#moondiaries

Today’s post was found by my dear friend Andrea ..kinda early, but definitely goin in my #moondiaries

F A S H I O N V. R E L I G I O N

If you consider yourself a fahionista or simply appreciate the art of fashion, I’m sure you’ve noticed its revolution. Sometimes I sit and ponder, how can any creative mind steadfastly, persistently yet progressively invent such beautiful, chic, trendy, brilliant, mystical statement pieces? It goes beyond just clothes and accessories, it’s a lifestyle. It’s art. It’s a living, breathing form, that has a huge influence on all mankind rather they know it or not. Fashion is indeed power. You begin to interrupt and analyze ensembles past adjectives and begin declaring them as nouns because they make that much sense as so.

If you take fashion as seriously as I or simply an individual who looks past the surfaces of things, it becomes crystal clear that fashion has further developed its human like features. Yes, it’s true! Fashion speaks…and it is a very controversial converser. 1969, in Tinker V. Des Moines two high school students adamantly expressed their 1st amendment rights and their fashion freedom by deciding to wear anti-war bands around their wrist to school in protest of the Vietnam War. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students…in favor of fashion! Miley Cyrus at the 2013 Video Music Awards laid at the mercy of fashion when she chose to wear a skintight leather two piece ensemble and a funky punk rock hairdo. Her performance as well as her fashion choices that night obviously displayed her freedom. Fashion is freedom. Fashion spoke the word “limitless” that night.

Fashion is controversial, possessing no rules. The more rules broken, the more powerful it becomes. I may only be a 90’s baby, but I have watched its evolution…an evolution that has grown rapidly. Maintaining a steady pace, yet keeping society anticipative is challenging. Although fashion is powerful, we are even greater… just easily manipulated. I did a little research and found a peer reviewed article from the Journal of Media and Religion providing research on the theory that advertising relies on religious imagery to ensure profitability. As much as I love fashion, it still is a market driven exchange that operates through advertising. Advertising is persuasion and manipulation at its finest. Recent religion inspired trends in fashion has lead me to believe these findings.

According to the article “From the Sacred to the Profane: A Critical Analysis of the Changing Nature of Religious Imagery in Advertising,” religion and religious imagery are being used interchangeably with social norms of sex, profanity, nudity and violence among advertisers to achieve “shock value” in selling secular products. This particular use of “shock value” has become very popular due to the fact that consumers have become less responsive to the habitual use of sex, profanity, nudity and violence, making it challenging to surprise any of us. Religion is the next best thing, generally evoking emotion among most people. Movies and shows such as The DaVinci Code and The Book of Daniel are prime examples. The study further suggests “secularization has turned religion into just another cultural referent in the creative idea bank.” So is religion expanding from a cultural way of life, to just a cool new trend? Is the art of fashion greater than what billions of people consider their sacred spiritual belief? According to the article, “Some sociologists argue that using religious themes is, if not offensive, problematic in that it devalues religious beliefs.” I couldn’t agree more, but after interviewing a women’s campus minister from Georgia State University, I was exposed to another point of view on the issue.

Mackenzie Albert believes that “People have a misconception of what it means to be a Christian. They do not realize the lifestyle Jesus called His followers to have, and most people don’t look further into this trend, than it simply just being a trend.”

So does this mean because Christians don’t understand what it means to be a Christian and are not offended, then this trend is ultimately inoffensive?

Mackenzie concluded her interview by making a very profound statement, “A Christian is not defined by what they wear, but by the life that is lived, because Christianity is a lifestyle.”

Mackenzie isn’t the only individual who hinted at the idea that society is blindly accepting controversial trends, Kwassi Byll-Cataria, owner of MODA404 further reiterated the same. The highly acclaimed and super trendy menswear boutique sits in the ever so thriving Buckhead Community in Atlanta, Georgia. It attracts a prestigious cliental interested in very daring, high-end, fashion forward menswear. Kwassi and I conversed more on the dark side of the trend; upside down crosses, goat heads and subliminal messages. He believes the new trend is a sign of rebellion, which is deeply rooted in our music and entertainers. He also believes that sporting the new trend isn’t anymore sacrilegious than a rapper rapping provocative and explicit lyrics while sporting an iced out chain of a cross or an individual who has religious tattoo. These new religious based trends are particularly popular in MODA404 and customers spend a pretty penny on the merchandise. Why?…because its a “cool pattern.” “I’m not here to judge other people and their self expression…if you like it, it’s up to you. Everyone just wants to be cool now days. I’m not selling evil, I’m not selling ‘666’, I’m selling cool. The 80’s are back and its just another form of it.”

I tried my hardest through out this writing process to not voice my opinion but state facts, provide creditable information and just provide food for thought, but I must say that I am disappointed in fashion. I admired fashion, its bold and innovativeness, but I was genuinely let down when it fell to the mercy of darkness. Once upon a time, the person underneath the garments did the talking and the clothes were an accent to personal style and personality, but now the clothes do the talking and the person underneath are mummies, blind and unaware of offensive messages they are promoting, which is alarming! Where are we headed as a society…if sacredness is being deliberately dishonored is ok. If we dismiss common standards within our society such as religion…what’s next to be dismissed?…Laws? Government? In this battle of Fashion v. Religion, Fashion won.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mallia, K. (2009). From the Sacred to the Profane: A Critical Analysis of the Changing Nature of Religious Imagery in Advertising, Journal of Media and Religion.

MOON DIARIES

its like you were a figment of my imagination..i look down 2 write a passionate moondiaries, look up and u disappeared…swerving all the way home peering thru street lights and trees, racing to the top of my parking garage where i know ill always find you…and indeed u revived me. i sat and watched as the clouds slowly overwhelmed you..little by little..until u were nothing but a twinkle and soon really once again a figment of my imagination…but I’m not crazy…u were here tonight! Although i watched ur light dim to nothing, your fire still exist within me, there is still a fire burning within me for you.

Moon Diaries

I honestly teared up when I saw you tonight, which is weird bc u kinda looked like someone took a bite of you, but what they left was the best part…they don’t know what they were missing…saved the best for me! 😉

I N S T A G R A M

Yo! Follow me on Instagram, especially for my #moondiaries lol
@cococam16 😉

L A U N D R Y D A Y

Most ppl don’t look forward to laundry day…generally I don’t either, but if you’re like me and don’t own a washer and dryer and must travel 30 mins to your moms house to wash it’s especially a hair pulling experience! The worst part is that I haven’t washed in like 3 months so I have a billion things to wash, will probably have to go get more laundry detergent and will be here alllllll day :(, but there are several pluses to this situation. I tend to look at the glass have full so I guess it’s kinda cool to have three months worth of clothes without having to be a repeat offender of outfits…right!? And I do use this time to have quality mother daughter bonding time…take mama to lunch or something…right!? And today while sorting my laundry I found another plus! Bc it’s been so long, every piece I pulled out had a story behind it, it was like goin thru a scrapbook of this summer! Like when I pulled out my swimsuits from when I went to Florida this summer…that made me smile…we had a great time and a much needed vacay! Then I pulled out these random hand towels I stole from a really nice hotel…I chuckled…reminded me of how silly me and my friends get when we’re together. Then I start pulling out all these cute undies I had completely forgot about…that I actually collected from free coupons from Victoria Secret that keeps accidentally getting placed in my mailbox lol and that I will never mention to the mailman lol lol lol! Then I pulled out the pants I wore to my first day at my internship with Creative Loafing, I was trying to make a good impression and had a fight that morning with my mom abt inappropriate attire for work..she won that fight and was the reason I wore those teal slacks from J.Crew..I appreciate her for that lol. Kinda makes doin laundry not that bad actually…looking forward to January when I wash clothes again lmao jk hopefully it won’t take that long hahaha

Windows down, hands up

I’m one of those weirdos that wait til not a car is in site to raise my hands out the window as far as I can…REACH REACH REACH…and take it all in…all that God created and just breathe. Most relaxing thing ever especially if your listening to the right song..that’s if your not too ashamed of how lame it may appear to oncoming cars hahahha. But I don’t care if someone caught me…the feeling is just that exhilarating lol

Avacrazy!

My favorite accessory of the week is avocado! I’ve literally put it in everything I’ve eaten this week…tilapia, a pizza lunch-able, brussels sprouts…I could go on! I have so many ideas for future meals right now! Can’t wait until dinner! Not only does it add texture and creamy flavor, but it’s so cute and green! I just wanna eat it all up lol! Maybe this is a sign that green is going to be my color for fall….I CAN DIG IT!

F A S H I O N V. R E L I G I O N

Prepare yourself for one of the most interesting topics I have ever written. One of depth, one of style, one of statement, one of controversy! Be sure to follow up! U don’t wanna miss the release of this piece!