Random Rhetorical Hypebeast Fashion Thoughts

[Suquida]

Why wouldn't you consider it a hobby? Just because there's a lot of consumerism involved doesn't mean it's not a hobby, you can spend a bunch but still look bad, you're not creating as much as some brush-and-canvas artist but you're still creating in a sense, still expressing, it's still something that often takes a bit of learning

It'd be kinda like saying photography isn't a hobby because you're just buying the equipment or whatever, it's not really about the buying as much as it is what you do with what you're buying

[limeliam]

I'm not Bigbee but I'll give my own answer.

I don't think of fashion as a hobby, but as an interest. To me a hobby is something you do, not only read about and purchase, something is created. To me personally, thinking of outfits and the way I dress on a day-to-day basis as some sort of creative act is a little lofty. For the most part my though process falls along the lines of do I want to wear that? Is it clean? Is it appropriate for the weather? If the answer to those three questions is yes I put it on and head out the door.

Fashion begins to bleed into hobby territory when you make moves towards creation. Be it through making your own clothes, a passion for styling and fashion photography, or amateur reporting/blogging. Maybe you consider the process of getting dressed to be much more complicated than that.

To draw a comparison to photography; just because you enjoy looking at photo blogs on tumblr and purchase the occasional print that doesn't make photography your hobby.

Of course this is all just my opinion. I'd love to hear why people DO think that fashion is a hobby, and what distinction you would draw (if at all) there is between a hobby, and a mere interest.

[nevergreen]

[windowflowers]

I dunno, hobbies vs interests just seems like a matter of semantics to me.

The creative aspect doesn't seem super integral to either of them? Plenty of people play sports as a hobby, not much creativity there. Even if they don't play them, following sports, watching/going to games is definitely a hobby.

Sticking to the photography comparison, can't your hobby be reading about and collecting photos?

If I spend my time talking with people about clothing, learning about designers, following runway shows, hunting down pieces I like, why isn't that enough doing?

[oucho]

I think it's fair to call fashion a hobby and I agree that it's a matter of semantics and maybe a bit of a meaningless discussion. Everyone expresses themselves through their clothes. I think it's important to remember that clothing is only interesting to look at alongside someone's personality and interests, it doesn't stand independently as a form of self-expression. I just think that how you dress should be a secondary thing that feeds off of other interests and forms of self-expression.

[Suquida]

I also don't entirely agree with the idea that fashion can't stand independently as a form of self expression. I mean yeah it's cool and definitely adds to an outfit and an overall aesthetic if it's influenced or defined by things like interests or regional factors (stuff like what maj does for example) but I think the former is hard to nail and the latter is a luxury not everybody has. What I'm saying is like, how am I supposed to use my other interests as some sort of flintstone for how I dress when my other interests are things like building computers and travel? I can joke and say I'll get that supreme tnf map jacket (or one of your really really pretty map scarves) but in reality I just don't know how I'd do that. And regarding regional influences, some places have it better than others, in that if I lived in England I could wear tons of Cabourn or whatever and look good while fitting well into my surrounds/heritage etc, but for where I live I'd have to wear southern tide shirts and sperrys and shit. I guess I could wear a form of workwear and kinda fit the mold, though nobody here really wears what we think of as workwear, not to mention I don't really care for the aesthetic in the first place. The way I dress is solely based around what I find aesthetically appealing, and I think there's definitely merit to that, to knowing what you like

[limeliam]

"A hobby is a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time"

So yes I agree that the difference would be purely semantic, and entirely personal.



That being said I still don't think that the creation of outfits is really all that special. Really we are just rearranging different combinations of other people's creations within the confines of self-imposed rules (brand synergy, color theory, fit, etc.) . And to liken ones frustrations with not being able to spend as much money on clothes as you would like, to the creative frustrations of an artist is, I don't know, naive? I don't think that if you see clothing as a strong creative output, you can never be satisfied with your results as long as the consumerist carrot-on-a-stick is present. Like Bela said, drawing, writing, etc. are learned skills where real creativity can be exercised. I don't want to seem like I'm ragging on you but I don't think more money for clothes will make you feel any better.

edit: No creativity does not make or break whether something is a hobby or not, but it does mark the distinction between consumer and producer in regards to fashion.

[bels]

fortunately you can have clothes as "a hobby" and also have a chap hobby at the same time.

[nevergreen]

[bels]

I feel like the "Can't afford x can't execute y look" issue of fashion is sort of real and to me relates directly to say, wanting to take a fish eye photograph but only being able to afford a compact camera with a 40mm lens

I guess maybe the difference is no one would ever come at you if you got clever and bought a mirrored ball and used that for your fish eye photograph. Wheras there is deffo a jizz in clothes sometimes that if you can't pay you shouldn't play. (hopefully not on caretags but probably sometimes on caretags)

I recommend you treat these "limitations" as an integral part of your creative process nevergreen and try your best to execute whatever idea you have with whatever you can get. There are limitations on everything and great things are created within these limitations. Go vintage or something. Get into some weird aesthetic that you can afford because nobody else wants it.

Or you know, quit the game, start a band, etc etc

[oucho]

[aporea]

[shar pei]

i just realized that all a kag needs to become a kag is the thom browne and chrome hearts combination

[yoyobeat]

[dbcooper]

.

[ramdomthought]

i thought alexander wang was just hired for balenciaga yesterday

[bels]

welcome to age.

[bels]

CAST
François Pinault - Honorary Director
François-Henri Pinault - Chief Executive Officer
Jean-François Palus - Managing director
Jean-Marc Duplaix - Chief Financial Oficer
Sophie Bouchilllou - Director, Human Resources

[INT Kering Boardroom, Paris, France. Five men in dark suits and one woman are sat around the boardroom table.]

JFP: OK, so the board approves of an increase in Bjørn's capex budget of 14% in order to secure a larger retail presence in EEMEA. On to our next matter of business, the replacement of Alexander Wang as chief designer in Kering Luxury Division aka Balenciaga.

FP: Is that how his name is pronounced? Wang? It's undignified.

FHP: No no Dad, it's groovy, he's a very groovy guy.

FP: A crass name. It was a terrible mistake to hire a youth with such a name.

FHP: Ha ha, OK. Lets just take a breather here yeah? Like Lennon-Mcartney said, why not just "Let it be" Dad, yeah? Lets just brainstorm up a new designer, the new guy, the new sliced bread. OH wait actually let me get my "axe" to help us brainstorm. Does anyone else feel like they brainstorm best with a hot cherry red "Strat" in their hands? I know I do. Hold on

[Exeunt FHP]

JMD: Now whilst our revenue has been increasing our EBITDA dropped 2.6% in the last year. Who we choose for this position will be pivotal in ensuring that we can grow our market share in Asia Pacific whilst maintaining our strong position in North America and Western Europe. The Balenciaga brand has been tracking less and less appeal to young affluent consumers. They just don't see it as cool any more.

JFP: We need to find something hip. We need to find the next... who's that young gun that Bernaud hired recently? Jonathan Anderson? The next Jonathan Anderson.

[FHP enters the room holding a new, boxed Fender Stratocaster. He begins to unpack it.]

FHP: Wow this is pretty cool right? OK lets just start the brainstorming here whilst I unpack this bad boy. Sophie, what's GROOVY right now?

SB: Well we commissioned a survey on a furious internet chat space for teens, we asked them to rate a number of designers on a scale of HOT or NOT.

FP: Teens? Teens? How can you trust such a teen. It is all they can do to look up from their portables for a second to grunt at you. Who is the hottest young vapid designer you ask them. "Uh" they say. Where did you find these teens?

[FHP has extracted the guitar and is furiously strumming the strings]

FHP: Wow groovy, this is amazing. Just like Phil Collins right? Why isn't the sound on?

[He twiddles the volume knob but the guitar is not plugged into an amp]

FHP: Wow. OK Sophie, what did the teens say.

SB: They said the hottest designer is a "James Jebbia". He makes skateboards.

FHP: Skateboards, wow, very groovy. Never got on with them personally. I was always more of a surfer. Hang ten, dude. Rock on. Alright lets give him a call. Jean Marc, you can operate the conference dialler thingie right?

SB: Actually we already made contact but unfortunately we've been scalped. He just signed an exclusive deal to be creative director at Hermes.

FP: Jean Louis! That young IDIOT has beaten you yet again Francois-Henri.

FHP: It's cool Dad, it's groovy. Who else is there Sophie?

SB: Well we tried to find someone like this Jebbia character and we found someone called Shepard Fairey?

FP: A shephard of fairies? What is this. It's impossible to hire someone with such a name.

FHP: He sounds really groovy. Lets get him. Lets hire him. I think that's just what we need. Balenciaga by Shepard Fairey. It sounds very groovy, yeah?

FP: NON. This is ridiculous.

JFP: We need someone COOL. We need the coolest man in PARIS.

SB: This Shepard Fairey is AS cool as James Jebbia.

FHP: He sounds groovy, what's the ish? What's the hang up?

FP: RIDICULOUS. I did NOT build this luxury holding group by hiring fairy shephards!

JMD: OK, wait. Hold on. Coolest man in paris. Let me get my phone out.

[He puts his phone next to his mouth and starts speaking into it with a robotic cadence]

JMD: HEY. CORTANA. WHO. IS. THE. COOLEST. MAN. IN. PARIS. Hold on it's loading. Still loading. OK it's nearly loaded ok wait OK it says... Dem.. na.. Guv...asal..ya? Demna Guvasalia.

FHP: Well I say we go with Cortana. She's a computer or a phone or something. So she can't be wrong.

FP: RIDICULOUS. Now you leave the company's future in the hands of a talking box?

FHP: It's cool Dad, It's cool. Cool, cool, coolio. Coolio Iglasias. What's next on the list. I used to be able to play Wonderwall back at uni you know? Babes loved that. I think I'm going to learn "Angels" by Robin Williams. So sad that he's died.

[FP plays a minor chord on the guitar to represent grief]

[Morlin]

nothing really beats ll bean's old miusa/uk stuff

[fun_yunchables]

is this gonna be the next originalfake

[kyung]

ordered something from rak

the shop never responded but two weeks later charged me for the item

i emailed them back saying i didnt want to purchase the item anymore (seriously 2 weeks to respond to my email?) and that i would like a refund

no response for like 4 days

:(

[eufemism]

grailed aka supreme resell

[mc-lunar]

grailed aka 503 service unavailable

[eufemism]

i've reached the point where being comfortable matters more than "fashion"


today i saw a girl walking by in jeans, a grey tee, and a light denim jacket. the outfit itself was unspectacular but she still looked cool because she looked totally comfortable and it looked like she wasn't trying at all

true fashion goal is comfort

[ramdomthought]

what in the world are you folks all wearing that is making you so uncomfortable

[ramdomthought]

you're right and wrong

mostly wrong

it's obvious that for most people it's a way to cover up their insecurity by the perception that other people don't care about their clothing and are cooler for it. Sure, looser clothing is a different element group, but nothing said has anything to do with how clothing fits (and a lot of people can relate to it).

[mc-lunar]

Someone should wear maharishi cargo shorts with these lunar print air forces

[Eddie]

those aren't forces my du

[popcorn]

why are there No Good Warm Jackets In Existence

[bels]

There are they just cost over a thou (ten-c/veilance) or are no longer in production (toj fishhhhhhhhhh)