The fashion world is beginning to move away from strict trends and towards originality. We fear being basic, and revere individualism. However, two questions remain in my mind: what does it mean to be original? and who’s allowed to be?

Fashion enthusiasts love to know what the next big thing is. Are we bringing back a lost era or are we ushering in something entirely new? What they generally agree on, is that originality is key. Whether we’re bringing back the past or creating something new, what matters is that it’s new. That being said, plagiarism has reared its head before. With the rise of fast fashion, plagiarism has become a more prevalent issue, as consumers struggle to differentiate between the original and the often less expensive copy. However, inauthenticity has been pervasive long before the rise of fast fashion. Exemplified by the renaissance of Y2K and 90s fashion, styles sported by black women have risen to meteoric popularity. While they may be popular now, when they were worn by primarily black women, they were considered “ghetto” or perhaps slightly more fondly, “ghetto fabulous”. These styles, which were once considered unattractive, by most of the mainstream fashion world, have resurfaced as the pinnacle of contemporary fashion culture. Black women pioneered the styles we love today, yet as the true originals, they remain largely unseen.

True originality is hard to come by. After all, inspiration comes from everywhere. However, the distinction between being inspired and simply recycling is growing blurry. When it’s hard to distinguish true individuality we reach my second question. Who gets to be original?

In the past decade, being basic has become one of the worst things you could be. Even as some trends prevail, it’s cool to be unique. Out of the box, outfits are popping up left and right, and even if they aren’t your style, most people would be hard-pressed to say they aren’t interesting. However, the concept of originality is not equally accessible to everyone. While we love the big red boots and tiny feather tops, why don’t styles more commonly associated with alternative/fringe communities get the same love? Both are on opposite sides of mainstream fashion, appearing outside the typical players in fashion, yet we reserve far more admiration for one. I suppose everything lies on a spectrum. And while both sides may be extreme, one is easier to embrace.

I dont think i’m able to answer the question of “who’s allowed to be original” quite yet. That being said, through the evolution of the fashion space, I trust we’ll see more and more types of expression, from both sides of the spectrum and everything in between.

Photo by Oladimeji Odunsi on Unsplash