The worth of fashion: a random collection of thoughts.

I just had a chat with one of my best friends about fashion. The conversation started with her asking if I liked Oscar Wilde, and if I had heard his quote of fashion, I laughed and said confirmed yes, I had indeed.
For those of you who haven't heard/read it it goes as follows:

           "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable we have to be alter it every 6 months"
                         -Oscar Wilde

Even typing that made me smile. As a fashion student I agree with Mr Wilde's sentiments, I have a slightly differing perspective but I think there is an element to his words that rings true.

Fashion is simultaneously taken far too seriously and not seriously enough. In terms of taking it too seriously I don't understand people being afraid to wear something twice in the same week lest other people notice and somehow judge them as a twice-a-week-wearer or some such monster. But I also have a deep hatred of people who say that fashion doesn't matter, a common opinion among New Zealanders. It DOES matter. What you wear defines not only who you are, but more importantly who you want the rest of the world to think you are. It is armour and whether that is horrendous should-burst-into-flames-as-you-leave-the-house tracksuits or an Armani suit it fulfills the same role in your life.

Saying you don't care about fashion says as much about you as saying you do does. It says you consider it a frivolous world, a world you don't want to play a part in. Well, guess what buddy, you're in it and as long as you are in a western country, you can't escape it.

Going back to my discussion with my friend; I commented on how changing fashions reflected changing values in society whether a world war, the invention of the pill or the 2008 recession. They come and go in the blink of an eye and as such I happened upon a realisation that I am proud of considering it is 1am and my brain is asleep.

I have realised that I consider fashion to be both priceless and worthless. It is like a slap-up dinner at a fancy restaurant. It arrives, looks pretty, tastes delicious and it vanishes again as if it never existed with only your expanded waistline and indented wallet to show for the entire affair. With fashion the only difference is that it is your wardrobe instead of your waistline that is expanding; the sweet, sweet memories of what once was, the taste of the food and the feel of parading around in your favourite, fashionable clothes, can be worth every penny. (it also can leave you feeling uncomfortable and nauseous but enough of that.)

Yes, man can survive on a diet of meat and 2 veg but I'm not entirely sure I want to...