Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about personal expression, the world of fashion and how the advent of the Internet truly has changed things forever. Much like the academic world, the magic of the ol’ Interwebs has expanded the sartorial marketplace of ideas into a global conversation: trends in fashion and style are becoming less of a ‘top-down’ movement and more of a broad, accessible form of human expression in which all can participate (although high fashion and celebrity culture remain strong sources of influence).

BBC News recently published an article detailing the rise of the ‘fashion civilian’ via street style blogs and opinion pieces on the fashion world (hattip to Jack Bangerter for the link). Anyone and everyone can be a fashion critic these days (up to and including Yours Truly), and the fashion world is starting to take notice. Thanks to style-centric sites geared primarily towards young, educated females who cultivate a shared interest in all things fashion-adjacent, word gets out quick about silly, outrageous fads in the world of fashion (The Frisky’s writeup last week on divorce rings comes to mind) and fashion design has become much more accessible, thanks in large part to the popularity of television shows like Project Runway and big-time designers partnering with big-name retailers to create sharp design that’s accessible to all (heads-up: as reported last month, Missoni for Target launches on Tuesday!). Fashion has become an interactive part of our culture; a powerful form of communication for all to take part, whether we are conscious of it or not.

We need to encourage one another to do what we each do best and what we are truly drawn to do; to value things like art, music, literature, and other creative ventures that help us evolve into a more well-rounded society that appreciates artistic beauty and accepts others for who they are. We also need to focus on placing a premium on education and engaging one another in thoughtful, constructive conversations about the things we care about. I value the freedom of expression that allows people like me to put something out there; to share what I’m thinking and generate a dialog about things I find interesting, ridiculous or otherwise worthy of documentation. Yes, this is a blog about fashion, style and, to a degree, local events concerning these topics. I will also, from time to time, share some thoughts on other relevant topics worth discussing. This is why I write; this is why I care about these things. Freedom of expression in all forms MATTERS.

Thanks to those who support me in this wee little project of mine.

-dau