Street Style: You've Killed the Fantasy

 

Initially, it was exciting and fresh like a brand new toy you discovered as a child while picking apart the presents placed underneath the Christmas tree. That's the same excitement and wonderment I had for street style blogs when they first emerged on my web browser. I couldn't get enough of how each and every man in Florence can rock the same navy blazer in a new and interesting way. One man would wear his blazer with an intricately wrapped scarf that he probably did in seconds. Another man's blazer would have sleeves rolled up to reveal his olive tan and stacks of beaded leather bracelets probably identifying him with an elite Tuscan tribe. While an older Italian wears his blazer in a traditional way with a white button up shirt and perfectly cut slacks only to reveal his bright pink colored socks that schools us on how older Italian men do a "pop" of color!

Street style blogs in their infancy was a real celebration of personal style. It captured stylish men and women with the quick wink of a camera without them really knowing it. But then it all changed. Everyone created a street blog of their own. Anyone with a fancy Nikon digital camera became a street style "journalist" and the innocence of taking a glance of a truly fashionable person disappeared.

A recent NYT article has shown us, the phenomena known as street style has become an official soul less business. The once innocent pedestrians are now schilling clothing of up and coming designers. Most are paid and some do it for free gifts. Ironically, the NYT also started its own street style slideshow that asks people to submit their own posed pictures based on an identified trend.

Isn't there a Hippocratic oath for that? Somewhere in a fashion bible it must say something about how journalists shouldn't throw stones on a trend you've also appropriated. Shame NYT...for shame.

Are fashionable people killing fashion and personal style in today's modern era. In an age where the latest style information is delivered in a micro-nano-4G-second, a once fun and innocent new toy becomes perverse and irrelevant. It's like the time when the little girls I once knew changed and started making their Barbie dolls less of a princess and more of a pole dancer. Malibu Barbie is stripped down to her bikini and only goes by the name Malibu. Her pole show starts at 9 and the choreography is based on the hottest new Britney Spears video.

Dear Sartorialist, your pictures have become less inspiring to me because I only see yet another model paid for product placement. Thank you for killing my innocence.   

YES: It's official. Street style is no longer cool
NO: You don't have to quit it if it means choosing between the Sartorialist or crack/cocaine...ummm...yes the Sartorialist has less calories
MAYBE: Actually going to Florence or just sitting still and enjoying life and the people who may randomly cross your path may be the best way to be inspired by fashion and personal style