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I have been cloned.
Actually, I have thousands upon thousands of clones. They wander around living their own lives and most of them don’t even know I exist. But I know they’re there. I see them every day.
Large department stores, style magazines and runway models are the culprits allowing this to happen. Thanks to the fashion industry, everybody looks like everybody else. Individuality and personal style is a dying art.
You think an article of clothing is cute? Guess what, a stylist already hand picked it to be sold in the stores. In a sense, you are basically being told what you want to wear. Everything you like to wear, somebody else likes to wear too.
Right now we’ve got the tank top dresses, knit berets and just about anything from American Eagle. Peace symbols and long, dangling necklaces are staples in the jewelry department. I enjoy these items just about as much as everybody else and still buy them. I guess I’m knowingly allowing myself to be “cloned.”
And it’s only going to get worse for the residents of Chico due to our new fashion store, Forever21.
That store is basically its own city. Row after row and section after section of clothing is doing nothing but offering students a way to conform — at a cheap price.
But what about the people who express a little bit of individuality? The truly bold and daring ones get weird or frightened looks from strangers as they walk down the street. Sure, they may look different or they may look like outcasts, but they have not confined themselves into the style of the 21st century. They have already come to the conclusion that they don’t want the style industry to run their lives.
And yet we’re fearful of that individuality. We’re concerned they don’t look anything like us.
I want to go back to the days when everyday people were capable of making their own, one-of-a-kind clothing; when a sewing machine was not just something found in an antique store. People didn’t rely on designers and stylists to produce clothing for them. Instead, they were self-sufficient and used their imagination.
We’re always going to have fashion. There is always going to be clothing that is in style. There are always going to be designers who are telling us what we should wear and there is really nothing we can do about it.
Just keep spicing up what you’re wearing and show people you are capable of breaking free. Having clones follow you around isn’t always the best idea.
Therese can be reached at
featureseditor@theorion.com
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