What is Fashion?

What is fashion?

                                  
Fashion is what I say it is.

Nothing inspirational here today but really do you sometimes conjure a few pieces of clothing together and deeply appreciate your creativity but you know that you are not bold enough to step out of your bedroom wearing your creation?

I do. Or more like, I do every time. 

Your fashion style might be classic, bohemian, formal, vintage, ethnic, casual, sporty, street or a mix of it all.

The question is, who determines how our fashion style?

Who dictates what the appropriate colour combination is and what shoes to wear with what? Who defines our ever-dynamic fashion?

I have been intrigued by fashion since I was a little girl. 

Mum wore heels that went on for days, I would try them on and walk around the house just like her. 

My sister and I would paint our nails with ink from red gel pens and rub it off before Mum could see it. I was quick to start wearing lipstick, little did I know that my lipstick application was as good as sticking an extra lip on my lips. Of course, we eventually outgrew the sad lip part.

I find clothing and accessorizing the most intriguing part of fashion. 

I love to see and copy how models catwalk in baggy culottes with baggy sweaters, sleek summer dresses, and evening wear. I especially love seeing how models combine their colours and styles on the runway. 

I aspire to imitate modelled fashion, but this does not always necessarily translate well. Sometimes, my imitation stays in my imagination. 

I find it crucial to have my own personal fashion, fashion according to me. My personal style. 

For some people, their personal style is street style, for others, it is corporate fashion, for some, it is corporate casual or simply casual. For some, like me, it is a mix of all depending on my outing and mood. But it is essential to me that I am comfortable in whatever I wear. 

Every so often, when planning my vacation, I find myself researching the best vacation outfits for my destination. For example, what to wear while vacationing in Kenya or how to dress while vacationing in Europe. 

I go on and on till I ensemble my travel outfits. That's fine. But what I do next is crucial. I transform the results of my research into my personal style. My style is street fashion, comfort and a pick of fashion styles from all over.

While there are many answers to the question, "What is fashion?" or "Who determines how we dress?" I have learned that fashion is what makes sense to me. 

Fashion is about my comfort. Fashion is to be bold while expressing my creativity. It is to live my clothing and accessories, fearlessly. To combine my colours in a way that makes me glow from within. 

Fashion is to understand my personal style, the style that excites me, and then release that style to the world, walking my 'earth runway'.


Jumoke Eniola 
Toronto
Photo Credit: Melody Jacob



Originally posted Aug. 7, 2020