Why Fashion Follows Economic Power

This is the summer of revising fashion trends, we are told. The laws of enforceable style are being revised. According to Vanessa Friedman of the Times, the ongoing dress code controversies are a proxy battles for the larger questions of our society, what she calls "the continuing opus of dress code in the late twenty-teens."

Fashion is a pure outline of culture: what's in, what's out, what's fashionable, what's unacceptable—it's an instructive way of discussing how culture works. And Friedman is part-right: a code governs our days, but it is not the laws of fashion that mogul over us. Since Peter the Great ordered his nobles to cut their beards (to appear more Western) the influential have sworn that culture is the great orderer of human life. Change the culture—change fashion—and you change everything. That's the theory. But the dress code is a representation of power, not the cause. The people who speak of fashion as an arbiter of influence miss the point. They believe symbolic performance is power. It is not. Economics is.

THE CODE ABIDES

Friedman goes on to dissect the hypocrisy and inanity of the arbitrary nature of dress codes, "How can the sergeant-at-arms, the chief law enforcement and protocol officer of the House, deem such garments inappropriate" when the First Lady and the President's daughter wear them? Friedman describes "a dress code revolt" which has been erupting over the "last several years." Friedman specifically cites the ban on airplane employee leggings, the "male skirt rebellion," and several other incidents: the case of the woman whose flat shoes at work led to a Parliamentary committee, and the curious case of Kansas State Senator Holmes who denounced women who wore low-cut necklines and miniskirts.

The obsession with culture as central to power is a fixation shared by centrists and conservatives alike. Every time a centrist brings up Fearless Girl as a performative talisman, they are invoking the mystical agency that cultural symbols are supposed to have. Alt-right Twitter is filled with clotted-together man-shapes made of resentment and pale yeast. They seem to spend most of their energy engaging in liberal-triggering acts: dunking themselves in tubs of blood or drinking milk on camera, or God knows what else. These displays effect the world as much as the cast of Frasier currently controls the black market: not at all.

THE STATUTE OF DAVID

Nobody is more enthralled with the idea of culture-as-power than conservative word-sayer David Brooks. As the podcast Chapo Trap House has pointed out, Brooks has a singular obsession: the glory of upper-middle-class values—and, more importantly, how he can use these bougie signifiers to hammer them poors. It's the first thing he thinks about when he rises from his Egyptian-cotton bed to when he falls asleep dreaming of St. Barts. He wrote a whole book about it, Bobos in Paradise.

SAY YES TO THE DRESS

Might they feel anxious, or have "different jobs" because there are no factories, fewer good jobs, and grinding student debt? Imagine there's a Martian who can only see soccer balls but not the human beings kicking then. Then ask him to describe a soccer match. That's how Brooks writes.

Brooks and his crowd believe culture decides economics. It makes sense that modern conservatism follows this doctrine. It allows them to engage in their two favorite practices: shaming the weak, and not challenging capital. If culture is the governor of social life—if being rich and successful was just a matter of aping your betters and wearing the right clothes—that would show that economic injustice was a pipe dream.

In the real world, economics largely dictates culture, not the other way around. Always has, always will. Economics is scarcity which is control which is power. Power flows from the control of resources. Conservatives are agents of the status quo, and so the machine of power is largely invisible to them, just as oppression is not their direct concern.

THE TIES THAT BIND

Friedman's feature is concerned, mildly, with the questions of what a dress code is, and who demands it. But this confuses the understanding of how dress codes work, and how culture works in relation to power. In Friedman's story, it's instructive that the instigators of change are two elite women: Ivanka and Melania.

That is how it works. Dress codes exist because institutions have concentrated might. This influence shoots out, issues its edicts, extends outwards, like a bridge from mainland to island. These establishments order how the rest of the world chooses to dress. Dress for success? Please. Success dictates dress. "Don't you know about the new fashion honey?" Billy Joel once asked us, "All you need are looks and a whole lotta money." The philosopher was too pessimistic: looks are not really required.

Why does the dress code of the people's house matter? Why should any Speaker of the House have a single solitary say in how women dress? Why, because Congress puts a wall between itself and the citizens. It is the standard of lobbyists and attorneys who dictate the dress code, not ordinary people.

Much ado about pink nail polish

Pink hues from powdery pastels to bold fuchsias dominate my nail polish drawer.

Oh, sure, a few red and orange shades, along with several bottles of metallic gold from last year's infatuation are in the mix,  but mostly it's a wash of pink.

First reason for so much pink: It doesn't show the wear and tear as much as a darker shade. Chipped polish is a serious pet peeve. First sign of a noticeable chip and I reach for nail polish remover. Even longer-wearing gel manicures, which I favor for vacations and those times when I know my nails will get a workout, can chip. They also show growth around the cuticles if you push your manicure appointment, but that's easier to deal with than a chip. At least for me.

Reason No. 2: Makeup artists agree that pink lipstick is luminescent and gives shine and lightness around the mouth. They say dark lipsticks can be aging and seep into fine lines around your lips. Of course, this pertains mostly to those of us of a certain age.

I figure if pink adds a youthful glow to your lips and face, maybe it has the same effect for nails and hands.

Anyway, blame all this chatter about nail polish on Essie and Sally Hansen. Essie recently picked Ballet Slippers, a classic pale pink hue that launched in 1982, as one of its top colors this year. By 2012, 40 bottles of Ballet Slippers were being sold in the U.S. every hour.

I was letting that soak in when I came across an InStyle tidbit about Sally Hansen's Miracle Gel in Terra-Coppa, a best-seller since its launch in 2014. Reportedly more than 32 million bottles have been sold of the bronze shimmer. One bottle is sold every two minutes in the United States and it is estimated some 10 percent of the U.S. population owns a bottle.

No surprise, it's missing from my nail polish drawer. But it might find a place there as an option for my toes. Anything goes on toes!

The 3 Biggest Beauty Breakthroughs by Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel had a singular vision of beauty. "If you're sad, if you are disappointed in love, put on your makeup, give yourself some beauty care, put on lipstick, and attack," she once offered. Thus, it's no fluke that many of the cosmetic offerings Chanel pioneered in the 1920s are as enduring as her iconic crisp tweeds and sumptuous quilted 2.55 bag. Here are three of her time-tested beauty innovations that helped shape the beauty industry as we know it today.

The Nonpareil Feminine Fragrance

"A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future," said Chanel. To create her debut fragrance Chanel No.5 in 1921, she commissioned Ernest Beaux, a former parfumier to Russian aristocracy, to use new-wave synthetic ingredients rather than just floral essential oils. "I want a woman's perfume with a woman's scent," she told him. "I want a fragrance that is composed."

After 10 months, Beaux presented her with 10 different vials. She selected the fifth (allegedly because five was her lucky number)—and the rest, as they say, is history. By 1929, it was the best-selling perfume in the world, with droves of people lining up on the Rue Cambon to get their hands on the minimalist glass bottle, which has become a design history marvel itself.

The Perfect Everyday Lipstick

Dissatisfied with what was on the market, Chanel launched her first lip color collection in 1924. Unlike its mass counterparts, the creamy formula was ultra-pigmented, yet decidedly wearable. Mademoiselle, who was always keen on a classic crimson lip, even created her own bespoke shade. Adding to the luxury were the decadent ivory lipstick tubes, which featured a cutting-edge copper sliding mechanism. In 1954, the designer reimagined the original bullet into a rectangular tube as an ode to her No.5 bottle. The fashion house's modern formula, Rouge Allure Intense Long-Wear Lip Colour, continues to be widely popular due in no small part to deep blue-based red 99 Pirate, which is one of the best-selling red lipsticks of all time.

The Luxe Multitasking Oil

In 1927, Chanel introduced a variety of skin-care offerings, including toners, creams, lotions, and soaps, that were a celebration of simple beauty. One of the heroes of the range was a jasmine oil for the face and body. With its soothing and moisturizing ingredients, silky and light texture, and fresh floral scent—meant to evoke the fields of Grasse in France—the non-greasy elixir was groundbreaking when it was first introduced. Relaunched earlier this year, Huile de Jasmin is composed of mostly natural ingredients, including camellia, jojoba, and limnanthes alba oils, which smooth and nourish the complexion, and can be worn alone or mixed into skincare or foundation for added luminosity.

Need a new dress? The clock is ticking

I admire people who land a great outfit long before a special occasion arrives – including shoes and accessories. The funny thing is, I don't know too many of them.

Last-minute shoppers unite!

We eleventh-hour shoppers rip through the racks at 8:30 p.m. Friday looking for a dress to wear Saturday afternoon. Or, even worse, 10:01 a.m. Saturday after the doors open.

Spare us the lecture on having to settle on something. Or pay too much. Somehow, we manage to pull it off. Most of the time.

Years ago, my husband and I planned a birthday party at our home for his grandmother. The food was ordered. The flowers were blooming. The outdoor tables and chairs were wiped down.

Everything was set except one last detail: I had nothing to wear.

So, the day before 75 guests were to arrive, I went shopping. Not only did I find an outfit that suited the occasion, I loved it so much I wore it time and time again. I lucked out. Or was it there just waiting for me?

I'm far from alone. One friend tells me she once found the perfect long black gown at AMVETS to wear to a gala that evening. Another said she often finds herself at dressbarn near closing time.

We have an out-of-town relative who, whenever she visits for a family affair, needs to shop. And shop some more.

This is so well known among those she stays with that time is carved out to ensure she gets herself outfitted for the occasion.

Shopping has gotten easier, thanks to the internet – if you're willing to pay extra for fast delivery, if necessary, and are pretty confident the dress will fit.

Helpful, too, is the option of starting your search online on retail sites that let you know if a dress is available locally. Some will even reserve it for you.

What I have learned about last-minute shopping is that it's not always about procrastination. Sometimes it's knowing what you want and where you will likely find it – but finding the time to do it. When schedules are busy, shopping often falls to the bottom of the To Do list.

Having kids adds another chapter to this. Have you ever had to buy or borrow a white blouse the night before a school concert? Tear out to buy an inexpensive T-shirt for red-themed day at summer camp?

Back in those days, I also used to keep small scissors and Scotch tape in the glove compartment in case I needed to wrap a gift in a parking lot before dropping off our daughter at a birthday party.

Then they grow older – and the dances and proms begin. So does the dress shopping (and, as I have observed, the last-minute dress borrowing among friends).

Alterations, however, can add another wrinkle. Last year, our daughter found a prom dress with time to spare. It needed to be shortened, which I told her I would do.

When did I get around to hemming it?

Prom morning. Let's keep that to ourselves.

Sneaker expert to speak Friday at downtown library

Semmelhack will lecture on her most recent book and the history of sneakers at noon Friday in the downtown branch of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.

In a recent interview, Semmelhack said researching footwear in every form is scholarly work. Her examination found that sneaker culture has advanced a new form of masculinity, embodied by moments such as "when the tech genius shows up wearing playground clothing, a T-shirt, and sneakers."

As a comprehensive footwear specialist, Semmelhack explores sneaker lore and history, beginning with Europeans discovering latex in Central and South America, early tennis shoes for the "sport of kings," the influence of the YMCA, basketball's creation and its central role in the sneaker's function as a shoe for sport and a fashion item, to Nike and the fitness boom, and the sneaker's place in music, and its related lifestyle.

For people raised on the idea of owning one pair of sneakers and wearing them until they wore out, it might sound odd to hear the word associated with a "lifestyle." But while owning 20 to 30 pairs of sneakers may seem unusual, it is not uncommon. Sneaker enthusiasm ranges from "something fun and innocent," according to Joe Piecusch, a Planet Fitness manager, to compulsion, all the way to obsession.

Austin Taylor, who played basketball and football at St. Francis High School, said he owns about 25 pairs of sneakers.

"I wanted to have the nicest pair on the court. I wanted to stand out," he said. He also wanted to "be the first guy to have them," prompting "Where'd you get those?" questions, a query commonly posed among sneaker connoisseurs.

Semmelhack said she wrote her book from the perspective that sneaker preoccupation is mainly a male issue. It's not. Emily Kancor, a staffer at Buffalo State's Butler Library who said she owns 20 pairs, noted that sneakers were more important than clothes in high school. She said she was so fond was she of sneakers that for her high school prom she posed for pictures wearing high heels, then switched to wearing high-top, royal blue, Air Jordan sneakers that matched her prom dress. She now favors Vans and Converse.