Unconventional fashion models

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the fashion industry keeps recycling its winning mantras time and again. But fashion is not all about fitting into a pretty mould that the fashion experts say is the hot look of the season. Fashion is rather about making your own statement

An academy award-winning actor can be criticised by a 12-year-old for wearing the wrong heels on the red carpet. And if that young critique owns a blog and puts up his/her opinions on the Internet, he or she might even be lauded for having a keen eye. But fashion is not all about fitting into a pretty mold that the fashion experts say is the hot look of the season. Fashion is rather about putting your best self out to the world. It is about making an effort to dress and via that communicating who you are through the choices of clothes, shoes, hat, jewellery etc. Some might say that they dress to impress others. But is that not falling for the trap of trying to model a trend that will never impress everyone? People have a varied idea of beauty and style. Letting others dictate what is “in” and should be worn will take you further away from letting your real self out through the clothes you wear. Then why do fashion publications continue to do so well? The editorial content is there to help you find answers to style queries you might have or to show you ways to wear garments which you wouldn’t have imagined could be worn together. Indulg­ing in fashion should be a joyous activity that reflects your mood without even using words or batting your eyelashes. In this feature, we look at women in the limelight who dress much like their personalities. In or out of fashion, their choices will be remembered for reflecting who they are more than what the trend was that season.

Lady Gaga

The world is divided into two kinds of audiences — one who love Gaga and the other who cannot stand her. That is because Lady Gaga is one of the few women who does whatever it takes to be in character of her persona. Not the one to shy from seeming eccentric, Lady Gaga from the early period of her career hired a creative team whom she calls ‘Haus of Gaga’ who help put her fashion looks together. From the ‘meat dress’ made of actual meat which she wore at MTV awards, to the pant-less looks she wore even on the streets, were all significant to her personality which she sells through her music. One of the most imitable style icons of this generation, Gaga’s style is an original and will be remembered for a long time to come.

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton is an actress who has made her name in both art house and mainstream cinema. Not a conventional beauty with her cropped mane, pale skin tone and tall height, she is one of the most watched at red carpet events today. Her style is very much her own and the designers she wears signify a particular type of personality which Tilda is known for. Clean, original, androgynous are some of the characteristics reflected in her style but it is not that easy to sum up her look. She always looks statuesque and confident in whatever she wears and that is because she never tries too hard to fit in a mold of what everybody else is wearing at the moment. Her looks are very personal and designers love her take on how she wears their garments. Scottish knitwear brand loved her sensibility so much that they hired her as the face of the brand for multiple ad campaigns. Tilda is a winning example of being comfortable in your body regardless of what the conventional beauty norm is.

Michelle Obama

The First Lady of America is usually a very put together woman who wears only very safe, tried and tested options. The current first lady Michelle Obama stirred things a bit and made sure her wardrobe choices supported the fashion industry. From the days Obama was campaigning for the Presidential elections, Michelle was being noticed for wearing peculiar and original dressing options, which suited her personality and body shape very much. She is now a very significant and unlikely fashion role model for women world over. When she chose to wear J Crew — an American high street brand, their sales sky rocketed and lauded Obama for supporting mass brands. In an interview with ABC News, J Crew creative director Jenna Lyons said that Obama never used her connections to score a discount or special orders, but purchased via their online store like any other customer.

Lucille Ball

Actress from the show I love Lucy, Lucy was the original funny-woman on television. Her updo hair-bun and flouncy skirts reflected her light-hearted attitude and fun-loving personality. Bold lipstick, garish red hair, arched eyebrows were more than a style statement and a very personal character trait for Lucy. Though her career was formidable during a time when female comic roles were rare, she never tried to turn her image into a more masculine one. She wore tube tops, cropped trousers, cinched waist full skirts; lace dresses, seeming extremely comfortable with herself on and off the screen. Never was Lucy dressed in something, which did not reflect her character.

Tags: fashion, Lady Gaga, Lucille Ball, Michelle Obama, Tilda Swinton

Category: Fashion, Life & Style