The fashion world has a reputation for being a whirl of trends, and it’s said that what goes up one day must go down the next. However, when you peel away the layers of seasonal fashions and ever-changing storefronts, there is a philosophy that is deeper. The greatest minds in fashion didn’t just design clothes—they were designing a new way for people to move, feel and exist in the world.
We like to think at Quotenestify that the best fashion tips are never about a certain color, fabric or style. Rather it’s attitude, identity and timelessness. The great designers who created the modern fashion world left behind some principles and tips that are indispensable for fashion.
Let’s examine the principles of style in the immortal words of the world’s greatest fashion icons:
1. Coco Chanel: The Foundation of Permanence
“Fashion goes out of style, but style never does.”
— Coco Chanel
The Context:
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a 20th century fashion icon. When corsets, heavy skirts and big hats were the order of the day, Chanel came up with lightweight, sporty materials such as jersey. She popularized women’s “little black dress” and trousers. She wasn’t merely looking for women to “look great”; she wanted them to be able to “breathe and move.
I have a few questions about the Philosophy in Practice:
This is certainly one of the most well-known fashion sayings of all time and it’s not hard to see why. Chanel is highlighting the very basic contrast between consumption and identity. Fashion is an external force that is stimulated by the magazines, the seasons and the markets. It’s part and parcel of its nature that it’s supposed to run out, so that you’ll purchase more. Style is something internal, however. It’s the individual style that you create, which is greater than anything currently in vogue on social networks.
2. Yves Saint Laurent: Magic of the wearer.
Over the years I’ve found out that the important thing in a dress is the lady wearing it.
— Yves Saint Laurent
The Context:
Yves Saint Laurent was a master of challenging gender norms and societal expectations in the 1960s and 70s. He was the first to create a tuxedo for women in 1966, “Le Smoking.” At the time it was scandalous and some restaurants even barred people from wearing it. However, YSL knew that an empowered woman was the true to an elegant woman, not one that conforms.
It’s time for The Philosophy in Practice:
Saint Laurent’s saying turns the focus from the clothing to the person. If the shoe fits, put it on.While it’s important to wear the right outfit, it’s equally as important to be worn the right way. The essence of true style is self-confidence. If clothing makes the wearer feel strong, comfortable and true to themselves, the garment is the lesser entity to the aura of the person in the room.
3. Alexander McQueen: The Escape from Conformity
“Fashion is an escape, not an imprisonment.”
— Alexander McQueen
The Context:
Alexander McQueen was a genius, a rebel and a provocation of the late 90s and 2000s. His shows were dramatic, passionate and at times shocking, with historical romance and dark, avant-garde tailoring. He has defied the safe and polite rules of the commercial fashion world.
Philosophy in Practice:
For McQueen, his warning about the pressures of the fashion industry is an important reminder. People often resort to fashion as a means of fitting in or following unspoken codes of what is considered good fashion or appropriate for their age. Fashion to McQueen was art and fantasy. There should be no “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” when it comes to your wardrobe. It should be a playground, where you can change your persona, invent a story and enjoy a feast of the imagination from the ordinary.
4. Ralph Lauren is the Architecture of Aspiration.
“Clothes are not the source of my design, I design it.
— Ralph Lauren
The Context:
Born in a simple drawer of neckties in the Empire State Building, Ralph Lauren created an empire that sold a vision of idyllic American life, from the movies to the streets, to people around the world. From Wild West designs to elegance in the Ivy League prep school tradition, his collections never were solely about fabric.
The Philosophy in Practice:
In Lauren’s quote, she points out the psychological burden of putting on clothes. People who purchase vintage leather jacket, a neat skirt or a flawlessly cut trench coat are usually purchasing a story. We dress for the life we want, character we want to be and dreams we are chasing. Style is a film technique which enables us to write our own lives.
Here are some easy-to-use fashion vs. style distinctions:
In order to get a sense of the wisdom of these designers, it is important to examine the fundamental differences between the two concepts they frequently spoke of.
| Concept | Fashion (The Trend) | Style (The Philosophy) |
|---|---|---|
| **External (runways, magazines, influencers) Internal (self-knowledge, comfort, identity) | ||
| Lifespan | Fleeting – changes from season to season | Eternal – develops and refines over the course of a lifetime |
| To appear modern and contemporary | To appear as you would in real life | |
| Is very clear about what is “in” and what is “out” of the rules; Bends or breaks rules to fit the individual. |
So the next time you are in front of your closet or in a store looking for clothes, you’ll be reminded of the wisdom of the architects of style. Instead of wondering whether something is in style, consider whether it’s in style for you, whether it can help you be YOU in your daily life, and whether it can express your story.
