With the improvement of our consumption level, the consumption pattern has also changed. I have noticed that we should emphasize "style" in doing many things now.

You must have found that words that appear more and more frequently in our lives reflect this trend. Most of the praises of stars are high-grade looks, high-grade clothes, good taste and so on. It seems that "glamorous pressure" has become a thing of the past. There are fewer "explosions" in Taobao's product titles, while there are more words such as "minimalist", "niche", "quality", "retro" and "advanced" because merchants have long noticed that consumers are beginning to pursue style.

Then the problem is coming. What is style? Why pursue style? Why does it look more stylish? Paul fussell's Style-Social Class and Taste of Life helps us solve this problem.

Paul fussell's Style: Social Class and Life Taste

Paul fussell analyzed the American social stratum according to wealth, manners and tastes. He believes that people at different levels have different characteristics in dressing, housing, consumption, decoration, conversation and other aspects of social life. Style not only points out these characteristics, but also reveals the reasons for these characteristics.

02

Grade is an embarrassing thing, because grade is unequal and backward. But every time I mention class, it will be embarrassing. Every time "class" is mentioned, people will show sensitivity and anger. This phenomenon just shows that class is real.

Style divides American society into three classes.

carriage trade

Sandwich class

underclass

Each class is subdivided into the following nine grades.

-High society

-Invisible penthouse

-Upper floor

-Upper and middle classes

-The middle class

-The middle class

-The upper-class poor

-Middle-class poor

-The poor of the lower classes

-The underclass

-Extreme poverty

-Invisible penthouse

Among these grades, the upper-middle class is the level that people below this level want to be. They are a little noble, and it is easy to recognize their dignity, but they are not too dazzling and elegant. They like dance academy, and golf and yacht will be their favorite games.

Riding is the favorite sport of the upper class. David, Napoleon crossed the Saint Bernard Pass in the Alps.

The middle class is the most sensitive class to ranking. Stylistically, forssell described the middle class as "cautious, boring, existing for others and very powerful". They are very concerned about other people's opinions and always want to show their so-called "good taste", hoping to be recognized by others and eager to have the opportunity to enter a higher social class. They must look around and capture other people's reactions when making a punch line. It's hypocritical and pathetic to live a life that doesn't belong to you and look down on the lower class.

03

People at different levels have different characteristics in clothing, housing, consumption, leisure style, conversation and many other aspects, from clothing colors, decorations, ice cream to people's class. Style points out these characteristics and their reasons.

Mo Landi changed into this expression after watching Taobao's explosion of Mo Landi colors-"I have never used these colors."

As mentioned in the book, compared with the upper middle class, poor women tend to laugh more frequently and have bigger mouths, because she is eager to tell others that I am happy today and show "preventive optimism".

Forssell mentioned the importance of trademarks.

"Trademarks have a totem-like magic today, which can bring honor to their wearers. Once you put on readable clothes, you confuse yourself with the commercial success of an enterprise, make up for the insignificant loss of status, and become a character at that moment. "

The poor like to wear clothes with big trademarks that are easily recognized by others, and they expect such figures to bring some importance to themselves. The clothes on the upper floor are generally unmarked.

The upper class prefers "British goods" because owning British goods can show their respect for the past. Young people in the upper class should also learn to ride horses and eat, and they must be British.

Changing "college" into "university", caring about reading taste and even watching football games all reflect the anxiety of the middle class about their status. They expect to show the importance of their non-existence through some labels such as "good taste" and "XX University".

By the way, eating out is also the patent of the middle class and the poor. They want to feel the taste of being served by ordering and serving. Especially the middle class, they like to decorate "elegant" restaurants with orchestras, regardless of whether these restaurants are delicious or not.

All these manifestations of the middle class properly explain Lord Melbuner's conclusion. He found: "No matter the upper class or the lower class, there are always some advantages and loveliness, but the middle class is completely artificial, far-fetched, hypocritical and pretentious."

04

So, back to the original question—

What is the style?

When we say the style of a work of art, we mean the aesthetic style and ideological sentiment expressed by this work, which can be divided into high and low elegance and vulgarity. In Qing Dynasty, Zhang Geng once said: "The quality of painting is not a trace, but a meaning", and more importantly, the meaning you want to express. The affectation and ingratiation of the middle class are obviously not high-style, nor are the arrogance of the upper class and the vulgarity of the lower class.

This reminds me of Round Table Season 2 Episode 10.

Tao mentioned that friends around him always have a sense of taste anxiety, worried that their clothes and decorations have no taste, and are eager to show their taste and culture. Just like the "big bite" phenomenon in the auction, everything is higher than others. Maybe he doesn't like this pile at all, but in order to declare his identity and look for pride, he wants to "take a big bite".

The delightful Wendu Tao

This is obviously not a tasteful behavior.

In addition, Wen Tao also said one of his observations, "saints are not like", that is to say, judging people by their appearances is the view of ordinary people. Some bosses often don't care about clothes because they have gained some freedom.

From left to right, from top to bottom: Ji Xianlin, the master of Chinese tunic suit, Li Xiaowen, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhang Yimou, a pink POLO shirt, and Jobs, a black autumn suit.

The author of Style has a similar view: "Only an alternative who transcends the depression and anxiety caused by class chaos is an American who truly enjoys the freedom promised on the coin."

The real style is to stay away from the class, dress up in the way you like, and not deliberately embellish to please people.

Looking back at real life, is our pursuit what we really want? Or was it cheated by the merchant for an idea that I didn't know?

Princess Kate is still running happily in a fast-selling brand.

Just choose what you really want. As for grade, taste and advanced or not, it has nothing to do with me. Princess Kate wearing Zara doesn't affect people's nobility ~

————? It's over? ————