"If I were to pick between having a bad day or bad fashion day I would definitely go with a bad day because bad fashion day is not even an option to me," said TamannaTasnimDisha, a 22 years old fashion blogger, while emphasising the importance of fashion.
"My mood depends on how I look. A good fashion day provides a good mood as well as a good day. Styling in different clothes gives me pleasure. Good clothes really help during bad days. For me, the pleasure of styling is an art which gives me good vibes."
Fashion might be considered a luxury to some people; but for those who have truly found the relish, it is passion, obsession and an essential for them. The definition of fashion is not confined within dressing sense or attire. Fashion is how a person talks, behaves or expresses himself. In other words, fashion is a form of lifestyle. As French fashion designer Coco Chanel once said, "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live."
Having a good sense of style means having a common dress-up sense and a healthy sense of self-awareness about one's own body. These might seem like easy basic qualities to possess, butguess what, they're not! If they were, millions of pieces of MC hammer pants aka Parachute Pants would not have been sold back in the 1980s.
Popular misconception about keeping up with good fashion is that, it is nothing but wasting money. This notion is highly debatable though. Fashion never says buy another pair of black boots with your new overcoat. Rather, it says wear whatever you have already, but smartly. Similarly, the right fashion sense will never encourage a claustrophobic person to wear a big traditional choker just because iconic B-town diva Alia Bhatt has declared it as a fashion statement.
Having healthy fashion sense inspires a person to choose the right thing in the right place. Popular model and anchor, Neel Hurerzahan believes that when she is hosting an event, wearing the perfect stiletto matching with her outfit gives her wings. But she is also a big fan of sneakers.
"Most of the time I like to wear sneakers, which I feel comfortable with, and this comfort gives me confidence. For me, fashion is mood; it's more about how you feel inside. You don't always pull off baggy clothes, you don't always pull off high heels."
Other aspects of fashion
Fashion not only represents a person's identity,it illustrates where he or she is from. This is the reason why kimono reminds a person about Japan, seeing gotapatti (a traditional Indian dress) evokes strong feelings of Rajasthan, Aloha shirt gives vibes of Hawaii. Fashion diversity permits an individual to retain his/her own identity within a group.
Fashion is closely associated with self-evaluation. Being trendy and fashionable certainly transforms someone's self-perception. Fashion can improve someone's critical thinking as well. Fashion can also make someone feel strong. High-quality clothes can possibly be a person's asset, which helps the person to feel powerful. For example, a well-tailored coat means someone is more likely dressed for success.
In the simplest of words, fashion is a neat way of expressing someone's identity. No wonder someone's taste of fashion mirrors his/her personality. A popular saying is-- a lot can be told about a person's personality, status, and income just by looking at their shoes.
According to Shabab Islam, a rising content creator and an engineer, "Proper sense of fashion is very important to make a first impression and first impression goes a long way. Good fashion taste modifies people's perception. I always prefer minimalistic stuff when it comes to fashion and I guess that says a lot about my personality."
When someone looks good, they feel good about themselves, and when someone feels good, they are more likely to bring the best out of themselves. Good fashion sense is a continuous confidence booster.It is important to stay well-groomed, smell nice and classy, and to get updated on moving styles not to be laid back. One should dress like how he/she wants to be seen; that gives one the full freedom of dressing up or even dressing down.
Kaniz is a fourth year student of Geography and Environment at University of Dhaka. Email: [email protected]
