Style Vs Fashion

This is an age old discussion.  What is better, to be Stylish or to be Fashionable? 

I think a Stylish person can be fashionable or vice versa but a Stylish person is more apt to be fashionable and Stylish than a Fashionable person is to be Stylish and Fashionable.

Let me explain.  Style is timeless, it’s the Chanel handbag, the pearl necklace, the trench coat, the items in your wardrobe that stand the test of you time.  You can wear them now or 10 years from now and you will still look stylish.   Fashion is seasonal, it’s the Balmain shoulders, ruched leggings, the crop top.   These items are usually shown on the runway as the “new it item” and then adapted by the fast fashion chains like Dottie, Forever 21 and H&M within a week of their debut.  These items are often stylish for a few seasons and then drop off the radar. 

A stylish person may incorporate a new fashionable item into their wardrobe if it fits in with their lifestyle.  I find the mistake most ‘fashionable’ people make is with wearing too many of the seasons trends all at once and making themselves look more like fashion victims than fashionably stylish.

This explanation can also explain why certain items will cost more.  If you buy a Chanel handbag for $2000 and then wear it every day for just one year, the cost per wear is roughly only $5.50 per day.   And since that bag will be timeless you will be able to wear for years and years, which brings the cost per use down even lower.

You can buy a knock off any fashion item at a fraction of the cost because it will only be around for a few seasons so why spend a lot of money on it.  There are the select few that will buy the original fashion item but they are usually celebrities that can afford to discard the expensive items and buy the new “it” item every season.

Another observation I’ve made regarding the Style vs Fashion discussion is that a Stylish person seems to stay stylish whereas Fashionable people come and go with the trends.  Yes Rhianna is very fashionable at the moment but without her amazing Stylist and tremendous budget she would soon fade away.

What are your thoughts, would you rather be Stylish or Fashionable?