Fashion: Fabulous or Vain? 5 Misconceptions

ByNatasha B
Does one loses their sense of self if they are passionate about fashion? Selling their soul to an evil cause? Does the devil really wear Prada? Is having a love for the art and having a true sense of self and greater purpose mutually exclusive? It’s as if loving a well-constructed garment brings out the most ugliest vain and materialistic person in you. Can a foodie who loves the culinary art also find a balance between food, fitness and health awareness? Can’t you find more important things in life to be passionate about? The look I’m sometimes presented with by some, when I profess my love for the art of fashion. Oh the vanity, right? Yes, I get it. Fashion focuses merely on ones physicals. But to be labeled a vain narcissist who cares nothing more about dressing in designer clothes and prancing around town to take pics with their fancy DSLR cameras is simply outrageous and utterly ridiculous to say the least. I just sometimes want to scream—I am not my blog! It’s impossible to get an accurate picture of someone’s personality and spirit from a few images posted on a website and social media outlets such as twitter and instagram. This aspect of ones life is simply a snippet of the total picture. A piece of the puzzle. A slice of the pie. Truth is….many of us have families, careers outside of fashion, are college educated and are active in our communities. A far cry from the ego-driven fashion-obsessed lunatics with poor spending habits and no self awareness. I’ve listed 5 misconceptions about fashion lovers that I have found myself often having to debunk.

5 Common Misconceptions of Fashion Lovers and Bloggers

  1. She thinks less of the less fashionable. She’s so full of herself in her little world of fashion that she looks down on the less fashionable. So wrong. My world does not revolve around fashion 24/7. However, it does revolve around me being a mom, wife and friend to those near and dear. I don’t walk around in 3” heels and designer handbags all the time. I often opt for a t-shirt, sweats and a pair of sneakers. And I’m sure this probably also holds true of other fashion and personal style bloggers.
  2. She’s a bona fide narcissist. This is probably the funniest of them all. Many fashion enthusiast are career professionals with post graduate degrees with the letters MD, JD and PHD behind their names. Career professionals who serve others on a day-to-day basis. Let’s face it, we live in a society obsessed with physical appearance. Sadly, your first impression is a very lasting one. Ones personal style simply expresses who they are without them having to speak. It’s expressive, communicative and fun.
  3.  She’s fiscally irresponsible and lives in a world of excess. For me, I’m not one to stay in the malls weekly or monthly for that matter. As an avid thrifter, DIYer and one who loves a great sale—these are things that have aided in my ability to become a more conscious and fiscally responsible consumer. I don’t love spending money unless it’s necessary in most cases. The great concept of minimalism is quite welcoming. My wardrobe may appear expansive, but it’s mainly because I opt for more classic pieces and less trends; which is why most of my items crosses an average lifespan of 10-15 years.
  4. She must want to be a fashion designer. Some do and rightfully so. Many possess that God given talent. But many fashion/style bloggers just love the style aspect of blogging or simply just love to write about the topic. Nothing more, nothing less.
  5. She’s living the good life. Ha! Singing Kanye’s ‘Welcome to the Good Life’. NOT! Not all fashion bloggers are living the jetsetter, shop til you drop and meet and mingle with the fashion elites lifestyle. Many bloggers have regular 9-to-5s while balancing a family. Many do not generate revenue from blogging.  Others blog because it’s fun. It’s an avenue to help others and share ideas. It’s a great way to raise awareness of a particular cause, while some set out to change the world. Others see it as an expressive outlet that grants them the freedom to do what they love most, write.
 

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12 Comments

  1. I read you and hear you Chile'. . . Not everyone blog's as an outlet from an otherwise ordinary day like Me and I applaud those who make some money from blogging cause' it could be quite expensive to be online. But, we are not all in the same basket and have assistants yet we like having followers. I enjoyed reading this. . . .keep em coming!

  3. Very good post! I am thankful for the online community of fashion lovers/bloggers because many people in my day to day life are totally clue less about fashion or have no interest at all. I have also been accused of living the Good Life not from blogging but just because of how well I like to keep my self up, and just like you I am a die hard thrifter and that is the PRIMARY reason that affords me this Good Life!! My vote is Most Definitely FABULOUS!!
    Kim
    http://www.styleoverboard.com

  5. I love fashion but it's not my focus at all. Don't get me wrong, I'm always cute when I leave the house or when I'm traveling but I don't spend tons of time on it and don't really get the whole fashion blogger thing but I'm not mad at it. We all have different passions and fashion isn't mine and I am guilty of thinking #3 about many of them. I actually learned tons from my French friends who had small closets but still managed to look different everyday. They showed me how to mix and match to make my closet seem so much bigger than it is!

    1. I totally appreciate your perspective Roni. Thanks for commenting. I see fashion as another creative art. Just like music, culinary science and other artistic forms. While it is something that I enjoy, it's certainly not mutually exclusive to any other aspect of life that I'm passionate about. It's simply freedom of expression, a form of culture. As is music, food and travel. xoxo

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