The Age of Fashion

Many people stereotype the word fashion. The belief that the industry is shallow, vain and insignificant couldn't be further from the truth. Fashion is a career, a hobby, a lifestyle; not forgetting the charitable work it is involved with. (Fashiontargetsbreastcancer.org.uk).

Countless times my dad has emphasised his opinion on fashion as a pointless and dull factor in life (although i think he might exaggerate this just to push my buttons!) He has always believed that clothes should simply be made well and last for years; he would say: "I'll buy a classic suit, a well-made pair of jeans and a few t-shirts that will last me five years! Trends exist just for stores to steal our wages each season." However, throughout his youth my dad went through a number of phases, including punk and mod. To this day he still owns a collection of ska buttons that he once pinned to the lappel of his black blazer, as a stylish teen.

The clothes he wore as a mod consisted of boot-cut black trousers, a black or coloured blazer and a white Fred Perry shirt. His hair resembled the 'flat-top' cut, made popular by the ska band Madness. Even now, my dad will dribble on about his favourite childhood memories of the great music and charismatic trends of the late 70s. So why has his his interests diluted and his disregard for the industry amplified?

This leads me to wonder..does the excitement of fashion disintegrate as the wrinkles appear and our youth is forgotten? Of course this concept is notably generalised; but for the majority of people past their 30th birthday, is it possible that the appetite for fashion has been flushed away with the baby nappies? Although I'm speaking from a young persons perspective i cant envision my life without my thrill and infatuation in fashion; i acknowledge that as we grow older our free time becomes rare, but however naive it may come across, i simply will try my utmost to maintain my devotion for style and never loose my adoration for fashion.

So bit by bit, i will attempt to nudge my dad back into desiring clothes and believing that the industry is far from insignificant. Why does our passion for fashion have to fade as we age? Screw that..I simply won't let it. I'm now off to chew on this subject with a bite of my marmite crumpet and a flick through April's Vogue :)