Street Fashion

The Author is an incurable people watcher and traveler -- enthralled by the endless combinations of alternative, individualistic fashion found on the streets of urban centers worldwide. After all, human beings tend to adorn themselves as expressions of their personal taste and individuality. It was actress Susan Catherine that aptly observed: "Remember that always dressing in understated good taste is the same as playing dead."

Street Fashion often conjures up images of the Harajuku district of Tokyo and the wild and creative combinations that adorn the young Japanese who hang out there. Though often relying on a variety of brand names, Japanese street fashion is totally authentic in practice. Lolitas mix with Goths, cosplayers and Baroque princesses. (image: Cover of Fresh Fruit by Shoichi Aoki)

There are a number of great street fashion sites and blogs. CoolHunter is one of the best known. The site employs a worldwide network of correspondents with taste and cameras to seek out fashionable expressions on the streets of their own home towns. Their Paris correspondent has started his own blog, FaceHunter, which I really like. His images are great. This site has a list of links to other, street fashion web resources.

I've posted before about vintage baseball apparel from the Negro, Cuban and minor leagues, here. Though spendy, these garments are 100% authentic and made to very high standards. I like them. There's also a favorite post about a southern California family business that provides Zoot Suits to LA's barrio barons and players who are into Mexicanismo. It is clear that major brands have saturated the fashion market and are being discredited due to their lack of creative authenticity and their almost universal Chinese manufacturing. So what are the fashion-conscious to do? Why, make their own fashion statements of course. With whatever suits their fancy.

street fashion