What…is it likely that we can change
our fashion styles to reform our mind, or the way we think? Truly, someone is
giving us a full-line of hogwash. But, wait…perhaps these theorists are on to
something.
Fashion shows are indulgent
spectacles filled with opulence and grandeur. Year after year, they draw
countless thousands to admire the amazing, sometimes strange fashion statements
being made by designers the world over. And, although the fashions do not
readily translate to real life and the makeup and accessories are overdone, the
fashion shows are still making obscene amounts of money. Fashion show headlines
have prominent placement, product sponsors bang down designers doors and models
are paid a small fortune to walk down the runway. What perpetuates this phenomenon? One could
say it is the propensity to self-subversion.
Fashion has always been about
starting new trends and changing the way people look at fashion. Designer’s lines are guarded like national
treasures for fear that if someone sees them be for the unveiling that the idea
will no longer be fresh and groundbreaking. Despite all of this, fashion is
still a weak form of self-discovery. Fashion moreover has become about
attention and shock value as opposed to actually creating wearable trends. The
fashion lack substance as they have no real significance after the fashion show
itself.
Fashion shows are probably not, what
Albert Hirschman had in mind when he wrote “A Propensity to Self-Subversion”
but the applications can still be used. A desire to change is present yet very
few people are willing to step to the forefront and make the changes happen.
Take into consideration the behavior of sheep. Sheep mostly prefer to spend
their time grazing together in a field until the shepherd sees fit to make them
do otherwise. However, in the instance where one sheep decides to go off on a
new path the other sheep will likely follow his lead with out hesitation.
People are quite like sheep in their
tendency to follow the lead of people around them. If someone famous and
influential decides to start wearing flamboyant fashions off the catwalk and
make them mainstream then the consumers will follow their lead. If businesses
decide to raise their prices because they state that, their product is more in
demand then people will pay the price to get that sought after product. Most
ordinary people have no problem with following others without regard to their
own preferences.
Self-subversion can lead people to
break out of the norm and blaze their own trail. They can choose to pursue the
at times, overwhelming need to follow a different path. Breaking free from the norm can help people avoid
the discontent and apathy that often come from repressing the urge to be
different. Even though society expects conformity, it cannot be denied that
each person is different. Those who are not content to follow the norm should
be encouraged to lead the way to new ideas and trends. Exercising
self-subversion will lead to new experiences, greater understanding of self and
greater knowledge of the world around them.
Try something contemporary with your
dress and hair. Do it gradually until you are additionally comfortable with the
contemporary style. Soon it will be trouble-free to make similar changes on
different levels. These may imply simplistic notions. When you make fashion
statements that change your ordinary style, it builds your self-esteem and
confidence as well.
By keeping the same style, you only
encourage a lazy expression that welcomes doubt, insecurities, confusion, etc.
Thus, the purpose of this model is to reform the way you feel and think by
focusing on the self-subversion fashion models. Perhaps putting cognitive
thinking to therapeutic use can help us develop our person as a whole.