Today I want to share a great article about how tumblr kills personal style. If you haven’t read it yet, and you’re bored, read it here. Great read.
And though as much as I agreed with most of the post, I don’t think anyone, even if it’s an esteemed writer or a great critic, should stop you from wearing what you want. True, if you or someone you know is dressing a style because they see it on the internet, it may lose its content or lack originality, but that’s your/his/her/its decision. I always agree with the idea of originality, and creativity, but if you lack ideas when it comes to fashion/personal style and strive to imitate a certain style and you feel comfortable wearing it, then by all means, do it. Even if you saw it on tumblr, and even if you didn’t think of wearing it in the first place.
If you can be original, do it, always strive to be original, but there is nothing wrong with the way tumblr encompasses style. It is a great platform to inform others what is aesthetically pleasing to most. If all that you want is to apply to the masses, then……your mother probably didn’t give you adequate attention, no jk. If that’s your thing, do it.
As far as blogging goes, if you have no original content and you want to blog for the sake of being “famous”, that’s a different story. If you personally blog for the enjoyment of blogging then, keep doing what you do, even if all you’re doing is rearranging all the things that tumblr vomits. Just don’t get butthurt if your blog doesn’t do well because you have no original content.
To sum things up, if you’re a blogger or a designer, or anyone else who is more fashionably inclined, do your thing, but don’t be so elitist. Obviously anyone who doesn’t know much about anything is likely to look to a platform where they can find more information about their interests. Every beginner will imitate at the start. A dancer seeking to dance will take a class. An artist seeking to create will start with sketches. If you’re an aspiring….stylish person?…and you don’t know much about style/fashion and you want to, you’ll start with imitations instead of personal style. That’s okay. The blogs you read and the tumblrs you follow DOES represent your tastes and interests, so take what you see and grow, but never, never stay in the same place. Always grow, take the outfits you see, imitate if you must, but let it inspire you to create. So if you don’t skate and you enjoy the aesthetic of a skater, by all means, dress like a skater, but if you can, try to give it your own flair, we all have to start somewhere. Who cares if someone calls you a poser, stay confident in what you wear, confidence is style.
Completely agree with your response. I feel as though this article is playing elitist, and trying to pin 'newcomers' (for lack of a better term) on their lack of originality. In those cases, of course imitation is going to be present; everyone needs a template to start with.
ReplyDeleteFor me, developing my personal style started with admiration of others' tastes, and thinking "wow, I wish I could look that stunning" versus, "wow, I wish I could look just like them."
good to hear your response :] I feel the same way. What's ironic is that he himself states that people look to fashion icons in the media and such, yet looking at fashion icons on tumblr is somehow taboo? Who cares if people want to look like what 14 y/o girls reblogs.
DeleteI totally agree with all that you´re talking, it´s important to all of us to look for inspiration, and sometimes even imitate but the experience you get from that is the real important thing to grow and to get an original personal style. I´m very glad to realise your point of view about this wich is something people don´t like to talk about so much. Great post!
ReplyDeletehttp://sayalex.blogspot.com
I agree! Just because fashion is now being seen by a larger audience via tumblr, doesn't mean it's killing personal style. You aren't born dressing in the style you currently have (in fact, you're born with nothing on at all...), so by accusing an internet platform of destroying 'personal style' is a bit much.
ReplyDeletexx maggie
saltandleather.blogspot.com
So true, I have tumblr which is mostly just reposts because I like just curating my own spot on the internet and I really don't care how many followers I have. Though I have my own blogspot which is unique to myself and I do care about growing. Most 'blogs' on tumblr are like my tumblr, just sheer reposts; though I've always struggled to see these as 'proper' blogs, that is generating original content (imo). Tumblr is a lot like Pintrest in that sense.
ReplyDeleteNew to your blog, but really enjoying it!
Cheers
Charlie