So I was taking a break oop North with the rellies, and couldn’t help people-watching as we went about our day, looking for style statements (it’s an affliction of mine). Three distinct camps of women stood out. There were the Lads' Mag Clones – women under 30, all with long, swishy hair, big on the eye make-up and not so big on the clothing (very short skirts, skyscraper heels and no jacket to speak of), trying their hardest to look as identical as possible to the friend they were out with, while at the same time attempting to attract unwarranted male attention.
On the flip side of this group was a group of similar age range, but completely differing sartorially (and actually made up of both male and female protagonists, but I was concentrating on the women). I shall call this group the Uber Stylistas, as they had eschewed the chance to fit in with peer-group-acceptable means of dress and were instead Making A Statement. There were print clashes, odd colours, oversized dresses, geeky glasses, precision haircuts, customised accessories - basically they were doing their darndest to be snapped by Scott Schuman. Whether they were students, fashwan-industry types or just Achingly Cool, who knows, but it made me want to know more about them.
Then, there was the Groomed & Glamorous - a group comprised of the over-30s. These ladies had obviously put time into getting dressed that morning. There were pressed trousers, designer jeans, crisp blazers and blow-dries a go-go. Heels were favoured over flats and the make-up was impeccable. If the blazer was absent, the expensive coat was there in its place. Particular stand-outs include the gorgeous black woman in polished brown boots and a three-quarter-length faux fur leopard print coat, and the lady taking her hubby round Zara, sporting a navy jacket, expensive highlights and a scarf draped oh-so carefully.
As I scan the social landscape, I never fail to be impressed by anyone who has put some thought into their outfit rather than just throwing on whatever comes to mind. Even if they look completely insane (in my humble opinion, of course), it fascinates me that they have invested time in putting together a certain look; they have chosen to wear something for a reason, and it makes me wonder about their life. Whatever their motives - to attract the opposite sex, to fit in with their crowd (or, indeed, to NOT fit in), to be fashionable, to look smart, to put something on that excites them... there is an element of effort, and they are all making their own statement.
It just got me thinking. Because even by not putting thought in to your outfit, you are still making a statement, whether consciously or unconsciously. Your clothes will always say something about you - you have a lot of money/you want to attract sexual attention/you work somewhere high-powered/you're a free spirit/you're confident with yourself/you're a person of authority/you're hiding the body shape you're not comfortable with/you have no regard for the 'fashion' rules/you are unhappy/you're more concerned with practicality than style/you don't think you're worth making an effort for. Even if you're just really busy and in a rush and have just thrown on something quick to nip to the shops, people all around you will be making assumptions about who you are and what you do and what you think of yourself and what type of person you probably are. Ah, the sociology of fashion.
Of course, people will catch your eye for different reasons, and everyone's opinion of what looks good and what doesn't will differ. More importantly, there is no right or wrong when it comes to fashion, and even style is pretty subjective really. But the thing about style is that it tells a story - about who you are or what you want to be and how you want others to think of you. When you work a look, whatever it is, you're sending out an unspoken sartorial message to those around you. And it changes as we grow older, change circumstance, make money, lose money, alter our outlook, because it's an inherent part of who we are as a person and our position in the world. The Lads' Mags Clones, the Uber Stylistas and the Groomed & Glamorous caught my eye because even the tiniest details of someone's outfit can fascinate me and pull me in. Because everything about them, from top to toenail varnish, had been considered and, aside from whatever they were or were not trying to communicate, anyone who makes my view more interesting of an afternoon most certainly gets my vote, and that's the simple joy of people-watching. And so the gauntlet is laid down. People of Britain, go forth and make a style statement! And keep me wondering.
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