Let me lead my post by asking the following questions about the above three images:
1. If it were Kim Kardashian, and not Kate Bosworth, wearing this outfit would you like it?
2. If it were Lauren Condrad, and not Kate Moss, wearing this outfit would you like it?
3. If it were Vanessa Hudgens, and not Mary-Kate Olsen, wearing this outfit would you like it?
Your answers may vary, but I wanted to discuss the notion of a "style icon." While I believe someone like Mary-Kate has firmly planted themselves as style icon and truly deserves such a title, once the title is given do we take everything the icon wears from then on as a masterpiece? Do we worship style icons blindly? If Mary-Kate stepped out in pink leather pants, would we all want a pair?
Let's discuss Kate Moss. In a white t-shirt and jeans, Kate Moss is brilliant. It becomes effortlessly chic genius. If Britney Spears is in the exact same t-shirt and jeans, I doubt her picture would get posted all over fashion blogs and magazines as a source of inspiration. Which leads me to my next question, how much does the actual person wearing the clothes change how we see the clothes themselves? Hiedi Montag, in Mary-Kate's clothing, would feel totally different by virtue of her being her. Skinny Montag aside, a lot of this discrepancy has to do with one's physical body type.
It seems that most "style icons" are incredibly thin. Does that thinness subconsciously manifest itself in our belief of their fashion entitlement? A model in denim cut offs and a white tank becomes something entirely different than that same exact combination at a local mall. To what extent is your actual body type fashionable? It seems that being an icon really goes beyond the clothing you wear. There are all of these other factors that seem to obscure the clothing itself. And is that fair for a body type to be deemed more fashionable than another? Once we come to associate a person as fashionable, it seems they can do no wrong, and anything that looks "off" to us is just something we must adjust our eye to.
I'm curious to hear from all of you what you think of this topic. If it's photographed in Vogue, do we love it? If Mary-Kate has a pair, do we want them? If Marc Jacobs designs it, do we need it?
Do we worship blindly?
Please Note: I take absolutely no credit for this post. It was posted by a fabulous new blog I just starting browsing called glamorouseccentric. I just thought it was well written and entirely true. I would NEVER follow what Heidi Montage or Paris Hilton or Carmen Electra was wearing, even if I did secretly think their outfit was cute. Although when I look at fashion I'm often drawn to a piece or a look. So I admit I don't love everything the 'Kate's' or the Olsen's wear, but I do look to them for inspiration on how I can create my own 'look'. And the same goes for designers, I love Marc Jacobs (he is the epitome of cool)...is his Fall '09 Collection my favorite? Not necessarily. However with any designer, style-icon or regular Jane doe we look at, isn't the beauty of fashion in the eye of the beholder? I guess what I'm trying to say is, no, I do not worship blindly, I worship individuality and creativity.
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