RAB Source Entry #2- Anastasia Ortiz

Part 1: MLA Citation

Slone, Isabel. “There Are No Fashion Rules Anymore.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 June 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/10/opinion/fashion-what-to-wear.html.

Part 2: Summary

Fashion and lifestyle journalist, Ms. Isabel Slone wrote a New York Times op-ed ” There Are No Fashion Rules Anymore.” She explains how there are no longer any exact trends that can become “ubiquitous” which creates a difficult task for designers trying to sell pieces seeing as they don’t know which direction to go in. However one article of clothing that will remain in all if not most stores are jeans usually distributed in different cuts such as skinny, straight legged, high rise, etc. She goes on to show how impactful different social media platforms are when coming to fashion preferences. An example would be how TikTok rewards people for discovering their interests which was said by Ms. Tashjian. The pandemic pushed open the door for what can be considered acceptable and has lessened the pressure that used to be applied by peers to fit in with majority. Though fashion has become so creative and unique there are still a few trends that slip in here and there like criss cross bandeau halter tops and different cut jeans other than skinny. This sudden drastic change in appearance was also compared to other historical moments. After the Black Death in the 14th century, or even the Franco Prussian war they also experienced major changes in the fashion world. From outfits being more form fitting to having an upholstered look and use of many ribbons. She also mentioned that this new wave of wanting to freely express oneself through clothes may also be a trent in itself.

Part 3: Reflection

In this op-ed I learned just how difficult it would be for a designer to create their own store with a specific style. If they wanted to do well in today’s time they would have to sell clothing that adhere to every trend or fad existing, similar to what shein (an inexpensive online store, where you can get clothes, shoes, accessories, and miscellaneous items) is doing. But I also thought about if it’s hard for designers imagine how hard it is for the people to decide? There’s the choices of which popular trend, or maybe mix them. Then the choice of colors, price, brand, and so on. As of now I still haven’t decided on a set style. It just varies on the day, weather, or place that i’m going. I have my school clothes, going out clothes, church clothes, and errand clothes. Sometimes I wonder if the world put back standard fashion norms if people would follow or completely disregard them. Personally i might follow them because on my own I’m too indecisive.

Ms. Slone’s tone in her op-ed was very persuasive as to move her audience to be more open to changing the way they dress. In the very last line of the essay she says “We’re entering into a brave new world, and it’s important to dress for it — which is to say, exactly how you want.” Which was her words of motivation to get the reader to try something new. Readers or audience would be anyone who may have already involved themselves in the changes of fashion or are trying too. This author is credible because she has written on the subjects of fashion and lifestyle. She also made it to New York Times which is a very well know source of information.

Part 4: Notable Quotes

““The cycle of trends has sped up to such a degree that it’s basically impossible for any one thing to really catch hold and proliferate and become ubiquitous,” said Rachel Tashjian, a style writer at GQ”(Slone, 2022)

““Platforms like Tik Tok celebrate and frankly reward people for retreating into their own niches and discovering their interests,” said Ms. Tashjian.”(Slone, 2022)

““We all lived through this, and nobody knows exactly what people want — not just on the part of the consumer but also on the part of the designer.””(Slone, 2022)

“After the Black Death in the 14th century, which wiped out 60 percent of Europe’s population, she said, clothing became much more vivacious and form-fitting. Similarly, in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, emerging fashions were referred to as the upholstered look, owing to a preponderance of ribbons and other fussy details. “(Slone, 2022)

“There’s a cynical part of me that believes the current yen for personal style might itself be a trend, an exhaustion with the hype cycle manifesting as a rejection of all fashion rules.”(Slone, 2022)