Happy Wednesday! You're already half way through the week! So I've been doing plenty of thinking today (because honestly, what else is there to do on a rainy Wednesday in London?), particularly about names.
Many blogs have cute names for their readers or address them as a specific audience.
Ex: Hello Fashionistas! Greetings Foodies!
While I intended for my blog to be a fashion blog, it quickly became something very different. I'm not sure it has a genre, unless "Clumsy Daily Adventures of a Struggling Fashionista" is a new blog genre and I'm just in the dark about it. I do, however, want to greet my amazing followers with something other than "Hello Readers!" It's weak and you know it. If you're reading this, you should be aware of just how important you are to me. You are helping my dreams come true and making my blog more trafficked one view at a time. From now on, my readers shall hold the privileged title of Fashionators.
So, Fashionators, I had a relatively quiet day. It was muddled and rainy outside and it's my day off of work, so my mind was free to wander. Today, my mind wandered inside of a handbag. A pale grey twin bag Prada tote, to be exact.
It's the perfect neutral colour- it doesn't clash with any other colours! It's a staple in any fashionable woman's wardrobe, but I soon learned that it's also a detrimental hit to a struggling fashionista's (namely my own) bank account. That's actually a bit of an understatement. There are times where I do not even have enough money in my bank account to purchase this bag. When I say "there are times", I actually mean 99% of the time, as the 1% of the time I have such a large amount of money in my account, it is scholarships and grants deposited into my account, which are consumed hours later by my university tuition and fees. This bag costs more in USD than I made working two jobs this summer- one of which was above minimum wage. Just consider that for a moment.
Despite my love of luxury fashion, I've never owned a high-end or luxury handbag. It's not the end of the world, especially since I'm only 20 years old, but it is a tiny bit irritating to see ladies my age and younger parading around with Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel bags that were simply handed to them. I am not criticizing these ladies, their parents, their wealth, or even capitalism. No one decides what money they are or are not born into, and it is irrelevant to this conversation.
Rather, I am annoyed by the hierarchy that exists in fashion that often overlooks style. Any woman can parade around in trend designer clothes and have no understanding of fashion, styling, the history of the brand she is wearing, or the social implications of certain pieces (fur, exotic leathers, etc.). I don't believe this is the case with the young women in London who carry designer bags- it is, after all, a fashion capital.
I do, however, see a trend in handbags carried by young women. "Beginner Bags" and "Staple bags", such as a monogrammed Louis Vuitton Speedy, a classic Gucci print bag, and Chanel bags with the famous crossing C's are commonly carried by younger women with a developing sense of style. These are bags that are, for whatever reason, assumed to be the standard for the first few designer bags a woman owns. It's as if there's a belief that you can't carry an Yves bag before carrying a monogramed Louis Vuitton. Spoiler alert: This is an inane urban legend. I don't know how this came to be the standard rule in fashion, but it is entirely absurd. This is not a criticism of the women, merely an observation about the fashion world. Being alive only 20 years, and delving into fashion only in the last three years, I absolutely cannot criticize any young person for not having a mature sense of fashion; it's nearly impossible. This un-said standard in fashion, however, I will openly criticize.
It's like saying "You can't drive a McLaren without driving a Mercedes first", or "I know the man of your dreams is right here, but I think you should date a less impressive man before you move onto him." It makes no sense.
I have also noticed that less "common" or "famous" designer bags are often sported by fashionistas and women with a more thorough understanding of the fashion world. Givenchy, Celine, Miu Miu and Yves Saint Laurent handbags are gorgeous bags that make a more profound statement and, on average, cost less than comparable "staple" handbags.
I suspect that the companies selling "staple" bags understand that they have a greater brand recognition than Chloe or Stella McCartney, which is reflected in the price. A comparable Prada bag costs two to three times what a similar Chloe bag will fetch. These brands understand that demand is effected very little by price (or, as I learned with all that tuition money that could've bought a shelf of designer bags, the demand is inelastic to price), and that bags that act as status symbols have the power to transcend basic economic law. These brands have trapped loyal consumers because of brand recognition, which results in increasing prices with little increase in innovation in most situations. Gucci's "G" pattern and red and green stripes are crossing over from "classic" into "over-done".
As a result, I find myself desiring "staple" handbags and brands less and less each day. As I pass one after the other on the underground and in the streets and see the mass market they sell to, I force myself to look elsewhere. Chanel bags? I saw five today and a pair of Chanel ballet flats. Louis Vuitton? I saw enough luggage in the airport to fill the store on Bond Street. Miu Miu? One of my favorite lines by one of the most prolific designers in the industry; have only seen one bag on the street during my time in London. Want to see the design quality yourself? Then view the most recent collections from Miu Miu & Chloe and compare them to Gucci.
Ask Yourself: What do these brand names mean? Social Status or Innovation?
This is absurd. This is fashion.
xo
BJordan
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