Fashion Kilts - NY Fashion Week

[ali8780]

A very interesting thread and I enjoy how it has evolved...although, the closures to the left and right (male/female)--I am not as convinced that it was "intentional" or that it was done specifically to throw tradition to the wind. The mens' shirts are still buttoned according to tradition, are they not? Perhaps, the designer is truly just "going over the top".

Until I read some of the posts from Ali and others, I really have never understood fashion shows. Honestly, I barely understand it anyway. I can't imagine why you would not just show the clothing that you hope to sell...but that's just my lack of fashion understanding.

If the intent is to gain media attention or generate a buzz...then mission success, if you ask me.

I don't blame you at all. It took me quite a long time to appreciate fashion shows for what they are and not focus on what they aren't, and I'm a woman who has always loved fashion, design, and clothing construction.

It's such a fascinating industry though, to fully understand it, you'd need to take a history lesson. If you understood the fashion industry as it was half a century or more ago, what it is today will make much more sense. Fashion shows were in their infancy a place to showcase what the customer could buy. These garments were hand made and custom fitted to the customer. This comprised the majority of couturiers' business. But, as time progressed, and as industry began to pick up the slack, we were introduced to mass produced clothing. Now, instead of having a closet with a handful of extremely well made clothes that fit you like a glove, are classic in style, and high quality meant to last a lifetime, we have the option of purchasing "disposable clothing" if you will. It's fast, cheap, and short lived both in style and wear, and meant to fit a standard size that really doesn't represent the majority of people. Of course we still have fashion shows, and you can actually purchase the clothing featured. This is called Haute Couture, and there are about ten people on the entire planet that are wealthy enough to afford it. It is still handmade and custom fitted.

Now, what do fashion shows have to do with you, you ask? If you buy your clothes at Gap for example, the designer/s for Gap will have attended these fashion shows and take the same ideas and implement them into their own designs. Purchasers for department stores will also attend fashion shows to get an idea of what is "in style" for a particular season so that they can sell as much as they can to us. Even designers for home sewing pattern companies will take ideas from these fashion shows. So in essence, the designers who are fortunate enough to show their collections are the clothing gods who determine what it is that you and I will be wearing from season to season.

You really should watch the Devil Wears Prada, you'll get to see how some of this kinda works, and you'll get to see Ann Hathaway bat her beautiful and enormous brown eyes.

[Spartan Tartan]

Now, instead of having a closet with a handful of extremely well made clothes that fit you like a glove, are classic in style, and high quality meant to last a lifetime, we have the option of purchasing "disposable clothing" if you will. It's fast, cheap, and short lived both in style and wear, and meant to fit a standard size that really doesn't represent the majority of people.

Thanks Ali! My wife had me watching the Devil Wears Prada with her awhile back. I guess, I just wrote it all off as some Hollywood movie. So much of that stuff has elements of truth, but I'm not sure where reality stops and Hollywood picks up...

Funny that you used "disposable clothing". That is how my wife describes Old Navy, the GAP and other similar clothing stores. I, for one, would just assume have a few well made (made to my measurements) pieces of clothing that I can wear forever. Fortunately, since I am in the Navy, I have little need for an expansive wardrobe. So, just maybe, I can get a couple nice kilt jackets and I'll be set

I have the Houte Couture debate with Alice, my wife, all the time. I say the same thing, "Really, who would EVER wear that?" all the time. Then she rolls her eyes...

Thank you for your thorough description.

[jason10mm]

I dunno, I think that excusing any fashion atrocity with "but it's FASHION!" is chickening out. Some of those kilts not only show disrespect/ignorance of tradition but confound function (how do you urinate if you have both pants AND a kilt to manage?) and offend the eye with the unbalanced top and bottom, the glaring contrasting colors, and the lack of focus due to how busy the outfit is.

Most of the displayed examples show more of a skirt, especially when worn over pants, and look as foolish as if a woman was wearing jeans and wrapped a mini-skirt over it. All the layers on top don't help, they are overly bulking up the model and seem redundant. Plus there are a lot of colors that no man should ever wear :P

Still, I guess they answer the question of just how many clothes a guy can wear and still be able to walk I guess I just don't much see a need for a kilt that isn't either honoring tradition, rugged for outdoor use, or elegant for formal use. Maybe if Armani or Jos A. Bank made some. Neon colored lightweight flimsy fabric "happy kilts" just don't do it for me.

But hey, I guess it is good that kilts still show up in the world of fashion, right?

[Java]

Jason; I feel the same way when I see this stuff, but Ali managed to get it through my head that; guys like you and me (tom.45) were never even meant to see it. It's a few very flamboyent men, designing stuff for equally flamboyent men to wear up and down a runway, and nowhere else. Period. (Please don't read anything into that sentence that I didn't type. I'm not hatin' anyone)

Have Fun,
Java

[O'Callaghan]

Either the first photo is mirrored or the fringe is on the wrong side.

Indeed. It would be just like them showing a pair of men's trousers with the fly opening the wrong way. Hard to imagine they would do that.

ETA: It does, however, tend to support the common contention that the fashion industry show men's skirts to make sales to women.

[Bugbear]

Ha! I don't have to look at that stuff. Not that I wouldn't...

[Downunder Kilt]

From my side, all the fringes on these skirts are on the left side, so why are we even discussing them as kilts, hello, they are not kilts. They maybe ladies kilts, a term often used to describe pleated skirts but under no circumstances are they kilts.

[tpa]

I think the old adage: "Any publicity is good publicity!" applies here with regard to wearing kilts. Whether it is getting the right message to the right audience is not something I am in a position to answer as I was not part of the intended audience!