RULES RUL OUT FOR SUMMER
OF ALL THE SARTORIAL curveballs Kim Kardashian West has lobbed at us over the years (and there have been many, from the fleshcoloured body stockings to the latex dresses), this week gave us one of the most unexpected:unexpect velour leggings. Nothing fancy, just the kind you’d wear to the gym. Except she wasn’t offof to Equinox and she wasn’t teaming them withwi a baggy tee, she was heading to dinner and wearing them with heels, a blazer and an eyeey popping Gucci bra. Collective reaction: huh?
But should we be surprised? Kim’s fashionfashio boundary crossing is indicative of a shift that’stha been gathering momentum for a while and isi now hitting its stride. As we demand more fromf our wardrobes, we’re calling time on fashion commandments and ripping up the rule book.boo
The e dress code is dead. We’re now wearingweari what we want, when the hell we want. Don’t fancy changing out of your jeans for a fancy event? No problem – chuck on a megawatt tuxt jacket, à la Kate Moss, and you’re good to go.g Love your heels? Take your cue from Lady Gaga,Ga who wears her Louboutin pumps to go hiking.hikin
Whileile these style switches might be clever,clev they’re also empowering – a sartorial signifiersignifie that we’re dressing for ourselves. In a climateclimat like this, US Congress’s new ban on women showing their shoulders in the Speaker’s LobbyLo seems not just sexist but outright ridiculous.ridiculous Maybe we should be saluting that move – afteraf all, the fun bit about rules is breaking them.