As the death toll of British service people in Afghanistan reaches 100, and the death toll of civilian men, women and children in the country reaches over 10,000 it’s time to think about the ‘Military Look’.
Brass buttons, epaulets, pea coats, lace up boots, berets, braiding, trench coats; all on trend, all cool, all hip and all designed for a military context. And by military context I mean a context in which people will be killing other people.
Of course fashion is not a moral standard-bearer. For all that people complain about fashion’s relationship with eating disorders, fur, environmentalism and body image, the people in the industry don’t really give a toss, and why should they? While the vast majority of people continue to support the fashion industry by buying their products, why on earth would they change their winning formula?
It is us, the pocket-powered consumers who chooses to dress like high street sergeant majors. It is us, the fashion-following style council who march down town to buy up a kit bag of military-inspired garments. It is us who, in the end, have chosen to make military uniforms part of our everyday wardrobe.
And, at a time when Britain is at war, that choice is significant, even if you just pretend it’s cool.
Nell Frizzell
Post a Comment