The passage titled ETYMOLOGY in FASHION AS COMMUNICATION, CHAPTER 1 pulls apart the many definitions and interpretations of the words to describe ‘fashion’. They assess the range of definitions of fashion from the past up until modern western society. I feel the author gives this insight as means to reflect upon the concept of “fashion” in a more cautious and considered context.
They write the sentence “encourage people to believe that these words are somehow more synonymous than they really are” however in some way I believe these words are in fact more alike than not. For example: ‘style’ can be used to both style one’s hair or produce a style as a result as touched upon in the passage. In my opinion, both illustrate the idea of the creation of something decorative and imperative for appearance. I do however agree with the following statement:” the impossibility of, trying to provide a final or rigid definition of the meanings of any of these words” expressed in the sub-paragraph FASHION, STYLE, CLOTHING, DRESS. The concept of fashion is such a broad one, there are so many areas it may cover which is why I think it is so fought over. Fashion can cause endless outcomes even if they are unbeknownst to most.
FASHON AND ANTI-FASHION talks about the desire to fit in with wider society but still maintain a degree of individuality. I performed some research into the subculture of ‘Punks’ in 1976, this style or fashion was designed to provoke, or turn fashion against the norm of the wider society by wearing non-conformist or atypical items such as bondage wear or household objects such as paper clips, however by doing this somehow created this microcosm of culture to become a macrocosm in the mainstream of England thus rendering the initial purpose obsolete. “And still people find solidarity, revolt, and individuality by inhabiting a shared costume marking their membership in a subculture.” (Clark, Dylan. 2003. “The Death and Life of Punk, The Last Subculture,” pp. 223-36, In David Muggleton and Rupert Weinzierl (eds.), The Post-Subcultures Reader. Oxford: Berg.) I find this quote very important in making an example of the general idea of what this passage is trying to tell us about fashion. How people want to fit in as a whole whilst not becoming lost in a sea of clones, still remaining special to a degree.
As a personal response to this entire chapter I would say that it has given me wider angles to look at when analysing fashion, be it garments, creation or concepts. The writer has taken some elements that may even be slightly controversial, or people may take offence to and admitted as such which makes me value the integrity of this chapter more so even when I know not everyone can agree with everything including myself. In reading this chapter I have come to conclude that etymology can be argued over but actually everything can change based on society, nothing to do with fashion as a whole is stable.