‘How do I look?’ A persistent question that has preoccupied the human race ever since cavemen began accessorising their woolly mammoth skins in the quest for tribal differentiation.
Perceptions about what looks ‘good’ have changed throughout the ages, and we cannot deny the extent to which society influences our personal style choices and dictates the way we look at others. By definition, to look ‘good’ requires you to be pleasing in appearance and conform to current ideals of form and proportion. The pressure to conform is very much present in today’s society, and we are in fact confusing looking ‘good’ with conforming to the trends of the moment. It is not so much ‘how do I look? but ‘how am I supposed to look?’
Looking good is about confidence in the ability to pull off one’s own individual style, and this doesn’t mean following the crowd. Fast fashion of the digital age means that no longer are we segregated into the ‘mods and rockers’ of the 60s or the ‘punks’ and ‘new romantics’ of the 80’s, but rather bombarded with fluid and conflicting trends that are reinterpreted in the blink of a season. Thus we as a generation of fashion consumers are festooned with various conflicting items of clothing, none of which necessarily communicate who we are or who we would like to be.
In terms of my own style, I have always favoured a more tailored ‘Kate Moss circa 1997 meets Whistles for afternoon tea’ look, and have often been described as delicate and womanly. I’m far from innocent when it comes to following the trends of the moment, but would like to think that I understand how certain looks, no matter how fashionable, would leave me looking and feeling a bit of a twerp (ankle socks in particular).
Ultimately, Fashion has always been about making an impact – whether it be to intimidate or endear, to attract attention, to seduce, or simply to fit in. However, looking good is about knowing yourself and how you feel in the clothes you are wearing, not just seeing that they look good on someone else.
By Lizzy Wilkinson
