Do we always have to be tasteful? Do we really need to be well turned out, in impeccable clothes?
This quote by Diana Vreeland got me thinking:
“A little bad taste is like a nice splash of paprika. We all need a splash of bad taste—it’s hearty, it’s healthy, it’s physical. I think we could use more of it. No taste is what I’m against.”
A HUGE dose of paprika, perhaps. But look where the dress landed, at MoMA, one of the most influential museums of modern art in the world. Does that elevate it to the status of good taste? Perhaps not. But one should remember this, every Björk swan has it's day. Also, paprika. And stuff.
Empowerment of Women. This video, apparently. Judge for yourself.
All I can see is juvenile teenage rebellion. It doesn't talk about empowering women. The way one dresses, who one chooses to sleep with (or not): in no way are these signs of empowerment. One may argue that this is a video produced by Vogue, a lifestyle and fashion magazine, and that one shouldn't expect it to handle heavy issues like liberation for women. If such is the case, shame on Vogue for packaging this crap as a "Women's Empowerment" video and misleading the viewers.
Fashion has nothing to do with empowerment! Or does it.
What is empowerment, really? It's all about being stronger and confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.
Here are some ladies in fashion:
1. Alek Wek
She's been an inspiration to countless women (including Lupita Nyong'o) who've been uncomfortable in their own skin. Not considered a conventional beauty with her dark skin, tiny booty and short natural hair; yet she has never thought of herself as otherwise. Read her interview here.
2. Winnie Harlow
The model with vitiligo. She's been bullied and ridiculed, but that didn't stop her from proving her naysayers wrong. This teenager now models for top fashion brands.
A photo posted by ♔Chantelle Winnie♔ (@winnieharlow) on
There are many more inspirational women from all walks of life.
Sure, the Vogue video featured shots of Nimrat Kaur, Adhuna Akhtar and Anupama Chopra to name a few. But they were merely extras in the movie, disjointed from the nonsense commentary. I'd prefer something which actually touches upon the subject, not this well-produced piece of white noise.
Lynn Yaeger. Writer for Vogue, wearer of multiple skirts and distinctive makeup. Oh, and not to forget the flaming closely cropped hair.
I first read about her in Business of Fashion.
Such an interesting personality! I tried to dig up more about her, after landing up on the disappointingly short Wikipedia page!
I dug deeper, and learnt that she has Prosopagnosia, also called face blindness. Read about Lynn's experience with it here.
I began to wonder if she adorns herself the way she does as a manifestation of her difficulty in recognizing faces. She's set markers for others to "help" them recognize her. This isn't an original thought, though. She's wondered about this herself.
I've been obsessed with Adventure Time, and couldn't help but wonder how amazing it would be to have a caricature of her on my beloved cartoon show! As a princess, no less!
