Alain sent me a cool article from Fashion Tribes, which brings up a good point.
It seems like things can be broken up between fashion victims, pseudo-individuals, and actual individuals. The whole "customization" trend which, quite honestly didn't even register on my radar, is a perfect example of pseudo- individualism. The trend found a comfortable spot between those wild and creative individualists most can't emulate, and those Von Dutch T-Shirt, Short Denim Skirt, Ugg wearing disasters who pay top dollar to look like a clone.
The pseudo-individualists are like that clique in high school. You know, the group that scoffed at the preps, jersey wearing jocks, and hip-hop kids, and nestled in their corner of the cafeteria dressed head to toe in Goth-wear or something equivalent. They mocked the "clones", the consumers, the puppets.... and then all marched to Hot Topic after school and bought new counter-culture t-shirts... together! (I never understood how they didn't see the irony in this).
I'm not picking on the Goth-kids. They just happened to be the counter-culture group in my high school... the point is, manufactured originality always ends up looking the same. Wearing custom metallic purse does not set you apart from the hundreds of other girls on campus who have non-customized metallic purses. The difference between a Target screen printed T-shirt for $9 (my favorite says "Jamaica, Come and Say Hi!" with a picture of a palm tree) and an Urban Outfitters $28 screen printed shirt ("Idaho.... You da ho" is funny if you know someone from Idaho) is negligible. A "limited edition" Coach bag with C's all over it does not really set you apart from the regular Coach bag with C's all over it (except to people who know Coach bags, in which case you still haven't achieved your goal).
In closing, you should check out this article because its funny and thought provoking. For the pseudo- individualists out there, you may find something new to covet... Especially if you've always contemplated a pair of chocolate Nike's, a $100 pizza, or that $50 gold-encrusted cocktail...
And at last, a note to the fashion victims out there: Mashalls in Boston got in a huge shipment of Uggs. I made the mistake of walking down the isle when the pastel colored boots had just been put out. As I reached for a pair of black heels a haughty blond almost ripped my arm off for fear might be reaching for the size 10 Uggs next to them....
Now that you've read my rant, check out a site that turns its nose up at all this nonsense....check out Cuca Handmade Design (picture above).
Says desinger Paloma:
"Cuca" is a nickname in Spanish, but also means "you're all dolled up" / "looking sassy". Looking cuca/cuco ain't specific to a gender, everyone can look muy cuca or muy cuco.With an emphasis on style, quality, originality and community, Paloma's style is definitely one with supporting!
No mass manufacturing here!
UPDATE: THIS SITE IS NO LONGER UP AND RUNNING... SO SAD! POST LEFT FOR CONTENT AND INSPIRATION
