The terms ‘Fashion’ and ‘Style’ are often used interchangeably, but there are actually a few important distinctions between them.
What Is Style?
In the fashion world, “style” is usually shorthand for “personal style,” or the way an individual expresses themselves through aesthetic choices such as their clothing, accessories, hairstyle, and the way they put an outfit together.
It’s about your sense of self, your identity, your perception of who you are. Does my clothing ‘match’ my sense of who I am, at least for today?
What Is Fashion?
Fashion is the dominant style within a given culture at a certain time. Fashion has to do with new trends: It refers to popular ways of dressing during a specific era.
It is concerned with “what’s out there” (fashion items, in the stores). Is what I’m wearing a ‘match’ for what’s ‘out there’, to what’s been deemed ‘in fashion’?
There is an overlap between style and fashion, but a good rule of thumb is that style relates to the individual, while fashion is more collective. Furthermore, fashion takes our attention away from ourselves, style brings our attention directly to ourselves.
Let’s break down the differences:
Individual vs. collective:
Personal style is something that belongs to an individual—a means of self-expression. How they dress and express themselves is their style.
Fashion, on the other hand, has to do with global trends and the business of fashion.
Let’s take an example: On the catwalk, a model is part of the fashion world. The way they dress at home, however, is personal style. If they become an influencer and their personal style becomes iconic, they may start their own clothing line, turning their style into fashion.
Timeless vs. trendy:
Style is timeless, while fashion is timely. Someone who is fashionable closely follows the latest fashion trends and wears designer clothing.
Someone who is stylish may or may not follow fashion trends, but they always stay true to their own aesthetic.
By: Hala AlZoubi