Proud to say this is the 200th video on the channel. The only reason we can make content like this is because we have support on Patreon. We don’t have to chase views to remain in business. Thank you to everyone who supports, this literally wouldn’t be possible without you. If you want to be a part of that journey, the link is in the description 💫💫
When you get the chance. You should read Iris Murdoch’s philosophy on our experience with art. You touch on something super salient to the argument.However, I do think that our experience goes far beyond just connecting physically to something and pushes us mentally, sometimes in uncharted spaces of our cognitive capacity. ‘Tis the beauty of art.
Yes but that something is totaly open to interpretation and the person looking at you decides the something based on theyr own storry. So again not realy about you.
You can only decide to fit in or not and to what degree. Not fitting in can make others see you as Punk, as a neusance, as crazy, as brave, as arrogant, as narrcy, as childisch, loud, annoying, like a raised middelfinger to the systhem or a fashion sheep, convide t, too convident, funn, cool, intimidating dark, shocking, ubproffesional, kreative, selfabsorbed, free... and if ylu fit in as well. The only thing that hints on something about you is your choice that might be behinde this. Why would you want to be possibly percived as xyz. But since its other ppl judging you, its not about you again as soon as it is percived by others. So you, just show yourself who you want to be. Its just you. And others will judge regardless of you or the truth.
@@More13Feen but fitting in is also not exactly a choice one can make that says pretty much nothing. There is no one exact style that makes you look "normal". "Fitting in" is also always a question of who and what you want to fit in with. There are pieces of clothing that won't really stick out much generally speaking, like jeans and a T-shirt or sweater or something, but which kind of jeans, T-shirt or sweater you wear can still say something. And than it obviously depends on the surrounding circumstances as well. If you wear jeans and a sweater to a wedding you aren't fitting in. But also the interpretation of those things is, as you said, up to the people looking at it, so can vary quite a bit.
I feel that personal style is less who one is, but more how one wants to be seen in the eyes of others, like a form of nonverbal communication. One perceive the woman who wears Saint Laurent (lots of black, sexy, moody) completely differently to the woman who wears Courrèges (the polar opposite of Saint Laurent). Someone who is conscious of cultural perceptions of colour, shape and texture can use that to their advantage, regardless of whether they want to display their full true self, elements of elements of such, or even at times, the polar opposite of such.
So true, but this depends on how aware the person is of their environment and other people. How aware they are of the Impression they leave on others and how every piece they wear is a specific signifier. For example, I have a shaved head, wear bright red lipstick, and really childish clothes so that I confuse people intentionally and they have to talk to me to know the way I am.
Exactly!!! I’m in the camp that it’s not about “showing your ‘true’ self” at all times. I see the self as mutable, and so you can showcase the best sides of your self in the appropriate situations. If fashion didn’t matter I would show up to court in an 80’s prom dress!!! So why did I instead opt for a thrifted brown suit? 🤨 Not for no reason, I’ll tell you that!😆
A golden rule might be "aim to present yourself in a way that never needs apologizing". Meaning, if you feel comfortable enough in your style to never compulsively apologize for it, then you've found the "correct" style for you. Personally I have a friend who always apologizes for, in her words; "looking unkept, messy, a mess, not put together, too casual". No one ever says anything to her and there's nothing out of place with how she dresses. But I think those comments suggest that in her own mind there's something about what she wears vs. the vision of what she'd prefer to see herself wearing isn't lining up. And I think that being comfortable with yourself sometimes gets mistaken for confidence, when you aren't necessarily any more or less confident then the average medium; you've just curated your wardrobe in a way where there's nothing that triggers a personal sense of not being "right".
I cried reading your comment bc I am the same way as your friend. I like to dress comfortable and sometimes I just in my pjs sometimes bc I lik to be free . I agree with everything u are saying
Omg. You're so right. I would also add that it you feel like outfit is too much. Just change into something else because you will think about your fit all day and it will make you feel insecure and like you're fake.
@TheLily97232 I agree with you. I used to always dress to look my "best," but I was never comfortable. I just thought I owed it to everyone else to look a certain way no matter what. I dress more comfortably now. Sometimes I look cute by most people's standards, other times I probably could be labeled "crazy" for how I look. But I don't apologize for it. I'm clean, and I'm wearing whatever is comfortable and appropriate for my tasks that day. I don't owe anyone an apology for that, and neither does anyone else!
So true! Even when I’m getting compliments from people I often feel like my clothes are “not me” so the compliments make me feel worse, not better. Because my outside doesn’t line up with my inside, in my own mind. I’m seen as a different personality than I am.
I feel that. My personal style of "this is what I like to just throw on and don't be too worried about getting dirty or sweaty or worn out" vs how I would like to look like is very different. But thinking about what to buy and combine and if it would actually fit me is too stressful for me
I mostly dress goth/punk (and a little emo sometimes) and because of that I costumise my clothes a ton. I love sewing patches onto clothes stating what bands I love, and what political beliefs I have. I think it makes me clothes more my own. Anyone can wear simple black pants, but no one on this planet has a pair exactly like mine with all the ideas I express on it. I also hand make most of the patches so I'll paint designs on them that are my own artwork. It's very disappointing to see a lot of fashion channels forget about alternative people, when most of us care quite a lot about fashion. But I have to say most of the points made in this video resonate deeply with me. Especially about wearing ideas of how you want to live. When I wear a goth outfit I'm expressing an idea of a "goth lifestyle". I express certain personality traits, music tastes, and interests. When I wear an outfit that I think perfectly fits me I actually quite enjoy the stares I get. I wear extreme makeup too and wear a mohawk/deathhawk sometimes. The people who I can't relate to at all aren't fooled by some persona into thinking I'm just like them. They don't assume I'll be the most normal person out there and then get disappointed when they realise I'm not. They see immediately that I have unusual interests. And the people who I relate to more know I have similar interests to them just by looking at me.
Choosing specific pieces tells a bit about your style, but I just don’t think it necessarily exists for celebrities. They’re kind of just walking advertisements.
Missing the point there. The idea is not so much to showcase your personality for others to decipher but to dress in harmony with who you are inside because it's very empowering.
*IT TAKES ME 250 HOURS* to handcraft a bespoke suit, 10,000 stitches nearly all by hand, I source the vintage fabric, I choose the historical fashion plate, I draft the pattern and I make the suit - and I absolutely DO NOT care what anyone thinks about it, I do it for myself, for the love of the style, for the love of the cloth... The cloth that drapes like liquid silk and flows like passion... I think this probably _does_ say a hell of a lot about me. But I think very few people speak the language I am writing my story in.
@@BlissFoster 14.5 hours of sewing today - a summer suit for myself - started at 6am and just finished at 8.30pm - and I loved every second of it. Im working with a length of super fine vintage 50/50 silk / cashmere and it is the most joyous fabric to work with. You have to be so delicate and patient - but it rewards yo by doing exactly what you want it to do. Its genuinely an honor to work with this cloth. I might chain-weight the trousers to get the perfect drape
I am thoroughly impressed. I thought I found a great leather bag craftsman but my friends studying abroad in that country clued me in that it was a scam. So I am looking for one here in the states.
In an age where everyone (including me) wants to have a personal style, honestly it’s comforting to hear that the ‘personal style’ many are pursuing is not actually real. I just wanna calm myself down, stop obsessing over this idea and letting clothes hold so much power over who I am. Rather than curating an identity / a version of self through pieces of clothing, I want to believe that the things I’m wearing for the day is actually all up to me.
I once heard something about the drawing style and I think it applies to fashion as well. Someone said: you already have your personal style, it is how you do things. Its that easy. Your style is what you wear.
clothes are not about expressing yourself through them, they're about creating a part of your identity, they're pieces you're adding to the puzzle of a self, and through them you aspire to embody an ideal, built only by the experiences lived by someone and how they perceived and felt about it.
Respectfully, I think what missing in your analysis is the notion of “identity.” I say this because I think your analysis (which I agree with) is still tied to a notion of identity. The idea of being recognized and that shock of recognition is tied to you identity. No, fashion cannot fully express an identity. To that end, no mode of expression can. Words, art, non verbal communication, jobs, hobbies/interests - none of these can do that as they are all too limited. Identity is kind of inherently ineffable. Still some aspect of identity is being recognized. Some notion of your self being *recognized* by others is important to you. Thus, how you are being perceived (at least, how you think you are being perceived) and the value of that perception to the person ties back to the aspects of their identity they find meaningful. The aspects of fashion that communicate outward my have different mileage for different individuals, but it remains true. For instance, I feel at home in clothes that are deconstructed, worn, “messy.” I do feel (in ways that words fall short) that these aspects of my clothing choices reflect some aspects of my identity. I think even people who “don’t care” about fashion are attempting to communicate that in the ways in which they dress. Maybe they wear workers wear or hiking accoutrements to signify that detachment from fashion. But that choice (often times unconsciously for all people) is still expressing something. This is a jumble of words. But this topic is certainly thought provoking. ❤
Incredibly insightful. As someone who has a pretty fragile identity at the moment, when I put together an outfit in the morning I'm really putting on a persona. A persona which is not a lie, just a part of myself, amplified. I choose an outfit which is cohesive in an aesthetic, in a representation, and I choose a playlist that fits. Art and fashion is so important to me and it's because these exact "shocks of recognition" are what are helping me find my identity. It's such an interesting topic to explore, great video!
in a way, your outfits are the shape that other people percieve you as. your colour, your silhouette and the context of the pieces create a vision of you that isnt just a first impression. once people get to know you better they might understand your style as well. your clothes arent an expression of your interests or personality. your clothes are YOU!
Just gonna slip in here currently writing my thesis, and in a part of it I touch on these points. Basically people often dress for there ideal self, it’s more of an individuals perception and if they feel they align with the garment. this is how fast fashion for instance addicts people so effectively, as through marketing and trends getting over saturated peoples ideal selfs shift. The loop just happens over and over from there
I hear what you're saying, but don't forget people buy clothes for their ideal selves and then those languish in the closet while they really just wear the same old 3 combinations of jeans and tops
I feel like personal style is less about the brands you wear and more the decisions you make with those pieces. The materials, colors, patterns pairings an individual gravitated towards says more than being able to afford certain pieces. Tho affording expensive pieces can say something about your socioeconomic status or what you prioritize. Dressing for a function is something that might be more popular as it just makes sense. I need X outfit so that I can X. Especially for people that don’t fall in the “I care about fashion” camp. As a designer myself I find that I like pieces that have a unique element to them or understand the design moves and start to have that dialogue with said designer even tho I may never meet them or asked them about the piece. Tho there is the separation of I like it but it’s not for me to buy. Especially when I’m in an area that is ridiculously hot all the time and I don’t go out much.
Your style is a Facette of your identity I don't think anyone actually believes that something as simple as a shirt can represent a complex personality but the clothing you do chose to wear does still say a significant amount about you
One thing that made a huge impression on how I think about fashion was a historian who made a video about how originally, the point of fashion was the opposite of expressing your personal style- it was to show how well you conformed to society. The point of keeping up with fashion was so that you knew what was appropriate dress for your class and status.
Every single choice you make reveals something about you, some piece of your identity whether you want it to or not. Objects you are attracted to communicate something about your taste, a less tangible part of identity. It’s impossible to choose your own clothes day after day and reveal nothing about you - even for those who are not “fashion people.” anecdote time: I went to a party this weekend and a stranger called me over to ask if I make music because I look like I do. Well … I do. But the function I was dressing to fulfill was to stay cool and be able to dance while feeling cute. In doing that I unintentionally revealed something else about my identity I wish you defined identity at the beginning
I'm a 40 year old Native American defense contractor, and probably not what you imagine with your typical Rick Head 😅 But, getting in to fashion "forced" me to lose 80lbs and slim down to fit the aesthetic i wanted to see in myself. I wear a uniform 80% of my waking life, so I like to build my own second reality with the clothes I wear during the other 20%. You're not always trying to become yourself through fashion; sometimes you are purposefully leaving yourself behind...
The fabric we wrap ourselves in is a second skin. We can't help but to feel that connection. Certain colours, cuts, design lines just feel "right". That undefinable feeling you just have in the middle of your gut. I love that concept of the 'shock of recognition' is seeing an aspect of another human being within yourself. Designer as the "see-er" of dreams. Absolutely love that, Mister Bliss. The Muses expressing the inner universe to the wider world. Fashion as collaborative art... - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
I like to think of clothing as a playground. When we have a world that calls to us, either through a designers curation or simply an tiktok trend, we get to imagine ourselves as someone else, pretend to be the sort of person we imagine inhabits those clothes. The grown up version of a kid wearing mommy's high heels. That's why it feels like armor to some, or personal expression to others. It is your imagination made manifest and in a small way you get to shape the world you live in. I do a lot of role playing games and costuming hobbies, so to me clothing is the joy of playing pretend. I do not wear my clothes to speak to others, I wear them either for function as you said or, when I have the time, to inhabit a feeling or persona that is hard to reach in the day to day. Yet, the choices of pretend we make tell others a little bit about who we want to be, and when we see others wearing clothes that we like for ourselves that becomes a form of community. A shock of recognition not between designer and wearer, but between two wearers.
Your conclusion made me think of how I view dance with live music. The musician is making a proposition (the music) that you as the dancer can interact with. In the case of fashion, the garment is the proposition. When you wear it, you are interacting with the proposition (garment) of the designer. Both result in something distinctly collaborative between the dancer and music or the wearer and designer
When I worked for a Fortune 500 company in management, my clothes were my armor. Clothes communicate and mine said,”Don’t mess with her.” That was exactly what I needed then. Now I don’t work and my clothes are softer, more classic, and mostly neutrals. I’m much more approachable because I can be. I don’t think they have to be designer but I do love a well tailored blazer more than anything.
I respectfully disagree. Style may not be an all-encompassing direct representation of who you are, but it really can be a creative and fun way of communicating your sensibilities, if you want it to be. I think I'm qualified to say this. I've been sewing clothes for myself for over 20 years. I have a very specific aesthetic. Directors have style, musicans have style and our clothes can have our own special style especially of you don't just buy into every trend. There are shifts in perspectives that happen socially and culturally that are reflected in changes in how we dress. These changes are not always started by designers sometimes designers are inspired by those things and yes sometimes they start them. But we can absolutely communicate or affiliations though what we wear. Having said that the meanings do change.
Your statement expressed everything I was feeling about fashion, but didn't know how accurately articulate. As a result, I've read your comment four times already 🥰. I especially the love the sentiment, "it really can be a creative and fun way of communicating your sensibilities".
Funnily enough I had a similar reflexion the other day. I was thinking about how to me creating art was creating stories and that what we were drawn to, before anything else, was a specific story. And how deep that felt when we find an artist that creates a story that feels like ours, or that we want to be part of. And even when it comes to trends, on a more superficial level, I was wondering why certains pieces would be so loved and then consider "dated" and then loved again. I think people aren't buying garnments, they are buying stories, and without a story (or with a completely new hot story trending) to some the "old" pieces feel empty. What I love though is how each individual will experience a story differently, even from the same art piece or artist's choice. I like the fact that stories are universal yet always personal and that through the experience of them there is place for both the individual and the collective.
Idk if anybody is like this, but i feel a need to express myself and how i feel on a certain day into my clothes. If i don’t, i feel like im naked or completely uncomfortable and this can even lead to a panic attack before even leaving the house. So thats why i like fashion😅
Kurt Vonnegut wrote once in his letter to a school student: What I had to say to you, moreover, would not take long, to wit: Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow. For me fashion is one of those art forms that help me grow, every garment i purchase teaches me about form, shape, feel and human power to create and be creative.
You made it very poetic, I studied fashion marketing and I think that marketeers have know about this for a long time just in a very sober way. They build target groups around group identities and make their product a token/identifier for that group. You buy a product to be part of a group that shares ideals. Especially people who are “into fashion” often go for identifiers like that to position themselves. The Blackmeans coin pouch is a good example.
I really agree with this. Getting into fashion a few years ago. I’ve always been confused how my clothes can showcase who I am when I am someone of many identities. Recently I’ve given up trying to do that bc I don’t think clothing can do it as well as talking to someone. And this video has helped me put what I’ve been feeling into words
I like to think about how clothing used to represent tribal affiliation, rank, or status. In this case, it’s simply recognition. No shock. Can I trust you? Are we on the same team? Then there is the intersection of fame and fashion, when in some cases, the garment becomes holy because of who wore it or owned it. Think, Shroud of Turin, Queen Elizabeth I rare dresses, the Marilyn dress, etc. I would love to hear your take on micro trends, heard mentality dressing, and the pressure to fit in. ✌️
Loved the video, but I personally deeply think there is a world between style and allegiance to a designer / artist's vision. Even though it might overlap.
I like to think of the outfits that I create for myself as drawings that I can carry into the world. Just the silhouettes and color combinations make me feel like I have a creative choice that I can show people and most of them seem to appreciate it.
This bit about worldbuilding... THIS gave this shock of recognition, because all my back history being a publisher of fantasy books, RPG player and being a fashion photographer just made the more sense.
This is the most coherent video I have seen and hear about style. Spot on: we are individuals. Aplause and ancore!!!! My total admiration!!!! PS: BRILLIANT ❤
People also use clothes to express which group we (want to) belong to. It serves as a social mechanism, which you can’t break free from. You’ll always communicate something with your clothing to someone else. Thanks for this video, it was very interesting :)
If you want to take the analogy of "the clothes makes the man" and apply it to me. From a distance I look scary, I Where baggy jeans, an oversized t-shirt and a zipper hoodie, all of it dark colors or black, I have had people change sidewalks when I walk past, but don't judge a book by its cover, if you look closer, you will realize I sewed my own jeans, the lining at the pants leg is textured and a completely different fabric, with a pattern, the pockets are deeper, than what is normal and made out of green canvas and they has no zipper or buttons, except for one. What does this tell us: The way I see it creative, depressed, introverted, concerned about comfort and utility, yet a colorful interior.
Your style cannot and should not show your entire personality. To assume fashion, clothes or "style" can capture your ENTIRE personality is very naive. Nobody relevant has ever said that! The right clothes can underscore your personality, frame it or put it in a stylistic context and that is how they can amplify what you are - which is inseparable from how you want people to perceive you as. Considering how hard you try to appear "special", "off", "weird" and "unbothered", how many names you drop, the set design of your background, the way you wear your hair and the fact that you mention having a tailor alone and quoting that person is so contrived, animated and stylized!
Mhh, I'm not really sure about the main argument. I get why and totally you want to feel a fantasy while wearing an outfit. But how about very versatile styles? The personality doesn't change. Still you express it in a different interpretation, so it is clothes adjusting to your identity and not the other way around. Also, how about people making their own clothes? They sure take inspiration from some particular designer or else, but still the outcome is extremely theirs. One can argue about the existence of identity or free will, totally understandable. But how an art form (such as fashion) is actually tied to your identity that's way more difficult. I think this video is more trying to question the narrative of fashion is taking, in an era of society in which there is a high pressure for "originality", but I think the problem is the approach to one's identity. Because an outfit doesn't mean your identity but conveys a message about evrything you want to express. Brands promise a "secure" (perceived) way to make a particular statement without taking risks while still making you feel uncommon.
The prevalence of functional dressing can be attributed to societal pressures compelling individuals to conform to certain norms, rather than embracing their unique personal style which is often perceived as a modern and risky venture. Moreover, the analogy drawn between art and clothing is interesting, but lacking. Just like how art communicates to us and we reciprocate, clothing can be seen as an interactive art form. While it is an art object in its own right, it truly comes alive and transforms into a canvas of self-expression when it is worn and experienced in the world, thereby instigating reactions from others. This dynamic nature of fashion parallels the notion held by artists, who believe that once art is released to the public, it no longer solely belongs to them. Furthermore, the role of clothing in shaping perceptions cannot be understated as people frequently form impressions about an individual based on their attire. Consequently, the assertion that not every outfit shows are whole personnality is well-founded because nothing can do that. But clothing often represents more than mere fabric, serving as a reflection of identity and a vehicle for self-expression.
I was trying to pinpoint why this video felt so misguided, and I think I've figured out why. From the outset, you're committing the same crime you accuse fashion writers of; failing to properly draw the line between clothes and fashion. Clothes are absolutely an outward expression of who you are, it's basic personal branding. Even the rejection of that idea is an expression in and of itself, like punk, goth, emo, and so many others. The problem is brands trying to co-opt that to sell you stuff so they can make money.
I cried at about minute 12. I needed to hear this. 90% of my life is dressing for practical, functional reasons, and then that 10% left leaves me feeling overwhelmed. I have a wild deeply connected moment to a designer, their vision, an article of clothing, and i get excited about expressing myself that way, but feel it is a part of me that gets shoved to the back corners of my life, pulled out in rare moments while I wish it could take more of a center stage. I am okay with it right now, and this video reassured me in an unexpectedly bittersweet way.
i don't understand how style can be not personal. you firstly chose the clothes, made a decision to buy and wear them. you wore those shorts and got a stain on them, and you wore those sneakers and got them dirty. you lived in those clothes. creases on your shoes show how you walked and how your feet moved, it should be fascinating. imperfections make it personal. sell 100 same shirts to 100 people each shirt will be personal. like what? how is your style not personal you literally chose clothes and put them on yourself. and if other people chose them for you it's curated identity, it isn't you. if you chose to present a curated identity instead of you it still is personal as it reveals you as person who wants to be that
One thing I enjoyed through time about never fitting in is being able to look introspectively at who I really am, and what my fashion sense is. I am very very much a relaxed dresser who prioritizes utility and comfort
The idea of shock off recognition hit me personally. Acknowledging that a brand ( for me it was All Saint) perfectly captures my everyday needs and my own desires is definitely a powerful thing. To hear you voice this shock off recognising has given me a depth of understanding about personal style that I subconsciously know but hadn’t verbalised it. you’ve cemented my understanding of personal style and to this is undeniably great full of your channel.
i had to go back to the start of the video because i spent the first five minutes mesmerized by your hair 😭 sorry thats all i have to comment but damn its healthy and shiny as hell. amazing
I'm not a fashion fanatic. If I was asked choose between shopping at Gucci or a thrift store, I would feel more inspired in a thrift store. Your content however, is easy to digest yet nutritious. It's thought provoking and psychologically profound. Thank you.
I don't think I agree with you. If I understood correctly, you say the "clothes show your identity" means they literally show your whole identity, but I don't think that's what it's meant to say: obviously clothes cannot show your whole identity, but they do show what social class you belong to (by price mainly) and what image you want to convey. For example, a teacher will dress quite differently from a politician. And here's where I think it gets interesting: how I dress changes with the image I want to convey. When you go to work you wear different clothes than when you meet up with friends, yet both outfits will be, at least in my case, things that people will point at and say "oh yes that's the sorta stuff she wears". In this way, even though you cannot express your whole identity, you can express how you want to be seen by people in a certain situation. And that, I think, very much is a part of your identity that you are expressing.
Hi Bliss, really appreciate what you are doing, the style information with a philosophical view, you are so articulate and make it all so interesting. I've always loved clothes, I'm 61 now, still wear Rick, drawstring trousers and Label under Construction t shirts, lovely simple well made pieces like that. I will keep watching and wish you well
Style is innate. You either have it, or you don't. It always pissed me off to see women at work try to jack my style, copying my same colors, and shapes as best they could (poorly) when they looked NOTHING like me, nor did they put out the kind of money I did on clothes and shoes. Did they think they could "do me" better than I can do myself? Laughable. Style reflects your own unique personality. Some people have no original personality and style, so copy from others. I find it creepy, not flattering, as to me copiers don't like themselves. I don't even copy Vogue magazine exactly. I used it for inspiration.
I almost agree 💯 with what you said except it's not just about "not feeling alone". Like, for me art can always express your thoughts and feelings in a shocking, beautiful, admiring etc. ways that you never thought the "thing" that you've experienced could be expressed in a that EXACT and SHARP way.
The seemingly universal mentality that your identity (and even deepest self!) should be expressed through material items - is a purposefully impossible task. Because what is the self? How do you take this philosophical, shifting sense of “you” and translate that into a physical item? Therefore you must consume as much as possible in your attempts to succeed at this impossible task. It is also very fitting of our U.S. individualistic culture to focus on clothing as a sense of individuality, rather than a sense of cultural identity.
So insightful! I think that perhaps the shock of recognition is reversed (seeing a piece of someone else in ourselves rather than seeing ourselves in something else) in the case of fashion because it gives everyone the opportunity to create their own small-scale art piece through what they wear. Kind of like how if you write music and take a step back to observe what you’ve created, you might see how many different artists have shaped your sound or your lyrics. However, not everyone makes music, not everyone paints, not everyone writes, but everyone has to get dressed somehow, which is why fashion has such an impact. Though the “mini-art pieces” we create through dressing ourselves may not even be consciously chosen, and are definitely not always as meticulously thought-out and informed as the designers’ works themselves, they do give everyone a chance to create something with the means they have.
I love your content. I really do get value from it. You make fashion relatable rather than pretentious. I love clothes, although I doubt I would be considered “fashionable”. You discuss clothes and their larger function in ways that broaden my understanding and appreciation for them. Thank you very much!
“We are only seeking Man. We have no need for other worlds. We need mirrors. We don't know what to do with other worlds. A single world, our own, suffices us; but we can't accept it for what it is. We are searching for an ideal image of our own world: we go in quest of a planet, of a civilization superior of our own but developed on the basis of a prototype of our primeval past." -Snow Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Maybe it's just because high fashion and major labels are kind of alien to me, but it feels like you're speaking about personal style only through the lens of brands and being perceived by others. My motivation for developing my personal style is to feel like myself, and at home in my clothes, rather than feeling like I'm wearing a costume, or trying to emulate an aesthetic or archetype that doesn't actually suit me. I've never been under the impression that I had to by certain brands in order to express myself, so hearing you state that so casually as something people consider "personal style" was kind of shocking. I'm not saying all of this to seem unique; I know I'm not the only person who doesn't care about designers or making a big artistic/social statement, and cares more about how their clothes can actually serve them. I think a sizeable percent of the population feel the same way. I feel like you're looking at this very literally, especially when you brought up graphic tees at the beginning. There are so many ways to express your tastes through your clothes without literally writing it on your chest, or owning wearable art made by someone else. It's all implicit, and hopefully my clothes are not the first thing people notice when I walk into a room. That's definitely not my goal when it comes to personal style and self-expression.
i'd say with clothing, you used rick as an example, its less so that you become part of "their" world and more so that a tiny part of "their" world becomes a tiny part of you. like im taking a bit of rick, rick isnt taking any of me (besides $)
Unprompted opinion of someone who had no fashion education: clothes show your personality by attatching you to stereotypes associated with that clothes. If there is a concept people know, like cowboy or wine aunt or mafia boss or fairy, and it has a look associated with it, you can tune into it by wearing those clothes, but youre limited by the concepts people recognise. If you wanted to be truly original, you could sew your own clothes that dont look like anything that exists, but then people wouldnt know what you mean until you explain it.
I just found this channel, I’m definitely not a fashion person, I can respect that it’s an art form that I am not particularly versed in, but like I have been thinking about clothing and personal style and like trying to design a wardrobe for myself for years and gone in and out of phases of thinking on this stuff, and I do really connect with a lot of what you say in this video. I don’t think the shock of recognition in fashion you talk about here is entirely unique to fashion, like the aspect of it where it’s art that becomes part of you is also true for tattoo artists, for hairdressers that create art with their skills, and to some degree in like role playing game design, like I’m not saying it’s not amazing and transcendent just that its part of a bigger amazing transcendent thing that goes way beyond the specific art form this channel is focused on. Like the rpg thing is what your description really invoked for me in a way that I’ve never really been able to articulate well, and I’m not sure I can even now articulate why I feel like there’s a connection there, but oh boy is my brain buzzing now. I am really glad I found your videos, I subbed and I’m super excited to learn a deeper appreciation for fashion from you because like… you love art in a way that is congruent to how I love art and that’s something that can make up for a lack of understanding of the specific type of art idk. I also think that like, short of transcendent artistic experiences, but beyond pure utility, some of our clothing choices really are aesthetic choices. I think the drive towards beauty fundamental and while you can make arguments about wanting to look appealing for reasons I think the drive behind aesthetic decisions can be (but needn’t always be) intrinsically valuable. Like sometimes you want the overalls with the little gnomes on them because hehe gnomes! You can argue that the utility is it makes me happy, but it makes me happy because it satisfies my aesthetic joy sparkles. I don’t know how attached I am to that idea but like dang I appreciate how much just this video gave me to think about thanks for caring so deeply about art
This is your magnum opus. You've managed to analyse this relationship between clothing and a human being in such deep and insightful manner that it made me feel weirdly emotional at some point. I had a similar reflexion the other day but I couldn't fully verbalize my feelings and thoughts and that's why your video came out so helpful to me (and many others I believe). Thank you
I really enjoyed this video, never really understood why I was so naturally interested in fashion, in a way that I thought as weird, because there were feelings that I related to design, painting and music. This video is pulling me to know a little bit more about this apparent niche thing that we call fashion and maybe think of it all less cynically and with an honest curiosity. Thank you!
Wow wow wow! Beautiful concluding thought! The moment of shocking recognition is a magical moment of match that happens between your identity and a piece of art to create your own interpretation of yourself. I felt it with art, music and films and garments could be a part of it too
First-time viewer here and already a fan! This helped me understand why us Patti Smith fans also have a tendency to gravitate toward Ann Demeulemeester's designs.
clothes are armor if you have the right fight in your personality. when i wear a dress with two poofy petticoats, a wig, an ornate headdress, and some nostalgic tights and shoes, people do not see the me-as-body, the unfortunate physical form i occupy. instead, they see the outfit first-- my body is an afterthought if a thought at all, and it insulates my sense of self from my physical gender dysphoria and general body dissatisfaction. i don't hate my body, but i didn't choose it
I think personal style can tell you some things about a persons identity but of course not everything. I feel like the clothing of subcultures was pretty good at telling you a lot about a person because the way people dressed was an indication of their music taste, values and beliefs. But at the same time personal style can just end up being about external assumptions both dressing to be perceived a certain way and then people perceiving you a certain way because of how you dress.
This was so surprisingly no-nonsense, love it. I appreciate people who are willing to look beyond artistic pretense and are accepting of meaning within the mundane.
One thing i love about bliss that nobody talks about is those little segments where he draws our attention back in the video. Close the tabs, focus here, etc. You can tell that he's not only passionate, but that he WANTS his message to get across, not just be out there. There's really nobody doing it like him. thanks bliss
I really hope Rick Owens isn’t referencing Squid Row as part of his “World” he is building for millions people to wear. Worse sell. Worse dream to wear cuz the kid can’t afford this “World”. Selling Squid Row as a fantasy world in which Millions of people want to wear because Rick may know these people aren’t educated kinda scared me. Love ya Bliss. What do you think? Maybe I missed something. Homelessness, drug-addicts, mental health and so on. This is what I know about Squid Row.
Hi Sysha! Rick used to live in the Skid Row area when he was younger and he also did a lot of drugs. Tho he’s sober now, those things are a part of his life and shows in his collections in little ways.
I would love for you to explain this a little bit more. I’m not sure exactly what you mean by this, but I really want to understand 🦾 Could you elaborate please?
I disagree with a lot of this. To me, personal style is about looking at myself in the mirror and feeling good about seeing "me". I feel like clothes fall into a 0-100 scale of "me" and I'm trying to maximize that as much as possible. I can consistently hit that 60-80 range because I know what I like out of conventional fashion, but I'm constantly trying to hit that unattainable 90-100 range through expanding my style. I have felt depressed having to wear professional clothing to an office job, because it wasn't "me". I don't need my style to communicate anything to anyone else, but it's really important that it communicates who I am to myself.
I sooo agree with this because lots of times when we express personal style, we get made fun of by the larger population anyway; either that or judged as materialistic/superficial. As a result, expressing personal style through fashion has to be (oftentimes) about personal expression and eschewing the personal opinions of others.
I know that SATC is problematic for a host of reasons, but this shock of recognition you described is one of the major qualities about the show and especially about Carrie as a character. In the first season, she is literally facing homelessness and credit card debt because she has so bought into the world she wishes to occupy through her wardrobe that the colorful fantasy she created in her closet and imagination is at odds with the harsh realities of 1990s New York life. Fashion and street style aren’t just minor decisions made by the production team to make the set design look interesting. The character and the world she navigates are shaped by the designers Carrie wears and the way she styles those clothes. Many people who have attempted to copy SATC have failed because they missed that point.
Hey man; not everyone here's a "fashion-head"! I'm interested in philosophies of consumption, from an anti-consumerist bent. I find your presentations particularly thoughtful and informative *because* I have negative feelings about fashion, no offense or joykilling intended. Thank you and congratulations on 200 videos.
Bliss I watch every video but never comment can I just quickly say this - YOU and this video F****** ROCK. Always so impressed by how you can put lyrics to us fashion peeps emotions
this is one of your best videos yet, really cool. I really like this form of fashion theory, a pretty personal video i think. in this Meta-modern age where we are bombarded with all these different perspectives and moralities, I think we have come to accept a lot of different opinions and lifestyles because we have to. It might be reflected in fashion that we no longer dress to conform, not to protest the conform, but to express a view or world that could be experienced for just a little while where we might broaden our horizons the way we do when we watch a movie or documentary. We displace ourselves in a possible fantasy world or genuine perspective where we are free to change our minds and thought for a while, we can discard and absorb the aspects we desire as our minds are opened up to a new place or idea. Wearing a tuxedo suit for the first time changed me forever in a weird way, a little bit of what I imagine is a formal, classy and masculine world I can take with me anywhere I go. I am not expressing my self in the clothes, they express themselves in me if that makes any sense. Let me know if I'm insane.
Great topic Bliss Foster! Want to share with you something Bill Cunningham a Street Style Photographer once said "Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life".
I thought this video's message was going to be ego driven but what I actually got was a thoughtful dissection of what I love about fashion. I could never put it into words... but Bliss did!! Subscribed.
Proud to say this is the 200th video on the channel. The only reason we can make content like this is because we have support on Patreon. We don’t have to chase views to remain in business. Thank you to everyone who supports, this literally wouldn’t be possible without you.
If you want to be a part of that journey, the link is in the description 💫💫
When you get the chance. You should read Iris Murdoch’s philosophy on our experience with art. You touch on something super salient to the argument.However, I do think that our experience goes far beyond just connecting physically to something and pushes us mentally, sometimes in uncharted spaces of our cognitive capacity.
‘Tis the beauty of art.
Huzzah!
Well done and congratulations to everyone who puts their time and love into this work.
- Cathy (&, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
so proud to be heeeeeere!!!
🎉
look up buying for your Fantasy Self @BlissFoster
It’s not that personal style says EVERYTHING about a person, it’s that it says SOMETHING about them.
Exactly 💯
and oftentimes (although not always) that something is kind of a lot
Yes but that something is totaly open to interpretation and the person looking at you decides the something based on theyr own storry. So again not realy about you.
You can only decide to fit in or not and to what degree. Not fitting in can make others see you as Punk, as a neusance, as crazy, as brave, as arrogant, as narrcy, as childisch, loud, annoying, like a raised middelfinger to the systhem or a fashion sheep, convide t, too convident, funn, cool, intimidating dark, shocking, ubproffesional, kreative, selfabsorbed, free... and if ylu fit in as well. The only thing that hints on something about you is your choice that might be behinde this. Why would you want to be possibly percived as xyz. But since its other ppl judging you, its not about you again as soon as it is percived by others. So you, just show yourself who you want to be. Its just you. And others will judge regardless of you or the truth.
@@More13Feen but fitting in is also not exactly a choice one can make that says pretty much nothing. There is no one exact style that makes you look "normal". "Fitting in" is also always a question of who and what you want to fit in with. There are pieces of clothing that won't really stick out much generally speaking, like jeans and a T-shirt or sweater or something, but which kind of jeans, T-shirt or sweater you wear can still say something. And than it obviously depends on the surrounding circumstances as well. If you wear jeans and a sweater to a wedding you aren't fitting in. But also the interpretation of those things is, as you said, up to the people looking at it, so can vary quite a bit.
I feel that personal style is less who one is, but more how one wants to be seen in the eyes of others, like a form of nonverbal communication. One perceive the woman who wears Saint Laurent (lots of black, sexy, moody) completely differently to the woman who wears Courrèges (the polar opposite of Saint Laurent). Someone who is conscious of cultural perceptions of colour, shape and texture can use that to their advantage, regardless of whether they want to display their full true self, elements of elements of such, or even at times, the polar opposite of such.
So true, but this depends on how aware the person is of their environment and other people. How aware they are of the Impression they leave on others and how every piece they wear is a specific signifier.
For example, I have a shaved head, wear bright red lipstick, and really childish clothes so that I confuse people intentionally and they have to talk to me to know the way I am.
Exactly!!! I’m in the camp that it’s not about “showing your ‘true’ self” at all times. I see the self as mutable, and so you can showcase the best sides of your self in the appropriate situations.
If fashion didn’t matter I would show up to court in an 80’s prom dress!!! So why did I instead opt for a thrifted brown suit? 🤨 Not for no reason, I’ll tell you that!😆
agreed
what if i like both
A golden rule might be "aim to present yourself in a way that never needs apologizing". Meaning, if you feel comfortable enough in your style to never compulsively apologize for it, then you've found the "correct" style for you. Personally I have a friend who always apologizes for, in her words; "looking unkept, messy, a mess, not put together, too casual". No one ever says anything to her and there's nothing out of place with how she dresses. But I think those comments suggest that in her own mind there's something about what she wears vs. the vision of what she'd prefer to see herself wearing isn't lining up. And I think that being comfortable with yourself sometimes gets mistaken for confidence, when you aren't necessarily any more or less confident then the average medium; you've just curated your wardrobe in a way where there's nothing that triggers a personal sense of not being "right".
I cried reading your comment bc I am the same way as your friend. I like to dress comfortable and sometimes I just in my pjs sometimes bc I lik to be free . I agree with everything u are saying
Omg. You're so right. I would also add that it you feel like outfit is too much. Just change into something else because you will think about your fit all day and it will make you feel insecure and like you're fake.
@TheLily97232 I agree with you. I used to always dress to look my "best," but I was never comfortable. I just thought I owed it to everyone else to look a certain way no matter what.
I dress more comfortably now. Sometimes I look cute by most people's standards, other times I probably could be labeled "crazy" for how I look. But I don't apologize for it. I'm clean, and I'm wearing whatever is comfortable and appropriate for my tasks that day. I don't owe anyone an apology for that, and neither does anyone else!
So true! Even when I’m getting compliments from people I often feel like my clothes are “not me” so the compliments make me feel worse, not better. Because my outside doesn’t line up with my inside, in my own mind. I’m seen as a different personality than I am.
I feel that. My personal style of "this is what I like to just throw on and don't be too worried about getting dirty or sweaty or worn out" vs how I would like to look like is very different. But thinking about what to buy and combine and if it would actually fit me is too stressful for me
I mostly dress goth/punk (and a little emo sometimes) and because of that I costumise my clothes a ton. I love sewing patches onto clothes stating what bands I love, and what political beliefs I have. I think it makes me clothes more my own. Anyone can wear simple black pants, but no one on this planet has a pair exactly like mine with all the ideas I express on it. I also hand make most of the patches so I'll paint designs on them that are my own artwork.
It's very disappointing to see a lot of fashion channels forget about alternative people, when most of us care quite a lot about fashion. But I have to say most of the points made in this video resonate deeply with me. Especially about wearing ideas of how you want to live. When I wear a goth outfit I'm expressing an idea of a "goth lifestyle". I express certain personality traits, music tastes, and interests.
When I wear an outfit that I think perfectly fits me I actually quite enjoy the stares I get. I wear extreme makeup too and wear a mohawk/deathhawk sometimes. The people who I can't relate to at all aren't fooled by some persona into thinking I'm just like them. They don't assume I'll be the most normal person out there and then get disappointed when they realise I'm not. They see immediately that I have unusual interests. And the people who I relate to more know I have similar interests to them just by looking at me.
I believe on personal style. But I’m not talking about fashion. I’m more how you wear your hair, how you wear how you dress.
Choosing specific pieces tells a bit about your style, but I just don’t think it necessarily exists for celebrities. They’re kind of just walking advertisements.
So you think personal style is your personality?
@@homelessguy4395 Not remotely what I said
@@gummy5862 I wasnt responding to you
Missing the point there. The idea is not so much to showcase your personality for others to decipher but to dress in harmony with who you are inside because it's very empowering.
*IT TAKES ME 250 HOURS* to handcraft a bespoke suit, 10,000 stitches nearly all by hand, I source the vintage fabric, I choose the historical fashion plate, I draft the pattern and I make the suit - and I absolutely DO NOT care what anyone thinks about it, I do it for myself, for the love of the style, for the love of the cloth... The cloth that drapes like liquid silk and flows like passion...
I think this probably _does_ say a hell of a lot about me. But I think very few people speak the language I am writing my story in.
I can’t argue with this one 😅 You, specifically you, have a really unique relationship with your clothes 🦾
@@BlissFoster - Thanks.
Ooh, I want to see your sewn outfits
@@BlissFoster 14.5 hours of sewing today - a summer suit for myself - started at 6am and just finished at 8.30pm - and I loved every second of it.
Im working with a length of super fine vintage 50/50 silk / cashmere and it is the most joyous fabric to work with. You have to be so delicate and patient - but it rewards yo by doing exactly what you want it to do. Its genuinely an honor to work with this cloth.
I might chain-weight the trousers to get the perfect drape
I am thoroughly impressed. I thought I found a great leather bag craftsman but my friends studying abroad in that country clued me in that it was a scam. So I am looking for one here in the states.
In an age where everyone (including me) wants to have a personal style, honestly it’s comforting to hear that the ‘personal style’ many are pursuing is not actually real. I just wanna calm myself down, stop obsessing over this idea and letting clothes hold so much power over who I am. Rather than curating an identity / a version of self through pieces of clothing, I want to believe that the things I’m wearing for the day is actually all up to me.
I once heard something about the drawing style and I think it applies to fashion as well. Someone said: you already have your personal style, it is how you do things. Its that easy. Your style is what you wear.
I absolutely relate.
@@happytofu5 that's actually really profound, appreciate it!
clothes are not about expressing yourself through them, they're about creating a part of your identity, they're pieces you're adding to the puzzle of a self, and through them you aspire to embody an ideal, built only by the experiences lived by someone and how they perceived and felt about it.
I'm stealing this
Respectfully, I think what missing in your analysis is the notion of “identity.” I say this because I think your analysis (which I agree with) is still tied to a notion of identity. The idea of being recognized and that shock of recognition is tied to you identity. No, fashion cannot fully express an identity. To that end, no mode of expression can. Words, art, non verbal communication, jobs, hobbies/interests - none of these can do that as they are all too limited. Identity is kind of inherently ineffable. Still some aspect of identity is being recognized. Some notion of your self being *recognized* by others is important to you. Thus, how you are being perceived (at least, how you think you are being perceived) and the value of that perception to the person ties back to the aspects of their identity they find meaningful. The aspects of fashion that communicate outward my have different mileage for different individuals, but it remains true. For instance, I feel at home in clothes that are deconstructed, worn, “messy.” I do feel (in ways that words fall short) that these aspects of my clothing choices reflect some aspects of my identity. I think even people who “don’t care” about fashion are attempting to communicate that in the ways in which they dress. Maybe they wear workers wear or hiking accoutrements to signify that detachment from fashion. But that choice (often times unconsciously for all people) is still expressing something. This is a jumble of words. But this topic is certainly thought provoking. ❤
Incredibly insightful. As someone who has a pretty fragile identity at the moment, when I put together an outfit in the morning I'm really putting on a persona. A persona which is not a lie, just a part of myself, amplified. I choose an outfit which is cohesive in an aesthetic, in a representation, and I choose a playlist that fits. Art and fashion is so important to me and it's because these exact "shocks of recognition" are what are helping me find my identity. It's such an interesting topic to explore, great video!
in a way, your outfits are the shape that other people percieve you as. your colour, your silhouette and the context of the pieces create a vision of you that isnt just a first impression. once people get to know you better they might understand your style as well. your clothes arent an expression of your interests or personality. your clothes are YOU!
Just gonna slip in here currently writing my thesis, and in a part of it I touch on these points. Basically people often dress for there ideal self, it’s more of an individuals perception and if they feel they align with the garment. this is how fast fashion for instance addicts people so effectively, as through marketing and trends getting over saturated peoples ideal selfs shift. The loop just happens over and over from there
I hear what you're saying, but don't forget people buy clothes for their ideal selves and then those languish in the closet while they really just wear the same old 3 combinations of jeans and tops
@@sarahberney yes true, it’s quite sad isn’t it😅
9mm 8
I feel like personal style is less about the brands you wear and more the decisions you make with those pieces. The materials, colors, patterns pairings an individual gravitated towards says more than being able to afford certain pieces. Tho affording expensive pieces can say something about your socioeconomic status or what you prioritize.
Dressing for a function is something that might be more popular as it just makes sense. I need X outfit so that I can X. Especially for people that don’t fall in the “I care about fashion” camp.
As a designer myself I find that I like pieces that have a unique element to them or understand the design moves and start to have that dialogue with said designer even tho I may never meet them or asked them about the piece. Tho there is the separation of I like it but it’s not for me to buy. Especially when I’m in an area that is ridiculously hot all the time and I don’t go out much.
Your style is a Facette of your identity I don't think anyone actually believes that something as simple as a shirt can represent a complex personality but the clothing you do chose to wear does still say a significant amount about you
One thing that made a huge impression on how I think about fashion was a historian who made a video about how originally, the point of fashion was the opposite of expressing your personal style- it was to show how well you conformed to society. The point of keeping up with fashion was so that you knew what was appropriate dress for your class and status.
Every single choice you make reveals something about you, some piece of your identity whether you want it to or not. Objects you are attracted to communicate something about your taste, a less tangible part of identity. It’s impossible to choose your own clothes day after day and reveal nothing about you - even for those who are not “fashion people.”
anecdote time: I went to a party this weekend and a stranger called me over to ask if I make music because I look like I do. Well … I do. But the function I was dressing to fulfill was to stay cool and be able to dance while feeling cute. In doing that I unintentionally revealed something else about my identity
I wish you defined identity at the beginning
I'm a 40 year old Native American defense contractor, and probably not what you imagine with your typical Rick Head 😅
But, getting in to fashion "forced" me to lose 80lbs and slim down to fit the aesthetic i wanted to see in myself.
I wear a uniform 80% of my waking life, so I like to build my own second reality with the clothes I wear during the other 20%.
You're not always trying to become yourself through fashion; sometimes you are purposefully leaving yourself behind...
The fabric we wrap ourselves in is a second skin. We can't help but to feel that connection. Certain colours, cuts, design lines just feel "right". That undefinable feeling you just have in the middle of your gut. I love that concept of the 'shock of recognition' is seeing an aspect of another human being within yourself.
Designer as the "see-er" of dreams. Absolutely love that, Mister Bliss. The Muses expressing the inner universe to the wider world. Fashion as collaborative art...
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
I like to think of clothing as a playground. When we have a world that calls to us, either through a designers curation or simply an tiktok trend, we get to imagine ourselves as someone else, pretend to be the sort of person we imagine inhabits those clothes. The grown up version of a kid wearing mommy's high heels. That's why it feels like armor to some, or personal expression to others. It is your imagination made manifest and in a small way you get to shape the world you live in. I do a lot of role playing games and costuming hobbies, so to me clothing is the joy of playing pretend. I do not wear my clothes to speak to others, I wear them either for function as you said or, when I have the time, to inhabit a feeling or persona that is hard to reach in the day to day. Yet, the choices of pretend we make tell others a little bit about who we want to be, and when we see others wearing clothes that we like for ourselves that becomes a form of community. A shock of recognition not between designer and wearer, but between two wearers.
Your conclusion made me think of how I view dance with live music. The musician is making a proposition (the music) that you as the dancer can interact with. In the case of fashion, the garment is the proposition. When you wear it, you are interacting with the proposition (garment) of the designer. Both result in something distinctly collaborative between the dancer and music or the wearer and designer
4:30 I’m not a real fashion head, I’m just mesmerized by the way your hair moves ✨
When I worked for a Fortune 500 company in management, my clothes were my armor. Clothes communicate and mine said,”Don’t mess with her.” That was exactly what I needed then. Now I don’t work and my clothes are softer, more classic, and mostly neutrals. I’m much more approachable because I can be. I don’t think they have to be designer but I do love a well tailored blazer more than anything.
I respectfully disagree. Style may not be an all-encompassing direct representation of who you are, but it really can be a creative and fun way of communicating your sensibilities, if you want it to be. I think I'm qualified to say this. I've been sewing clothes for myself for over 20 years. I have a very specific aesthetic. Directors have style, musicans have style and our clothes can have our own special style especially of you don't just buy into every trend.
There are shifts in perspectives that happen socially and culturally that are reflected in changes in how we dress. These changes are not always started by designers sometimes designers are inspired by those things and yes sometimes they start them. But we can absolutely communicate or affiliations though what we wear. Having said that the meanings do change.
Your statement expressed everything I was feeling about fashion, but didn't know how accurately articulate. As a result, I've read your comment four times already 🥰. I especially the love the sentiment, "it really can be a creative and fun way of communicating your sensibilities".
Funnily enough I had a similar reflexion the other day. I was thinking about how to me creating art was creating stories and that what we were drawn to, before anything else, was a specific story. And how deep that felt when we find an artist that creates a story that feels like ours, or that we want to be part of. And even when it comes to trends, on a more superficial level, I was wondering why certains pieces would be so loved and then consider "dated" and then loved again. I think people aren't buying garnments, they are buying stories, and without a story (or with a completely new hot story trending) to some the "old" pieces feel empty. What I love though is how each individual will experience a story differently, even from the same art piece or artist's choice. I like the fact that stories are universal yet always personal and that through the experience of them there is place for both the individual and the collective.
Idk if anybody is like this, but i feel a need to express myself and how i feel on a certain day into my clothes. If i don’t, i feel like im naked or completely uncomfortable and this can even lead to a panic attack before even leaving the house. So thats why i like fashion😅
Kurt Vonnegut wrote once in his letter to a school student: What I had to say to you, moreover, would not take long, to wit: Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.
For me fashion is one of those art forms that help me grow, every garment i purchase teaches me about form, shape, feel and human power to create and be creative.
You made it very poetic, I studied fashion marketing and I think that marketeers have know about this for a long time just in a very sober way. They build target groups around group identities and make their product a token/identifier for that group. You buy a product to be part of a group that shares ideals. Especially people who are “into fashion” often go for identifiers like that to position themselves. The Blackmeans coin pouch is a good example.
Yep thats why they often market towards a lifestyle and not just the acticle of clothing itself
Uhm. I'm crying?! You put words to something I had none for. Strangely, or not, I have felt the shock of recognition with my tattoos/tattoo artists.
Not to mention, most people are so in their own heads with their own lives that they don't even notice you, let alone your outfit.
I really agree with this. Getting into fashion a few years ago. I’ve always been confused how my clothes can showcase who I am when I am someone of many identities.
Recently I’ve given up trying to do that bc I don’t think clothing can do it as well as talking to someone. And this video has helped me put what I’ve been feeling into words
Wear what makes you happy and fits your mood that day, regardless of what others think or what you think others will think.
This is honesty
everyone sees you but you cant talk to everyone. the clothes speak more so when you dont
REALLY loved the deep end stuff here. Absolutely spot on.
Ayyyy thanks so much, homie! 💫💫
I like to think about how clothing used to represent tribal affiliation, rank, or status. In this case, it’s simply recognition. No shock. Can I trust you? Are we on the same team?
Then there is the intersection of fame and fashion, when in some cases, the garment becomes holy because of who wore it or owned it. Think, Shroud of Turin, Queen Elizabeth I rare dresses, the Marilyn dress, etc.
I would love to hear your take on micro trends, heard mentality dressing, and the pressure to fit in. ✌️
Alfred Hitchcock said it best: "Style is just self plagiarism."
Thinking of fashion shows as creating "prototypes of hypothetical people" is such an interesting way to look at it omg
Loved the video, but I personally deeply think there is a world between style and allegiance to a designer / artist's vision. Even though it might overlap.
I like to think of the outfits that I create for myself as drawings that I can carry into the world. Just the silhouettes and color combinations make me feel like I have a creative choice that I can show people and most of them seem to appreciate it.
This bit about worldbuilding... THIS gave this shock of recognition, because all my back history being a publisher of fantasy books, RPG player and being a fashion photographer just made the more sense.
This is the most coherent video I have seen and hear about style. Spot on: we are individuals. Aplause and ancore!!!! My total admiration!!!! PS: BRILLIANT ❤
oh damn, that was deep! so, a designer has a vision, and then the people who wear the clothes made from that vision turn it in reality.
People also use clothes to express which group we (want to) belong to. It serves as a social mechanism, which you can’t break free from. You’ll always communicate something with your clothing to someone else.
Thanks for this video, it was very interesting :)
If you want to take the analogy of "the clothes makes the man" and apply it to me.
From a distance I look scary, I Where baggy jeans, an oversized t-shirt and a zipper hoodie, all of it dark colors or black, I have had people change sidewalks when I walk past, but don't judge a book by its cover, if you look closer, you will realize I sewed my own jeans, the lining at the pants leg is textured and a completely different fabric, with a pattern, the pockets are deeper, than what is normal and made out of green canvas and they has no zipper or buttons, except for one.
What does this tell us:
The way I see it creative, depressed, introverted, concerned about comfort and utility, yet a colorful interior.
Your style cannot and should not show your entire personality.
To assume fashion, clothes or "style" can capture your ENTIRE personality is very naive.
Nobody relevant has ever said that!
The right clothes can underscore your personality, frame it or put it in a stylistic context and that is how they can amplify what you are - which is inseparable from how you want people to perceive you as.
Considering how hard you try to appear "special", "off", "weird" and "unbothered",
how many names you drop,
the set design of your background,
the way you wear your hair
and the fact that you mention having a tailor alone and quoting that person is so contrived, animated and stylized!
Mhh, I'm not really sure about the main argument.
I get why and totally you want to feel a fantasy while wearing an outfit.
But how about very versatile styles? The personality doesn't change.
Still you express it in a different interpretation, so it is clothes adjusting to your identity and not the other way around.
Also, how about people making their own clothes? They sure take inspiration from some particular designer or else, but still the outcome is extremely theirs.
One can argue about the existence of identity or free will, totally understandable.
But how an art form (such as fashion) is actually tied to your identity that's way more difficult.
I think this video is more trying to question the narrative of fashion is taking, in an era of society in which there is a high pressure for "originality", but I think the problem is the approach to one's identity.
Because an outfit doesn't mean your identity but conveys a message about evrything you want to express. Brands promise a "secure" (perceived) way to make a particular statement without taking risks while still making you feel uncommon.
I love the intro to this video. "Here's something I don't understand. Let me criticize it," makes it very easy to click off 😅
The prevalence of functional dressing can be attributed to societal pressures compelling individuals to conform to certain norms, rather than embracing their unique personal style which is often perceived as a modern and risky venture. Moreover, the analogy drawn between art and clothing is interesting, but lacking. Just like how art communicates to us and we reciprocate, clothing can be seen as an interactive art form. While it is an art object in its own right, it truly comes alive and transforms into a canvas of self-expression when it is worn and experienced in the world, thereby instigating reactions from others. This dynamic nature of fashion parallels the notion held by artists, who believe that once art is released to the public, it no longer solely belongs to them. Furthermore, the role of clothing in shaping perceptions cannot be understated as people frequently form impressions about an individual based on their attire. Consequently, the assertion that not every outfit shows are whole personnality is well-founded because nothing can do that. But clothing often represents more than mere fabric, serving as a reflection of identity and a vehicle for self-expression.
I was trying to pinpoint why this video felt so misguided, and I think I've figured out why. From the outset, you're committing the same crime you accuse fashion writers of; failing to properly draw the line between clothes and fashion. Clothes are absolutely an outward expression of who you are, it's basic personal branding. Even the rejection of that idea is an expression in and of itself, like punk, goth, emo, and so many others. The problem is brands trying to co-opt that to sell you stuff so they can make money.
I cried at about minute 12. I needed to hear this. 90% of my life is dressing for practical, functional reasons, and then that 10% left leaves me feeling overwhelmed. I have a wild deeply connected moment to a designer, their vision, an article of clothing, and i get excited about expressing myself that way, but feel it is a part of me that gets shoved to the back corners of my life, pulled out in rare moments while I wish it could take more of a center stage. I am okay with it right now, and this video reassured me in an unexpectedly bittersweet way.
i don't understand how style can be not personal. you firstly chose the clothes, made a decision to buy and wear them. you wore those shorts and got a stain on them, and you wore those sneakers and got them dirty. you lived in those clothes. creases on your shoes show how you walked and how your feet moved, it should be fascinating. imperfections make it personal. sell 100 same shirts to 100 people each shirt will be personal. like what? how is your style not personal you literally chose clothes and put them on yourself. and if other people chose them for you it's curated identity, it isn't you. if you chose to present a curated identity instead of you it still is personal as it reveals you as person who wants to be that
One thing I enjoyed through time about never fitting in is being able to look introspectively at who I really am, and what my fashion sense is. I am very very much a relaxed dresser who prioritizes utility and comfort
The idea of shock off recognition hit me personally. Acknowledging that a brand ( for me it was All Saint) perfectly captures my everyday needs and my own desires is definitely a powerful thing. To hear you voice this shock off recognising has given me a depth of understanding about personal style that I subconsciously know but hadn’t verbalised it. you’ve cemented my understanding of personal style and to this is undeniably great full of your channel.
i had to go back to the start of the video because i spent the first five minutes mesmerized by your hair 😭 sorry thats all i have to comment but damn its healthy and shiny as hell. amazing
I'm not a fashion fanatic. If I was asked choose between shopping at Gucci or a thrift store, I would feel more inspired in a thrift store. Your content however, is easy to digest yet nutritious. It's thought provoking and psychologically profound. Thank you.
I don't think I agree with you. If I understood correctly, you say the "clothes show your identity" means they literally show your whole identity, but I don't think that's what it's meant to say: obviously clothes cannot show your whole identity, but they do show what social class you belong to (by price mainly) and what image you want to convey. For example, a teacher will dress quite differently from a politician.
And here's where I think it gets interesting: how I dress changes with the image I want to convey. When you go to work you wear different clothes than when you meet up with friends, yet both outfits will be, at least in my case, things that people will point at and say "oh yes that's the sorta stuff she wears".
In this way, even though you cannot express your whole identity, you can express how you want to be seen by people in a certain situation. And that, I think, very much is a part of your identity that you are expressing.
I'm with you on that
Hi Bliss, really appreciate what you are doing, the style information with a philosophical view, you are so articulate and make it all so interesting.
I've always loved clothes, I'm 61 now, still wear Rick, drawstring trousers and Label under Construction t shirts, lovely simple well made pieces like that.
I will keep watching and wish you well
I appreciate that! Encouragement means a lot to me 💫💫
Style is innate. You either have it, or you don't. It always pissed me off to see women at work try to jack my style, copying my same colors, and shapes as best they could (poorly) when they looked NOTHING like me, nor did they put out the kind of money I did on clothes and shoes. Did they think they could "do me" better than I can do myself? Laughable. Style reflects your own unique personality. Some people have no original personality and style, so copy from others. I find it creepy, not flattering, as to me copiers don't like themselves. I don't even copy Vogue magazine exactly. I used it for inspiration.
I almost agree 💯 with what you said except it's not just about "not feeling alone". Like, for me art can always express your thoughts and feelings in a shocking, beautiful, admiring etc. ways that you never thought the "thing" that you've experienced could be expressed in a that EXACT and SHARP way.
The seemingly universal mentality that your identity (and even deepest self!) should be expressed through material items - is a purposefully impossible task. Because what is the self? How do you take this philosophical, shifting sense of “you” and translate that into a physical item? Therefore you must consume as much as possible in your attempts to succeed at this impossible task. It is also very fitting of our U.S. individualistic culture to focus on clothing as a sense of individuality, rather than a sense of cultural identity.
So insightful!
I think that perhaps the shock of recognition is reversed (seeing a piece of someone else in ourselves rather than seeing ourselves in something else) in the case of fashion because it gives everyone the opportunity to create their own small-scale art piece through what they wear. Kind of like how if you write music and take a step back to observe what you’ve created, you might see how many different artists have shaped your sound or your lyrics. However, not everyone makes music, not everyone paints, not everyone writes, but everyone has to get dressed somehow, which is why fashion has such an impact. Though the “mini-art pieces” we create through dressing ourselves may not even be consciously chosen, and are definitely not always as meticulously thought-out and informed as the designers’ works themselves, they do give everyone a chance to create something with the means they have.
I love your content. I really do get value from it. You make fashion relatable rather than pretentious. I love clothes, although I doubt I would be considered “fashionable”. You discuss clothes and their larger function in ways that broaden my understanding and appreciation for them. Thank you very much!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad the work is useful for you 💫💫
“We are only seeking Man. We have no need for other worlds. We need mirrors. We don't know what to do with other worlds. A single world, our own, suffices us; but we can't accept it for what it is. We are searching for an ideal image of our own world: we go in quest of a planet, of a civilization superior of our own but developed on the basis of a prototype of our primeval past." -Snow
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Maybe it's just because high fashion and major labels are kind of alien to me, but it feels like you're speaking about personal style only through the lens of brands and being perceived by others. My motivation for developing my personal style is to feel like myself, and at home in my clothes, rather than feeling like I'm wearing a costume, or trying to emulate an aesthetic or archetype that doesn't actually suit me. I've never been under the impression that I had to by certain brands in order to express myself, so hearing you state that so casually as something people consider "personal style" was kind of shocking. I'm not saying all of this to seem unique; I know I'm not the only person who doesn't care about designers or making a big artistic/social statement, and cares more about how their clothes can actually serve them. I think a sizeable percent of the population feel the same way. I feel like you're looking at this very literally, especially when you brought up graphic tees at the beginning. There are so many ways to express your tastes through your clothes without literally writing it on your chest, or owning wearable art made by someone else. It's all implicit, and hopefully my clothes are not the first thing people notice when I walk into a room. That's definitely not my goal when it comes to personal style and self-expression.
i'd say with clothing, you used rick as an example, its less so that you become part of "their" world and more so that a tiny part of "their" world becomes a tiny part of you. like im taking a bit of rick, rick isnt taking any of me (besides $)
Unprompted opinion of someone who had no fashion education: clothes show your personality by attatching you to stereotypes associated with that clothes. If there is a concept people know, like cowboy or wine aunt or mafia boss or fairy, and it has a look associated with it, you can tune into it by wearing those clothes, but youre limited by the concepts people recognise. If you wanted to be truly original, you could sew your own clothes that dont look like anything that exists, but then people wouldnt know what you mean until you explain it.
I just found this channel, I’m definitely not a fashion person, I can respect that it’s an art form that I am not particularly versed in, but like I have been thinking about clothing and personal style and like trying to design a wardrobe for myself for years and gone in and out of phases of thinking on this stuff, and I do really connect with a lot of what you say in this video. I don’t think the shock of recognition in fashion you talk about here is entirely unique to fashion, like the aspect of it where it’s art that becomes part of you is also true for tattoo artists, for hairdressers that create art with their skills, and to some degree in like role playing game design, like I’m not saying it’s not amazing and transcendent just that its part of a bigger amazing transcendent thing that goes way beyond the specific art form this channel is focused on. Like the rpg thing is what your description really invoked for me in a way that I’ve never really been able to articulate well, and I’m not sure I can even now articulate why I feel like there’s a connection there, but oh boy is my brain buzzing now.
I am really glad I found your videos, I subbed and I’m super excited to learn a deeper appreciation for fashion from you because like… you love art in a way that is congruent to how I love art and that’s something that can make up for a lack of understanding of the specific type of art idk.
I also think that like, short of transcendent artistic experiences, but beyond pure utility, some of our clothing choices really are aesthetic choices. I think the drive towards beauty fundamental and while you can make arguments about wanting to look appealing for reasons I think the drive behind aesthetic decisions can be (but needn’t always be) intrinsically valuable. Like sometimes you want the overalls with the little gnomes on them because hehe gnomes! You can argue that the utility is it makes me happy, but it makes me happy because it satisfies my aesthetic joy sparkles. I don’t know how attached I am to that idea but like dang I appreciate how much just this video gave me to think about thanks for caring so deeply about art
Many dress up to hide feelings,l did this for decades. You can attempt to dress expensive yet this may not reflect your income.
This is your magnum opus. You've managed to analyse this relationship between clothing and a human being in such deep and insightful manner that it made me feel weirdly emotional at some point. I had a similar reflexion the other day but I couldn't fully verbalize my feelings and thoughts and that's why your video came out so helpful to me (and many others I believe). Thank you
Practical functionality seems like part of personality?
I really enjoyed this video, never really understood why I was so naturally interested in fashion, in a way that I thought as weird, because there were feelings that I related to design, painting and music. This video is pulling me to know a little bit more about this apparent niche thing that we call fashion and maybe think of it all less cynically and with an honest curiosity. Thank you!
god this is the best fashion related video ever. Brilliant ideas. Concise, deep, welcoming. ahhhhh i love you smart guy
Wow, thank you! 💫💫
Bliss this is your best video I almost cried 😭
Wow wow wow! Beautiful concluding thought! The moment of shocking recognition is a magical moment of match that happens between your identity and a piece of art to create your own interpretation of yourself. I felt it with art, music and films and garments could be a part of it too
First-time viewer here and already a fan! This helped me understand why us Patti Smith fans also have a tendency to gravitate toward Ann Demeulemeester's designs.
clothes are armor if you have the right fight in your personality. when i wear a dress with two poofy petticoats, a wig, an ornate headdress, and some nostalgic tights and shoes, people do not see the me-as-body, the unfortunate physical form i occupy. instead, they see the outfit first-- my body is an afterthought if a thought at all, and it insulates my sense of self from my physical gender dysphoria and general body dissatisfaction. i don't hate my body, but i didn't choose it
This is a great response. I love being corrected, thank you for sharing with us 💫💫
@@BlissFoster thanks! i love your channel and will be joining the patreon as soon as my job goes full time
@@frillSquid that means a ton to me 😌 thank you
1min into the video and i just gotta say i love the flow of pronounciation you got going. feels very spoken word-ish (in the best possible way)
i see that 10 second clip of the ERD "my private underground" clip @2:44 and I love it
YOU are so great! Thank you so much for this video
Good points except I would also add that the stereotypical Rick Owens customer is, for some reason, tall.
I think personal style can tell you some things about a persons identity but of course not everything. I feel like the clothing of subcultures was pretty good at telling you a lot about a person because the way people dressed was an indication of their music taste, values and beliefs. But at the same time personal style can just end up being about external assumptions both dressing to be perceived a certain way and then people perceiving you a certain way because of how you dress.
Came for some tips on personal style, leaving with an existencial crisis hahahaha
(hair looking gorgeous btw)
This was so surprisingly no-nonsense, love it. I appreciate people who are willing to look beyond artistic pretense and are accepting of meaning within the mundane.
One thing i love about bliss that nobody talks about is those little segments where he draws our attention back in the video.
Close the tabs, focus here, etc. You can tell that he's not only passionate, but that he WANTS his message to get across, not just be out there. There's really nobody doing it like him. thanks bliss
I have to do the masterclass about styling and this channel never disappoints me.
I really hope Rick Owens isn’t referencing Squid Row as part of his “World” he is building for millions people to wear. Worse sell. Worse dream to wear cuz the kid can’t afford this “World”. Selling Squid Row as a fantasy world in which Millions of people want to wear because Rick may know these people aren’t educated kinda scared me.
Love ya Bliss.
What do you think? Maybe I missed something. Homelessness, drug-addicts, mental health and so on. This is what I know about Squid Row.
Hi Sysha! Rick used to live in the Skid Row area when he was younger and he also did a lot of drugs. Tho he’s sober now, those things are a part of his life and shows in his collections in little ways.
Strongly disagree with this take. I’m from the Congo DRC clothes aren’t just clothes. That’s nihilism that has become prevalent.
I would love for you to explain this a little bit more. I’m not sure exactly what you mean by this, but I really want to understand 🦾 Could you elaborate please?
one of the most well spoken individuals when it comes to communicating fashion. never stop, Bliss!
I disagree with a lot of this. To me, personal style is about looking at myself in the mirror and feeling good about seeing "me". I feel like clothes fall into a 0-100 scale of "me" and I'm trying to maximize that as much as possible. I can consistently hit that 60-80 range because I know what I like out of conventional fashion, but I'm constantly trying to hit that unattainable 90-100 range through expanding my style. I have felt depressed having to wear professional clothing to an office job, because it wasn't "me". I don't need my style to communicate anything to anyone else, but it's really important that it communicates who I am to myself.
I sooo agree with this because lots of times when we express personal style, we get made fun of by the larger population anyway; either that or judged as materialistic/superficial. As a result, expressing personal style through fashion has to be (oftentimes) about personal expression and eschewing the personal opinions of others.
I know that SATC is problematic for a host of reasons, but this shock of recognition you described is one of the major qualities about the show and especially about Carrie as a character. In the first season, she is literally facing homelessness and credit card debt because she has so bought into the world she wishes to occupy through her wardrobe that the colorful fantasy she created in her closet and imagination is at odds with the harsh realities of 1990s New York life.
Fashion and street style aren’t just minor decisions made by the production team to make the set design look interesting. The character and the world she navigates are shaped by the designers Carrie wears and the way she styles those clothes. Many people who have attempted to copy SATC have failed because they missed that point.
Hey man; not everyone here's a "fashion-head"! I'm interested in philosophies of consumption, from an anti-consumerist bent. I find your presentations particularly thoughtful and informative *because* I have negative feelings about fashion, no offense or joykilling intended. Thank you and congratulations on 200 videos.
This is the coolest comment I’ve read in months.
You’re a badass, Heather. I’m glad you’re here 🦾
wow, thanks so much for this video! amazing writing with ideas and thoughts that i really needed to hear
Bliss I watch every video but never comment can I just quickly say this - YOU and this video F****** ROCK. Always so impressed by how you can put lyrics to us fashion peeps emotions
this video used to hurt my head it was so complicated but I finally got it and I can say this video is perfection
Wow … I can’t wait to find my world builder .. that was truly beautiful thanks Bliss.
Congrats on 200 videos. I truly appreciate your work.
Thank YOU! Truly appreciated :)
Bliss, this video just jit me so hard. Dude thats awesome. I love you and your content. Lovee ❤️
this is one of your best videos yet, really cool. I really like this form of fashion theory, a pretty personal video i think.
in this Meta-modern age where we are bombarded with all these different perspectives and moralities, I think we have come to accept a lot of different opinions and lifestyles because we have to. It might be reflected in fashion that we no longer dress to conform, not to protest the conform, but to express a view or world that could be experienced for just a little while where we might broaden our horizons the way we do when we watch a movie or documentary. We displace ourselves in a possible fantasy world or genuine perspective where we are free to change our minds and thought for a while, we can discard and absorb the aspects we desire as our minds are opened up to a new place or idea. Wearing a tuxedo suit for the first time changed me forever in a weird way, a little bit of what I imagine is a formal, classy and masculine world I can take with me anywhere I go. I am not expressing my self in the clothes, they express themselves in me if that makes any sense. Let me know if I'm insane.
i think much of this is true, but i do think in black culture so much of our identity is tied to how we dress…
Great topic Bliss Foster! Want to share with you something Bill Cunningham a Street Style Photographer once said "Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life".
I thought this video's message was going to be ego driven but what I actually got was a thoughtful dissection of what I love about fashion. I could never put it into words... but Bliss did!! Subscribed.