niche style
Niche Style:
Fashion is just a big inside joke. The people who get it, get it. It recently dawned upon me that in order to be an outstanding fashionista, I needed to just be branding myself as one big inside joke. To put into familiar terminology, I needed to be unique but in a relevant way. It’s really all about self expression. What we wear dictates not only our physical image but most of the time, our intrinsic values. If you don’t care for the brands you wear, that shows that you aren’t concerned about labeling. If you care about the design but not the material you wear, that shows you have a big heart xoxo.
Joking!
I recently went to the Cannes Film Festival 2022. I had a great time just embracing myself in the old money aesthetic in which actresses and actors would simply walk around in all their glamor. Picture this: low rise skirts, corsets, medusa heels. My bias and love for Bella Hadid is showing hard here but vintage is truly coming back. Whether it’s Y2K or knitwear, the affordability and uniqueness of each individual piece gives an opportunity for people to finally ditch skittle colored tank tops.
This is not an attack on skittles, I ate those a lot when I was young.
Although I had a fascinating appreciation with all the beautiful people holding wine bottles and cigars walking out and about, I decided to be the menace that I am and wear a biker jacket with high rise jeans. To my defense, I did find this chaotic article of clothing at a vintage shop. It was not remade or curated in any single way. It was just beautiful on its own. Alluring me with all its padded shouldering glory and what not. Ever since modeling took over most of my life, I’ve made an effort to not comply with fast fashion. I hold nothing against trend following but in my opinion, I’d rather set than follow. Going back to my points on the inside jokes, my hyper-fixation on solely wearing the color blue is merely a manifestation to a lot of personal issues that I’ve come to stick with. Firstly, this color is soothing to my eyes. This will definitely be proven wrong but I have yet to encounter a shade of blue that’s made an obnoxious appearance on a piece of clothing. I will continue to avoid seeing that shade, if it exists. Secondly, it compliments my characteristics and personality well. At least what I’d want to be recognized as. Here’s a description of my physical traits: slender man body type, ghastly pale skin that lacks pigmentation, straight hair with permed side bangs to hide receding hairline and very sharp facial features that’s often being apologized to when people make eye contact with me. Working with these things that I can’t quite change, I’ve decided to enhance these features rather than hide them. In other words, stay unique but relevant. Even the receding hairline, most of these things we often see as negative or unfitted for social norms are really just in our own minds. Here’s a great quote:
"There are connoisseurs of blue just as there are connoisseurs of wine." Sidonie Gabrielle Colette
When we wear something, it becomes part of us. This color in specifics resemble a lot of my personal traits that I already harbor: tranquility, novelty, cooperation, moderation and a lack of positive emotions. Whoops. See how most often, the things we wear embodies our own values and virtues. Take a great example of people with a niche style, the Harajuku fashionistas. Known for their mixing of well known Japanese sub-styles, these are one of the most bold and daring people I have ever stumbled upon. Let’s talk about the trending sound bite on Tiktok for a second, the Gyarus. Despite being a total subculture and declining, these genderless legends paved in the Heisei era of 1970 where everything in Japan was still traditional and culturally closed off. Diving deeper into this style, it even has multiple sub traits: Amekaji, Ane Gyaru, Banba, Bibinba, Gaijin Gyaru, Ganguro, Ganjiro Gyaru, Gyaru Mama, Haaady Gyaru, Himekaji, Kogyaru, Manba and etc… My personal favorite is the Ora Ora Gyaru, not only for the name but also the focus on “black clothes, and being rebellious… It sometimes includes yakuza-style tattoos, and high brand accessories.” (Aesthetics Wiki) To a lot of these young people, it was merely a sign of their rebellion and liberation. The reason it became socially known is because they embodied their own creativity and characteristics. People wear what they want to be seen as. In this case, the Gyarus are wearing their own inherent characteristics: boundless, adventurous, liberating, creative and outstanding.
Now that’s something different in our self-hating society.
In my opinion, niche style is not about finding something that no one else has done and doing that. It’s just about representing yourself and your own values. Whether that side of you is completely hidden or already present, everyone is unique in their own sense. Whether that’s fast fashion, bohemian fashion, grunge fashion, retro fashion or a mix of everything in between, don’t feel limited! Just act to your true characters and quite literally, be yourself.
With that being said, here are some more articles attached below of some of my favorite fashion designers! I think they are cool. Have a great day folks.
