PCP: Fashion is meant to be worn

Details: Created on Saturday, 22 September 2012 21:07

The following is a part of a Point / Counter-Point asking the question: is fashion art?

Read the counter-point here.

Kaitlin Newkirk

What is fashion?

To me, it's my favorite pair of sweatpants and an Appalachian t-shirt.

But to some, it's couture. It belongs on the runway as "high fashion."

There are people who think fashion is art, but clothing fashion is about clothes, and clothes are supposed to be functional, practical and wearable.

So when I see these designers getting paid tons of money for making clothes that are totally unaffordable and are so completely ridiculous that they can't (and won't) even be worn in public, it frustrates me deeply.

Fashion is not meant to be an art form. It can be an expression of your individuality and personality, yes, but essentially you're just wearing clothes.

I won't deny there are beautifully made clothes out there, though. Everyone has their own style, which can be very artistic.

But these designers making size zero dresses that no normal human being could wear and slapping on a $10,000 price tag are using the word "art" too liberally.

Those clothes are simply not sensible. Why waste money and fabric to make something that will appear on a runway in New York and then never be seen again?

Some of these high fashion designers should be in the costume business. A designer's job is to make clothing for people. Normal people.

So thanks but no thanks, fashionistas. I'll stick to my sweatpants.

Newkirk, a junior English major from Wilmington, is an opinion writer.