And what use are those ‘rare’ clothes?

It seems that we already have to shout everything to the world, yes. Even with the clothes. We see it as a necessity. In these times of identity politics, when people are publicly defined by their position on a few issues, the messages written on clothes (or those conveyed by clothes themselves) are more in the foreground than ever. Many people have become accustomed to making their profile clear on the networks, through an avatar and a brief presentation, and in a certain way they want to ‘avatarize’ their real image and convey their convictions and thoughts at a glance.

Scholars on the subject say that it is not something new, but they do emphasize that in this (hopefully) exit from the pandemic, the trend of sending messages with clothing has skyrocketed. Confined for a long time, limited, intimidated. So now it’s time to express yourself and change the wardrobe. It is seen, above all, on the catwalks and at major events, where the stars turn their looks into support for claims, as, for example, was seen at the last Goya awards ceremony or at the chimes of New Year’s Eve. Does this affect us ordinary mortals? Two experts tell us.

We see things that may seem bizarre to us at media events… ‘They’ll think they’re handsome!’, we may have said or heard. It is that, in reality, that is the ‘crux’ of the matter: being ‘handsome’ is no longer an obligation, but perhaps it is showing sensitivity to current issues. According to Alina, Erimia, fashion director of the prestigious IDE Kunsthal Bilbao, “visualization is sought” with the most extravagant models. As she clarifies, “the message can last only a few seconds, because we live in a world that changes without stopping.” But if it captures the attention of many people for a few moments, “it’s already a success.”

«After the trauma of the pandemic, because it has been a trauma, we really want to express ourselves. And many, for this, will use their wardrobe and change it. Even psychologists say it, after going through a stage like this it is good to reinvent yourself and look for something of motivation also through the mirror, “says Erimia.

And so it is happening. We are a few years older than before covid, perhaps we have even changed in size and we want to turn the page with a change in style that tells about our personal concerns and affirms our new self (because we are not the same after the pandemic). “On the street and in stores you see clothes with positive words, like ‘love’ and very loose garments, with simple lines,” he says. What message do they send? The pretty words try to scare away “chaos” and the fact that ‘shapeless’ garments are worn, very wide, is due to… Practical reasons of the fashion industry! “Making good patterns is very expensive and there have been problems in the pandemic,” he says. So now we dress a bit “like penguins.” Only that the sector has made a virtue of necessity and poses loose and unstructured clothing as an appeal to a world without sizes, to comfort and unisex. Will the shapes that mold the body return? “I hope so!” he slips.

«We are all a little fed up with the usual, even those who take great care of their image because they live on it. So right now we tend to laugh a little at the protocols, so that what we wear says something about what is behind it,” explains image consultant María Uranga, who believes that fashion now carries with it the maxim of ‘I I am like that and I accept myself. Hence the ‘imposable’ suits that are seen on catwalks and galas, which are not useful at street level, but mark a path.

‘Absurd’ fashion, according to Uranga, tries to tell people to get out of their comfort zone. “We may be getting the impression right now that anything goes, that all the clothes are mixed and scrambled,” he says. The problem is how common mortals adapt to our lives these trends set by the popes of fashion. “There are options, always,” he encourages. But notice to sailors: you have to be convinced. If you adopt a brave attitude, you succeed with a risky look. «A ‘brave’ person who dares to ‘defend’ a risky look is very attractive and for that alone, for leaving the herd. But be careful not to go too far – he warns – extremes are not good».

Here are some examples of more or less explicit messages sent through clothing.

The message of this incomprehensible suit that Cristina Pedroche put on for the bells was, for the image consultant María Uranga, “I am more than a stunning body and with this futuristic look I am going to break expectations.” What bad taste

Fashion experts say he sends encrypted messages with his suits. But in 2018, in the midst of the Mexican immigrant crisis, she did not “encrypt” much. She appeared wearing a jacket with this phrase ‘You don’t really care that much, do you?’. Terrible.Not without ties

He wore a design by Jaime Álvarez, from MANS, at the last Goya gala. She surprised. And she got hate mail. Ester Bellón, architect and fashion content creator for Instagram, applauds him for showing “a different masculinity.” A sea of ​​ideas

Winner of the Goya for the song ‘Mediterráneo’, she reinforced the death of immigrants at sea with a blue dress with huge ‘waves’. “It’s excessive, but a red carpet is precisely for that and I like the message,” says Bellón. In memoriam

At the Goya Macarena Gómez and Aldo Comas they sent an explicit message in memory of the actress Verónica Forqué, who recently committed suicide. “Raising awareness about mental health, I remember… it was necessary, but not aesthetic,” says Belló. And those little ears?

The director appeared on the red carpet in this guise, like a cuddly toy, winking at the character in her short. “If you have to attract attention like that… bad,” says Bellón. But it’s always good to have fun and play a little”