Post 9: Social Stratification of Fashion

     Social stratification is a concept involving the classification of people based on socio-economic conditions. From highest class to the lowest class. This division that separates people into different social status has been inherited by so many cultures around the world. Thousands of years ago, clothing had been the basis of wealth.

     When someone wears something with gold, it means that he was able to buy a land. When someone wears gold jewelry from head to toe, it means he is a king. But when someone wears simply a plain cloth without any ornaments on it, it means he cannot afford anything or cannot eat three times a day.

     Fashion is a perfect way to show whoever we were. But it has also been a bridge for the society to divide the community. Most people that wear branded clothes have much money for a day. Even if he buys supplies for a 3-times-a-day-meal, he still have the excess money left to buy whatever he wants.

     I've read an article about social stratification entitled "Fashion, Art and Fashion Art" by CNS262 from wordpress.com that tells about how fashion affects the social differences of people among the society even before. High end pieces shows hierarchy. It says there that this art is tied to the elite in two ways. One of it monetarily. Members of the upper class have the funds to spend thousands on clothes that lower classes just do not. The author even said that "Because of social hierarchy, based on money and cultural capital, we see that high art in the form of fashion works as a stratification of social classes The fashion is so innovative and different that to us, though we may view it as beautiful, is it undeniably weird.."

     The second level we must understand this hierarchy on has to do with what Bourdieu calls “cultural capital.” He explains this concept to mean taste that is learned via one’s cultural environment.  In other words, taste is the result of upbringing, which then becomes second nature. It only means that right from the start, social stratification is inevitable to the society.

     Also an article entitled "Day 109: The Sociology of Fashion, Feminism, and Social Class" by Kjerstin Gruys from ayearwithoutmirrors.com it explains more of the theories of fashion that has something to do with social stratification. There was even Simmel's "top-down" theory. But even though these theories has been set and done, we still should consider that fashion is not just about being on ramp or wearing jewelry. She said that "That contemporary fashion cycles operate differently from purely top-down models suggests a certain democratization of fashion, and perhaps increased space for people to challenge class and gender inequalities through fashion."

    There are lots of people who need more than just clothes. They need safety and shelter to sustain their lives. They need more than material things we think -people who can afford much more- that we need and we cannot live without. We should all be aware that one should pay attention more on what the world needs and not the ones we want. Let us all be open-minded from all the things that happen to the people around us.

Post 8: Psychology of Fashion

   

Yes of course if there will be "Psychology of Cosplay", there should also be "Pscyhology of Fashion". Why? Simply because we want to let the readers be aware of the effects of small things in our lives that we don't get much of time to do research. We all want to know why people wear whatever they're wearing. There are some people who wear too short skirts, jacket even when the sun is too high or almost nothing (some, yes).

     Upon my research regarding this matter, an article entitled "Fashion Psychology" which I believe to be the author is Karen herself, by karenpine.com tells about how  fashion affects our everyday life. What we actually wear manipulates the way we move. It has some kind of coordination in between. When someone wears an elegant set of jewelry and a perfect black dress, she will automatically feel so fragile. Whatever we wear makes our body act accordingly to what our clothes want to project. If we try to project a very professional image, then, we have to wear office or business attires. I quote a line from the article that I think gives a better view of what am I trying to say which has been said by the author, " Recent research on enclothed cognition demonstrates a powerful link between a person’s attire and the way they behave, and evolutionary and cognitive psychology can help us to understand the inner drivers for people’s clothing choices, and the effect upon others."

     It is true that what we wear defines us. If we tried to wear something that looks really unprepared, it will damage our credibility. We cannot just put on pajamas if we'll be attending a wedding ceremony. For some especially for higher classes, they chose fashion to express how they protect their credibility. Especially when one is well-dressed.

     Another article that caught my attention is this "What Cognitive Psychology Studies Reveals about Fashion" by G.Moda themselves from gdotmoda.com also shows how style affects the way we project our message to the world. By the use of style and fashion we give them the idea of what we are trying to connect with them. "There has been several investigations using social science approaches into the impacts of fashion on how other people perceive us as a result of the clothes that we wear, especially during the 1980s and 1990s, and quite a few on how we perceive fashions from the perspective of developing virtual simulations of fashions, in the late 1990s and early in the first decade of 2000." said by G.Moda.

     Fashion can be an instrument but it can also be a form of communication to people on how we react based on what we wear. We project different images in the form of what we wear everyday. It can be a professional look, simple, sweet or edgy. But no matter how we make ourselves as canvass, still it is our choice with whatever image we want to paint on ourselves and that's what the people will see.

Post 6: Gothic Fashion

   

credit to the owner

     The Goth subculture began in England during the 1980s when the Punk culture started to decline, and with it came the Gothic fashion. This fashion takes elements from punk, Victorian, Renaissance and Elizabethan period clothing then mixes it up with modern style. The color scheme for this fashion is primarily composed of dark colors, primarily of black. It is then coupled up with a dark make-up giving it a dark, mysterious, and exotic look.

     Here is a short article about how this subculture and fashion came to be, "History of Gothic Culture and Fashion" by The Goth Code from wordpress.com. The Gothic fashion can easily be mistaken as Punk or Emo fashions because of their similarities especially when it comes to their color schemes. But unlike those two styles, Gothic fashion brings an air of elegance to its wearer therefore defining it against those two. Because it is derived from Victorian, Renaissance and Elizabethan styles, it incorporates the elegant component of those styles.

     Ever since its rise, the Gothic fashion is still a steady name in the industry. Many celebrities, especially big names in the music industry have also adapted this fashion such as the band “Evanescence” where in lead vocalist Amy Lee always wear clothing under this fashion in music videos, concerts and public appearances.

credit to the owner

credit to the owner

     Because of its popularity even nowadays, the Gothic fashion started to branch out into different subcategories, and this article "Gothic Fashion" by Winged Creature from platypusart.com, tells a little bit about the subcategories of this fashion. Most notable subcategories are Gothic Lolita, Romantic/Ethereal and Steampunk. These subcategories are commonly used and are easily identifiable as Gothic. "There are many different types of Goths and many different types of Goth clothing. The outfits can be quite intricate and quite pricey. The materials, colours, influences and styles of the various fashions differ greatly from one another. Gothic music and fashion are symbiotic." said by the author herself.

     The Gothic fashion sometimes baffles other people. Just like cosplaying, people who are into this fashion is sometimes discriminated because of lack of understanding. They are commonly branded as anti-social at once though it may not be entirely true. People of who dress in this fashion are automatically branded as
weird because of the entirely different air of this look.

     The Gothic Fashion is more than wearing black all the time. It is embodying the essence of the fashion. Wearing these type of clothes means being responsible in carrying them properly as well. These fashion, just like any other fashion, is a projection of who you really are and therefore don’t be afraid to experiment. Just enjoy it and express your personality through it.

Post 4: Lolita Fashion

credit to the owner

     Lolita (ロリータ) is a street fashion and a subculture in Japan, known for its intricate and delicate doll-like look. The clothing is inspired by old century. A princess-like feeling is expressed by the fashion itself. Lolita comes in late 1980 with the form of different type of fashion style but its hard to be recognized by the modern standard of Lolita Fashion, until the early years of 2000, when a member of a Visual-Kei band fronted this kind of fashion and make it more popularized worldwide that became more accessible through physical store outside and online shops.

     An article entitled "The Fashion: An Introduction" by the owner of the site herself, Linda F from hellolace.net, will let us get to be more familiar with world of Japanese Fashion. By the sweet looks of Lolita fashion, many got hooked to it. From printed fabrics down to laces and bows, one can never say "No" to it especially when you are a fond of cute things. Pink, blue, purple or the colors of rainbow define Lolita that much. Cute things can really catch the heart of a girl. "Many Lolitas who don't dress in the fashion on a daily basis, sees meet-ups as a perfect way to go over-the-top with their outfits and show their love for the fashion." - Linda F.

credit to the owner

     Many got into Lolita nowadays. Even our very own Alodia Gosiengfiao with her Lolita queen inspired outfit and Myrtle Sarrosa with her sweet pink Lolita dress. There are also variety of kinds of Lolita. Gothic, casual, classic, aristocrat, country, hime and many more to choose from.

     Gothic Lolita is more of a dark themed one. The style is primarily influenced by Victorian inspired goth style and not cyber goth or industrial style. Gothic Lolita is commonly recognized by the bell-shaped skirt and puff-sleeves. It is usually a coordination of dark and rich colors like black and white. Makeup for this style is usually from light to dark or smokey eyes with dark red lipstick.

     Casual is more on a simple style of Lolita. It doesn't need much of the laces and dark ensembles. It focuses more on an outfit used for daily basis. Elegance will never be out of the line. A great Casual Lolita can be compiled out of any color. A simple cardigan over a skirt creates a nice casual look. Simplicity is what defines Casual Lolita from colors down to designs and choice of fabric.

     For a clearer picture of Lolita Fashion, I recommend going to this [site]. This site will give you a better description to each style and how one differs from the other. There are lists of links on the left side of the site where you can read much information of what Lolita is.

     Also, I have read an article entitled "A Fascinating New Documentary About Lolita Fashion" by Liz Ohanesian from laweekly.com shows how people can connect with just common likes. A group of four different people that found their sense of identity through Lolita fashion. The uniqueness of this style had a huge impact to people who patronize it to make them build a community from their fascination to fashion. But what's more interesting with this article is these people go beyond their horizon to see the stories behind Lolita which made them spend their time to attend conventions. "The more we got to know the Lolitas, working with them, the less you see the style of the dress and the more you see them as individuals," said by Parson.

     Lolita is not just simply dressing up with huge bows and bunch of laces. It has been also a lifestyle to some. Every girl wants a princess-like lifestyle. And by the help of Lolita fashion, some have made their dreams come true. There are couple of events held by them to familiarize one another. This is their way of expression. Everyone has their own way of expression. Let's just not be afraid of stepping outside our box.

Post 3: Lady's Sudden Change

(credit to the photographer/owner)

     Lady Gaga, a music and a fashion icon. She is commonly known for her wild fashion sense and even her music. Examples of these were "Telephone", "Alejandro", "Born this Way" and so much more. She never performed without the craziness showing up on her by means of hair, makeup, clothes and even her show. But it seems like her style toned-down a bit. No more big hair bows, super teased hair and outstanding costumes for her shows.


     But why did Lady Gaga suddenly changed? According to an article entitled "Lady Gaga teases a new "toned-down" look" by Meagan Morris and "Lady Gaga hip surgery update: She's "unbelievable" by Sara McGinnis from "sheknows.com" that Lady Gaga had undergone a hip surgery leading her to minimize her style. Although she has to tone down her style, her taste to it will never go wrong. As she said that "[I'm not] defined by the same designer or defined by the same hair cut or defined by the same icon. The statement is that I'm not one icon. I'm every icon. I'm an icon that is made out of all the colors on the palette at every time" -Lady Gaga.

(Google Images)

     Lady Gaga was forced to undergo a hip surgery and spend time in a rehabilitation program. According to an article "Lady Gaga's tricked out 24-karat gold wheelchair" by Deirdre Kaye of sheknows.com, MTV and Daily Beast reported that Lady Gaga contacted Kevin Borochov to make her a wheelchair made of 24-karat gold. It was said that the gold itself costs $ 2,600 alone. The wheelchair was reported to be plated 1.5 ounces of gold. Although even Borochov wasn't sure if Lady Gaga will actually use it to get around but it is said to be used for a Terry Richardson photo shoot.

Getty

     Despite of the hip surgery she went through her comeback to the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards shocked her fans in her long black Prabal Gurung dress. Accompanied by her father Joe Germanotta and Busta Rhymes. She assured her fans that she'll be back on screen. And as expected she performed for 2013 VMA with her song "Applause". Full performance of Lady Gaga can be seen [here]. Stunning performance of Lady Gaga can't tell that she's been in a hip surgery. She started with a white full-covered-nun-looking dress with matching square headpiece. During her performance were couple of "personality" changes that would definitely gain the "applause". There was really no "basic black" for Gaga.

     Everything about Lady Gaga is outstanding. She can bring her own style magnificently. She was really an icon herself. Even though she has to tone down her style, her absolute creativity and uniqueness always shows off.

     Mother Monster never fails to bring a fresh look to her fans and even to the media. Nothing can really slow down Lady Gaga to give a blast in everything she does. Her craziness over style and music is what makes her perfect for what and where she is now.

Post 1: Fashion or Cosplay

   

Left: LILISIMPLY (lookbook.nu) Right: Aza Miyuko (Blade and soul)

  Would you consider Cosplay is Fashion or vice versa? Cosplay and Fashion are both related to clothes and style, hair and makeup, accessories and such. But how can someone actually differentiate the two?
     Fashion defines culture, social status, personality, and lifestyle. An expression of oneself through mix and matching of style. One can actually see the social status of a person from the brand she wears. It does even shows your age. You cannot simply wear a Tube blouse when you're in your 80's. It doesn't mean that anything and everything is wearable.
     Being into fashion or cosplay gives you the opportunity to show off your personality and creativity. An Edgy look gives you the fierce attitude. A sweet dress shows off your feminine side. One can be defined from the look she shows, clothes she wears, makeup she uses and much more.

     How can we actually relate Fashion and Cosplay?

     Fashion is a form of Self-expression. It is considered as form of expression of what we feel. We express ourselves in the form of style. One cannot wear the same clothes everyday. We have to step out of our comfort zone to express ourselves. I've read an article entitled "Fashion as Expression" by Devorah from Deborahshemesh.com. It tackles on how it Fashion helps us express ourselves. From there, couple of lines said by the author caught my eye saying, " Being fashionably fit means knowing yourself from the inside out, and it doesn’t cost a cent.  Use fashion as an expression of who you are, or who you aspire to be, and don’t let fashion use you."

     Fashion is a form of art. From colors to texture. It uses the sense of color combination and texture of fabric being used. It shows the creativity of blending and mix and matching. If fashion is executed well, one can instantly see the art behind it. There maybe also rules but the art of it never goes wrong.

     On the other hand, Cosplay is simply "costume + play = cosplay". A hobby among devotees of anime and manga. Unlike Fashion, cosplay has a character to imitate. There is a specific attitude and style for every character. But cosplay is not as simple as copying the character. One should be able to portray them well. It doesn't mean that when you saw a good-looking character, you are going to Cosplay her/him right away. Knowing the essence of cosplay is a hard task to people who are not familiar with it just like fashion. There are specific rules in cosplaying too.

Aza Miyuko as Leah from Diablo III

     Cosplay is also a form of Self-expression. One can express himself/herself through cosplay. Being in perfect character suited for your feelings is a big deal. You might be able to give justice to the character you're portraying by the similarities of your feelings and attitude. A shy person cosplaying a shy character don't need to exert much effort to show the personality of and feeling of the character being cosplayed by him/her. There is one article that inspired me entitled "Breaking All The Rules: Cosplay and the Art of Self-expression" by Ger Tysk from Indiegogo.com focusing on how Cosplay can change someone's life by expression. He also said that "Those characters in those stories - the characters who they cosplay - have helped people discover new, different parts of themselves. Cosplay is the ultimate tribute, to say that yes, my outlook, my friendships, and my life have forever changed because of this story."

     Cosplay is also an Art. A form of art from construction to overall character play. A beginner might not be able to construct his/ her own costume at first, but as time goes by, as he/she enjoyed doing it, he/she eventually learn the art of it. From constructing the armors of a specific character takes a lot of effort to get burned by heat gun, glued by greco but that doesn't matter as long as it'll pay off. It also comes with painting and crafting accessories which fall into the category of arts but that doesn't mean it'll be automatically considered art. It have to have texture and style and the meaning of every work done to be considered art. 

     Fashion and Cosplay is simply an Expression of oneself in the form of Art. Our eyes can see what lies beneath. Our looks can be very deceiving, but it only shows how perfect we are in our own ways. We can stand out by how we deliver the message through clothes, makeup, or accessory. A form of freedom, body as canvass and a medium for communication.