What is style?

[gilwood]

I used to think that style was your personal taste in clothing and items worn with your own personal flair. This was a completely individual thing.

I asked in the mens clothing forum what brands they recommended for high quality and I got a royal reaming from the crowd! I'm starting to think that style is comforming to a certain mass concluded set of fashion worn with a sense of elitism over others that don't conform. Should wearing these higher quality items make you feel better than others? Are you actually better than others? I want to hear what the hive mind thinks.

 

[redcaimen]

With the partial exception of streetwear I agree that the forum really isnt about style but about dressing yourself well. Part of this is because style is an elusive concept that is really hard to talk about. Principles of dressing well and the quality of clothing can be discussed. Style is tuff to put your finger on.

 

[odoreater]

There are a lot of guys on this forum who "dress well," but there are relatively few who have "style." To see a good example of a guy who has "style," go on the WAYWT thread in Men's Clothing and look up posts by Get Smart.

 

[lynchpatrickj]

"Personal flair" and "looking like a complete douchebag" are often synonymous. See: most subculture fashion.

I've often thought of style as kind of the middle-ground where the rules of fashion that make someone appear to belong to one group or another vanish and observers from different backgrounds and tastes can find something to appreciate about how somebody dresses and carries themselves. We all learn from people with great style, but I'm wary of endorsing "personal flair" because it makes me think of high school-age guys wearing driving caps and bracers or girls with pink streaks in their hair and airbrushed wolf t-shirts on their chests. Style shouldn't seem totally self-indulgent or defensive or cultish; to have style, everybody around you should feel like there's something about your clothes and carriage that they can access and appreciate, even though you stand out.

That's not to say that many people who have style aren't military about what they wear, where they get it, and what they like and don't like. Passion comes with the territory.

It's all supposed to be enjoyed. Looking good is fun. Looking better than other people is fun, too. It's a competition and an art, sort of. Knowing why one thing looks better than another is the technical side, buying the stuff that looks good on us is the practical side, and fussing over your clothes until you never miss and always look good is the goal. See the photos in the WAYWT threads? Those people are having a good time.

0.166211 SEK

 

[redcaimen]

Originally Posted by odoreater

There are a lot of guys on this forum who "dress well," but there are relatively few who have "style." To see a good example of a guy who has "style," go on the WAYWT thread in Men's Clothing and look up posts by Get Smart.

+1.

For a more subdued look that fits into the more traditional mainstream of work I've always thought Doc Holiday had a graceful style. (no ****...but never say never)

 

[greg_atlanta]

It's one person observing another and making a connection..... something about their dress, mannerism, behavior, that speaks to them.