Keen.

Dear Seattle Style Hounds,

I tend to be interested in things that I can either be really good and original in, or really bad and cliche. Art and fashion are two things that can go wrong very easily. One minute something is in, the next its out. It’s all been said and done before and there will always be someone there to do it, wear it, think it, or materialize it better than you. Everybody is a critic and both art and fashion are direct reflections on your inner being. They are also two areas where being mediocre is probably worse than being ‘bad’ because at least when you are ‘bad’, you are getting noticed. And isn’t this what separates clothing from “fashion”, a photo from “art”, and the person from the “individual”.

Fashion is a shapeshifter and thank fucking god. Everything comes full circle and trends are the perfect example of this. The cycle goes a little something like this:

1. Its Birth: A few people with a keen eye spot it and nurture it. Its cutting edge. Its cool.
2. Its growth: More people begin to catch on and it expands. It is common to spot yet still retains some unspoken “coolness” to it.
3. Its death: EVERYONE is wearing it and it is now sold in Claire’s. (fringe, peace signs, day glow colors, ect). When the preteens touch it, the people with the keen eye drop it.
4. Its burial: It is now officially considered “uncool” even by preteen standards. It is mourned yet everyone is relieved that it is gone. (for instance, the short denim skirt with footless tights, R.I.P).
5. Its rebirth: No less than a decade but up to a century, it reemerges from the grave and starts the cycle all over again. Best examples: Victorian fashion (now in style). 80’s new wave (came back about a decade after its death. This was short lived but there none the less).

Trends are the blood that keeps fashion alive. People love to hate them yet love to embrace them (just before anyone else does). Trends keep things fresh, makes appreciations for the classics even greater, and provide a basis for ingenuity. There are either followers or setters and I believe that the people of Seattle are trendsetters. People here are eclectic, refined, and dare i say… unique. And even if a popular trend is incorporated into someone’s wardrobe, Seattlites know how to distinguish between personal style and a ‘trend’. Trends are like moles. They add to the person, yet they are not the person. They are only truly dangerous when they become malignant.

This blog is more than just trends though. It’s an all encompassing glance at the fashion in one very under-appreciated region. Fashion is such a touchy subject with so many grey areas. I wouldn’t be doing myself or the people of Seattle any justice if i only focused on trends. But they are a necessary “evil” that must be addressed right off the bat. No pink elephants in this room. If you are too afraid to admit that you sometimes fall into trends then you are what i like to call, in denial. We all do, and let’s please be real for a moment… most of the time we are all just jealous of those who embrace it better or first. And let me be even more real when I say that they are usually the ones to who can have FUN with their look and have true confidence because they realize that their appearance isnt the end all to be all about who they really are.

Let’s take a risk, say the unsayable. Talk about ourselves. Be confident. Embrace the trends and mourn them when they finally die (for the time being).

And you know what people? It’s about time we put Seattle on the fucking map for something more than grunge, flannel, rain, and coffee.

So what do you say? I can’t do this on my own.

Love,

Chief Samantha.