The Power of Personal Style: How Streetwear Can Empower the Individual
Style is not just about looking good and turning heads
As a writer, designer and someone who has always been interested in fashion, I always knew the potential of personal style and how it can empower an individual. Individual transformation, when aggregated, has the power to transform society itself. Whether through the clothes we wear, the accessories we choose, or how we present ourselves to the world, personal style is a way to express ourselves and feel confident and self-assured.
For me, streetwear has always been a way to embrace my individuality. Fashion style is not just a way to adorn oneself, but to make a statement about who one is and what one stands for. From the brands I choose to wear to how I put together an outfit, to what clothes I decide to create, streetwear has allowed me to communicate my values and personality to the world. Often people are too shy to break the ice and start a conversation thus a fierce personal style is sometimes the only way that some have to express what they are about and allow others to connect with them.
Style is not just about looking good and turning heads — the way we dress in the streets or the fashion shows a designer presents can also be a way to make a political or social statement. We remember some notorious political statements from designers, when Vivienne Westwood protested for climate revolution at the Paralympics or when she made a strong statement about voting green in her A/W show of 2015.
Fashion can be more than just a way to express oneself. Through styling, one can use their style choices to create a statement about themselves and what they stand for. It is a way to make a difference in the world. Whether through the design of a shirt, the message on a hat, or by means of the proceeds of a product going to a charitable cause. Style choices can hold considerable weight.
Fashion can also issue some more personal statements. As we have seen when Walter Van Beirendonck made a statement that he hates ‘FASHION COPYCATS’, a direct shot to Virgil Abloh and his Louis Vuitton’s SS21 menswear presentation. Furthermore, Walter added “Copying is nothing new. It’s part of fashion. But not like this. Not on that level, with their budgets, their teams, their possibilities. That’s what is shocking to me…”. Through his show, the Belgian designer is not only condemning Virgil but the current state of the fashion industry and its lack of creativity.
Of course, personal style is about more than just the clothes you wear. It is also about how you carry yourself and the confidence you exude. Streetwear can be a way to boost your self-confidence and to feel comfortable in your skin. Whether rocking a bold and daring outfit or something more understated and classic, it is important to wear what makes you feel good and not worry too much about what other people think.
So what is the power of personal style? It is the ability to express ourselves, make a statement, and feel confident and self-assured. It is about embracing our individuality and using our personal style as a manner to have a positive impact in the world. And for me, streetwear has been a powerful tool in this journey towards self-expression and empowerment. It helped me in asserting myself and developing my own identity.
In a world where too many choose the comfort of conforming to the norms, dare to be yourself.
