It’s really difficult not to think of fashion when you think of a Nanjinger. Everything we know is coloured by something or other; in the case of Nanjing, the fashion that stands out is the Nanjing dialect, “Nankinese”, because it is “La crème de la Nanjinger”.
These pinnacles of society do not only speak Nanjing dialect, but also eat Nanjing salted duck, use Jingling gold foil wherever possible (you can drink it, you know) and pray for the Nanjing Massacre victims on 13 December each year. In a city where even the dialect is the height of cool, how did people survive social distancing, self-isolation and the transition to online?
I bumped into an old friend back on campus last week. They were looking a million dollars.
“Hey! Haven’t seen you in a long time. What did the coronavirus do to you that a person like you never came shopping with me before?”
“Oh! I didn’t go out, I shopped online. It’s so convenient, I have every brand in the universe at my fingertips and I don’t have to leave my house. Which was good, ‘cos I couldn’t leave my house. Now you’re the one behind the times!”
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Has even fashion, for this special period of time, become online?
What’s the definition of fashion? Coming first to mind is definitely clothes, shoes, or maybe those catwalk twig-legged models and Vogue, or one of the growing eclectic delights that is the rich well of blogging fashionistas around the globe. But fashion embraces more; jewellery, make up, movies, languages, sports, media, food. … In fact, it is the trend of popular things over a period of time.
The 1950s stands out in my mind, shining with its definition of fashion. During this era in China, the fashion was to wear military uniforms, sing revolutionary songs, kick hacky sacks and roll hoops. On the other hand, in the 50s in America, fitted blouses and jackets with rounded shoulders with small round collars, collocating with narrow pants and capris, were the trend. Rock ’n’ roll was the popular music. Purchasing a TV set was also the fashion of the decade.
Today, in these short months, fashion has transited to online. As a student, the shift to a new way of learning in school has changed my lifestyle, distorted my body clock, time management and efforts at concentration. But my transition to online learning has certainly been aided by my savvy pre-knowledge of online shopping.
While schools started online learning, fashion companies started online live streams to sell their products, people found jobs making creative, random, funny videos online to share with people all around the world, and so too lectures were produced online.
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Now, more than ever before, online life has become a necessary evil. The true meaning of fashion can be found in events of the time. This is the birth of trend. Live streams now lead the current fashion trend, as they directly unite the most powerful group in society today; the fans. Their power makes live streaming popular and trendy; a defining fashion of this period.
One day in March, I went to my parents’ clothing company. The empty building clearly showed what the coronavirus had done. However, a small office remained open, lights on, with three people inside live streaming away. My mum explained that this small place saved our company.
Herein, this department had organised not only sales throughout the epidemic, but also live streams to keep people’s spirits up. Our customers were more than happy to share their ideas and desires. So really, not only did it save us, it allowed us to innovate and become a truer version of ourselves.
Even now, with death lurking behind every mask, and no one to see us in our fancy new clothes but the dog and the family, looking good is an important facet in actually FEELING good. Fashion is not just about types of clothes, shoes and make up; it’s more a way of life, a lifestyle. Real fashion is unique and characteristic; there are lot more possibilities and opportunities there to be dug. It should not just be something that is only about appearance; it’s also a unique lifestyle, a work-life balance and a cultural difference.
There are many more things that need exploration, now that you have your shovel out. Everyone has their own interpretation and understanding of fashion. After all, we are all different and fashion is an important factor that makes each and every one of us special.
