What is the difference between Fashion and Style?

OldGoat

Question popped up over the weekend and led to a (very drunken) debate. How would ye explain the difference between the two as some people seem to think they are both the same?
Anyone got any clear or succinct examples?

Twee.

Style is long term, fashion is disposible.


Fashion is cyclical, it comes and goes, but style never changes. You can wear a little black dress forever, but the one shoulder leopard print number might just do you this season.

I don't think either are a bad thing. I have friends who are very fashionable, wear the latest trends, and they always look fantastic. On the other hand there are my stylish friends who would wear a pair of tailored trousers and a white shirt, also looking fantastic.

The best wardrobes have a mix of both - the classic black dress with a pair of this season's chunky wedges, a cream trench coat over a ditsy floral dress.

fillefatale

To pick an obvious example - Audrey Hepburn is an icon, she has style, fashion mags reference her again and again even though she was popular in the late 50s/early 60s, even though the 'fashion' of her era has long since stopped being popular.

lainey316

Fashion in on the rails. Style is something you have in yourself.

OldGoat

Fashion is bought, style is (L)earned.

squeakyduck

Fashion is something that is constantly changing, something that you can keep in your wardrobe and take out when the time comes.

Style is something that you are born with, but you also have to work with it everyone is different. For instance I could never wear the miliary boots style with a little dress, but I have my own (pre military style) boots that I wear with a little dress, portraying my own take on the current style, where as my friend might wear cowboy boots with a dress! Everyones style is different!

Twee your answer is ridiculously coherent! Good debate question old goat!

dudara

Style is personal, fashion is impersonal.

Style is something you build for yourself. It can be based on classics and/or fashion. Genuine style surpasses fashion.

Fashion is fun, adventurous and of-the-moment. It changes constantly. It can be ugly or it can be pretty. But it aways goes away.

OldGoat

dudara wrote: »

Style is personal, fashion is impersonal.

Ohh I like that. That works so well.

Beonce

lainey316 wrote: »

Fashion in on the rails. Style is something you have in yourself.

Nicely summed up

dingbat

Fashions change; style doesn't.

Simples.

Pythia

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the famous Coco Chanel quote:

'Fashion fades, only style remains the same.'

OldGoat

Pythia wrote: »

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the famous Coco Chanel quote:

'Fashion fades, only style remains the same.'

Thats the quote that kicked off the drunken ramblings in the first place.

Vinta81

Fashion can be bought, Style one must possess.

Lolnouska

I agree totally with everyone else.
Anyone can buy ''fashionable'' clothing, but its how you put it together to make your own style - that's the difference.

magentas

Totally agree. A lot of what's "in fashion" would look cat on me!

It's nice to have your own style. I know what I like and what suits me.
I don't need a magazine to tell me what I should or shouldn't be wearing:)

Giselle

OldGoat wrote: »

Fashion is bought, style is (L)earned.

Fashion is acquired, style is inherent.

CantGetNoSleep

Pythia wrote: »

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the famous Coco Chanel quote:

'Fashion fades, only style remains the same.'

Did she not say "fashion is for those without style" also

Lorrrrraine

I don't think that there is an actual difference. Style is listed as:

The fashion of the moment, especially of dress; vogue.
A particular fashion: the style of the 1920s. See Synonyms at Fashion.

in the dictionary. It annoys me when people differentiate between the two.

Executive Steve

Lorrrrraine wrote: »

I don't think that there is an actual difference. Style is listed as:

The fashion of the moment, especially of dress; vogue.
A particular fashion: the style of the 1920s. See Synonyms at Fashion.

in the dictionary. It annoys me when people differentiate between the two.

No such thing as a direct synonym.

You can fashion a style and you can style a fashion; but without style fashion isn't much use to you, whereas you can quite happily get by without fashion as long as you have style.

OldGoat

/Head 'splodes!

jamillia

Dudura has it I think. Style is individual.

A person might have a distinct style, like a teenager who wears only black & pink. That teenager might, aged 40, have a different style, they may wear nothing but Tommy Hilfiger! but it's still personal to them. Life changes you and your style may change with it.

I'd a friend in college who was a goth, bumped into her a year or so ago and she was dressed really preppy.

Fashion is a market driven thing really, although some people incorporate following fashion into their style. Nothing wrong with that.