It’s very funny that a fashion world that claims to be all about pushing boundaries and being unconventional is still terrified of having any association with women over 30 (I have no idea how old you are, just looking at the Reddit comments lol)
it’s such a paradox hahaha —esp since personal style is such a conversation right now too. everyone is trying to find it. like, shouldnt we be looking up to those gen x-ers who have completely honed their personal style (ie: chloe sevigny, sofia coppola, etc.) over the past couple decades? their authenticity should be the blueprint. 20-somethings (like myself) are still trying to find out what even “works” lol !
All fashion is signalling of some sort, whether pushing a particular image, a focus on comfort, or just “I was in a hurry this morning”
There’s an inherent attractiveness when your clothes align with your personality. Friction occurs when we use our clothes to create a persons that we don’t feel is actually ours
Is part of the issue that people under 30 (or who wish they were still under 30) are more likely trying to “find themselves” and thus go for one fashion trend after another? People who know who they are and what they like change styles less often, and thus are less enthusiastic consumers
In my observation, menswear stores that start seriously dabbling in women’s wear over time sell mostly to women as they spend more & more often. Is it the same effect with under vs over 30s?
Some of the responses, in addition to being hostile, seem to miss the point.
“They are just dressing to be comfortable” - perhaps some cases, but that ignores all the people who are trying real hard to look this ugly. More traditionally stylish looks would not necessarily be harder or less comfortable to wear. It’s the curated “fashionably ugly” that we’re talking about, not “I threw this on just to cover my body at the grocery store”.
“You’re just getting old” - this isn’t a brand new thing that the olds don’t get. Nothing has really been created here, it’s more like a grab bag of old styles remixed in ways not originally intended. It’s more reactive than progressive.
I was thinking about this too. Dressing to be offensive or ugly (or to take offense?) and then being upset that people are offended by it... or that they find it ugly? Isn't this rather aggressive, to be pointedly in someone's face about "not caring" what they think? It's friendlier to just get dressed and know you look OK. You're just another person in the world. Why make it any uglier
It’s amazing that Reddit comments all have the same tone and style. They really know how to close ranks and turn anything into an ideological battle of good progressive (anything new is good) vs evil reactionary (questioning anything that young people are doing or which could be interpreted as something that poor or marginalized people might need or favor). Ugliness is good because it’s progressive and democratic. Beauty is elitist and nothing is redder meat for the redditor than a perceived defense of classical beauty.
I very much get the impression the ugly dressing trend comes from two places 1: ‘I’m so hot I can wear anything I want’ and 2: ‘I’m so confident in my position in society I can afford to dress in a way that could damage first impressions’. I’m not sure these are conscious thoughts, and maybe these aren’t motivations at all, just my projections
This is so accurate. If you’re fat, not conventionally attractive, old and/or poor, forget about dressing ugly. Then you’ll certainly be labeled as frumpy and maybe even get called out for “inappropriate” dressing (e.g. in a professional setting). IMO ugly dressing highlights the other aspects of the person being “acceptable” or beautiful by conventional standards.
However, I think this phenomenon does take place amongst the youth of pretty much every generation. A few other commenters mentioned grunge, flappers, hippies of the 60s eschewed makeup and wore blue jeans which were seen as ugly/work wear at the time (hard to believe now!) and even hipsters of the 00s and 10s were wearing frumpy thrifted house dresses and humungous Weezer glasses, and glasses used to be considered ugly period! Lots of things that start ugly also become mainstream and eventually we start seeing those shapes/silhouettes as flattering. Skinny jeans coming and going are a great example.
That's funny. When I see a particularly ugly item of clothing I feel drawn to it like I want to see if i can pull it off despite its ugly because (like you said) I'm confident. I don't think it damages impressions though.
I’d be really interested to hear if there is any effect for people who are ‘aspiring middle class’ as I guess I am, I’m quite sensitive to people I work with noticing I’m not one of them because of my background and very conscious of how I dress because of that. Probably says a lot about my sense of worth and sensitivities!
I can't speak for your background but I've been food stamps poor and what I've noticed is that regardless of where I am in life, the people judging harshly aren't worth worrying over. They're going to exist everywhere and if they're more worried about your style than your mind or heart then they must not have much going on good for themselves. Just enjoy yourself, no matter what you wear. If you like it, wear it (as long as it's appropriate for wherever you are). Life is too short to feel bad about clothes or haircuts, etc
Totally agree! Been meaning to write about this too but like…it’s such a fine line to tread, eh? In Berlin it’s cosplaying as homeless levels which on the one hand: wear wtv you want but on the other? No thanks! Hey, maybe I am getting aged…
Hahaha, very fine line! Especially to define what “dressing ugly on purpose” really means. Hard to define but definitely something that IS happening !!
100% I think you are spot on. I am a classic millennial in that I dress "flattering/harmonious", the disjointed thing just isn't my thing. I sometimes find the ugly look that is so trending a bit annoying, like its trying too hard to have personal style. Could just be a projection on my part, it makes me very aware I am not particularly trendy. I think I'm ok with that, and with how my style reflects my generation.
I definitely see your point. The popular trend amongst the fashion inclined (not necessarily in the industry but at the least following/appreciating it) is subverting what would typically be seen as “flattering” which would be accentuating a waist or elongating legs using shape and drape. Historically I don’t think it’s happened at this scale for the whole outfit but I do think that there were a few things in the past that resemble it - in the 20s with short haircuts and flapper dresses, grunge era baggy pants etc. but these were all considered fringe than the central look of the era. It may be as a response to a previous style era that over emphasized sexy clothes (like the aughts) so now women claiming back what they want as not necessarily pleasing shapes to others.
yeah I think we definitely go through phases of “defiant dressing” & like with any trend, it’s that rejection of what was popular before. it seems like now, every subculture (if we can even call them that anymore) has their own idea of ugly dressing of defying rules that it has become overwhelmingly normal to dress kinda ugly. super fascinating though. i definitely do it too because it’s fun to play with clothes in that way!
I embrace ugly styles - in particular, comfort forward ones like crocs - because I dress for comfort, not style, and it frustrates me that other people see my clothing choices as making a deliberate statement about myself as opposed to “I hate wearing these but I have to so I don’t freeze to death or get arrested”
And yes, I know that is in fact making a statement, but it’s unavoidable so I have to play along. I need to signal a bit of self awareness because people are always mistaking me for homeless.
I really loved this analysis! I wrote a little about this very embarrassing vulnerability I feel RE: dressing to flatter (https://ellagoinggray.substack.com/p/concealer). As much as there is a social stigma to looking "bad" in any way, there is also almost a taboo around evidently trying too hard and I think some of the responses you elicited online illustrate that.
This was both an excellent and quite amusing article—I wrote my own article on the fashion industry recently, but this provided an entirely different and quite fascinating perspective!
(TW: body image/fatphobia discussion) When I see people argue that folks wearing “ugly” clothes are rejecting beauty standards/patriarchy, I can’t help but think about the fact that many of these fashionistas still wear makeup and hairstyles that conform to beauty standards. It’s hard to agree that someone is dressing for genuine casual or even “lazy” vibes when they’ve meticulously applied Instagram-perfect makeup. I’m more inclined to interpret this fashion trend as an extension of the “is it a cute outfit or is she just skinny?” discourse that you mentioned. As other commenters have pointed out (especially Christine Ellen), sometimes I feel like it’s an effort to prove how hot someone is- “I can wear this ugly outfit and still look amazing, because I’m just that hot.” As another commenter (Margot Conover) pointed out, this can really highlight just how strict body expectations are. I’m reminded of the flapper dresses of the 1920s, which were considered an “unflattering” silhouette… and were considered to only really work on a specific, extremely slim body type. “Ugly” clothing trends often just serve to highlight “good” bodies, tightening the societal expectations for body shapes and sizes. I could go on another whole rant about how this trend coincides with the rise of Ozempic…
It’s very funny that a fashion world that claims to be all about pushing boundaries and being unconventional is still terrified of having any association with women over 30 (I have no idea how old you are, just looking at the Reddit comments lol)
it’s such a paradox hahaha —esp since personal style is such a conversation right now too. everyone is trying to find it. like, shouldnt we be looking up to those gen x-ers who have completely honed their personal style (ie: chloe sevigny, sofia coppola, etc.) over the past couple decades? their authenticity should be the blueprint. 20-somethings (like myself) are still trying to find out what even “works” lol !
All fashion is signalling of some sort, whether pushing a particular image, a focus on comfort, or just “I was in a hurry this morning”
There’s an inherent attractiveness when your clothes align with your personality. Friction occurs when we use our clothes to create a persons that we don’t feel is actually ours
Is part of the issue that people under 30 (or who wish they were still under 30) are more likely trying to “find themselves” and thus go for one fashion trend after another? People who know who they are and what they like change styles less often, and thus are less enthusiastic consumers
In my observation, menswear stores that start seriously dabbling in women’s wear over time sell mostly to women as they spend more & more often. Is it the same effect with under vs over 30s?
Some of the responses, in addition to being hostile, seem to miss the point.
“They are just dressing to be comfortable” - perhaps some cases, but that ignores all the people who are trying real hard to look this ugly. More traditionally stylish looks would not necessarily be harder or less comfortable to wear. It’s the curated “fashionably ugly” that we’re talking about, not “I threw this on just to cover my body at the grocery store”.
“You’re just getting old” - this isn’t a brand new thing that the olds don’t get. Nothing has really been created here, it’s more like a grab bag of old styles remixed in ways not originally intended. It’s more reactive than progressive.
I was thinking about this too. Dressing to be offensive or ugly (or to take offense?) and then being upset that people are offended by it... or that they find it ugly? Isn't this rather aggressive, to be pointedly in someone's face about "not caring" what they think? It's friendlier to just get dressed and know you look OK. You're just another person in the world. Why make it any uglier
> Why make it any uglier
To show you can get away with it.
It’s amazing that Reddit comments all have the same tone and style. They really know how to close ranks and turn anything into an ideological battle of good progressive (anything new is good) vs evil reactionary (questioning anything that young people are doing or which could be interpreted as something that poor or marginalized people might need or favor). Ugliness is good because it’s progressive and democratic. Beauty is elitist and nothing is redder meat for the redditor than a perceived defense of classical beauty.
I very much get the impression the ugly dressing trend comes from two places 1: ‘I’m so hot I can wear anything I want’ and 2: ‘I’m so confident in my position in society I can afford to dress in a way that could damage first impressions’. I’m not sure these are conscious thoughts, and maybe these aren’t motivations at all, just my projections
This is so accurate. If you’re fat, not conventionally attractive, old and/or poor, forget about dressing ugly. Then you’ll certainly be labeled as frumpy and maybe even get called out for “inappropriate” dressing (e.g. in a professional setting). IMO ugly dressing highlights the other aspects of the person being “acceptable” or beautiful by conventional standards.
However, I think this phenomenon does take place amongst the youth of pretty much every generation. A few other commenters mentioned grunge, flappers, hippies of the 60s eschewed makeup and wore blue jeans which were seen as ugly/work wear at the time (hard to believe now!) and even hipsters of the 00s and 10s were wearing frumpy thrifted house dresses and humungous Weezer glasses, and glasses used to be considered ugly period! Lots of things that start ugly also become mainstream and eventually we start seeing those shapes/silhouettes as flattering. Skinny jeans coming and going are a great example.
That's funny. When I see a particularly ugly item of clothing I feel drawn to it like I want to see if i can pull it off despite its ugly because (like you said) I'm confident. I don't think it damages impressions though.
I’d be really interested to hear if there is any effect for people who are ‘aspiring middle class’ as I guess I am, I’m quite sensitive to people I work with noticing I’m not one of them because of my background and very conscious of how I dress because of that. Probably says a lot about my sense of worth and sensitivities!
I can't speak for your background but I've been food stamps poor and what I've noticed is that regardless of where I am in life, the people judging harshly aren't worth worrying over. They're going to exist everywhere and if they're more worried about your style than your mind or heart then they must not have much going on good for themselves. Just enjoy yourself, no matter what you wear. If you like it, wear it (as long as it's appropriate for wherever you are). Life is too short to feel bad about clothes or haircuts, etc
"But dont scare the horses or the children" regarding public appearances years ago - still good advice.
Totally agree! Been meaning to write about this too but like…it’s such a fine line to tread, eh? In Berlin it’s cosplaying as homeless levels which on the one hand: wear wtv you want but on the other? No thanks! Hey, maybe I am getting aged…
Hahaha, very fine line! Especially to define what “dressing ugly on purpose” really means. Hard to define but definitely something that IS happening !!
It IS happening! Yeah don’t wanna offend, and like every single trend in fashion it can look amazing and also sometimes less so…ya know?
100% I think you are spot on. I am a classic millennial in that I dress "flattering/harmonious", the disjointed thing just isn't my thing. I sometimes find the ugly look that is so trending a bit annoying, like its trying too hard to have personal style. Could just be a projection on my part, it makes me very aware I am not particularly trendy. I think I'm ok with that, and with how my style reflects my generation.
loved this piece, finally someone said something!
I definitely see your point. The popular trend amongst the fashion inclined (not necessarily in the industry but at the least following/appreciating it) is subverting what would typically be seen as “flattering” which would be accentuating a waist or elongating legs using shape and drape. Historically I don’t think it’s happened at this scale for the whole outfit but I do think that there were a few things in the past that resemble it - in the 20s with short haircuts and flapper dresses, grunge era baggy pants etc. but these were all considered fringe than the central look of the era. It may be as a response to a previous style era that over emphasized sexy clothes (like the aughts) so now women claiming back what they want as not necessarily pleasing shapes to others.
yeah I think we definitely go through phases of “defiant dressing” & like with any trend, it’s that rejection of what was popular before. it seems like now, every subculture (if we can even call them that anymore) has their own idea of ugly dressing of defying rules that it has become overwhelmingly normal to dress kinda ugly. super fascinating though. i definitely do it too because it’s fun to play with clothes in that way!
I embrace ugly styles - in particular, comfort forward ones like crocs - because I dress for comfort, not style, and it frustrates me that other people see my clothing choices as making a deliberate statement about myself as opposed to “I hate wearing these but I have to so I don’t freeze to death or get arrested”
And yes, I know that is in fact making a statement, but it’s unavoidable so I have to play along. I need to signal a bit of self awareness because people are always mistaking me for homeless.
One of the most thought provoking think pieces I've come across. Well done!
I really loved this analysis! I wrote a little about this very embarrassing vulnerability I feel RE: dressing to flatter (https://ellagoinggray.substack.com/p/concealer). As much as there is a social stigma to looking "bad" in any way, there is also almost a taboo around evidently trying too hard and I think some of the responses you elicited online illustrate that.
This was both an excellent and quite amusing article—I wrote my own article on the fashion industry recently, but this provided an entirely different and quite fascinating perspective!
It was such a revelation to me when I realised that the point of wearing clothes wasn't necessarily to appear as thin as possible
Omg same….
i really struggle between "letting people wear what feels good" and "would this still be a slay if the wearer wasn't a thin, white 20-year-old?"
(TW: body image/fatphobia discussion) When I see people argue that folks wearing “ugly” clothes are rejecting beauty standards/patriarchy, I can’t help but think about the fact that many of these fashionistas still wear makeup and hairstyles that conform to beauty standards. It’s hard to agree that someone is dressing for genuine casual or even “lazy” vibes when they’ve meticulously applied Instagram-perfect makeup. I’m more inclined to interpret this fashion trend as an extension of the “is it a cute outfit or is she just skinny?” discourse that you mentioned. As other commenters have pointed out (especially Christine Ellen), sometimes I feel like it’s an effort to prove how hot someone is- “I can wear this ugly outfit and still look amazing, because I’m just that hot.” As another commenter (Margot Conover) pointed out, this can really highlight just how strict body expectations are. I’m reminded of the flapper dresses of the 1920s, which were considered an “unflattering” silhouette… and were considered to only really work on a specific, extremely slim body type. “Ugly” clothing trends often just serve to highlight “good” bodies, tightening the societal expectations for body shapes and sizes. I could go on another whole rant about how this trend coincides with the rise of Ozempic…