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  • Chinorlz
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2006
    • 6422

    Your Style Philosophy



    Spurred from the WAYWT thread mini-discussion:



    What is your style philosophy?



    Do you prefer mixing and matching different brands/looks/price ranges or sticking with higher lines due to quality/cut/style?



    Do you support (or don't support) certain designers and lines because of their aesthetics along with their ideologies (Carpe Diem, Julius, Ann D. et al)?





    I'll contribute soon! Need to wrap up work right now here at the hospital hehe.





    www.AlbertHuangMD.com - Digital Portfolio Of Projects & Designs

    Merz (5/22/09):"i'm a firm believer that the ultimate prevailing logic in design is 'does shit look sick as fuck' "
  • sphoxx
    Member
    • Nov 2006
    • 51

    #2
    Re: Your Style Philosophy



    Interesting question.




    My wardrobe covers the usual highstreet/vintage/designer spectrum, but not by intention. I definitely buy/support designers who's inspiration, ideology and aesthetic I vibe with. Labels aren't important to me at all, only what the line/designer represents. Designers that care about the wearer I'll always give props to.



    100% designer looks usually don't work for me; I feel like I'm just wearing the ideas of the designer and not interpreting the aesthetic for myself. Like all art, I feel it's up to the wearer to decide what individual pieces mean to them. I relish iconic pieces that represent the lifestyle of a certain era (1880s American West, 1960s London, 1940s/WW2, classic Americana - Dean), or pieces that reference the feeling and mindset of a time period.



    I choose clothing based on how it inspires me; music is major (1980s NYC hiphop culture, 60s/70s rock, etc). But above all, where I'm at mentally at any given time (be it geographic location, time period, or whatever) dictates how I present myself. Fashion is about communication. I'd hope that those who know where my pieces come from can interpret the personal inspiration behind them, their individual significance, and what they say about my interests and personality (a tad lofty aspiration, but whatever :D).

    Comment

    • nairb49
      Senior Member
      • Dec 2006
      • 410

      #3
      Re: Your Style Philosophy



      very interesting take sphoxx. I'd say my ambitions were a bit similar, but now believe it or not, I'm trying to get away from all that, and strive towards a cleaner, more consistent and classic look.





      I know that sounds boring etc blah blah, but its just the way its going these days.... we'll see what happens.

      Comment

      • sbw4224
        Senior Member
        • Sep 2006
        • 571

        #4
        Re: Your Style Philosophy



        I am at a change in my own style philosophy right at the moment, and I'm not sure where it is going. Recently, I have sold off a lot of my wardrobe. My goal is to keep it somewhat minimal and small. I don't really have a problem with rewearing the same thing a lot, but now that I'm keeping it small, I am becoming very picky with what pieces I want.



        I think my biggest inspiration in this change has been Yohji Yamamoto. I remember reading one of his interviews in A magazine and being moved by his minimalist and simplistic way of living. Of course, this being said, if I decided to have only 10 pieces of YY clothes, there wouldn't be much minimalism in the price tags. I think my latest purchase, a RO wool coat, is my first step towards this new style philosophy. I love the organic texture and feel of the wool, and the somewhat tailored but not tight look of it. Like I said before, I'm still not exactly sure where it is leading me, but I'm still learning.

        Comment

        • matthewhk
          Senior Member
          • Jan 2007
          • 1049

          #5
          Re: Your Style Philosophy



          Good thread...



          As for my own personal style, I think i have reached the point where i have stopped experimenting with ideas and am pretty set into what I am looking for out of clothes. My approach is pretty simple and no fuss. I keep the layering/accessorizing to a minimum and I'm moving to a look that is functional, clean and tailored. It might be a bit one-dimensional, but it works and i'm comfortable in it. I don't like to think about getting dressed too much. I don't particularly try to mix and match on purpose, if it works it works and i don't really analyze it from any other kind of perspective.



          Designer wise...the only one I really follow for my personal style is Yohji Yamamoto; a lot of the other houses that I admire for the design aspect (Raf Simons, Junya Watanabe, Rick Owens, CCP) I stay pretty much an observer as while it's nice, it's not really suited for me after trying stuff on. But Yohji clothes and the philosophy i get from it really speaks to me, so i stick with it. Would love a whole wardrobe of just clean white t-shirts, button down shirts, tailored overcoats and black trousers from YY...so basically adhering my look after the master himself. lol. For footwear I like C Diem a lot...the clothes aren't really me but I got a pair of the boots last season and really like the way it's made.

          Comment

          • Casius
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2006
            • 4772

            #6
            Re: Your Style Philosophy

            I saw this thread when it was started and decided to somewhat think about my answer, but I'm sure it's not going to come out as I wanted it to so here goes;

            I always based my wardrobe around where I have lived; Northern California I wore a lot of coats, sweaters, and pants. Southern California/Hawaii, a lot of jeans, tees, and sometimes the occasional sweater or jacket. Lately I have been leaning toward a more 'city' vibe if you will, but still trying to incoporate my by-the-beach roots. I can never go all black, unless it's a suit, so mostly I try to incoporate dark green, dark browns, and maroon into my wardrobe along with the black. My ideal form is something between a mix of Cloak (street, yet tailored with a twist) and CCP (organic, flowing, yet industrial and rugged).
            My ideals for clothing don't run too deep, at least not yet. I still have a lot to learn and learn something new every day, so I try not to form too much of an opinion too soon. Right now, I'm really inspired by Cloak, Ann D, CCP, and believe it or not, Uniqlo. lol I know, I know, not much of a 'designer' per say, but I believe in what they bring to the market and for the price, there isn't much better out there.
            "because the young are whores. dealers come to carol to get the rock"

            Comment

            • Chinorlz
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2006
              • 6422

              #7
              Re: Your Style Philosophy

              [quote user="Chinorlz"]

              What is your style philosophy?



              Do you prefer mixing and matching different brands/looks/price ranges or sticking with higher lines due to quality/cut/style?



              Do you support (or don't support) certain designers and lines because of their aesthetics along with their ideologies (Carpe Diem, Julius, Ann D. et al)?



              [/quote]





              I started the thread, I should contribute as well hehe.



              I am a bit of a fence-sitter when it comes to mixing and matching. I definitely like to wear basics and my primary wardrobe (when I'm not kicking it in some novelty tee, jeans and sneakers) is black, white with some grays and reds in there. Because of this I have a bunch of AA tees and cheap fingerless gloves, even a couple $3 belts purchased from NYC Chinatown.



              At the same time, I'm like Khiev and a lot of members on here who appreciate the love that goes into creating some of these pieces. This applies to the esoteric brands like Carpe/LMaltieri/Linea, Poell, and LUC. Every piece is "precious" and there's a clear art to the execution. It's like putting on something special whenever I wear clothes from those designers.



              Because of that, I want to acquire more and more (same way people collect art) because I am a fan of the lines, of what they create and because on top of all that, it looks good on! In part, it's knowing that I am wearing something that few others have seen, let alone own. Chances are, many pieces I have, I am the only one in the state, if not the region/nation that has it. That's a pretty cool feeling and at the same time lends to the uniqueness of my personal style. This is true of many others on this forum as well!



              Although there are times when I don't understand the pricetag, nor do I understand what is so "special" about a certain piece. If that becomes the case then I buy from a lower line or.... make it myself. The former situation saves me money and gives me a very similar end result. The latter situation results in a piece of clothing that I love just as much as the other pieces in my closet because I made it.





              When it comes to philosophy and ideologies of brands, I find myself drawn to Carpe, Poell, LUC, Julius because they focus so much not on branding, exposure or merchandising but on the pieces they make. That level of quality and attention that goes into each and every CCP item is amazing and the end result as we all know is something that should damn near belong in a museum sometimes.



              I consider CCP/Carpe level of detail and attention to be different than say... Lanvin because I get the feeling that Lanvin quality is almost secondary to the design. That is, the company justifies their high price tag by using good fabrics and more attention to the sewing. Whereas CCP, Carpe et al. generate ultra high quality products because they LOVE what they create. They don't even consider the idea of "quality" because to them, to construct pieces that they want to, they themselves would settle for nothing less than the best fabrics and materials.



              ..and THAT is why I support them.

              www.AlbertHuangMD.com - Digital Portfolio Of Projects & Designs

              Merz (5/22/09):"i'm a firm believer that the ultimate prevailing logic in design is 'does shit look sick as fuck' "

              Comment

              • cmf
                Junior Member
                • Dec 2006
                • 23

                #8
                Re: Your Style Philosophy



                my style philosophy...



                never try. your clothes should look like they grew on you. buy peices that fit that description.







                Comment

                • macuser3of5
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2006
                  • 276

                  #9
                  Re: Your Style Philosophy

                  Overall, I would say I'm a minimalist, somewhat in the Greenberg sense of the word (as it pains me to say). I wear simple things, nothing with excessive buttons or straps and what not; my focus is the silhouette. I like mixing natural and unnatural fibers; ie. a nylon jacket with cord jeans, and I like my fibers to be honest. No prints, only texture and pattens resulting from weaves, or color blocking resulting from a pattern (like piping, for instance). I prefer natural, woody colors, nothing too exotic or 'crayola'. I like luster, but not overly shiny things. Essentially, I like my wardrobe to balance and flow within itself. Subtlety and direction are key.

                  Comment

                  • Faust
                    kitsch killer
                    • Sep 2006
                    • 37852

                    #10
                    Re: Your Style Philosophy

                    /\ I like this. I think Johnny has a similar style and it works really well for him.
                    Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                    StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                    Comment

                    • casem
                      Senior Member
                      • Sep 2006
                      • 2590

                      #11
                      Re: Your Style Philosophy



                      Wow, what a poetic description macuser!




                      For me it's a balancing act. I can be a bit schizophrenic in my tastes so I suppose the way I come to a happy medium is what defines my style. I don't think I'm especially creative in how I put things together, I just feel sillypiling it on orheavily stylingthings (it works for some) so I prefer to buy things that mix and match really well with enough uniqueness that no matter how I put them together it's not going to come out too boring. My three influences are: "Minimal", I like the clean Jil Sander look, or the simplicityof a perfect cut, there's not a lot of color in my wardrobe so many of my decisions are based on how silhouettes and materials go together. Edgy (for lack of a better term) I get this mostly from Cloak and Helmut Lang, I don't like to feel too dark (it's not my personality) but there's something nice about feeling like a little bit of a badass [:)] And don't shoot me... "Hipster" I've been drawn to the Dior aesthetic for a long time and I'm young enough that I still like to feel cool. I don't overdo it though, I certainly wouldn't call myself a hipster, and I never do it head to toe, I try to take little influences here and there that appeal to me.




                      Something no one has mentioned yet, but Ialso consider sexiness. I'm not quite ready to swathe myself in yards of black fabric a la Yohji (it'll be fun when I'm old though). I like to feelthat the way I present myself is attractive and not so out there that it turns people off andI often dress myself in a way that I find attractive in others.

                      music

                      Comment

                      • matthewhk
                        Senior Member
                        • Jan 2007
                        • 1049

                        #12
                        Re: Your Style Philosophy

                        to me, yohji can be pretty damn sexy...it's not a conventional sexy, but something about it being dark, mysterious, and somewhat pure and poetic. like i see someone in yohji i wonder what that person is like, makes you wonder about the personality behind the layers of swimming black fabric. especially on the opposite sex. its probably not how people conventionally view it though, maybe it's just me.

                        Comment

                        • Seventh
                          Senior Member
                          • Dec 2006
                          • 270

                          #13
                          Re: Your Style Philosophy

                          [quote user="Chinorlz"]


                          I consider CCP/Carpe level of detail and attention to be different than say... Lanvin because I get the feeling that Lanvin quality is almost secondary to the design. That is, the company justifies their high price tag by using good fabrics and more attention to the sewing. Whereas CCP, Carpe et al. generate ultra high quality products because they LOVE what they create. They don't even consider the idea of "quality" because to them, to construct pieces that they want to, they themselves would settle for nothing less than the best fabrics and materials.



                          [/quote]

                          I really like how you said that Albert.

                          I am relatively new to thinking carefully about fashion, and am still learning so much. So it is hard for me to have a definite philosophy. I do know that I dislike the overly slick--I like things a little awkward and irregular, like a composition that is slightly off but it is hard to pinpoint just where. I also have a soft spot for rougher, kinda aggressive clothing--I will never be the type of person who looks terribly elegant. Slowly (inexorably) my wardrobe is heading towards black and grey colors. gabba gabba hey.

                          Comment

                          • Faust
                            kitsch killer
                            • Sep 2006
                            • 37852

                            #14
                            Re: Your Style Philosophy



                            [quote user="matthewhk"]to me, yohji can be pretty damn sexy...it's not a conventional sexy, but something about it being dark, mysterious, and somewhat pure and poetic. like i see someone in yohji i wonder what that person is like, makes you wonder about the personality behind the layers of swimming black fabric. especially on the opposite sex. its probably not how people conventionally view it though, maybe it's just me.
                            [/quote]



                            No, it's not just you.

                            Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                            StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                            Comment

                            • Faust
                              kitsch killer
                              • Sep 2006
                              • 37852

                              #15
                              Re: Your Style Philosophy



                              I like all the responses, this is what makes this forum great!



                              My style... The best I can put it is by quoting Jurgen Habermas, "Fashion is the displayed stylisation of one's own experience." My style is my life experience. It's a manifestation of how I see myself living - interesting, intelligent, deep, cool, and fun. I'm fully aware of what it may sound like, but I don't care. I have always associated black color with depth, that's where all the black comes from. I can't find a better word, all other words like mystery, romance, seriousness, charisma - depth really encompasses them all. And I see depth in the designers I champion. I also love everything done with care. It's not exactly professional pride that I like, which is really a result of doing things with care. Care is paramount - it gives one a mix of excellency and humility, and satisfaction on a level probably unmatched by anything else. You've felt it yourself - Albert felt it when he cut up that Linea jumpsuit and made a jacket out of it. So, care is another thing I look in designers work. You don't have to read long interviews with designers, you can see it in the garment. After all, the garment is what should attract one first. That's how I came across Ann Demeulemeester, Raf Simons, and Carpe Diem.



                              Depth and care, that's enough - everything else is secondary. I am not always deep and careful/careing enough, and these are the times when I feel that something is amiss in me - no matter what part of my life I am referring to, taking care of my daughter, being a partner to my wife, producing a piece of writing, fixing my car, or dressing.



                              Read Robert Pirsig, it's all there.

                              Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                              StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                              Comment

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