The Unfashionable Canadian
I sat at Union station waiting for a train and I felt as if I were sitting at Homeless central. Whilst, it is expected that youngsters and hipsters will be dressed in casual wear. You would expect the general public to be better dressed because Toronto is an expensive city. However, the fashion sense that people have is not expressive enough which is a shame. Personal fashion standards in the city of Toronto have fallen since the 1850s.
The people were trying to retain the sense of dignity that their European forefathers had left to them. Industrialization led to mass manufacturing which led to more people being able to afford nicer things. People of any class took pride in their appearance and had tailors on hand to deliver custom-made outfits to provide them with the best that they could. They were proud to live in their British colonial city. They used every opportunity to shine and showcase their nice clothes. Complimenting one’s style was a very polite and common thing to do.
Today is an entirely different story. Everyone is involved in the hustle and the upper class does not want to look out of place. Their clothes might be more expensive but they definitely look similar to their lower-class counterparts. Investing in your personal taste is an outdated idea, one that is associated with being dowdy, snobbish, and stuffy. A personal icon for many, Steve Jobs is associated with being simply dressed. He is the father of the “efficiency over style” movement which is one of the worst things to come out of that era. One’s sense of efficiency should not be determined by how simply dressed they are. A person, regardless of race, class, or occupation, should balance their life to be efficient in a reasonable way as well as take the time to develop their own sense of style that resonates most strongly with them. Sometimes, I find that the most well-dressed people are real-estate agents as it is their job to impress.
Plain sweaters, plain t-shirts, plainclothes are the modern way and it’s terrifying. Style is dying out. I once heard that fabric manufacturers are able to limit the number of colors available in any country by simply refusing to make them. I hope it is not true but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. I don’t see a variety of colors or designs or creativity in the clothes being produced today. The most surprising thing is Gucci’s high-end T-shirts are so ugly that I wouldn’t buy them in the dollar store for a dollar. I do recognize that the fault does not lie with Gucci or their designers but with the attitudes that people they must cater to. Mob opinions cultivated in the last 50 years about personal standards on fashion. Any high-end retailer would be out of business if they did not follow these trends.
I do have some hope for the newer generations. I do feel like they are bringing “vintage” styles back and are recognizing the importance of feeling good in what you wear. Hopefully, our vintage seekers will bring Canadian fashion back.
