Apologies about the unforeseen hiatus. Ran into a couple of technical hiccups (Macbook crashed, misplaced my camera, then found it but couldn't find the card reader) - what a mess! There were a few gems among my last subjects, but I think : let's just leave things as is.
I'm honestly not sure how many of you check up on the blog, but this is just for the record if ever any of you return on a whim:
The SMUrtorialist is ending its run.
There are a couple of reasons for this, but the gist is that The SMUrtorialist has run its course. Its time is up.
Huge thanks must go out to my most critical readers (and by criticism, I mean within reasonable bounds). You guys are a small number, but by all means a dream audience. As an expression of my gratitude, I have a quote from 'The Marriage Of Figaro':
"stupid things in print have no importance except where people hold them back; without the right to criticize, there's no such thing as flattering praise; and it's only little men that are afraid of little writings"
That said, I'm not content to make a clean break from this blog without sharing some last thoughts:
"The essence of style is a simple way of saying something complex"- Giorgio Armani
I get the sense that many readers have missed the point of the blog, that is, that fashion doesn't have to be about trends. Fashion can be about experimentation: an exploration of identity, an investigation into the dimensions of timelessness, a response to your surroundings, etc. I'd like to think there are rules, and that they are for breaking. (That could just be me though)
I think that especially in a place such as Singapore (and this is by no means a bitter criticism), as long as you are not following trends, or the consensus, there is so much more room for mockery. Don't let this restrain you.
I have never asked for agreement with my sartorial picks- though no one is to blame if such a misunderstanding arises... by virtue of selecting subjects, that certainly does imply some authority on my part. But be careful to award bloggers authority on anything, and too quickly at that! I say this self-deprecatingly, but also as a word of caution. Filter what you read on the web...not everything on the web works in favor of your IQ, you know? For all you know I might have been feeding you guys rubbish on fashion and laughing as some of you lap it up...OK i'm kidding! It's such a release to finally be able to talk normally on this blog.
. . . I digress.
I wrote all my entries in a persuasive manner, if only to share my perception of the outfit. This blog was never about an exercise in authoritative judgment. It was definitely a judgment, but only to inspire different perspectives on fashion, so that ultimately you can cast your own judgment. (You need different perspectives to verify that your Knowledge is Truth...but let's not get too philosophical here)
Also, what the photos lacked, I tried to make up for in writing. For practical reasons, the commentary allowed me to transcend the limits of my humble Point and Shoot camera, & my photography skills which I fully admit leave much to be desired (apologies to any of my subjects if I have done your looks injustice). Most of all, it was to overcome the impracticality of carrying a DSLR to school everyday (if I had one to begin with), for the sole purpose of being on the lookout for chic outfits.
Certainly, this is not a fantastic blog, but if there's anything to take away from it, it is that differences in perspective will always exist- especially for something as personal/subjective as fashion.
So if you're going to cast judgment, make sure the grounds are sound.
Find different perspectives on the same thing.
Sieve out what you agree with and be sure you can answer why that agreement holds.
You will end up the richer for it.
It's this sort of thinking I've been trying to share in my little commentaries for each subject (and certainly to varying degrees of success). No doubt fashion was meant to be the focus, but if you can take away a thought process, a new way of looking at things, ...
then fashion is the medium, and this blog, my Art.
I bid you guys a fab rest-of-your-lives. Break some (fashion) rules while you're at it!
Peace,
The SMUrtorialist.
