It’s sort of paradoxical when you think about it!
Table Of Contents
TRENDY VS OUT OF DATE
In a culture that has accepted Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” as an unofficial anthem, it’s getting harder to be special! Fashion Evolves trends tend to come and go incessantly: blink, and you’re going to miss the last one. A Matter of Taste tells you a thing or two about the factors that make certain products trendy and make others out of date.
A Matter of Taste is not necessarily your standard Fashion Evolves book. After all, from looking at his portfolio, his author seems much more likely to watch NatGeo over FashionTV every day of the year.
With that being said, A Matter of Taste can still be interesting for trend followers and Fashion Evolves designers. The explanation for that? It’s trying to discover the hidden forms, the “pure mechanisms” of fashion. To do this, the book thoroughly examines how success shifts over time and why.
It seems, to begin with, that it’s hard to describe taste and fashion. We know both of them are related, but it’s hard to really find out how. What’s the thing that governs fashion? And how do you make anything fashionable? Why, ultimately, is it that occasionally getting a taste means going against a grain?
PURE MECHANISMS OF FASHIONS
Lieberson doesn’t even study fashion on its own. Clothing, perfume, hairstyle, etc. are all afterthoughts. His focus lies solely elsewhere. Namely, in shifting first-name fashions. He feels he can learn more about Fashion Evolves in general by researching them. Why? Why?
Well, first of all, because, unlike other fashion traditions that are less visible and observable, first names are often properly registered. The data on them is freely accessible at all times. Secondly, first names are rarely affected by economic considerations.
After all, who would benefit from beginning a campaign to call your son Charlie? And when you pick a name, is anyone constrained by their class or education?
As a consequence, Lieberson could have a point! Studying the evolving fashions of first names is a good way to learn the “pure mechanisms” of fashion.
UNRAVEL HOW Fashion Evolves PROGRESSES AND SHIFTS OVER TIME
You will never equate naming patterns for catwalks, but Lieberson does! And he proves that by researching what’s trendy and what’s not in the field of first names, we can see how fashion progresses.
Names are stronger than clothing. First of all, since the data concerning them is now more readily accessible. Second, because consumer demands have little impact on their shifts. Finally, because everybody is entitled to call their children whatever they want. It doesn’t matter how much money he or she has. Fashion is not immune to external events. Like several other things, it’s all adaptive. And even though, in general, an external occurrence does not fundamentally disrupt fashion, it may affect it in such a way that it is both recognizable and observable.
Don’t you trust us? Then ask yourself, how many black children Barack was called during Obama’s presidency? It is important to remember, though, that not many were there afterward. This is because Barack is an uncommon name and because internal processes control naming activities. Most important among them is the logic of gradual improvement.
Discover in the book, A Matter of Taste about why you aren’t in control of your taste; the reason why Donald Duck is quite relevant for a name fashion. It doesn’t just stop here. As you read, you will find out why Mexican-Americans are apprehensive over naming their son Joshua and; why freak shows aren’t featured in Vogue any longer.
Haven’t read the book, A Matter of Taste yet? Well, to save your time, and to let you have more time to read, we are presenting you with a chapter-wise summary of the book, that will lead you to have a deep understanding of all the topics. Log in to the RollingSlates website/ App and enjoy the voyage of reading!!