Art, Attire And Austerity
An economic fashion post. No nudes either. Yikes! Grim stuff.
In case you’ve been wondering what on earth has happened to the blog this past week, I’ve been celebrating a week of economic and artistic doom and gloom. Yes indeedy, recession fever is hitting the UK pretty bad at the moment. Economic statistics are miserable, our Prime Minister is miserable, the unwashed masses are broke and miserable, and most importantly, fellow photographers and artists are universally and extremely broke and miserable.
This nationwide aura of gloom will undoubtedly be reflected in all areas of society and art. Despite the fact that photographers and artists tend to go for the Te audire no possum, musa sapientum fixa est in aure approach (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear,) nevertheless it’s inevitable that wider economic worries affect artists’ moods. The tendency at the moment is towards dark art (hurrah! My favourite!) and I suspect this sombre trend will be reflected in most areas of art, including writing, painting, photography and even in the world of high fashion and couture. So you might well be feeling colourful and summery now, but having had a peek at the winter fashion collections in Vogue, I can honestly say that doom rules. Severe cocktail dresses, tailored suits, sharp conservative attire, all in varying shades of black (with a teensy bit of white ruffles.) It’s like the catwalks have been taken over by the cast of Ally McBeal. Everyone looks like lawyers or accountants.
Art reflects not just current styles, but also how we feel and what is going on in society. Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute has noticed that when folks become more concerned about the state of the world, they become more conservative in their tastes. She thinks that wearing sharp and stylish black clothing makes people feel more in control, more empowered. This makes sense. As a colour, wearing black shows you are taking life (and your planet) seriously. Black is sober, practical and makes the wearer feel more intellectual. It shows society that you are sensitive to the problems in the world and that you dress accordingly.
The old adage is that if you want to know the imminent economic fate of the world, then look at fashion. Like other artists, fashion designers are the ultimate psychics. It has always been thus. Coco Chanel designed the iconic little black dress just before the 1929 economic crash, the drab punk look evolved just before the 1970’s oil crisis, and the Goth movement (ah, fond memories!) developed just before the 1980’s UK recession and property market crash.
Genuine bona fide Goth model from the Scott Church workshop. No idea who she is, but we call her Elvira
When times get tough, people want clothes which are austere. They want dark colours and classically cut clothes that are going to last several seasons because they won’t have much dosh to throw at their wardrobe. I could be wrong, but I also think this could be a moral reaction to the last ten years of spend, spend, spend. The winter fashion this year may well precede a full-blown consumer backlash due to the proles’ growing revulsion against excess, waste, consumerism and cheap 'n' tacky Chinese imports.
Fashion design, an art-form in itself, is getting sombre on us all. It is a psychological mirror for the masses. Expect both your art and your wardrobe to be very dark indeed this Christmas.
Looking on the bright side: For a boring old accountant like myself, after a lifetime of having the fashion sense and style of a hairy warthog, for the first and only time in my life this winter, I can at last realise my dreams and be a trendy fashion icon!
Hurrah! Bean counters rule the world!
In case you’ve been wondering what on earth has happened to the blog this past week, I’ve been celebrating a week of economic and artistic doom and gloom. Yes indeedy, recession fever is hitting the UK pretty bad at the moment. Economic statistics are miserable, our Prime Minister is miserable, the unwashed masses are broke and miserable, and most importantly, fellow photographers and artists are universally and extremely broke and miserable.
This nationwide aura of gloom will undoubtedly be reflected in all areas of society and art. Despite the fact that photographers and artists tend to go for the Te audire no possum, musa sapientum fixa est in aure approach (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear,) nevertheless it’s inevitable that wider economic worries affect artists’ moods. The tendency at the moment is towards dark art (hurrah! My favourite!) and I suspect this sombre trend will be reflected in most areas of art, including writing, painting, photography and even in the world of high fashion and couture. So you might well be feeling colourful and summery now, but having had a peek at the winter fashion collections in Vogue, I can honestly say that doom rules. Severe cocktail dresses, tailored suits, sharp conservative attire, all in varying shades of black (with a teensy bit of white ruffles.) It’s like the catwalks have been taken over by the cast of Ally McBeal. Everyone looks like lawyers or accountants.
Rowena acting all prim and proper for the Winter Collections
Art reflects not just current styles, but also how we feel and what is going on in society. Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute has noticed that when folks become more concerned about the state of the world, they become more conservative in their tastes. She thinks that wearing sharp and stylish black clothing makes people feel more in control, more empowered. This makes sense. As a colour, wearing black shows you are taking life (and your planet) seriously. Black is sober, practical and makes the wearer feel more intellectual. It shows society that you are sensitive to the problems in the world and that you dress accordingly.
The old adage is that if you want to know the imminent economic fate of the world, then look at fashion. Like other artists, fashion designers are the ultimate psychics. It has always been thus. Coco Chanel designed the iconic little black dress just before the 1929 economic crash, the drab punk look evolved just before the 1970’s oil crisis, and the Goth movement (ah, fond memories!) developed just before the 1980’s UK recession and property market crash.
Genuine bona fide Goth model from the Scott Church workshop. No idea who she is, but we call her Elvira
When times get tough, people want clothes which are austere. They want dark colours and classically cut clothes that are going to last several seasons because they won’t have much dosh to throw at their wardrobe. I could be wrong, but I also think this could be a moral reaction to the last ten years of spend, spend, spend. The winter fashion this year may well precede a full-blown consumer backlash due to the proles’ growing revulsion against excess, waste, consumerism and cheap 'n' tacky Chinese imports.
Fashion design, an art-form in itself, is getting sombre on us all. It is a psychological mirror for the masses. Expect both your art and your wardrobe to be very dark indeed this Christmas.
Hip fashion goddess, misery guts, and doom merchant to the nude blogging world
Looking on the bright side: For a boring old accountant like myself, after a lifetime of having the fashion sense and style of a hairy warthog, for the first and only time in my life this winter, I can at last realise my dreams and be a trendy fashion icon!
Hurrah! Bean counters rule the world!
posted by Lin at 11:02 AM
5 Comments:
Lin, I am very very interested in the way fashion predicts and/or reflects an era. I often encouraged my students to pursue research on topics of makeup, hair style, and fashion. One student wrote an intriguing paper on blondes this spring, by the way. She found genetic research that predicts the demise of the natural blonde in some not-sci fi future as the recessive gene eventually may have its last hurrah!
Forgive the digression. I get all excited when someone brings up this topic. Despite the poor economy, primary colors were big this spring, at least according to Harper's Bazaar. Clunky beads in red or yellow dominate jewelry displays in all the boutiques, at least in the midwest. Those colors strike me as quite cheerful.
You may be right that dark colors will be "in" by Christmas. Maybe we'll all have a gloomy Elvira Christmas? Of course, yellow was the medieval color of mourning in your magnificent homeland, according to my historical research into Tudor England. So maybe the yellow resurgence has a deeper meaning.
Thank you for a thought-provoking post!
Yes....but we all know that there is a very bright shiny red suit with a very long zipper underneath the blackness just waiting it's turn again.
Yes, bright colours are big over here too at the moment. But I guess eighteen months ago, when the designers decided on the summer 08 fashions, the economy wasn't doing too badly then (at least in the UK)
Anyway, I guess a lot depends on cultural reactions to the economy. Whereas the British may act all austere and show a stiff upper lip, Americans designers may decide to reflect their economic worries using whatever colours are appropriate to their fighting spirit.
Your student's paper sounds fascinating. But if natural blond genes are recessive, then why do women dye their hair blond all the time? (I've always wondered about that!)
Heya,
That goth girl is Amaranth- she rocks :)
ROSWELL x
I wore black (My Truck is Black...Motorcycle is Black...) since my highschool days. I just thought it was cool.
Again..the shallow "Yank" showing his colors..or should I be more specific...not reflecting any light on the subject ;-).
bt
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