A personal reflection on style

Fashion, style, call it what you may but increasingly more people have a definite opinion and a conscious point of view of what they like when it comes to it. But just like with everything that has to do with aesthetics one can’t escape the fact that it is a subjective point of view that simply is in the eye of the beholder. A view that is grossly influenced by media and the giant marketing machines behind the industry that do their best to convince us simple mortals of what is “right” or “wrong”.

Even counter reactive forms of sub-culture style/fashion are today very quickly transformed to become mainstream, spreading rapidly through the digital landscape which has become second nature to us.

There is a sweet spot in a young child’s mind however when they have not been influenced enough to yet mirror what the fashion industry wishes for them to wear. My daughter is at that stage right now. She has a very clear opinion of what she wants to wear and how she wants to wear it. She carefully picks out her outfits by herself but not at all in accordance to how it “should be”. The result is a colourful mix of styles, patterns and for me perhaps irrational choices where the “wrong” types of clothes are also layered on top of each other.

In one word I have to admit that it’s very refreshing. And more importantly it is a fantastic expression of who she is that is worthy to be treasured.

As a side note I really want to encourage parents out there not to fight this spirit and force your children to wear what you want them to wear, just so that you may feel good about yourself in relation to other parents when you “showcase” your child in various social contexts. Believe me, in time your child will unfortunately “get in line” and start to mimic whatever everyone else is wearing anyway…

An unlikely ambassador for what I’m describing, but who kept this sense of individual and iconic style even as an adult is the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. I’ve previously stated that he is one of my greatest forms of inspiration when it comes to his art, but he’s also worth mentioning when it comes to his style.

For most part of his life he lived in poverty, but only of economic sort, not of the spirit. And that is just the thing. Style has nothing to do with economic capabilities, but much more importantly ones spirit. Just like my daughter does, he mixed up different styles, colours and patterns to his and only his liking.

Regardless if it was the time when he was living in the streets with no fixed address to his name, or when he had “made it” and was roaming the very same streets with his pockets full of cash, he kept the same attitude. And regardless he equally carried himself with pride, projecting his own form of nobility and always displaying an honest, pure and extraordinary form of self expression through what he wore.

But was it conscious, you may interfere, or was it more of random choices? The answer could be exemplified by his evolution of his dreadlocks. They were not rasta, but his own twist on it. Going from a dread mullet, to a baroque like creation to his own crown of thorns. So no, it was not random.

As his wealth grew he of course could buy anything he wanted, but then very deliberately chose very specific designers. He discovered the artistry of Japanese designers such as Rei Kawakubo and Comme  des Garcons and Issey Miyake, but always wearing it his way. Mixing haute couture with haute thrift. Often treating the apparel like overalls letting paint splash all over them as he was working and then wearing the same clothes as he went out.

Basquiat left us way to early in 1988 at the age of 28. And although there are most probably more examples then him to personify what I am attempting to express, we are unfortunately not talking about an abundance of individuals to lift forward.

Most of us are already spoiled, me to a large extent included. However, we can at least make an effort to allow for the next generation to stay true to themselves for as long as possible. Laying focus on and building and encouraging that which is most important of all:

The spirit.