Fashion: The Art of Expression

By Amanda Cohen on December 21, 2015

When I look up “fashion” on Google, millions of articles and resources pop up. However, I want to focus on the actual definition of fashion.

Fashion is defined as a practice and style found in clothing and accessories. My first thought when I saw this was, “Are you kidding me?” This definition is laughable because fashion is so much more than a style/practice.

Fashion is an art form; fashion is self-expression; fashion is confidence; fashion is beauty. The concept of fashion is so broad and means something different for every single person … there are countless sentences that can begin, “Fashion is,” or, “Fashion is defined as.”

Photo via. http://fashionhappyhour.com

As a fashion writer, I take different perspectives on my articles so that everyone’s idea of fashion is represented somewhere in my work. Personally, for me, fashion is art. When I think of fashion, I am not thinking of the clothing websites that every college student shops on. Rather, I am thinking of Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Versace, Valentino, Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin and so many others.

Fashion is often viewed as something holding no substance and something completely materialistic when it is so much more than that. You may not understand some people’s infatuation with chiffon fabric and the pairing of rose gold with regular gold, but you can at least try to appreciate the art of fashion.

This Valentino dress embodies extravagance and beauty… from the perfectly folded layers of fabric, the intricate tassel-like ends of each fold, to the simply black ribbon that hugs the waist, you can just visualize the amount of time and effort put into this artwork.

The confidence exhibited by the model is not just because of her own natural beauty, it is because she is wearing the equivalent of a Van Gogh painting on her body.

Photo via. http://blog.graphicbandit.com

Vera Wang is especially famous for her beautiful wedding dresses. There is a reason why Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City 2 modeled in a Vera Wang wedding dress for Vogue.

The tight, strapless bodice screams traditional wedding, with just a hint of modernized fashion. The extravagant, long-trained, ruffled skirt brings grace and beauty to life. Vera Wang perfectly balances simplicity with ensuring that the bride is the center of attention.

Photo via. http://www.kkncelebupdates.com

Oscar de la Renta: the name itself just rolls off the tongue beautifully. Almal Alamuddin rocked this short Oscar de la Renta dress when she said “I do” to George Clooney.

This dress is far from traditional, but it exemplifies beauty nonetheless. The detailed cut outs in the white fabric, especially along her collar bone, personifies the nice, summer’s day of her wedding. The three-dimensional, dried flowers add a pop of color to the white that makes the dress even more special than it already is.

Would I ever think to wear this? Probably not, but I smile at the the dress’ elegance and the dress’ ability to be analyzed in the same manner that a painting would be.

Photo via. http://static.entertainmentwise.com

I think we can all agree that Rihanna is a style icon, especially when she struts down that red carpet. Because of this, it is no surprise that she chose to wear a red Azzedine Alaia dress for the Grammy’s.

The way in which Alaia designed the dress to hug her torso perfectly, while intricately scooping the fabric for a cross-over high neckline embraces all art forms. The dress, even though loose at the bottom, does not appear to be overpowering because the fabric itself looks almost weightless.

I honestly wish I could one day wear this dress because, as a work of art, it flawlessly lights a fire of confidence and beauty.

Photo via. http://mystylebell.com

For years, Versace always popped into my mind first when I thought about high fashion, therefore Donatella Versace’s work had to be featured in my list of artwork. I thought that it was about time to talk about art that comes in the form of a short dress.

In a 2010 fashion show, Versace had the model walk down in this one-shouldered, almost Barbie-like dress. When you hear the word “Barbie,” the word “art” does not usually come to mind.

However, Versace flipped this concept on its head because the dress on the model is absolutely stunning. Art does not have to be super fancy or “famous” to fit the conditions to be considered artwork, and this dress proves this point.

Photo via. http://coolspotters.com

If this was not enough to convince you that fashion embodies all characteristics of artwork, then I urge you to look at videos and documentaries of the evolution of fashion.

From flapper dresses in the 1920s to big hair and bold-colored leggings in the 1980s, fashion has remained a constant, yet ever changing art form in the world because it is always there, but there is always something new and interesting about it.

I guarantee that, just as Van Gogh went down in history, Versace, Valentino, Chanel, and Armani will do so as well.

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