OH COLOMBO! By Koluu

Fashion is a very controversial and subjective topic. People in general comment on what others are wearing either being critical or full of praise. In Colombo it is normally the first and not the latter since it seems that nobody can ever please any onlooker or the so called fashion critics of Colombo. This reaction is quite amazing and even though funny at times one does get a bit tired of all these self-appointed fashion critics who seem to think that fashion belongs only to them.

Then comes the annual ruffling of feathers when fashion guru Kirthi Sri Karunaratne, the Hi! Magazine or other publications put out their best dressed list of women for the previous year. The lists of the first two when published bring out in full force the best sardonic statements of those on the list followed by slander of the individual and the publication. 

Is it not easier not to peek into the magazine or read the column if one is going to get into such hysteria about it? I know many people who do not bother to do so and seem flummoxed when a heated argument takes place about the best dressed list.

Seeing the varying designs displayed in the multitude of fashion shops in the country that does not appeal to our taste makes one wonder who buys such items. Obviously, tastes differ, since the shops seems to be thriving making one believe in the adage “one man’s food is another man’s poison.”

There are many publications worldwide that are considered the Bibles of knowing all of which is good or bad. An example is where one such international magazine listed a Colombo restaurants as one of the best 10 in Asia a couple of years ago. The establishment shut down a year after.  Therefore, it is quite obvious that a person with intelligence and sense can judge what his or her personal tastes are and not have to be a follower of some critic. I firmly believe these magazines are for the faint hearted and not for people with vivid imagination and adventure and do wonder why people get so flustered and worked up when something is actually printed.

I guess it is easier to criticize than actually get down and do something that one loves and be a success at it. I am a firm believer to try, watch and attend functions, restaurants, shops etc.. and being my own judge without listening to others’ opinions and have come to learn  that it is wise to keep my opinion to myself.

Trixie, a great beauty in her day and now gone gracefully old, dresses elegantly to suit her age and is not one of those “naki vise” types that one often comes across in Colombo all botoxed and fully made up and who are actually competing with their own daughters. Trixie has noted that now there are people who adorn themselves in the latest fashion of clothing, footwear, handbags and accessories not taking into account their body shape and do not seem to realize that their attire do not make them fashion icons. “Smart is the woman who knows what suits her and wears it and that is what I would consider a fashionable person,” said Trixie. 

What we have to bear in mind is that fashion and fashion trends mainly refer to anything which is popular in a culture at any given time. It includes areas such as style of dress, cuisine, literature, art, architecture, fashion inclinations and many other popular factors. Fashion preferences often change rapidly, and "fashion" is often used to describe the latest version of these trends.

The terms "fashionable" and "unfashionable" are used to explain whether or not someone or something fits in with the current fashion trend or even a certain type of popular style of expression. The term "fashion" is often used positively as a substitute for style, glamour and beauty. However this term can also have negative connotations of fads and trends, and materialism.