Fashion and style are the two words that we frequently hear when talking about appearance, the words that are also often used interchangeably. It is not unusual to find someone talking about style but mixing it with fashion. One might really be talking about fashion but confusing it with style or vice versa. Are you among those who think that fashion and style have the same meaning?
While it is perfectly understandable why one might get confused among the two, style and fashion are two distinct terms with the same yet different meanings.
Style is a matter of personal taste and opinion. What they want to wear, what they would like to ensemble, it’s one’s own choice. Fashion is about following trends, but style is about being unique. When it comes to dressing up, style refers to dressing up according to one’s personal preferences, whereas fashion refers to dressing up according to the newest trends. When it comes to style, there are no right or wrong answers; only comfort and bias. Fashion, on the other hand, is based on what is fashionable and what designers accept; You buy what’s on the shelves at every store and what everyone else is wearing. Fashion is more about conforming to the norm, whereas style is highly individual and personal.
Our Bollywood celebrities are well aware of this distinction, they don’t fret when trying on something new and fashionable, but also have their very own unique style that they incorporate in their attires. Shilpa Shetty, for example, is known for her saree designs. She hops onto the latest trends but brings her saree essence to whatever she wears. She is well-known for experimenting with various saree styles and maintaining her saree identity.
There is a very popular saying by Yves Saint Laurent- ‘Fashion fades, style remains.’ Fashions are like guests, they are there one day and gone another. We ourselves see that the trends change every day. We buy new outfits according to the fashion trends but before we get to wear them, trends change. But style is eternal, it’s inherent. And when we mix fashion with style, it creates something of magic. When we copy outside fashion we look just the same as others but when we incorporate our unique style, we blend in yet stand out of the crowd.
One such person who has a separate fan base for his style is our very favourite, Hritik Roshan. He is fashionable yet he never compromises with comfort. People are constantly impressed by his sleek, comfy, and sophisticated style and are often wowed by his elegance.
Similarly, everyone knows about Rekha’s eccentric style. There is no second thought that Rekha is a style icon and she flaunts everything that she adorns. But it’s also no secret that she has a very distinctive preference called kanjeevaram sarees. Red carpets or fashion shows, she mostly sports kanjeevaram saree and My God, Does she look like a Goddess!
Giorgio Armani says that “the difference between style and fashion is quality.” Style is what you do with what you buy, not what you wear. The key to good style is to look and feel good in whatever you’re wearing. Fashion is fleeting, and trends come and go, but style is something that lives on in a person. There’s a saying, “Fashion says ‘me too’, style says ‘me only'”. A person should not be afraid to display their true self and they should not be afraid to use fashion to express themselves and their uniqueness.
Style and Fashion go hand in hand with each other and without one, the other is incomplete. Incorporate both of them together and be confident in what you do and what you wear. Real style is never right or wrong, it’s a matter of being yourself. Trust yourself, dress confidently and you will have whatever you strive for.