Fashion isn't rocket science - sometimes. It's no surprise Issac Mizrahi's Juilliard-ready aesthetic has allured women without cease, or John Galliano's archive-extracted fall 2008 couture show was so well-received. Fashion, like literature, is praised for its allusions to the great advancements of the past - Saint Laurent's androgyny, Poiret's opulence, Cristobal Balenciaga's radical silhouettes.
With designers looking over shoulders for inspiration, and the wide accessibility of knock-off runway trends from mass retailers, all sartorial fingers point to the past. This proves the question of "what comes next?" is, in some cases, irrelevant.
There are designers whose forward thinking challenges concerns over the frivolity of fashion, but even Nicolas Ghesqui?re - creative director for Balenciaga and fashion's leading intellectual designer - revamped the little black dress for fall 2008 with subtle origami waistlines and scandalous, thigh-high splits to make an unconventional statement founded on the principle of a classic.
This makes a clear distinction between fashion and style. Fashion is the display and analysis of designers' visions and ideas. Style is intuitive.
Don't count out the vintage and thrift store access in the area. Vintage shopping gives bargain-hunters a spontaneous selection to choose from - sans premeditated inspiration boards or deliberately calculated floor layouts.
The frequent spoiler of the vintage experience is in the approach. Do not enter a thrift store with an American Eagle attitude or an eye for basics. Come without expectations and treat the experience as a minor self-searching adventure.
If style is an outward reflection of an individual's thoughts and emotions, then a vintage shopping trip can open your eyes to what you would find appealing had it the connotations of monograms and brand embroidery. It'll give you the opportunity to revamp your image and, for once, not look like a catalogue prototype or walking billboard.
Take a risk and visit some of the local vintage stores. These stores offer students plenty of options for high fashion on a low budget. Some stores even offer discounts for students. Don't forget to keep an eye out for the College Union Board's New Hope bus trip. The small town is a mecca for vintage seekers with its variety of small shops. The next trip is Saturday, Nov. 8.
Local Vintage Stores
Goodwill Industries International 1628 N Olden Ave , Ewing N.J. 50 percent off selected color tags
15 percent off with student ID
The Salvation Army
436 Mulberry St. Trenton, N.J.
50 percent off selected tags
Red, White & Blue Thrift Store
2055 Nottingham Way, Mercerville, N.J. 50 percent off selected color tags
Second Time Around Vintage Store 12 N Main St, Pennington, N.J.
50 percent off selected color tags
