japan is a culture with amazing aesthetic. their formal art, calligraphy, textile prints ---even their ritualistic ceremonies are rooted in what is the purely japanese ideal of beauty--in my opinon the harmonious mixing of the complex and the simple. the naturalistic and abstract. look at kitagawa utamaro's woodblock print--intense detail and precision in accordance with simple, swooping lines that almost lend themselves to abstractions. the clothing is intricate. the face and gneral lines of the body are made of as few lines and shadings as possible. very slinkily geometric. and this is what gives it such incredibly distinct and provocative style.
so, then, why is it that when i see asians in america--and i'm talking about those who were not born on american soil---they seem to lack any and all aesthetic when it comes to clothing? when i say lack any and all aesthetic, I'm talking mad tv miss swan--circa 1997 lack of style. I'm talking mixing any and all prints and textures---plaid with oxford with swiss dots with crushed velvet, stripes, horizontal, vertical..all colors of the rainbow...DIZZINESS.
don't get me wrong. I'm one who appreicates eclectic style and experimentation when it comes to dressing oneself. i like mixing unlikely elements, but in order to do so successfully, one must have a somewhat visual and artistic eye unless they are helpelessly beautiful and can pull off anything all circumstances aside.
so, what I really don't get then--especially with the younger generations of asians moving here--is why they can't grace our streets with more interesting and style-motivated mismatchings of aparrel.
the youth movement of japanese street fashion--although CRAZY--does so with style--not complete and total lack of.
see below:
so, please, if your'e going to mismatch, do so with a mirror nearby.
*(hannah).
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