B meant to
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The rules are meant to be broken, but don’t stop there – add a scarf, a chunky necklace and an ensemble of exotic prints. Fashion has no boundaries. words_keagan larkins. photo_olivia stauber. design_joey haas.
68 DISTRACTION Fashion
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he most important job of a fashion designer is to throw the most obscure, most groundbreaking trends onto the runway for the ultimate surprise and astonishment of the public. But for the consumer, it’s all a game of follow-the-leader. It’s time to stop being a rule-follower. Take back control of your closet and be your own style icon. These so-called “fashion rules” were first created as a way for women of old money to distinguish themselves from the rest of society in an age of drab clothing and new money – their unspoken law of style set them apart. The rulebook preached that white was off-limits after Labor Day. It also lauded the pure white color of vacation linens as a sign of wealth and luxury. But soon, even fashion houses like Louis Vuitton or Gucci began to nix these outdated ideas. High-fashion idols include white in their collections year-round. Mogul Coco Chanel had white in her collections, no matter the season, as early as the 1920s. Today, Virgil Abloh, the recently-named artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear line parades iridescent bags, utility vests and brightly-colored chains along the catwalk. Fashion rules are meant to be broken by those who can pull it off – but luxury brands are not the only ones allowed to upset popular trends. University of Miami senior Virtue Jean shatters fashion norms as a way of claiming her eccentric identity. “It’s all on the individual, it’s all on how you feel,” Jean said. “You can’t judge someone’s expression.” Take inspiration from New York or Paris Fashion Week, but know that you can mix it up in the weirdest, most elaborate ways. Having a list of fashion do’s and dont’s is a thing of the past, so here are a few rules that you should immediately break.