Defining the concept of style

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A lively conversation with my lunchtime companion Mr Raoul today brought up a very interesting question: "In a society that secretly dreams of being the next Carrie Bradshaw, how do you define your style identity without resorting to blatant plagiarism?"

It started when I mentioned there were very few local fashion magazines I made a point of reading on a regular basis, for the simple reason that very little of the stuff they peddle is truly original. Think about it. When was the last time you read or saw anything related to fashion that wasn't trying to channel Sex and the City or Gossip Girl?

That's one of my pet peeves about the pursuit of fashion in KL. Everyone's so busy passing themselves off as being fabulous and über chic with clothes-bags-shoes-to-match that you'd be hard-pressed to find even an ounce of freshness or individuality in them.

But I digress. Mr Raoul eloquently theorised the epidemic that plagues our local fashion scene is most likely caused by the voracious desire to embody what we believe to be the Western world's definition of 'style'. (A case of monkey see, monkey do perhaps?)

My riposte is that most people are sheep, don't like to think too hard about how to dress, and find comfort in looking identical. Don't believe me? Take note of the way people around you dress the next time you go flea-marketing. It's always weirded me out that most chicks seem perfectly content to walk around looking like carbon copies of each other. Boho dresses? Gladiators? Topshop-with-a-dash-of-Cats-Whiskers from head to toe? Check, check, and check.

Not that there's anything wrong with trying out whatever happens to be 'in' at any given time. Au contraire! I for one am very much in love with leggings and chunky heels. But I also happen to have an aversion to looking like anyone's fashion twin, and it's incomprehensible to me that anyone might think it's cool to show up in an outfit that twenty thousand other people are wearing.

The point that I'm trying to make is: whatever happened to originality? It's a shame that the average Malaysian has a natural tendency to latch on to a trend and not let go (much like my dog when I play tug rope with her). And it's ironic that trends that start out being 'different' and 'quirky' become so widely embraced in such a short space of time that they very quickly become mainstream.

Give up that dream of being the next Serena van der Woodsen already. We're not in New York, people are not going to like you more just because you dress like them, and it's a dangerous bankruptcy-inducing path you are embarking on. (So what if - like everyone else - you get your threads el cheapo from blog shops? It still adds up. And do you really believe keeping up with the van der Woodsens comes cheap?)

It's not a bad thing to not be as clued in to latest-must-have's and can't-be-seen-without's as your friends, y'know. Roll your eyes now if you want to, but you'll thank me later when you realise shopping's a whole helluva lot easier when you've only yourself to please.