I suppose it's always been fashionable to have a little edge in one's manner of dress. Even in the early 1800s, where corsets reigned (and suffocated) and styles were not nearly as diversified as they are today, high society women would distinguish themselves from the other ladies with glitzy brooches or a dazzling strand of pearls -- any touch to add some spark to an otherwise generic ensemble.
In the 1920s a new type of fashion emerged with a new type of lady to accompany: the flapper. Staunch Americans everywhere threw up their arms in disgust, and vehemently condemned the scanty, swanky outfits donned by this unprecedented female.
With her leg-baring hemlines and garish attire, the flapper was the epitome of scandal and the instigator of edgy fashion.
Since this racy style, clothing has undergone a revolution embodying genres ranging from Victorian Grandiose to preppy to grunge. There was even that unfortunate period in the 1980s where tube socks, sweat bands, and baggy workout attire was trendier than an iconic Birkin bag.
However, withstanding all trends and maintaining status as the eternal contender in the way of dress is one cherished look: classy-clean.
Irrefutably, the classy-clean look has endured, with even the most daring dressers resorting back to this old favorite.
Regardless, a classy-clean look of well-pressed pants and skirts, cashmere sweaters, tweed suits, crocodile handbags and simple pumps has been the safe haven for so many women unsure of what's currently hot, but clothing-conscious and desiring a chic look nonetheless. Moreover, it's a look embodying a sort of fashion catharsis, allowing trend-happy hipsters to cool it a bit and find solace in a classic look that never fades from grace.
Classy-clean is the old faithful of the fashion arena.
However, since the early 1990s, one particular edgy look has been vying for the longevity of classy-clean. This look -- the true antithesis of its competition -- is none other than the red-headed step child of fashion, trashy-chic.
Popularized by public figures like Madonna and Pamela Anderson, two of the look's most avid promoters, trashy, street-chic, edgy styles have quickly become must-have items.
Suddenly, super-short daisy dukes, ultrahigh patent leather stilettos, faded leather jackets, push-up bras as tops, and loud, oversized accessories have become hotter than hot, allowing women to show off their bodies and advertise their sexuality and edgy personalities.
Oddly, big-name designers fell hard for the look, obsessively creating clothes that were shorter, gruffer, dirtier, and glitzier than anything seen before.
Versace debuted a line of metallic miniskirts and bustiers, which models displayed on the runways with six-inch stilettos, excessively made-up faces, teased hair, and--the trashy-chic trademark--sassy attitude.
Gucci, traditionally known for clean lines and perfectly-tailored monochromes, designed a collection of tattered jeans, flashy GG-print jumpsuits, tacky visors, and high wedged footwear.
Even Giorgio Armani, the master suit-maker and quintessential minimalist, devoted two entire branches of his company to the increasingly popular trashy-chic look, creating Armani Exchange and Emporio Armani, both of which offer high-end "street-look" garb.
But, like all trends, so, too, must trashy-chic fall to the wayside, becoming an unfortunate scar on the fashion landscape--or so it was thought.
Today, in 2004, trashy-chic is still trendier than ever. In fact, its hotness factor seems to grow like an intractable tumor, dominating the fashion world season after season.
Since its inception as a coveted look, favored for its ability to showcase the body and scream "I'm edgy, sexy, flashy and unconventional," trashy-chic has enveloped all of America--and every other developed, wealthy society--becoming the look of the masses, as well as the most elite.
But since when is it cool to look like trash? As a society, don't we shun
promiscuity, revealing clothing, and the individuals who promote such debauchery?
Why, then, is it hip to look like trailer trash? Has trashy become the new classy?
For one, the trashy-chic style is far from a genuinely rough, straight-from-the-trailer look. Those ripped jeans and paint-splattered cashmere tops -- popularized by celebrities and wealthy individuals desiring the coveted edgy mystique -- are likely to range from $150 to $3,200, in the case of Lucien Pellet-Finet tattered cashmere tops. Thus, the trashy-chic look bestows a certain amount of status upon the wearer, without that individual having to dress in his or her finest to garner recognition.
Additionally, designers like Christian Dior have based entire lines of clothing and accessories on the trashy-chic look, offering trendy consumers a wide variety of edgy looks from which to choose. Dior, more so than any other fashion house, has become synonymous with the trashy-chic look as the go-to brand when celebs and wealthy patrons crave a harsh, get-noticed ensemble.
If you're into the biker/chains/S and M sort of trashy, Dior's got its "Hardcore Dior" line, with patent-leather jackets and stilettos with dangling metal rings and stud-covered accents. Priced at $2,400 for the jacket and $655 for the pumps, these "trashy" adornments allow wearers their desired look, and the desired status of designer clothes.
Thus, trashy, like any other fashion statement, has become a premeditated look, with individuals going to great lengths to achieve the perfect balance of tacky and designer chic.
And if hot-ticket designers weren't enough to popularize the look, extending its longevity year after year, Hollywood trash queens like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Christina Aguilera have made trashy-chic their wardrobe staple. With their image--and clothing--appearing on magazines throughout the world, and girls everywhere imitating their styles, this gritty look is sure to remain a prevalent component in the fashion landscape for years to come.
However ingratiated in the fashion world trashy-chic becomes, it will still never surpass its dignified elder, classy-clean.
After all, there's only so much grit and grime one can adorn without pining for the days of plush cashmere and good old fashioned fashion.
