By Jessica Abercrombie
Thumbing through fashion magazines and knowing the difference between Prada and Versace constitutes a level of fashion acumen that although notable, fails to meet the standards necessary to be deemed an authentic fashionista.
Appreciation for all levels of fashion, ranging from the swanky floor sets of Neiman Marcus to the couture designs dominating New York Fashion Week, functions as a prerequisite to donning the most eminent label of all: fashionista. The propensity for being a fashionista comes with knowing how to view fabulous fashion as a creative art. Fashionistas inherently recognize fashion as sassy inventive culture that transcends trends and style nuances.
Fashionistas track the impetuses and fashion revolutions of designers like Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen or Balenciaga. They refuse to succumb to fashion fads and hosting debates determining who the next fab designer will be; instead, they romanticize over bodies of work and indulge in high-end individuality.
Characteristically wearing off-the-runway pieces and accessorizing with affluence, fashionistas come in a variety of sizes, textures and textiles. Those whom revel in their self-made title as a fashionista identify not with the label sewn into their garments, but rather the craft behind the stitching and how the artful fabrics contour their bodies. They fixate on combining style and personality as means of fashionable expression.
A fashionista emanates fierceness and breeds innate style. Her knowledge of fashion houses doesn’t compare to her ability to exude passion via her wardrobe. A chic fashion connoisseur, a fashionista doesn’t dabble in the world of fashion – she jumps in, red-soled heels first.
