5 reasons why “Unconventional Fashion” is the new Convention

Pulkit Srivastava
4 min readJul 29, 2021

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Naeim Jafari on Unsplash

Liberation is dynamic. It has varied perceptions and definitions. For a young girl in a small town, who never wore jeans in her entire life, thanks to Patriarchy, it can be the freedom to wear a pair of ripped ones when she moves to college. For a woman who is often bored of clothes available in her wardrobe, putting together a satin scarf, and wearing it as a strapless top to her favorite restaurant can be a source of salvation. . For a boy, who always learned that make-up was only for women, putting that glittery shadow on his eyes can be illuminating.

Fashion has always been a pinnacle in defining liberation, and it will always be a medium for it. In the era of Instagram domination, there is a concrete chance that you have seen dramatic outfits doing wonders in public places, which traditionally were merely constrained to the runway. As Alexander Mcqueen once said, “It’s a new era in fashion, there are no rules.” This quote holds so much more value than it ever had because fashion is no longer a luxury of a few.

But why is unconventional fashion suddenly as house-old as curtains and doormats? Why is it embraced, and worn out by people, way more than it has ever before? Well, there could be a multitude of reasons for it, so let’s dive inside this eloquent world of Avant-Garde Fashion.

1. The sense of Individuality:

The world loves to mold people in well-defined shapes, definite rules, and also designated clothes. Apparently, decent women didn’t show too much skin, and men were supposed to wear dark colors (although that might be to compensate for their fragile masculinity). This generation might have their issues, but one marvelous thing about them is, they epitomize REBEL. And they don’t shy away from proclaiming it.

So if she likes that hoop skirt, she’ll wear that to go shopping. If he likes to wear skirts, he’ll wear them to buy groceries, and click pictures. Shouting out a f*** o** to the haters is nothing to shy away from, and the Generation-Z understands that.What better way to stay unbothered than wearing something that makes eyebrows raised?

Individuality is seamless. It is infinite. There is a multitude of factors defining it, but Fashion is one of the biggest ones. One does not choose what one likes. It’s the other way round.
So, if you’ve been shying away till now, go ahead, buy that dress you thought was “too much”, and flaunt your Individuality. Wear that print, you thought was “too bright”, and burn their eyes.

Fashion has always been about shattering imprisonment, and conquering escapism. There is nothing sexier than embracing individuality like a boss, and unconventional fashion does it pretty well.

2. Fashion Influencers nailing their jobs:

Fashion Influencers have promulgated the essence of individuality like a regulation. Puffed sleeves making mundane tops fashionable, ruffled stockings gracing the streets, sheer jackets flaunting bikini tops like a dream and those corsets over T-shirts, a statement louder than Naomi Campbell’s scream. Komal Pandey, accept our bow.

The dazzling fashion bloggers have made the essence of “no-rules” tangible in fashion. Individuality has no rules, and what best way to ricochet “I ain’t about no rules” than firing the bullets, those murder conventions.

So here we have, boys rocking dresses better than runway models. Heavy nose-rings along with crop-top and shorts carving its aesthetic. Gender fluidity in fashion is also being normalized, and we are all for it.

3. Thrift-Stores:

Another prominent reason why unconventional is the new convention is “Thrift-stores”. Designers like Alexander McQueen, Moschino, Guo Pei, and Manish Arora have been treating Fashion like art for decades. Although the uniqueness has always been appreciated, it just was never a thing for the common mass. The reason, an average fashion enthusiast, when getting their paycheck, would like to buy a Louis-Vuitton handbag, or a statement Chanel dress first, rather than buying a cloth that’s wearable art.

However, the sudden boom of Instagram thrift stores that make Unique fashion affordable, has given a chance for experimentation to flow. And going through the social media handles, distinctive fashion has found home in tons of wardrobes across the globe.

4. Desire to STAND OUT:

Digital domination has inspired millions to choose the job they love. The Fashion Industry has always been the one that has attracted millions. However, only a lucky few were privileged to actually work in it. But today, a mobile phone and an internet connection, and bam, floors of a room becomes a runway.

However, that has led to surplus content on each and every social media platform. How does one stand out in the ever-populated world of Fashion? The answer is, come up with something unique. That is also a significant reason why Unconventional Fashion sense is no longer just a Project-Runway challenge.

5. FUN:

Every year, when Anna Wintour decides a theme for the Met, we spend a good few days obsessing over what our favorites wore. Sometimes, we discuss, what could we wear, if we were invited to grace with our presence at the breathtaking event? Well, we all have dreamt of standing and posing at Met Gala, with thousands of cameras reflecting upon us, right.

Till we get the chance to grace the actual event, it’s always fun wearing whatever the hell we feel like. Be it, belt with a saree, or chand balis with ripped jeans and net stockings, or that lace underwear over your jeans, you do you.

Although, if you ever get your hands on a chandelier dress, like the one Katy Perry wore at the Met, let us know. Asking for a friend.

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Pulkit Srivastava

Fashion Writer who is also fond of Literature, Poetry, and Feminist Analysis. I aspire to cover Met Galas and International Runways some day.