I’m glad you posted that last one about Lady Gaga, it segues so nicely into the post I’ve been thinking about. This post contributes to quite a few of our interests. It delves into the meaning of a word (our lexophile tendencies) and explores the branches of culture that come out of that word (i’m talking about clothes!). The word is…
Style.
Good ol’ Merriam-Webster says style is:
2 a : a distinctive manner of expression b : a distinctive manner or custom of behaving or conducting oneself c : a particular manner or technique by which something is done, created, or performed .
Little did I know, its also this!: c. the filiform usually elongated part of the pistil bearing a stigma at its apex AND! d : a slender elongated process (as a bristle) on an animal. (you just got learned!)
Lets ignore these last two and focus on the first one. My question is this – Can style be learned? If it is learned can it also be genuine? and one final question – Can one learn style at the ripe age of 33?
My first theory was that you have to have alot of money to have style. And while money certainly helps, my theory can be proven wrong very easily. My next theory was that you had to be raised around style (like The Sartorialist) but that theory can be easily proven wrong also. Obviously, people believe that style can be learned, I mean, there are piles upon piles of books written on the subject. However, if one reads a book on the subject that doesn’t necessarily mean that one could then convey style. And really, lets just take a look at the definition. A distinctive manner, a particular manner. It doesn’t say anything about being able to pick out a good outfit. Its the manner in which you wear the outfit. Its picking out an outfit that can best enhance your inner manner. Is this right?
Here is my final theory and conclusion: people who exude a natural sense of style are born with a sort of brain disorder (much like OCD!) where they must have things look a certain way or they feel ill. That much cannot be learned. Everyone else are just posers who can either pull it off well or not so well. People with true style are few and far between. I have decided to read a couple books on the subject and search for my distinctive style. I will keep you updated on this endeavor.
I thought since we were talking about personal style last week, I’d post my “idea wall.” I don’t know how it got that name, it started as a Cirque du Soliel calendar that had a kind of creepy picture one month, so I started clipping pictures of clothes and shoes I liked on top of it. Now I change the page each month, and it is always interesting to see what items make the cut from one month to the next. Some things get tossed at the end of the month, and I am glad I didn’t jump on that trend, and when something lasts for a few months, often I buy it (or something very similar.) Like those studded ballet flats from capezio (top right) have been up there for a long time….I hope soon they will be on my feet!
Emilily, and 
Carmen are discussing. 
Carmen 11:27 am on September 9, 2009 Permalink
Oh, thats very nice. You should laminate it when the year is over. It’ll be like a time capsule. Maybe I’ll start one!
Emilily 11:52 am on September 9, 2009 Permalink
that’s actually a cool idea. If I had saved the discards each month, and left them all on a time line, I could look back over the year and see how my tastes had evolved. While it might not be that thrilling from just a “this is what i wanted to wear last year” perspective, wouldn’t it have been cool if we had done one of these in college? Or if our moms had done one when they were in college? I think we should develop this project more!