Dramatic fashion’s powerful aesthetic, and is beauty bias ever ok?
A counterargument to my last post, and thoughts on the beauty of Dramatic fashion.
My last post observed that over 90% of the most popular models may have the Dramatic style essence, and consequently argued that we need greater representation of people with different style types in the fashion industry.
But I’m kind of compelled to present a counterargument—I don’t necessarily agree with this counterargument, but I also think there’s value in entertaining perspectives that you don’t believe.
The fashion industry’s Dramatic vision
When writing about overrepresentation of Ethereals in Game of Thrones, I said I wasn’t sure whether this overrepresentation was a problem. The many Ethereal faces in the show exude mystical vibes that echo the magical aura of the fictional world.
Similarly, you can argue that the world of the fashion industry aspires to project a vibe of power, intensity, and unconventionality, and that the decision to employ models who in general have highly Dramatic faces helps to create this world and fulfill the designers’ artistic visions.
Just as a predominance of Ethereals in Game of Thrones serves to immerse us in the creators’ artistic vision of a magical world, the predominance of Dramatics in the fashion industry serves to immerse us in the fashion world’s unconventional, avant-garde vision.
Focusing on Dramatic overrepresentation in fashion is reductive
Interestingly, Ethereals also tend to be popular in the fashion industry (though likely not to the extent of Dramatics), and in many ways it’s reductive to focus on Dramatic overrepresentation in fashion. Especially because the height, body sizes, races, and ages of models also tend to fit into narrow categories. Those issues have been more extensively discussed by others, though, and are less relevant to the style essences, so they won’t be a focus here.
Life imitates art
I don’t think it’s a horrible argument to say that maybe the fashion industry should just be allowed to proceed with its artistic vision, and that if that vision incorporates a preference for razor-sharp bone structure, then so be it.
One issue, though, is that the fashion industry’s aesthetic preferences don’t exist in isolation. They bleed into the aesthetic preferences of celebrities and laypeople, and many celebrities have apparently literally been bleeding via plastic surgery procedures to get buccal fat removal, which extracts the fat pads from the lower cheeks to create a hollower appearance.
The rise in buccal fat removal is either driven in part by, or at least suspiciously correlates with, the fact that hollow Dramatic cheeks are so popular in the modeling industry.
Should you get buccal fat sugery?
The procedure has inspired a lot of criticism—besides the steep costs and risks of nerve damage and infection, there’s also the fact that as we age, buccal fat naturally decreases up to at least age 50. Plastic surgeons point out that getting the procedure when you’re too young may later exacerbate signs of aging and so have an undesirable effect.
From a style essences perspective, there’s another issue with buccal fat removal: unless you have heavily Dramatic bone structure, the results won’t necessarily harmonize with your face. Of all the types, Dramatics are definitely most capable of looking harmonious with hollow sunken cheeks. So if you’re heavily Romantic or Ingenue, for example, with a face characterized by plump, rounded shapes, the procedure may decrease rather than increase your facial harmony.
And beyond that, the rise in buccal fat removal may falsely imply there’s something inherently more beautiful about sunken vs. full cheeks. Full cheeks can appear youthful and soft, and softness is beautfiul. The softness of Romantic, Ingenue, and Ethereal faces is beautiful.
But, at least when it comes to bone structure, softness isn’t the aesthetic of the fashion industry.
So, I don’t know. I want the fashion industry to be able to execute its edgy vision, but I also don’t want people with full cheeks to think they need their fat sucked away to look better.
Beauty—and logic—of Dramatic fashion
From a style essences theory perspective, there’s also the matter that models are often tasked with showcasing clothes with sharp Dramatic lines and avant-garde, unconventional qualities. As noted in my last post, highly Dramatic people, out of all the types, look most harmonious in avant-garde fashion.
Not only that, highly Dramatic people also look more harmonious than all other types when they break their own style guidelines. So when you consider that models typically have to wear not only avant-garde Dramatic fashion but also fashion that incorporates a variety of different style essences, the reasoning for employing heavily Dramatic models seems even clearer.
Here are some models in styles that incorporate sharp Dramatic lines, often in combination with other essences. I haven’t typed any of these models formally, but they all to my eye appear to have the Dramatic style essence. Would these looks be as powerful if worn by people without Dramatic?
I don’t know. Regardless, I love Dramatic faces and fashion, even as I consider potential reprecussions of the overrepresentation of what I love.
Dramatic jumpsuit with elongated, sharp lines—the model’s very straight hair, dense brows, dark matte eye makeup and strong bone structure help create harmony.
Her sharp jawline mimics the sleek hair with blunt bangs, sleek Dramatic jumpsuit, and avant-garde Dramatic coat.
Dramatic platforms and overall edgy vibe. The overt sexiness and shortening bring in some Romantic and Gamine. The model also pulls off the Dramatic hairstyle.
Dramatic sleek hair and Dramatic jacket—the jacket also brings in some Romantic, an essence that this model doesn’t appear to have. But her intimidating Dramatic aura gives her the confidence to look fairly harmonious even in a jacket that’s not technically fully harmonious with her face.
A Dramatic gown that brings in the Romantic and Natural essences.
