Fashion and Metamodernism

Fashion is ever changing brilliance. It is the expression of designers, but also of the self.

In a cultural world full of diametrically opposing viewpoints, fashion speaks. Fashion is an

exploration of the world, directly associated with the political, sociological, historical, and

economic, modes of expression and production. It is a statement of self and society.

Metamodernism, our present cultural period, is categorized by a synthesis of information,

aesthetics, and political progression. It is defined as a critique of modernism and postmodernism.

Simply put, deals with objective knowledge, while post-modernism deals with

relative truth. Here, objective knowledge is understood as principles that exist, and individuals

revolve around these truths, and must seek to overcome them to progress. For example, the

universe exists; one is born without self-awareness and must move forward through phases that

realize self-recognition to become self-aware, and thus free. Whereas, in post-modernism, the

self exists in a subjective space. In this way, the universe and the self, exist together; one is born

with the freedom to experience personal space, and therefore, political, social, historical, and

economic awareness come from one’s experiences, rather than a set order. Basically, modernism

purports one must become aware of one’s surroundings by steps, in order to see the facts of the

universe, while post-modernism displays a nature of understanding self, that comes from

experiences, and in turn is limited to circumstance.

Metamodernism, critiques both previous cultural phases, and focuses on the object as

being in itself. In metamodernism, the self is a known object; one owns and therefore is oneself,

inherently. One can therefore find progression in society through collectivism and collaboration.

As the accumulation of objects leads to a robust life, as the self is already known and recognized

internally and equally by others. Fashion, the decoration of oneself, adds a fluidity missed by

previous cultural phases. The self is free in metamodernism. This is positivity embodied.

Togetherness is a choice the individual makes, and it is an easy choice, as one is not held down

by predetermined or outward circumstance. Fashion is the epitome of expression in this choice.

Dressing oneself, adorns one in objects. Objects combine to form a world of ever changing

expression and realization.

Moving from the objective world of improvement; modernism, to the subjective;

postmodernism, to a world of objects; metamodernism, fashion becomes central to

recognition. Instantiation, as self and in society is best displayed by fashion. Fashion is the

collection and collaboration of objects and is so, therefore, the self, adorned in ideas of the self.

Beautiful. The collection of objects, adds to the abundance of self and life. Fashion is the

epitome of this abundance. The ability to decorate oneself is the celebration of freedom.

Overall, in metamodernism, the self is understood as a known object. There is inherent

definition, recognition, and joy in this fact. Confidence is embodied in this understanding as

preset, and contextual knowledge are discarded. In short, one is whoever one wants to be.

Collaboration and future-forward thinking are upheld by the collection of objects. In this way,

fashion is the quintessence of the self in metamodernism, as it enhances the object and is a

collection of objects. Fashion can be equated to a fluid conclusion, adding a dynamic of

positivity and excitement to oneself and therefore society.