Why Eclectic Fashion is My Favorite Fashion
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Eclectic fashion is the blending of many different sources of inspiration into one unique sense of style. These different inspiration sources can be aesthetics, time periods, aspects of one’s own identity, levels of formality, types of occasion, and even seasons of the year.
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Popular trends throughout history have been created using eclectic inspiration. Each new trend cycle is a sort of “snowball” from fashion past, collecting stand-out styles and working them into modern fashion. Today’s popular trends include styles from many previous decades, all coming together to create the distinct style of the 2020s. The early 2000s brought us the beloved Y2K aesthetic, the ‘90s brought us chunky boots and sneakers, the ‘80s brought us neon colors, and the ‘70s brought us psychedelic prints – just to name very few. It isn’t so much about what was truly popular in those times, but rather, what trendsetters are inspired by from those times. An “aesthetic” is just a combination of a bunch of inspiration from previous trends/styles; trends themselves are eclectic. Our fashion today looks very different from the fashion of any era past because we use this eclectic pool of inspiration to make all these styles work for the present-day fashion scene.
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Eclecticism extends beyond trends; it applies to an individual’s personal style as well. Fashion-minded people gather inspiration at every turn: social media, magazines, film and TV shows, storefronts, online stores, friends and family, and more. The opportunities for inspiration are endless, and eclectic style allows us to incorporate all that inspiration into uniquely personal wardrobes that express all aspects of our personalities.
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Fashion has always been my go-to medium of self-expression. Some of my earliest memories include watching red carpet shows and reading “who wore it best” sections of magazines. However, I have often felt that my various sources of inspiration didn’t “match” each other, making it difficult to fully express myself in the ways I wanted to. Developing my personal style has been a lifelong process of juggling the multitude of interests and identities I have because they aren’t traditionally mixed. For example, the poise and elegance of being a dancer my whole life doesn’t exactly match my obsession with wild and crazy rock n roll. I remember being totally distressed in middle school because I couldn’t choose just one “aesthetic” that truly resonated with me. I am inspired by something new every day, and I admire so many aspects of so many different styles. How could a girl choose?
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My personal style thus developed in a very eclectic way. It was a bit tricky and awkward in its middle school beginnings, but incorporating my eclectic interests, inspirations, and identities have allowed me to curate a wardrobe that is uniquely my own. My eclectic fashion is constantly growing and changing, but the principle will always remain: I like it, so I wear it.
The eclectic style allows fashion lovers to incorporate everything that inspires us into our personal style. We can pair a trendy piece that everyone has, with a one-of-kind vintage piece. We can blend things that traditionally wouldn’t go together, be minimalist or maximalist, colorful or neutral, dressed up or dressed down. Eclectic fashion makes everyday outfits fun to curate, and personal style so much more original. Incorporating all the styles you like is a liberating experience because you realize just how arbitrary the “rules” of fashion are. This allows us to step outside the hive-mind of current trends, and realize that we, too, can be trendsetters by simply wearing what inspires us! Eclectic fashion allows you to do whatever you want with your style; go crazy!
Strike Out,
Writer: Cristina Angee
Editor: Addy Crosby
Tallahassee