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01 . 12 . 2010

Style vs. Fashion

by Jennifer Lem

What’s the difference between style and fashion? There is no cut and dry answer, but I think the main difference is that style is internal and fashion is external.

Let’s use some silly photos of me as illustrations, shall we?

Outfit 1: brown corduroy blazer (thrifted, $6), organic cotton dress; Outfit 2: navy blazer, luxe scarf, vintage leather belt (thrifted, $15), linen trousers; Outfit 3: navy blazer, luxe scarf, vintage leather belt, organic cotton dress

Outfit 1: This outfit illustrates my personal style: comfy and cute with a bit of quirk. Note the general lack of accessories. It’s not necessarily fashionable — I mean, a brown polka-dot corduroy blazer… what am I, an English professor? — but it is an accurate portrayal of what I like to wear.

Outfit 2: This is my attempt at a fashionable outfit. I’m trying to hit several Fall 2010 trends here: luxe scarf, tailored blazer, cinched belt, and tapered trousers. I probably would not feel comfortable leaving my apartment in this outfit because overall, it doesn’t match up with my personal style.

Outfit 3: This is a combination of my personal style and current fashion. You can see that I mixed pieces from Outfit 1 and 2 and look pretty happy about it!

So what have we learned here?

Style comes from within and is a personal expression of what colours, patterns, fabrics, cuts of clothing, and accessories that you like to wear. Everyone’s style is different, and is usually constantly evolving.

Fashion comes from external influences, e.g., designers, magazines, stores, and is a result of the collective opinion at the time. It’s the idea of what clothes and accessories look good now, what is on trend, and what we should wear if we want to look current.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with dressing only stylishly or only fashionably, nor are the two mutually exclusive. The important thing is to know what looks good on you so that you can wear your clothes with confidence. If calf-length skirts make you look like a hobbit, then don’t wear them (unless you really like The Lord of the Rings, in which case, go right ahead). Similarly, if you look terrific in big frilly dresses, then that’s what you should wear.

And remember, getting dressed doesn’t have to be a stressful or serious business. Is it stylish? Is it fashionable? Who cares, as long as you feel good about yourself and are having fun!

Jennifer Lem spent her childhood camping and hiking, mucking about the garden, and occasionally sewing ill-fitting clothing. She now works and volunteers in the non-profit world, runs a blog on environmental and health issues, and has overcome her ineptness with sewing machines. thehealthyfootprint.com