Read this link:
I can’t decide if I care about fashion
According to Lori, what aspects of liking fashion can be problematic?
What does Lori mean by "But I can’t seem to reconcile these two (competing?) impulses; on the one hand, a value in “art for art’s sake, beauty, style, and other intangibles; on the other, an investment in valuing substance over style, actions over appearances, and real justice over flamboyant showmanship."
And, "getting in touch with your own personal style and presenting it to the world as an extension of yourself seems like a righteous form of self-love, and therefore perhaps a feminist act of the highest value.
In this link I think the author is saying she doesn't know what is so important about certain fashion, and how to balance what everyone thinks is "in" and what she likes and can afford. The way fashion is moving and changing so fast it could be hard for anyone to keep up, and easy for people to just stop caring with the world thinks is fashion and wear what they like. In her comment about the two competing impluses she is saying it is a challenge to decide wheater it is important to follow the trend or to make a more executive decision and do what she knows and loves.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Lori, liking fashion can be problematic because it costs a lot of money! She mentions APC jeans, I had no idea how much these jeans cost so I looked it up, each pair of women's jeans were shamelessly priced at $175. I like fashion and have nice clothes but I think $200 for a plain pair of jeans is crazy. When she says she can't reconcile her impulses, one for art and the other for substance, she means she loves the fashion that Chanel has to offer but struggles morally with paying for the designer. She wants bold, stylish fashion but doesn't want to spend so much money on it. When she said presenting your style is a form of self love and a feminist act of the highest value, she is talking about one of the fundamentals of feminism, individuality. We are all different and by expressing yourself through your clothes exemplifies your individuality and lets people know more about you just by what you are wearing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these comments. If/when one has the money to spend on clothes, what, according to Lori, might be better ways to spend one's money?
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting blog. I really do understand where she is coming from. I would never spend that much money on a pair of Jeans regardless how nice or how much in fashion it may be. I know she was deciding whether she wanted to spend all of her money on just a pair of jeans --to be "in" with fashion-- or spend her money by buying what she likes that is least inexpensive. She finds it problematic because she doesn't know if she should follow this trend or be herself and just go with what she thinks looks nice and can still have money for other stuff that is more important such as her beauty,hair,health, etc not just spending the majority amount that she has on a pair of jeans when you can buy so much more things for the price of that one pair on jeans ... Clearly she does not want to feel as if she is being rejected based off what she is wearing.Everyone has their own style and It is good for someone to have their own unique trend rather than fitting "in" with others to be something your not.
ReplyDeleteI understand where Lori is coming from. If one wants to be fashion forward, they have to spend a lot of money. In doing so these people are losing focused of who they are or can be. I love fashion, but I also know that spending huge amount of money wont make me into someone else. In her comment about competing impulses, Lori is trying to find a middle ground for herself, she doesn't want to lose herself, but she also wants to be trendy. Lori loves fashion and she just wants to be able to enjoy it without going overboard. Fashion allows us to express ourselves, but when everyone try and be alike we lose our identity. If we don't follow fashion as closely as we do, we can have more money to spend on thing we really need. There will be less people in debt. We can spend that money on things that will truly make us happy, like our family and education.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lori when she says that fashion, and keeping up with fashion cost a lot. Im the type of person where I would rather spend money on something besides expensive clothes. She also said that she didn't always like the fashion but felt like she had to wear in to look presentable. If people would wear what they wanted, and what made them comfortable then maybe the fashion world wouldn't be so strict or important.
ReplyDeleteI understand where the author is coming from. She doesn't think we should spend as much money on clothes, accessories, and shoes like we do, instead we should spend our money on more important things. I agree, The cost of being fashionable is very expensive. However, we all like to look good,some people because they care what others think & some people like to look good for themself. Tiera Gary
ReplyDeleteI understand where the author is coming from. Some people spend so much money on clothes that they do not even realize it. People can put together an outfit from their closet without having to spend a bunch of moeny to buy a whole new outfit. I understand people like to look good, but spending so much money on cloths is not worth it. If someone does not have the money for it then they should not worry about it.
ReplyDeletebridget straub
The author does care about fashion otherwise she would not have created this blog. She suggests that spending money on trendy clothes could be better spend and go further if it was spend in other ways. She also rejects the way others judge her based on what she is wearing and asks is what she is wearing negate respect. On the other hand, she like to feel good about what she is wearing and outs her best face on when she leaves the house. Its about staying true to yourself, and been comfortable in your own skin not what you are wearing on the outside.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Weaver
There are 2 aspects of liking fashion that can be problematic, one aspect is the price of fashion, "the expensiveness", and the other is what people actually think fashion is. In Lori's comment about competing with the two, I think she is describing her emotions towards fashion and trying to determine which is more important. I feel as though fashion is what you make it, you necessarily don't have to follow the latest trend, CREATE your own! Fashion can be VERY expensive, but, on the other hand fashion can be very cheap. Sale items, department stores, and even thrift stores are ALL examples of cheap fashion. I think women should stop believing what others feel and start coming in touch with their own personal style, be a trend setter even if it is something as simple as a hairstyle. I have made my decision, and I do care about fashion, but I've learned to determine what my OWN PERSONAL fashion is, and not care abut anyone's opinion but my own!
ReplyDeleteThe problems of liking fashion include the competing forces of getting what you like to wear and the cost of getting what you like to wear. Sometimes to be in "fashion" means you have to spend through one's own wallet, however it should not be that way. To love one's own style should be as important as loving what one can afford. To me, Lori is saying that one can create their own inexpensive fashion as a way of giving back to themselves.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lori when she says that to keep up with fashion costs a lot. Many people spend a lot of money on their clothes and really do not realize it because all they care about is fitting in, so they do not get criticized. I believe that one can put together a fashionable outfit without spending a ton of money. There are other more important things in life to spend your money on besides clothes. Buying expensive clothes is not going to change the real you.
ReplyDeleteI think the author is right, to the mainstream being fashionalbe is very expensive. It takes alot of money of material things to be apart of the "in" group or to be considered popular. However, I feel there are alot of less fortunate people being fashionable also. You wear what you can afford is how I like to look at things, and what you can afford can also be fashionable. I think anyone can be fashionable because fashion is in the eye of the beholder. Brittney Edwards
ReplyDeleteAccording to Lori, fashion can be problematic when people spend so much mony on clothes and she hates the idea that others should get to judge others based on what there wearing. What she mean by getting in touch with your own personal style and presenting it to the world is one of the best ways to express your self. You can so your whole mood just by the way you dress and it shows how you care about your self. For example if you came outside to go to class with some flip flops, a shower cap, and some sleeping clothes we would think ether your really sick, you had a bad night or you just dont care about the world. But the next day your wearing a bright summer dress on a rainy day.... ether your happy, got a date, or you just plain crazy. lol
ReplyDeleteI feel that Lori aspects of liking fashion is problematic, being that people spend more money trying to be fashionable when they can spend it on other things that matter more. Also the fact she rejects the idea that others should get to judge people based on what there wearing. When Lori mentions she still feel like a person of worth rather she is wearing vintage Chanel or vintage sweatpants really stood out to me. I feel like if a person can where some sweatpants and still feel like they a person of worth shows they dont really care what others think, and can be fashionable in whatever they choose to wear. When she cant reconcile with the two i feel she mean they both have some meaning of vaule to her where she just cant decide.
ReplyDeleteI care about fashion, yet at the same time seem like it has little affect on me. As a guy I see very little to no fasion in the male gender. I do like to look good, and take care of myself. Although males have no where near the same impact on your character or style as a girls fashion does. Girls go all out and show self expression in their fashion, and it is more socially acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI feel what Lori is trying to say in her article is what the average person says. The average person wants to be as fashionable as everyone else but at the same time they do not want to pay too much for just one item when that money can be put to better use. Nobody wants to be talked about based upon their fashion choice so everyone is trying to impress everyone. I agree with what she is saying. I also want to be fashionable but I feel I do not have to pay a arm and a leg to be that.
ReplyDeletethe aspects fashion being problematic is who sets trends or says whats in style. Also i care about fashion but im not goin to spend my life savings for it. also my fashion may be different and ugly to the next person. fashion has become more than just fashion and more of a contest and showoff of who has what and who spent what.lori also means be confident with yourself and your style of dressing becausr fashion doesnt define who you are.
ReplyDeleteKerra Jones
I think Lori was trying to get her point across that fashion is becoming to serious. She points out that she would still feel a person of worth whether she was wearing Chanel or sweatpants, which is a good point because what you wear shouldn't allow others to think any differently of you. Nowadays it has become so normal for people to judge one another based on what they are wearing. I agree with Lori, I don't think a person should have to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes just to earn respect from others.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the fact that fashion now and days is expensive and that people dont pay attention to how much they spend. I personally wouldnt mind spending 175 dollars on jeans if i had the money to. Yes people should and could spend that amount of money on better things but if they chose not to what could we do.
ReplyDeleteAccording Lori, the problematic part of fashion is the cost. That cost has beco e too big of a part of fashion. Fashion should be about wearing what makes you feel good and confident no matter the cost or brand. If younhave the money, that's great, but for those who don't they feel like they can't be fashionable which isn't what fashion should be about.
ReplyDeleteAudra Wilson
According to the author, fashion is important, but it can be problematic because of the high cost. It is definitely expensive to keep up with the trends that are "in style". Personally, I love fashion, but I will not spend over a hundred dollars on a pair of jeans. I also think that Lori expresses how it is important to stay true to yourself and do/wear what makes you feel great.
ReplyDeleteLori thinks that the aspects of liking fashion can be problematic when it comes to cost deficiency. When Lori mentions that she can’t seem to reconcile the two (competing?) impulses, she is referring to fashion on a bases of price vs. uniqueness. She wants to wear the latest trends, yet at the same time, she wants to utilize her finances in a sufficient way.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't understand why people want to dress/look the same. I bought a pair of winter boots for $20 on sale at a cheap store in the mall that capture more attraction than plain old ugg boots and I have gotten more compliments on them than I could imagine. The provide me the same comfort, warmth, and style as designer. And if they happened to get dirty or lost, it's not a big deal because they were only $20, not $200.
Another fact that I would like to emphasize off of the basis of fashion trends and their expenses, is that I personally don't find most famous fashion attractive. To me, most fashion includes mismatched, unorganized clothing with scrambled technique. I can compare it to art to an extent; some people view a piece of artwork and only see an image, but others can view the same work of art and envision a story behind it.
-Jessica Lord
Lori makes very valid points such as spending so much money to keep up with fashion as frequent as every season. I agree with the statement that a previous commentor said that "fashion is becoming too serious." People are spending their last pay checks just to keep up and also spending money that they actually do not have. A person can still standout whether they wear a dress or sweat pants its all up to them to make the outfit stand out. I think that what she means by that quote is that it is nice to feel confident in the things you wear although people judge your entire personality by what you decide to wear but it also competes with whether or not they will respect you mind and thoughts. Will they take you seriously in a powerful position wearing something that isn't conservative?
ReplyDeleteI think the main problem with liking fashion and being a feminist is that women so often wish for people/society to look at them and see a person, and not a woman or to judge them because of their clothes. To focus on clothes and not what a person is saying is in a way demeaning and not what should be focused on. Yet fashion is seen as an art form and in that respect, it should be viewed and looked at, but not as a way to judge someone solely on fashion choices.
ReplyDeleteKelly Stevens
Lori states that liking fashion could be problematic because of how much it costs. she states that she likes fashion and likes to look nice, but don't want to have to spend so much to accomplish that. she feels that money could go further and you could do more if spent in a certain way. Lori feels that you shouldn't have to wear certain clothes to get respect. I agree with what Lori says because I feel that a person should get respect no matter what they have on, but society is not based that way. as women, we have to dress seductively or sexy to get looked at instead of just wearing what we want and receiving the same response. when she says she can't reconcile with the two, she is simply saying that she wants to look good but doesn't want to spend as much money on it. she can't come to common grounds with the two because she values fashion but don't want to spend so much on it just to make her appearance look better
ReplyDeleteLori...Lori dosen't know what to do. She likes fashion and wants to have all of the top things that are trending but she feels like buying these things will somehow be pointless in the end. I believe thats true because something new comes out everyday almost. Lori just needs to pick clothing and a style that fits her and something that she feels comfortable in. She states that the women in New York are very fly and all, but by her trying to blend in with them is doing nothing for her indivisuality. She needs to stop trying to be fashion savvy ans learn what it is that makes her stand out, because everyone can not pull certain fashion statements off.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding for this article is that she is a feminist and she feels that she wants to be respected by her writings and what she has to say. But in the society we live in fashion is a way for women to get noticed and get respect if she were to fall pray to fashion, though she doesn't think it's fair that that is the only way she would get respect. She also says that she loves the art of fashion and being a feminist she would never want to hold back any woman from expressing themselves by using fashion as an art form. In her opinion though she feels that she could use her money for better things then just spending crazy amounts on designer clothes.
ReplyDeleteI think Lori is stuggleing with the question of whether she cares about fashion or not because she feels as a feminist she shouldn't care, but she still cares about what she looks like. For women today fashion is about who can buy the most expensive and latest things; it isn't so much about expressing yourself anymore. I think this is where Lori is coming from; she cares about what she looks like because she wants to be presentable and express herself, but that is not what people see from the type of clothing a person wears. For most people clothing no longer is a way to express themselves, like art, it is a way to look superior, to show who has the money to buy expensive things and who does not. I think you can still express yourself with your clothing, even if it isn't name brand, top of the line.
ReplyDeleteKara Higgins
I think Lori has a great opinion on fashion. And I agree with her totally. Women are always buying the latest, tredy clothes that are "in". In order to have these clothes you have to be willing to spend alot of money. Lori obviously cares about fashion and I think every woman to an extent cares what they look like. We all want nice clothes and like having nice things, but we could use that money for neccessities. The fashion world is very competitive,but also expensive. Maybe someone can change this and make fashionable clothes at a cheaper price?
ReplyDeleteJodie Hinkle
I completely understand where Lori is coming from. Sometimes it is very hard to always be caring about fashion. Some people do not have the advantage to always be buying clothes as they please. I like how other people can make old clothes look like new. So some can make anything look good and some are able to buy the clothes to make them look good.
ReplyDeleteI have never been one to spend a lot of money on clothes, but some people enjoy it. When I was in grade school and all of my friends were shopping at Abercrombie and Hollister, while I was shopping at the cheaper stores and getting the same quality of clothing. Expensive clothes like that are not made any better, you are just paying for the brand name. You can still be "in" style without spending a lot of money. I agree with Lori that money can be dispersed in many ways and not just on one item. Everyone has their own style and personal opinion on fashion, so I think that it depends on the type of person they are on how much they spend on their clothing. Regardless, no one should be judged on what they choose to wear on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteFashion is a very personal aspect of individuals life. Fashion does not necessarily have to be fancy or trendy. It is personal choice that you make for yourself. I encourage that everyone embrace fashion as a extension of their individuality. In my opinion the key to success is being confident and being comfortable in the clothes you wear promotes confidence. So to answer the question I believe that it is important to care about fashion based only on your individual taste.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the author when she says that we should't spend as much money as we do on clothes, instead we should use it for more important things. I actually know people that will spend their last dime on shopping and buying things that they dont absolutely need. Although I agree with the author, I am in fact one of those people that spends unneccessary money on things that I don't need or things that looked good to me right then and there. Shanicqua Landis
ReplyDeleteI felt as if i could personally relate to some of the things that she was saying because I feel that way about fashion as well. Its true that many of us look good so that we can be pleaseing to the public eye however its also about looking good to compliment your self but the money we spend to look good can be used for so many other things and how buying clothes seem to make people judge you how you dress! I dont think its nothing wrong with making a fashion statement .its not always what u wear but its how you wear it !
ReplyDeleteJasmine Robinson
The author brings up great points that I can completely agree with. I believe that fashion is something most people care about it's just the style that varies. For example, Lori talked about how expensive fashions can be and how spending the money is going to make you look "fly" but money can be spent in other aspects for other things rather than fashion. This is very true. There are many people who can pick out a cheap outfit from walmart or a thriftstore and still conisder themselves fashionable while some people spend crazy amounts of money to consider themselves fashionable as well. I think to look deeper into how she "feels" about fashion is really like saying how the fashion makes you feel as a person. If you feel good about spending money to have top brand items, then in the long run you're going to spend the money. If you feel just as great in $5 dollar jeans and a tshirt then you won't feel the need to spend as much. Weather we care about fashion or its expense, we all have a different style whether we notice it are not. The chose is there to spend the money or save for something greater than appearance.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what a lot of the people are saying on here. Fashion is money whether you like it or not. Well to be more exact, media based fashion is expensive. I think the author is struggling with the fact that she cannot seem to find the balance between is fashion worth the money and if it is is it better to spend it on fashion or something else of more moral value? It is hard to try to balance out these two concepts but at the end of the day you just have to do what feels right to you and stand by what you think is right (in your own opinion). This is an interesting article though because the concepts of this you never really think about in such depth. But I do think she is thinking more than she should. Fashion should be a more artistic expression not logical.
ReplyDeleteLaura Andrews
I really liked this blog. I can relate to what the other was saying. To be considered fashionably these days people think you need to spend a lot of money. Why pay 200 dollars for a paor of jeans just to be fashionable? That just seems crazy to me. Money can be spent in other useful ways. There are plenty of stylish things out there that don't cost a fortune and still look good. You just have to find them. Being fashionable shouldn't be about money it should be about diversity and personal style.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Lori, the major aspect of liking fashion that can be problematic is the fact that it has the potential to be very expensive. As she briefly mentions a few designers such as Chanel and APC jeans, I had to agree with her about the fact that yes, we all like looking good but is it really worth it to pay $200 for a pair of jeans when you could actually be spending that hard-earned money on something that really matters? As far as the quote about her two impulses goes... I feel that she would love to be wearing designer clothes and looking shabby and chique each and every day but in all reality, she knows she can't afford it so buying those materialistic items will only make her feel guilty. Her conscience is telling her that spending a crazy amount of money on articles of clothing is just not acceptable. I think the second quote regarding self-love and feminism is talking about how being an individual and being yourself is one major part of the feminist act of highest value.
ReplyDeleteI think the author was is clever because she wants the world to respect her because she knows shes smart , seems like a rediculous idea that you have to look the best to be respected. I think people feel they can trust you more if you look like you care about how you look. so as much as some people hate to look good maybe you just have to look like you put some thought into how you look. I feel people dont all have to wear the top brand and spend all their money either because if everyone is wearing the same top brand is it really still important I dont think it is but that's just me.
ReplyDeleteKristy Portell
I agree when the author expains the pricing of clothes makes fashion problematic. You can not spend much on clothes and still be fashionable but to keep up with high fashion you need money it seems like. By this "getting in touch with your own personal style and presenting it to the world as an extension of yourself seems like a righteous form of self-love, and therefore perhaps a feminist act of the highest value" I feel that Lori means you should be able to dress however you want to express yourself as a woman.
ReplyDelete-Abby Blan
according to the author, there are two things that seem problematic when it comes to fashion. One would be the fact that by caring so much about how she looks, she feels like she could be contradicting her stance on feminism. Another point that is problematic is the price of fashion. In order to be considered fashion forward, a person has to spend money, and I think she feels like this money could be spent on more meaningful things.
ReplyDeleteadam baker said...
ReplyDeleteI agree with courtney martin, in the fact that i think money can be spent in so many better ways than fashion. Not that i or courtney dont like to look nice but i just dont need to be on top of my game in the fashion world espcially living in chicago where half of the time you are in a winter jacket. To me fashion will never be important as that is something that i have been brought up to not value. I think thats where people differ, is the fact that some people think fashion is important and shopping is fun. I on the other hand think the opposite of both of them