Fashion should be considered as a language. Just like how different accents, dialects, and local idioms make up the English language, fashion has its own nuances of meaning that are often overlooked. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

Language is how we communicate with one another as well as express how we’re feeling using words instead of actions. With fashion being such a personal way to express oneself and show who you are on the inside, it makes sense that fashion should be seen as a language. Read on to find out why this is so and why it’s beneficial to see fashion in this light!

Why is Fashion Like a Language?

Fashion is a visual language that is all around us. In order for us to communicate, we use a common language whether it’s written or spoken, and fashion is no different. You might be wearing a scarf today and not even realize that you’re using fashion as a form of communication.

Like any other language, fashion has its own grammar, syntax, and vocabulary that are used. The difference is that we often don’t realize what we’re saying or how we’re being perceived by others.

That’s why it’s important to recognize the significance of fashion and see it as a language. By doing so, you’ll be able to better understand how fashion works and what it’s communicating. You can then use it to your advantage in different ways whether that be for yourself or for others. And why not?

Fashion is a fun and creative way to express yourself. It’s a great way to make a statement and show others who you are and what you’re about by what you’re wearing! It can also be used to make a bold statement or statement to inspire others. Why shouldn’t we be taking advantage of this?

How Is Fashion Like a Language?

Fashion is like a language in many ways. It’s something that has been around for centuries, it’s expressive, and it’s used as a form of communication. What’s more is that fashion has an ever-evolving and changing language that is constantly evolving, has new words and meanings, and even has variations in dialects depending on where you are and who you’re speaking to.

As mentioned above, fashion is a visual language. What we wear is what we communicate. Whether it be a ballerina tutu, a business suit, or even a pair of jeans, we are sending a message to those around us through what we’re wearing. Fashion is also expressive. Ever since the start of time, humans have been creative and have used fashion to express themselves. Fashion is also used as a form of communication. Whether you’re going for a job interview, at a party, or even just hanging out with friends, what you’re wearing communicates a lot about you!

Fanning yourself on a hot summer day was once the norm. But when air conditioning came along, fans were most obsolete. However in recent years, there has been an increase in demand of hand fans as well as an increase in the popularity of fans overall. Vintage hand fans can be beautiful on top of its practical functionality and even help decorate your home with a touch of antique charm.

The origin of hand fans can be traced as far back as 4,000 years ago in Egypt. The fan was seen as a sacred instrument and used in religious ceremonies and was also seen as a symbol of power royalty even in this early form, as evidenced by the two elaborate fans found in King Tutt's tomb. (You can read more here)

Hand fans can provide a much needed cooling breeze during a heatwave. A couple of weeks ago while attending a Fashion Film Series in our local museum of art, I noticed the front row VIP guests all cooling off while seducing voyeurs with their vintage fans. Then this morning while I was sipping on my morning tea and reading Vogue India, I couldn't help but notice fan as a top accessory suggested by celebrities of the new world of fashion. These recent occasions together, got me thinking about the collection we have to share with our community.

What is our connection to hand fans?

There are a couple of reasons why I have always loved fans. First and foremost, it brings me back to childhood times playing over my grandmother’s home. All the wonderful not-surprising, basic logic behind the psychology of fashion right? Yes its always there. 

My dear grandmother had not just a nice collection of jewelry and all the basic accessories, but she also loved pretty fans. Each of them were so different on the story it would tell. I remember this bone colored plastic one with a lace texture on the cutouts design was a favorite of mine while playing dress-up.

Then there was this very delicate one, we could barely touch or open it. It had maroon red velvet ribbons waving thru its delicate structure. This one was never used for play but admiring only. I would take it out of the box, carefully open it and imagine when it was originally first used. I loved to wonder where it came from, who did it and how was it done. I imagined the wearer and the scene where it all happen.

Another one was full of tiny images advertising beautiful gardens of the world. Yes my grandmother was a nature’s lover. Her plants would fill half of the rooms in her house. She had vases on the ground and vases dangling from ceilings. Plants were everywhere and they were always shining energy beautifully smiling at my grandmother.

Second, I want to bring light to the fact that fashion goes beyond the business of clothes. More important than what we wear is how we wear, why we wear, when we wear. It all tells a story, be intentional. The hand fan we carry, the baseball hat we chose, the heels we walk on, it all tells a lot about ourselves, our values and aspirations.

One of my favorite things about our Fashion Runway Production educational classes, is the opportunity it gives to k-12 students to develop self-awareness which directly connects to self-discovery and build confidence. Its so important to develop self-awareness around who you are, what do you believe, why do you love, what is your purpose. Be intentional with your clothes and accessories, fashion is a language.

We could go off on a tangent and get into sustainability and fashion. How the fashion industry affects the environment, but that will be an entire other conversation we have to continue bringing to the spotlight. We have to protect our planet and we can do better as citizens of our world. Fashion can be anyone's superpower when you shop what you love and wear what you love. 

Back to the old and new fans' conversation. Do you wear hand fans? How do you feel about them? Have you ever used one? In case you are a hand fan lover looking for some sustainable beautiful options, check out the unique vintage fans we have in the shop right now. Only available while reduced shelf supply last. Not available to re-order.

The Power of Fashion

The final two hours before the fashion show was a frenzy of activity. The room was a cacophony of color and sound.

Twenty-three novice designers had spent the past six weeks visioning, drawing, designing and creating wearable fashions that they would model before moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents and others.

Fashion Week Accessories and Jewelry review by James Hagerman

We were hit with New York Fashion Week. Then London, then Milan, and then Paris. Many designs were particularly eco-conscious this season. Across the board, collections showed more global awareness, whether it was based on high levels of diversity and inclusion on the runway, like Prabal Gurung’s “Who Gets to Be American?” show, or celebration of traditional cultures, like Niu Niu’s collection that highlights his Chinese heritage. Trends in jewelry and accessories also followed these artistic visions.

At talkingfashion, we love baubles, whimsical bijoux, and all things accessories. Many New York Fashion Week trends, like chain links, shells (again), oversized eyeglasses, boxy patterns, bags, and shoes arose as equally-trendy on the other side of the Atlantic. Here are some widespread designers who embodied trendy themes that definitely caught our eye!

Nature in the Streets

As we noted in our last blog post, designers at New York Fashion week flaunted shells, bright colors, and flower crowns in their pieces. On Valentino’s Parisian runway, feathers were tasseled onto shoe heels, belts, and bags, and attached to frilly dresses and loose tops, lifting models to new heights, and allowing them to look as if they were gliding across the runway. While many fabrics were angelically white, others were monochromatic, bright, and lush, featuring prints of various flora and fauna. On the more brightly colored pieces, gold earrings also featured colorful stones and some models donned tinted shades, creating a whirlwind of color and mystique. With a few of the brighter ensembles, longer necklaces and earrings included animal figurines.

(source: Vogue/Valentino show)

Nature was also placed on the forefront from the contrast it drew against streetwear fabrics in many shows, a notable one being Prada at Milan Fashion Week. Prada featured models clad in “Timeless hipness” according to Vogue; this “hipness” was accentuated by snakeskin and bucket bags (and hats), and gigantic shell necklaces and earrings. Vogue quotes Miuccia Prada herself, who completely represents our motto at talkingfashion when she stipulates that “personal style is more important than clothes.” Or, as whimsical fahion icon Iris Apfel says, “What’s my style is not your style.” The Prada designs this season looked affordable, more DIY, and mix-and-matched. There was an element of individuality that was brought out by the contrasting fabrics and the eccentricities in the accessories.

(Source: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2020-ready-to-wear/prada/slideshow/collection#25 )

Outdoorsy bucket hats were also present in Dior’s Paris Fashion Week show, which was the most nature-infused runway this season. According to an Elle article on Dior’s sustainable, eco-friendly show, real trees from European nurseries bound for urban sustainability projects in Paris lined the runway. Dior’s show featured rope-tied sandals and belts, large beaded necklaces of wood and pearl, wicker hats, and foliated gold necklaces, chains, earrings, and brooches. The foliated gold added a level of leafy luster to the otherwise earth-tone outfits.

(Source: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2020-ready-to-wear/christian-dior/slideshow/collection#10)

Stay Gold, Stay Metallic

There was so much gold on the runway this season!

Dior was not the only prominent designer to accessorize with gold this season. Gold accessories, such as gilded, bejeweled brows and asymmetrical dangling gold earrings, as well as chain-link lariats and figurines attached to gold hoops, evoked the sense of foliated leafiness that Dior’s designs created. Models walked with an ethereal, yet natural aura on Valentino’s runway. This kept perfectly in-line with the eco-conscious theme of Spring 2020 designs. 

(Source: https://www.crfashionbook.com/fashion/g28964083/best-accessories-springsummer-2020-fashion-week/?slide=18 )

Chloé at Paris Fashion Week also endowed their pieces with thick gold and metallic bands, chokers, and earrings. These designs oozed professional sophistication. Accessories were just enough to complete pieces and alter them with an imaginative pop without detracting from the rest of the ensemble. The rest of the pieces were quite simple, which allowed jewelry to stand out without taking on an overtly flashy presence. 

(Source: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2020-ready-to-wear/chloe/slideshow/collection#25 )

A few of the chokers at Chloé’s show were chain-link, and this was a widespread trend for the 2020 Spring season. Sacai, Alyx, Chanel, and Rick Owens also mastered the chain-link look in chokers and other pieces of jewelry, like earrings.

(Source: https://www.vogue.com/article/the-top-jewelry-trends-of-spring-2020)

In Milan, Moschino’s thick gold-colored bracelets, earrings, and chain-link necklaces and belts added an effervescent shine to all of the colorful floral and Picasso-inspired printed fabrics. Many accessories were also inlaid with colorful jewels that matched the color of fabrics, turning models into literal works of art.

(Source: https://whoworewhatjewels.com/jewelry-details-from-moschino-and-prada-ss20-rtw-collections-from-milan-fashion-week/ )

Geometric Patterns

Chain link aside, there were many other shape-centric looks this season when it came to accessories. Polka dots and squares pervaded the runway, and in the case of Christopher Kane, accessories were actually part of the fabric! His “Eco-Sexual” collection is themed around “Making love in nature” and being “in touch with the earth” according to Vogue’s coverage. Metal spheres were embedded into the fabric of most of his pieces, and also attached elongated glass earrings. The industrial aspect of the geometric accessories contrasted with patterns on fabric to idealize coexistence between humanity and nature. 

(Source: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2020-ready-to-wear/christopher-kane/slideshow/collection#18 )

Lanvin’s Paris show was also full of geometric patterns in its free-flowing, baggy fabrics. Some of these fabrics were brought back to earth with gold dangling, cubic necklaces and earrings, along with the occasional choker. Rigid jewelry pieces also allowed materials to flow even more, as large hoop earrings actually carried attachments of colorful patterned fabric. Hoops were another prevalent trend this season, finding their way into other collections, like Balmain, Marni, and Missoni.

(Source: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2020-ready-to-wear/lanvin/slideshow/collection#9 )

Embracing Differences

Across many of these collections, a massively prevalent theme was contrast and juxtaposition. Christopher Kane’s “Eco-Sexual” collection is completely built around the concept of two different ideals converging (nature and human), as is Prada, which mixes and mismatches styles, fabrics, and accessory choices for each piece. Another collection that zeroed in on especially intricate juxtaposition was the designer Area, whose New York collection featured over-the-top strings of crystals on the face, shoulders, and ears, creating an opulent shell-like covering around models that encased frilly dresses in soft, pale hues. 

(Source: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2020-ready-to-wear/area/slideshow/collection#7 )

What might be the biggest takeaway from this spring season is the idea that none of us need to conform (or match) with any patterns, structures, or ideas—we just need to embrace our own intuition! Every day is a chance to walk outside and become the person that you want to become by wearing what makes you feel brave, fearless, and completely yourself. We love seeing how designers are using fashion to create their own artistic vision, and we use this as inspiration for our own visions.

Established in 1986, talkingfashion Inc. is the umbrella company for luxboheme and artedellamoda brands. Our online store (www.talkingfashion.net) offers contemporary and vintage art and costume bijoux, statement pieces, and quality accessories. In addition to our online shop, we also provide personal styling, pop-up parties, and consignment. Our motto is “Wear what you love, every day,” and this is reflected through our eccentric, whimsical pieces that endure beyond typical trends and fast fashion. We believe in designs that encourage individuality and beauty through self-expression.