"why is there a sense of the collective style where everyone buys the same Miu Miu item or gen Zs all aspire to wear a fitted baby T with a midi-skirt"
EXACTLY!!!! for all the chatter about how "there are no trends any more, just niches", why do certain niches become so dominant in the social media conversation that they aren't a niche anymore, giving the lie to the idea that there are "no trends"? What else am I supposed to think of the 8373rd influencer in 'perfect jeans' and 'perfect loafers' and that one specific style of droopy-shouldered blazer, which you know full well they'll ditch in a year once the runways and shops finally turn to a narrower shape?
There's a level of homogeneity to it all - even the 'tasteful' stuff from the 'right' labels, even if the need to constantly declare that you're in head-to-toe The Row/have renders the outfit as spiritually tacky as an outfit consisting entirely of logos (and frankly, antithetical to the way the founders of that label wear their designs). Fashion has always been a status game, but that's clearer than ever now, even if it happens to be tangled with the 'tell me something about myself' industrial complex (the "three words" stuff may be useful to a lot of people but frankly reminds me of a fashion version of the MBTI - at heart they are both pop psychology). Which might explain why I think so many people are lacking in actual style - it's easier to go along with a trend forecast or convince yourself that XYZ label/trend is "true to me" vs actually knowing myself and my tastes. All the women you named as icons - even Alexa, who was confident enough to own up to copying Jane Birkin - come across as having a very strong sense of self, or at least a definite and constant (if evolving) idea of their tastes.
This is so true regarding the uniqueness of style. It takes a unique blend of yourself, your aesthetic and your taste to find your personal style and express your point of view. However, for someone like me who was (is?) truly clueless about personal style, Amy Smilovic's rules opened a world of possibilities and encouraged to experiment with clothes in a way that I never saw before. At the same time, I agree regarding following rules way too much, it just makes everyone look on the same wavelength or a trend
"why is there a sense of the collective style where everyone buys the same Miu Miu item or gen Zs all aspire to wear a fitted baby T with a midi-skirt"
EXACTLY!!!! for all the chatter about how "there are no trends any more, just niches", why do certain niches become so dominant in the social media conversation that they aren't a niche anymore, giving the lie to the idea that there are "no trends"? What else am I supposed to think of the 8373rd influencer in 'perfect jeans' and 'perfect loafers' and that one specific style of droopy-shouldered blazer, which you know full well they'll ditch in a year once the runways and shops finally turn to a narrower shape?
There's a level of homogeneity to it all - even the 'tasteful' stuff from the 'right' labels, even if the need to constantly declare that you're in head-to-toe The Row/have renders the outfit as spiritually tacky as an outfit consisting entirely of logos (and frankly, antithetical to the way the founders of that label wear their designs). Fashion has always been a status game, but that's clearer than ever now, even if it happens to be tangled with the 'tell me something about myself' industrial complex (the "three words" stuff may be useful to a lot of people but frankly reminds me of a fashion version of the MBTI - at heart they are both pop psychology). Which might explain why I think so many people are lacking in actual style - it's easier to go along with a trend forecast or convince yourself that XYZ label/trend is "true to me" vs actually knowing myself and my tastes. All the women you named as icons - even Alexa, who was confident enough to own up to copying Jane Birkin - come across as having a very strong sense of self, or at least a definite and constant (if evolving) idea of their tastes.
Have you listened to this….Ezra Klein with Kyle Chayka on curating taste in a world of algorithms! https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/09/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-kyle-chayka.html
This is so true regarding the uniqueness of style. It takes a unique blend of yourself, your aesthetic and your taste to find your personal style and express your point of view. However, for someone like me who was (is?) truly clueless about personal style, Amy Smilovic's rules opened a world of possibilities and encouraged to experiment with clothes in a way that I never saw before. At the same time, I agree regarding following rules way too much, it just makes everyone look on the same wavelength or a trend