Fashion Afoot
Fashion Afoot is the blog created to represent my trend predictions for Autumn/Winter 2014. The end of the world has been predicted by the Mayans in 2012 and other theories on how the world will systematically end are all over the blogosphere and Internet. However, the most likely cause of the end of the world has not been widely covered or explored in fashion, and that is because of World War Three. Several volatile factors in our world could easily escalate to full-scale war. For example, religion is the source of a lot of violence. Nuclear development in weaponry has become huge in modern society and countries like Russia, USA and Korea are notorious for showing off their nuclear weapons to intimidate others. Violent leaders, like Kim Jung Un of North Korea, and Putin of Russia are also extremely unstable in their cultural affairs. It is likely that World War Three will break out by 2014.
Amish Couture
‘Amish Couture’ is the first sub-trend of the end of the world theme. In World War One and World War Two there was a lack of everyday supplies and a huge increase in self-sufficient living. In modern society, this style of life is extremely rare, humans love quick living and an easy lifestyle. The only population in the developed world that still fully subscribes to this way of life is the Amish. The main difference between the Amish and people who lived during the war is the misogynistic values; women in the war were given more typically masculine roles as all the men were away, and women in Amish society are still very much put in the kitchen. These features are reflected with fashion styles. The ‘Amish Couture’ trend subscribers will use this back to basics lifestyle in the new world, living in large groups in open expanses just outside of destroyed cities.
‘Amish Couture’ takes inspiration from the Amish culture in the way of lifestyle and basic fashion. Tailoring, headwear, hairstyle and main colours are all tweaked using modern day style, and gender equality to create the new trend. The world ending doesn’t mean that people will abandon style, they will be around other humans and it is now in our nature to be self aware and presentable.
The main apparel features for ‘Amish Couture’ males will be dark colours and tailoring. This is extremely similar to that of the current Amish culture, but the tailored suits will become even sharper with defined shapes and lines. The couture side of the trend will be mainly mixed in with accessories. Jewelry will be very extravagant, yet inspired by nature, animals and wildlife to incorporate the back to basic lifestyle. Males will reinvent the typical Amish beard, modernizing it with sharp cuts to represent the Amish and couture lifestyle mix. The traditional Amish hat will also be reworked to be more style conscious.
The main apparel features for women are very similar to men. The women will choose to wear similar tailored suits like the men, or they can also wear the more feminine ‘Amish Couture’ clothing. Typically Amish cotton dresses will be transformed using black and white colour blocking. The dresses will also be much more tailored and detailed to show the development in lifestyle of this trend subscriber. Bonnets for women will also be altered using thick materials like leather and suede to be more stylish and modern. ‘Amish Couture’ will introduce clear plastic bonnets to encourage everyday usability.
The main colours of ‘Amish Couture’ will be shades of white, black and grey pantones. Gold, silver and diamond materials will also be a heavy feature in accessories, and materials like cotton, linen and patent leather will also be used a lot. Makeup will be minimalistic and mainly acrylic white in colour. Hair will be sleeked back and long for women, men will have rough, mid length hair and all will be natural colours.
Warrior Chic
The world war three breakout will require armies for the war to actually exist. With advancements in weaponry and materials there will undoubtedly be advancements in typical military fashion. I have renamed the soldier of war a ‘warrior’ to show the reminiscent style and lifestyle of the warriors in the 5th and 6th century. Warriors and knights from this era lived on the battlefield rather than in bunks and shelters, they had to keep warm and have a further personal battle of survival regarding food and conditions as well as the battle of war. Because the nuclear weapons will have destroyed all major cities, the warriors will live without electricity and will scavenge amongst the ruined cityscape.
The main features of the trend will be heavy armory and metal plate accessories. This clearly stems from the oldest style of knights who wore chest plates and full armored suits during battle. The development of smart materials means that these metals will be a lot stronger and lighter and will therefore be more practically wearable. Chainmail that was worn by knights and warriors will also be a sub feature of the ‘Warrior Chic’ trend, this material is extremely strong and almost impenetrable, so it is likely to be used in modern war.
Another feature of ‘Warrior Chic’ will be faux fur and knit layering. Because the warriors will be living outside in harsh conditions they will need to involve practicality as a fashion feature. There will be no need for real fur in the trend because of developments in synthetic materials. The faux fur will subsequently be lighter and more wearable and practical for the ‘Warrior Chic’ trend. Knit string vests will be worn under the rest of outer clothing to increase warmth, and the knitwear pieces could be worn in warmer weather without the heavy fur layers on top.
Headwear will be a large focal feature of ‘Warrior Chic’ and use knight style helmets that have been reworked to be more intimidating. Because of the end of government there will no longer be traditional reward medals, but the ‘Warrior Chic’ subscribers will use expensive artefacts as medals, once an opponent is killed they will take their medals as a sign of victory.
The main colours of ‘Warrior Chic’ will be shades of black and grey pantones. Metallics like silver and aluminum with light touches of gold and gemstone will also feature. Makeup will be heavy metallic’s and feature obscure items like eye plates. Hair will be long and rough, turning into thick tousled locks. Growing out coloured roots will show the unkempt, rough lifestyle of ‘Warrior Chic’ subscribers.
Anti - Religion
‘Anti – Religion’ will develop as a trend soon after nuclear attacks destroy cities and take lives. The religious buildings will all be destroyed by war and the religious population will realise their god will not save them from peril. This will result in ‘Anti – Religion’, which has two main features; Mourning and Rebellion.
The mourners will be in complete shock that religion has abandoned them and left them alone, they will treat this fact like death and go into a state of mourning. Like at a funeral, the main dress will be dark and gothic, with a sense of distress and ambiguity as to future. This trend will have less of a focus than the rebellion trend as it will last for less time.
The first feature of ‘Anti – Religion’ Mourning will be lace. This feature is typically gothic and will feature across all forms of apparel. The main use of lace that will stand out will feature as veils. The covering of the face will show the mourner’s detachment from society and their unwillingness to leave religion. The other main feature of the mourning stage will be velvet. Again, this typically gothic material will be used in every form of apparel and represent the indulgent way that the religious people treated religion.
The main focus of ‘Anti – Religion’ will be rebellion. The trend subscribers will be angry at the fact their way of life has been destroyed, they will act and live like activists and rebels and tear away from society in everyway. Churches and mosques will be burned and everything about religion will be destroyed.
The first feature of ‘Anti – Religion’ is inversion; all religious symbols will be morphed or inverted in some way to show the abandonment of religion. Distressed and damaged clothing will be the biggest section of the trend, clothing will have holes in and all sorts of staining will be used. Acid washed dark denim and mud stained materials will be seen everywhere in the ‘Anti – Religious’ cult. Studs and spikes will also be used in clothing to show the anger and resentment of the cult. Dark sunglasses will also be worn to emphasise the hostility that the trend possesses.
The main colours of ‘Anti – Religion’ will be shades of black pantones. However the main emphasis on the trend will be stains and distressed tears, rather than actual colouring of garments. Facial tattoos and piercings will feature heavily. Makeup will be heavy black around the eyes as well as on the lips, yet the makeup will be rough and smudged to show the uncaring activist lifestyle. Nails will be rough and chipped and the overall look will be scruffy. Hair will be asymmetric and bold in style, with rigid black, white and red colours. White hair will be dip-dyed black to show the new association that the subscribers have with darkness and rebellion.
Summary:
The three trends style’s are very individual, yet the similar features such as colour and thick heavy materials help the trends relate back to the original WW3 theme. The world as we know it is ending and style will be made to fit lifestyle; you will be a warrior and fight, an activist and rebel, or you will try and survive with what you have. Warrior Chic, Anti – Religion or Amish Couture.
