FASHION
Fashion as a “Function of Function”
By: Lianna Gourmos Edited by: Tessa Reiner
From elegant minimalist Audrey Hepburn of the sixties, to Zendaya’s creative on-theme movie premiere looks, throughout history, countless fashion icons have graced the media scope. Despite their varying backgrounds and careers, the one thing that all timeless trendsetters have in common is their ability to put a unique, stylish spin on practical clothing. Today, with microtrends rising and falling at rapid rates, personal style is no longer created from one’s life experiences over time. Rather, originality withers further with each impractical fad that circulates the Internet, and newer fashion icons are simply variants of each other.
While having access to pre-made outfits may seem like the runway is at society’s fingertips, the endless fashion algorithm is more of a curse than a blessing. Audiences consume media at a faster rate than ever before, resulting in the rapid turnaround of microtrends at the hands of social media influencers. Chloe Chou, a writer for The Nod Mag, says that fashion taste is now dictated by what’s trending on discovery pages, rather than instincts. Celebrities are seen sporting a trend, and suddenly, their followers are copying their outfit. “The problem here isn’t bad style,” Chou says, “It’s no style.” Since the introduction of TikTok, the free content-creation platform where anyone can be a trendsetter, fashion has become unnecessarily subcategorized as per the “corecore” movement, which started to circulate in the early 2020s. Niche trends such as “balletcore” and “cottagecore” divide fashion into categories to which social media users feel pressured to conform, rather than embracing their own personal style. Not only have these specific aesthetics stripped the media of individual fashion identity, but they also happen to feature impracticalities. Realistically, people do not wear ballet slippers or carry a wicker basket every day unless it matches their lifestyle. Of course, there is a time and place for impractical fashion. Take the Met Gala, for example, which raises funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Other than runways, it’s arguably the one place where creativity transcends functionality, as to reflect the mission of the extravagant event. At the 2024 Met Gala, Zendaya wore a bouquet-themed fascinator atop her head to match the theme of the evening, “Garden of Time.” Fashionable? Yes. Practical for the event? Absolutely. Yet, as opposed to one of Zendaya’s casually-chic everyday looks, her Met Gala outfit was far from functional. Zendaya knows how to dress for specific occasions–and she does it exceptionally well.
Anyone can mimic one of Zendaya’s iconic outfits, but a recreation will never exude the same enticing effect as the original. Like any fashion icon, Zendaya navigates style with practicality before adding her unique twist on the outfit. TikToker Olivia Sara (@oliviasara_23 on TikTok) frequently dissects fashion as a “function of function” and gives advice on how to craft a practical wardrobe free from the pressure of microtrends. In one of her videos, Olivia Sara comments on Kate Moss’ look at the muddy Glastonbury Music Festival in 2005, in which Moss had paired Hunter rain boots with a gold mini dress and leather jacket. “When Kate Moss was wearing the rain boots, they served a functional purpose,” she says. “Part of the reason that we look back on certain people’s style with such awe and nostalgia is because a lot of their outfits are practical above all else.” If one were to recreate Moss’s outfit for an event where rain boots were necessary, perhaps it would come close to being as chic as the original look. The issue is that the media fails to understand the concept of practicality because of how many subcategories of fashion have emerged in recent years. These categories have labeled certain articles of clothing strictly as members of their specific group, taking away from their functional purpose for the visual sake. The booming “office siren” trend is perfect proof of this. This aesthetic puts a glamorous twist on corporate fashion, with one of its vital accessories being rectangular-framed “Bayonetta” eyeglasses. Supermodel Giselle Bündchen even wears them in her appearance in The Devil Wears Prada (2006.) So why do the glasses look so good on Giselle, compared to somebody attempting to embody the office siren aesthetic? The answer is simply that Giselle’s costume choice for her role as a magazine company employee puts a stylish edge on workday attire. Therefore, the glasses are practical to her character’s personal life rather than a dysfunctional accessory.
Developing a practical personal style can make one stand out in various scenarios. Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, was known for his simple yet effective fashion choices. Dan Schawbel, founder of consulting firm Millennial Branding, tells Forbes magazine that famous business people use wardrobe consistency to establish their brand identity. “It’s not about what you wear, but what you accomplish,” Schawbel says. Steve Jobs’ daily uniform of a black mock turtleneck, blue jeans and New Balance sneakers served to provide him comfort for long days of brainstorming. However, his clothes also set him apart from the Apple company’s leading competitor, Samsung, whose representatives wore traditional corporate attire. Jobs’s modest fashion sense has remained a timeless symbol of success, even after his passing in 2011. His personal style is relatable to every audience due to its simplicity, making both him and his company memorable and distinctive. Steve Jobs may not be considered a trendsetter, but he certainly has an impact on the fashion world, and is an inspiration who proves that individuality plays a vital role in one’s career success.
Experimenting with trends and trying different styles of clothing is all part of finding one’s personal style, yet with the media being heavily influenced by microtrends, it’s important to remember that it’s no fun trying to be somebody else. Bringing back practical fashion is as easy as tailoring iconic looks to fit one’s own lifestyle and making innovative use of personal taste.
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