe' option and a reliable look. Outfit repeating becomes looked-down on, which is something I have always struggled to comprehend. For something to be seen as shameful, especially at a time where sustainability is at the forefront of everyone's mind, regardless of interest in fashion, it seems a bit useless and surely we should be encouraging rewearing.

For me, outfit repeating comes from a place of comfort and empowerment because I am dressing for myself instead of dressing to be seen by others. In the end nothing is more important than the way you feel about yourself so why shouldn't this be made a priority?

Why the ordinary deserves attention

Everyday is culturally rich, we're in such a small space, living in such a short time in history and so lucky to surrounded by so many different people. Everyday life rarely makes headlines, it's usually a lot quieter and often overlooked. However, it's in these ordinary moments that clothing holds some of its most honest meaning.

When fashion is only viewed through the lens of luxury and perfection, the everyday can become a bit lost and distant from people's lives. Observing moments from the everyday allows fashion to be understood, not just as an industry, but as a lived experience.

Representation is beyond luxury fashion, it's seen in person, online, on tv and in cinemas. When people see something that represents them, especially at a young age, it changes everything. Ordinary dress is what tells you about someone else, it just shows how they express themselves, even in the smallest of details. Highlighting this and giving this the same spotlight luxury fashion has, would enable us to become more enriched in our understanding of people and the broader fashion world.

By paying attention to smaller details, we can start to see that fashion doesn't need to be extraordinary to be meaningful. Sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones happening on a random Tuesday in August - not on the runway during fashion week.

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