Fashion, according to www.dictionary.com is best defined as: noun

a prevailing custom or style of dress, etiquette, socializing, etc.: the latest fashion in dresses.

conventional usage in dress, manners, etc., esp. of polite society, or conformity to it: the dictates of fashion; to be out of fashion.

manner; way; mode: in a warlike fashion.

the make or form of anything: He liked the fashion of the simple, sturdy furniture.

a kind; sort: All fashions of people make up the world.

workmanship : act or process of making.

If left up to my own devices, I would describe it off the top of my head as an inherent and CONSISTENT expression of self via external means, in this case, clothing. It is in a constant state of evolution; however, it is by no means fickle or easily influenced. In a lot of ways, it is the embodiment of simplicity. It is about rocking a white t-shirt or a three-piece suit with the same degree of ease and looking just as good! It is about bypassing contemporary trends which are at minimal, weekly, and seasonal at their longest. Fashion is way above a trend and is not limited to a particular group of brands (as Mrs. Obama can attest to) but is more about, wearing well, whatever you wear. A man or woman of fashion can be placed, anywhere in the world, at any time during any era and still fit in! Fashion also suggests maturity and comfort in one’s skin. Fashion DICTATES which trend is hot, whereas its close friend Style is DICTATED TO, by trends.

Fashion is congruent, shapeless, and adaptable like water and most importantly, AWARE of things such as the importance of fit when one considers body shape and complexion! Clothes will fit a 6’5 and 200 lb man and a 5’8, 160 lb man will be better suited (no pun intended) to certain types of clothing and fits. For instance, shorter men are encouraged to wear frame-elongating vertical stripes and suit with pinstripes while stock men are urged to exercise caution with horizontally-striped clothing to not take the viewers eyes across their body. While pink looks great on me, it probably would not fit your complexion. Again, fashion knows thyself and what works best for you. This is why I believe that fashion and style go hand-in-hand.

Style, according to the aforementioned website is best defined as: –noun

1.	a particular kind, sort, or type, as with reference to form, appearance, or character: the baroque style; The style of the house was too austere for their liking.

2.	a particular, distinctive, or characteristic mode of action or manner of acting: They do these things in a grand style.

3.	a mode of living, as with respect to expense or display.

4.	an elegant, fashionable, or luxurious mode of living: to live in style.

5.	a mode of fashion, as in dress, esp. good or approved fashion; elegance; smartness.

6.

the mode of expressing thought in writing or speaking by selecting and arranging words, considered with respect to clearness, effectiveness, euphony, or the like, that is characteristic of a group, period, person, personality, etc.: to write in the style of Faulkner; a familiar style; a pompous, pedantic style.

7.	those components or features of a literary composition that have to do with the form of expression rather than the content of the thought expressed: His writing is all style and no substance.

8.	manner or tone adopted in discourse or conversation: a patronizing style of addressing others.

9.	a particular, distinctive, or characteristic mode or form of construction or execution in any art or work: Her painting is beginning to show a personal style.

For instance, the popular phrase “in-style” speaks to what’s “in”, clearly. The very thing that is “in” today could be “out” tomorrow. An example is the grossly overpriced “throwback” jerseys and caps which rose to prominence in the early years to middle of the current decade and had grown men looking like teenagers. Thank God for Kanye West. Style in a lot of ways can be associated with trends, however, it may extend past this when one consider the phrase “he/she has style”, unless of course the word is being used in the wrong context. I’ll let you tell it. Anecdotal evidence suggests that style endures a complete overhaul once every 5 years and it will be interesting to see where we find ourselves in 5 years’ time!

At this website, we prefer Fashion OVER Style. Style is cool, but give us Fashion and call it a day. I think that since 2004, Jay-Z has become a very fashionable man, whereas Kanye West strikes me as being stylish. Have doubts? Well, a cursory glance at their styles over these last 5 years will show whether there is any truth to this assertion. A different flavour to the article, to mark a change, well, not really a change but I had to switch it up and I even made greater use of the Queen’s English unlike my everyday hip-hop vernacular. Did you like it? Your boy has FLAVOUR! Let me hear you man.

willard_a@fashionoverstyle.net

Peace & Love.

Sincerely yours,

Willard A.

Honor|Pride|Glory

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