Is This Thing On?

Happy New Year

Hello, fashion internet world. Welcome to More Than a Fad, where we critically think about fashion, from creations to the industry at large. I go by Jayden, and I will be your commentator for all our time together. The only thing I ask when you enter the Faddom, you prepare to dive in and question everything. Critical analysis should be applied to everything in this world, and only when we investigate and analyze can we truly decide what is complex and worth attention, and what is worth a laugh or disengagement. Besides that, we are going to have such fun :)

Since it's day one, I won't get too far into any analysis right now. Let me put my soapbox in the corner and give my third eye some rest just for today, and just proceed to introduce myself. Let's see, where do I begin?

Fashion, while I won't say "is life", has been part of my life for as long as I could remember. Putting looks together with a middle school wardrobe wasn't easy. (I was in middle school if that wasn't clear. I am not wearing middle school clothes....) From playing with color and prints, and having the audacity to express myself outwardly after primarily wearing hoodies and sweatpants, a trajectory was set. Then going into high school, and pushing that style even further, also it's important to note we wore uniforms in school, so having those confines helped my styling brain. Then going on to college and getting an understanding of the world differently, looking at philosophy and history, and learning people's behaviors (alongside learning about media both production and distribution) forced my brain to look at things with a refined eye. People communicate through clothing whether they know it or not and as a way to further introduce myself, I will show who I am a bit through clothing. 

Humorous

Happy Holidays Hoodie

Laughter, they say, is the best medicine. I never get sick. Okay that's not true, but humor for me isn't just a superpower, but a matter of protection. Being able to make someone laugh or smile, not just through clothing, can shift atmospheres and lives. Not to say I am out here doing the lord's work but come on. Even if it does nothing for others it does so much for me. When it comes to clothing, I sometimes like humor in my style. I like jokes that manifest into garments and look for my friends to get or to signal to other people who may spend too much time on the internet. 

Resilient

DC Trip, with a cropped hoodie, cut shorts and my friend's bag.

As an avid lover of thrifting and buying things second hand, you have to be ready to get crafty. Being resilient and having the ability to bounce back and essentially be solution oriented has been so helpful throughout life. It's a piece of advice I always offer, there is an art to the pivot and when you learn that art, nothing can stop you for too long.

Student

Reading poems by Nikki Giovanni, and the book went with the look

Something I like to incorporate into styling is books, or something I am actively learning about. Whether literally carrying books with a look, or using the title or lesson to craft a look. I sometimes will be doing research on things like futurism, then styling myself with futurism in mind. Being a student of life is something I hope is evident when getting to know me. As James Baldwin once said, "Yes when I was young I knew a lot! Now I don't know nothing - which is a great relief". Being a student of fashion, especially within the history of marginalized communities is what sparked me to start buying from black owned brands from the 90s and 2000s, that I saw people older than me wearing at the time. 

 Expressive

New Orleans I miss you so

I am not the person with the all black wardrobe. I do love black clothing and not just for special events or mourning, but I also wear plenty of color. I am not the best color blocker, but I am not shying away from any arrangement of colors, because sometimes it calls for looking a little wacky. Throw on that wig, take the belt from that jacket and make a headband. Wear all black to mourn with a pinch of white to show hope. Sometimes my outward expression is different from the oneI am feeling at the time.

Rebellious

Entering the Renaissance, not my most rebel look but you get it

I think it can be surprising to people to find out that I can be quite rebellious as a person. I personally do activist work and community organizing, and find advocacy important. It's frustrating that it has to be labeled rebellious, but the powers that be find it that way, so that is part of the label I bare. What people don't realize is that rebellion, especially to a system designed to oppress, is a sign of care. And to act on that is choosing care for others over your own comfort. Rebellion in fashion can be done in a million ways, a lot of my own expression is through non gendered dressing and not letting my body type stop me from wearing things. Also not caring so much about labels and trends in my personal style, and wearing what I want!

Now that I have shared a little about me, make sure you stick around because we are just getting started. There is so much that we will get into, from sustainability to cultural awareness, and more. Introduce yourself and let me know something about you below. This is Jayden from More Than a Fad signing off.

-Jayden <3