“…it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in the room from a pile of stuff.” -Miranda Priestly, "The Devil Wears Prada"

Fashion: for most people in the world fashion is a word without a whole ton of meaning. It’s a word that people think is excluded from them, held only for a certain group of people who are overly concerned with their outer appearance. It’s viewed as a statement of living that only certain people can embody and take interest in. Only the fashion merchandising majors, the artists, the musicians, or the celebrities. Fashion is limited in the world’s mind because people limit it in their own minds. They don’t understand that in reality all fashion really is is an expression. It’s an expression of who you are, your personality and who you strive to be.

Fashion has been a way for people to show who they are through all the ages and eras of time. From the 1920’s flashy flapper dresses, to the 1980s doc martens or parachute pants, all to the current fringe and tassels hanging off every article of clothing. Fashion always finds a way of repeating itself, and in that fashion has always been a constant form of personal expression no matter the ongoing trend.

Whether you realize it or not fashion is what describes your personality, your values and is how you most strongly portray yourself to the world. So, whether you are the college girl who is constantly keeping up with the styles and trends shown on her Instagram feed, the jocky football player who only wants to be seen in his new styled football jersey, or the plain tee and bootcut jean mom who thinks “fashion” is for the young and trendy 20-year-olds who care way more what they look like… is not what it’s about. It doesn’t matter if you fall into one of these lines or somewhere in between because, guess what, every single one is apart of fashion.

Every single person is apart of the meaning behind that one word that they ride off and categorize so quickly. Whether you feel like you participate in the world of fashion or not doesn’t matter, because just that detail alone shows more about your personality and who you are, or who you want people to think you are, than anything else you can do or say. Fashion is so much more than trends, it is so much more than the newest dress that Rihanna is wearing on the runway, it is an expression of who you are. It is a way to show the world your story, your personality, and your interests. Everyone has a personality that is worthy of being displayed. So whether fashion is what interests you or not, know that you are apart of it everyday. You are apart of what makes this industry special, and the ability to express yourself in such a powerful form is rarely found anywhere else. It’s found especially right now in everyone’s favorite spot for dreams to be made true, New York City. Claimed as the "melting pot of America," the city is best place for people to showcase their new ideas, and bring their own styles to the table, trickling down inspiration to everyone to show the world who they are.

This is what embodies Fashion Week, probably an event that most people only know from the common movie “Devil Wears Prada,” a humorous film showing what the crazy world of fashion can look like at times. Although crazy, it speaks volumes of truth. That fashion is an embodiment of who you are and a part of the world that is unique to yourself. It’s the need and desire for self expression and to create something that is your own. And New York City’s annual Fashion Week brings this heart to life. It has year after year, and 2017 has been no different. With Fashion Week coming to a close I was able to look back on all the new designs that had been shown over that six day period, a task which I am in love with doing and probably take too much joy in. In doing so, my belief that Fashion is an expression of self and a participation of all was even more solidified as I saw what the designers created, as well as how they portrayed it. As shown in some of the pictures below, fashion is for everyone. It's for all types of people, no matter the gender, race, or interests of the person. It's for the do-gooder who is trying to spread love to be radiant, it is for the person who wants more sparkle and acceptance in the world, and it is for the old and new of age or styles. Fashion is all about who you are, so don't count yourself out quite yet.