Functional Fashion Frills
Fashion has always been an outlet for people to express themselves. It has been used to show things about a person such as their social status, interests, personality, financial class, creativity and much more. Over the years, fashion has evolved to include functional elements that serve a purpose, achieve a look, or help people in their everyday lives. Simple accessories have become so much more and serve different purposes than what they were originally designed for, showing an exciting innovation within the accessories space.??
Some types of accessories that have evolved to include functional elements are:
Seasonal Scarves and Such
Seasonal wear items are products that are usually only in stock regularly during a specific time of the year. Some good examples of these are products like beanies, scarves, and gloves. You wouldn’t necessarily need or find these during a North American summer. They are specific to the chillier months between November and March. These items are meant to be used to keep you warm, especially in states like New York where the temperature can drop below zero regularly during the winter.?
However, these items have transformed to include different designs, materials, styles, and features of their own. They are a part of their own trend cycles and have specific aspects that make people want to get one style over another. Even though, in reality, the less visually appealing hat will still keep you warm, shoppers gravitate towards the one that has a cuter design on it. Like any other piece of clothing or accessory, functional accessories also have cycles that are important to understand year over year.?
Another part of seasonal wear items is that they can be used as accessories to complete a look. Many people, like social media influencers, have used beanies, scarves, and arm / leg warmers to fit a vision rather than use them for their intended purpose of keeping them warm.
The board below shows various outfits that use seasonal wear items as a way to coordinate or enhance their outfit.?
In the leftmost image , the beanie and scarf coordinate as a set. They? compliment the colors in the scarf and contrast the black of the winter coat and pants. These accessory pieces also bring in elements of the shoes which pull color from the white of the sweater.?
In the middle image , the young woman achieves almost a fully monochromatic look. She adds the hat and gloves to continue the colors found in her sweater and pants. Her shoes add a darker tint but still compliment the season she is dressing for.
Lastly, the rightmost image shows once more a coordinated set among the beanie and gloves which allows for contrast from the similarity of the sweater and scarf coloring. The tan of the jacket brings in the beanie and scarf set with a black lining. It is tied together with the shoes, once again, that highlight colors from various elements of the outfit.
These three examples show how the use of seasonal wear accessories allows for function and fashionability. The wearers are able to use it for its intended purpose to create and keep warmth, but they are enhanced with an added purpose of fashionability and completing a vision.?
Another example of how accessories can be used to achieve a certain look is demonstrated in the below photo showing a woman sitting in the snow. She is wearing an outfit that you’d typically wear in the more summery months consisting of a tank top and skirt. The pose she chose seems to point to the hat as a key feature as she is holding onto it and making it a focal point in the photo.? In this photo, she is also using a matching set of arm and leg warmers to compliment the season she is in while contrasting the outfit itself. Although her outfit may be opposite of the season, she relies on the seasonal wear items to do their function and help achieve the grunge fairy look she is going for.?
Eye Wear for All ?
Another example of function accessories are prescription glasses. Glasses have historically been used to let people who don’t have perfect 20/20 vision be able to see clearer. However, they now have become used as an accessory to achieve the appearance of looking / being smarter. Of course, there are still prescription glasses, but there are also non-prescription or ‘fake’ glasses non glasses users can buy to get this look.?
Fake glasses are glasses that do not have a prescription in them and are typically used as an accessory or an addition to enhance the look of professionalism or to make a person be perceived as being more knowledgeable. This is because of the societal tie between wearing glasses and being good at things like academics, being a leader, etc.?
In the below collage, the leftmost image shows prescription glasses from Warby Parker. In contrast, the rightmost image shows fake glasses from Eye Buy Direct. As we can see, they are able to achieve similar looks and have their own functionalities. The function of the left pair from Warby Parker is to allow the wearer to have better vision. While, in contrast, the function of the right pair from Eye Buy Direct allows the wearer to achieve their desired look.?
We can see through the middle image that both types of glasses can come in an array of frames to fit any look. They do however have varying price points; the Warby Parker pair starting at $95 USD while the Eye Buy Direct pair being just $25 USD. This price reflects the technology needed to create each pair.?
Another example of functional glasses are tinted sunglasses . Sunglasses have non-prescription lenses but usually feature some sort of tint that is used to block the harmful gaze of the sun. They are a convenient adaptation of traditional glasses and visors that help wearers shield their eyes from harm on a hot summer day. Much like prescription and non-prescription glasses, they come in a variety of lenses to help wearers find the shape and size that suit their faces and features.?
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Chic Tracking
Jewelry pieces have evolved to be a cool way to disguise or stylize functional safety technologies. Companies have become very creative with their use of jewelry, creating tracking necklaces and bracelets for elderly relatives, significant others, pets or wildlife initiatives, and much more. The below grouping shows different types of functional jewelry.?
The leftmost image shows a tracking watch from the brand Angel Sense that is meant to help track your elderly relatives. As many individuals get older, it may be harder for them to get around or they may become more forgetful, developing conditions like dementia. By having some sort of tracking device on them, a loved one can see where their parent or grandparent is, even if they themselves can not remember. This also helps them be able to contact law enforcement or medical personnel if needed and give them an accurate location for their loved one in case they experience a fall, break-in, etc.
The middle image shows a beaded bracelet from the brand Fahlo. These bracelets were created to help fund wildlife preservation and research. By purchasing a bracelet, you are helping to keep these animals and their environments safe. The bracelets have a feature that allows you to track your very own wildlife friend through a phone application. It is an innovative way to combine style, purpose, and technology.?
Lastly, the rightmost image shows a tracking necklace from the brand Invisiwear. Similar to the tracking watches from Angel Sense, these necklaces are meant to keep a loved one safe in case of emergency. If the wearer feels unsafe, they can press the circle on the necklace and an alert will be sent to their phone. If they do not confirm safety in a set amount of time, their designated emergency contacts and local law enforcement will be notified with their location.?
These three functional jewelry pieces are an amazing way to combine technology and design. They help serve a purpose but in a stylish way, helping individuals and sea friends every day.?
Another type of functional jewelry we may not think of is an engagement or marriage ring. Though this can be seen as just a piece of jewelry, it is actually a symbol. Its purpose is to symbolize the bond, love, and trust between two individuals. It is a gender-neutral accessory that can be worn daily. It is resilient and versatile, and able to coordinate with any outfit.?
To wrap up, accessories have always been a part of the fashion industry. Over time, they have evolved. They now can serve as a way to design wearable technology. They can be used as a part of a trend or to enhance a look. Or they can be a symbol of love passed down from generation to generation. Overall, the impact of accessories has changed so much over time and it will continue to go well beyond anything frivolous. It is a subsector of the fashion industry that is anything but easy to predict. We should all keep an eye out for what innovations the industry delves into next.
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