Is fashion influenced by youth subcultures?

Judging by designer pieces and high street must haves of 2012/2013 its obvious that the influences and compelling range of designs come from an array of youth subcultures. Which makes fashion what it is today.

From goths to rockers, punks to mods, subcultures have been influencing fashion design since the ’70s. One of the most iconic looks of all time would have to be the hippy. Immortalised by the Beatles, Twiggy and anyone that went to Woodstock, this look was all about colour, corduroys, weed and lookin’ laid back, man! And guess what: the hippy headband is a must in any teenage girl’s accessory collection today.

Let’s take another example: the leather jacket. This statement clothing piece is a must-have for nearly all wardrobes this year. But where did this particular garment originate from? The days of Kurt Cobain, where grunge was the new cool, long messy hair was the perfect do and listening to metal music made you the ultimate heart throb?

Scruffy worn jeans are certainly staple pieces for most teenagers now; teamed with some holey knit wear and a pair of DocMartens there you have the ideal rocker look. Worn denim can be bought from most high street stores in addition to designers such as Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and of course Levi’s. That makes worn denim extremely accessible for all price ranges.

How about punk, one of the most distinguished subcultures? Some say punk was born in a small specialist boutique owned by the eccentric Vivienne Westwood. In an extreme reaction to the popular, neatly groomed style of the time mods – the punk look aimed to shock by combining mismatched patterns, ‘work’ boots, ripped denim and lots and lots of safety pins. Combined with a brightly- coloured starched mohawk and a bad attitude. There you have one of the most notorious subcultures of all time.

Even the most influences in today’s fashion are those from earlier times which are ultimately influenced by youth subcultures, its adamant that without these influential times we wouldn’t have the diverse and assorted styles of this decade. Youth subcultures have influenced fashion choices and fashion designs for many years and without them I don’t think fashion would be what it has become.

Thanks to youth subcultures individuals have been introduced to new and exciting fashion designers who portray all kinds of styles and designs, along with expressive clothing which influences the personalities of miscellaneous people from all walks of life.

Vivienne Westood – Punk

J’aime Paris…

With fashion being regarded as one of my main passions, a trip to Paris was certainly at the very top of my ‘to do’ list. The thought of fabulous delicious pastries, abundance of shops both designer and high street, upmarket bistros, parisian boutiques and of course a trek up the infamous Eiffel tower was enough to make me take the plunge and plan a trip to the wonderful city.  

Before even confirming my accommodation and arrival options I had outlined an itinerary for the whole entire trip. Hour by hour and day by day I outlined exactly what I and my travel companion would be doing. I didn’t want to even risk missing out on a vital monument or a shopping centre where I could have possibly seen the most perfect handbag or pair of patent court shoes.

The Champs Elysees stretch was by far my best time spent in Paris, the amount of shops and eateries was of abundance and a whole day walking down the entirety of the ‘road’ was most definitely needed. Luckily the day we chose to do the majority of our exploring was the only day of the holiday we were lucky enough to witness sunshine. This resulted in a fair few pit stops in a variety of the many bars and cafes. 

Now of course a trip to Paris would not be complete without a trip to Disney land. Although I am 20 years old, I will never be too old for roller coasters and all things Disney. Walking through the arch and into the park changes the atmosphere, you can ‘feel’ the magic and the sense of ‘anticipation’. I certainly am a big kid, I am not going to deny that. The whole setting of the park was fantastic, every waitress and park worker was dressed in fancy dress relating in some way or another to a disney movie. This added to the overall aura and really created a ‘magical’ and ‘dreamy’ ambience. 

As an avid lover of anything cultural and exotic, I was particularly excited to try out the French cuisine. While browsing through a menu I saw snails as a starter option and seriously considered taking the plunge and giving them a whirl. After great consideration and a weighing up of the pros and cons I decided against the French starter and went for something I knew was going to taste nice. We did however try frogs legs and yes my friends, they do taste a lot like chicken. Not half as awful as I was expecting them to be. 

Although the weather was a let down with rain falling the majority of the time, I had the most enchanting week in Paris. I would definitely recommend it to anyone. There is so much to see and explore, it’s unreal. Also, the metro was incredibly simple to use, which was a bonus as it’s the fastest way to get around the city allowing you to discover and witness everything that you intended.

Why are women so obsessed with shoes?

The above question is one which I ponder every time I catch myself trying on a new pair of shoes and coincidently heading to the till with them still in my hand… Oops. I, like many other women out there admits to having a slight (okay extreme) obsession with shoes of all kinds.

For years people have pondered, particularly men who find shopping in general a chore a woman’s fascination with shoes. But the secret however is never fully revealed.

Men will never understand the subtle relationship that exists between a pair of shoes and their owners, as well as the assertion that a woman can never have too many shoes. No matter how full her cupboard appears to be.

Shoes to many women are an accessory, they are purchased to finish off an outfit and in some cases rejuvenate an old outfit. For women shoes are more than just accessories, they are confidence.

No matter how many times I tell myself (and I am sure other women feel the same) that I do not need another pair of shoes, I find myself heading straight to the ‘shoe department’ of every shop I head to, to admire the array of foot candy on display. I never go there with the intention of buying but 9 times of out 10 I will leave the shop clutching a brand new pair. When purchasing I have every intention of wearing them a hundred times or more (this is how I justify every purchase), they will in no doubt head straight to my wardrobe with every other pair I own. Where they will without a doubt go unworn for a while, until I forget that I even bought them.

I wish I knew the reason why I am so attracted to shoes. For now, I will lay the blame with the likes of Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo for without fail bringing out endless desirable and fabulous collections to tempt and tantalise my extreme addiction.