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"I wear what I like"

Antler4641

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I was just thinking about a statement I've read on style message boards and heard in conversations, "I don't wear what's in fashion, I wear what I like." Saying that you wear what you like as though this is an entirely individualized statement ignores the role society plays in what you like. You aren't born liking a pair of jeans, or with much of a disposition towards one type or another. Your taste is based in some way on a lifetime of interactions with your environment. Sure, some people's styles fall a little outside of the norm—or in cases even far outside of the norm—but these inclinations are just different reactions to the same standards that others adhere to.

The few who are in the position to make this statement, "I wear what I like," tend to look down on those who wear Sevens or whatever else is the jean of the month, and their rationale is that these people are too concerned with what others are wearing. Yet, we spend significantly more time and more money to fit into a smaller category, which, while less prevalent, is in no way unique. If everyone on this board and superfuture met for a luncheon we would look like clones of one another.

Sorry if this comes across as hostile, but I'm really having a hard time dealing with my interest in clothing right now, so if this is criticism it is mostly a criticism I have of myself. There are several issues brought up in this post so feel free to discuss any that interest you.
 
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What is Superfuture?
 

Antler4641

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Originally Posted by denimdestroyedmylife
What is Superfuture?

It's another message board that I think shares similar values to this streetwear and denim board, but I could be wrong about how related they are.
 

cheapmutha

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man... i hope i dont look like one of those superfuture *****... those guys are just hypebeasts and skinny norwegans.
 
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So we say "I wear what I like" but we mean "I wear what ONLY I like" though the truth is that we wear what we want others to like but will stop liking it when others start liking it.

I can relate.

EDIT: to inform cheapmutha that we use punctuation here.
 

montecristo#4

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Originally Posted by cheapmutha
man... i hope i dont look like one of those superfuture *****... those guys are just hypebeasts and skinny norwegans.

Is hypebeast another word for Japanese neo-hipster?

I wear what Styleforum tells me to wear.
sarcasm.gif
 

Antler4641

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Don't get too hung up on the superfuture thing. The point is, this message board has its own values that are influenced by the people who read it, and those readers are in turn influenced by the message board itself in conjunction with external sources (which in some cases may be superfuture, or one of 1000 other style websites, or magazines, or television, magazines, washing machines, whatever).
 

cheapmutha

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sorry about the punctuation... i thought i was on supertalk
 

Max

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"This is what fashion sense really is - the ability to register and appreciate and remember the details of the way those around you look and dress, and then reinterpret those details and memories yourself" - Malcolm Gladwell 1997
 

cheapmutha

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i wear what i like. i use superfuture and styleofrum and lots of other things as refrences.
 

Saucemaster

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There's some truth to what you're saying, jiomitori. But I think that you might be overlooking the influence of age or exposure on people's style. Obviously everyone is influenced by other people's style, different subcultures, all that. But I think after a certain amount of exposure and experimentation, you start to develop a personalized style that is influenced by trends you've seen elsewhere, but still fairly unique. If someone's claiming they're never influenced by any trends and that everything that they do is 100% unique and individual, they're just lying, but that doesn't mean that they can't develop a personal aesthetic over time. And they should be honest about its influences.

And you're totally right that someone who looks down on a popular trend just because it's popular is just as much a slave to trendiness as the people they look down on. I also can't stand people who don't understand that there are different aesthetic senses than just the one they hold--I get so tired of seeing people knock milspex's WDYWT pics over at the other SF just because they personally like skinny jeans and more fitted stuff. I don't dress like milspex and I'm probably never going to, but that doesn't mean that he's in some way *wrong* about the way he dresses, he just likes different **** than I do. It's all part of the same elitism, really.
 

cheapmutha

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well... when i see something that strikes me i will use it to my advantage. like the way something fits someone. but you have to just refrence it and not copy it to the letter, ya know. anyone can copy... to really stand out you have to take the things that are going to be in your mind from being exposed to them and make the details fit you. as an example: like i like dior, but wouldnt pay the price, so ill take the way it fits and try to incorparate it into something im wearing.
 

cheapmutha

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Originally Posted by Saucemaster
There's some truth to what you're saying, jiomitori. But I think that you might be overlooking the influence of age or exposure on people's style. Obviously everyone is influenced by other people's style, different subcultures, all that. But I think after a certain amount of exposure and experimentation, you start to develop a personalized style that is influenced by trends you've seen elsewhere, but still fairly unique. If someone's claiming they're never influenced by any trends and that everything that they do is 100% unique and individual, they're just lying, but that doesn't mean that they can't develop a personal aesthetic over time. And they should be honest about its influences.

And you're totally right that someone who looks down on a popular trend just because it's popular is just as much a slave to trendiness as the people they look down on. I also can't stand people who don't understand that there are different aesthetic senses than just the one they hold--I get so tired of seeing people knock milspex's WDYWT pics over at the other SF just because they personally like skinny jeans and more fitted stuff. I don't dress like milspex and I'm probably never going to, but that doesn't mean that he's in some way *wrong* about the way he dresses, he just likes different **** than I do. It's all part of the same elitism, really.



i love seeing milspex for that reason. he doesnt give a **** about what other people are doing, he knowd what he likes, and always looks good because he knows his style.
 

Brian SD

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I think even though a lot of SFers have some of the same clothing items, put is all in a room and you wont necessarily think we're wearing the same ****, because we wear it differently. Some people might have the same pair of jeans as me, but they wear them can't-button-them-up tight. On the other hand, in the same pair of jeans, I might wear them tightly (relatively speaking), to LA Guy, who only wears flares.
 

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