In Defense of Chloe Sevigny

I’m an advocate of all sartorial risk-taking, so it follows that my wear-whatever-you-want modus operandi extends to celebrities. I don’t think someone’s fame alone gives me (or any fashion blogger, for that matter) the right to weigh in on their stylistic decisions. I suppose this means I don’t care about upping my blog traffic enough to tear down what frequently Googled people choose to wear.

(If, however, you’re a germaphobic turd telling women to buy smaller sizes so they eat less, that’s another story, one in which trashing you and your fingerless leather gloves isn’t a cheap shot: It’s fucking justice. I’ll get you, Lagerfeld, and your little pony tail too.)

In the spirit of defending those whose unique outfits continually put them at risk for public ridicule, I’d like to dedicate today’s post to Chloe Sevigny. Your JAP in shining armor has arrived.

Firstly, let’s stop blaming Chloe for a trend that currently has Fashion acting even more bipolar than usual: This summer’s Romper Craze. Yes, Chloe’s into rompers, bigtime. But she didn’t start wearing them a few months ago like every other celebutard; her penchant for onesies can be traced all the way back to 2005. This doesn’t mean she’s clairvoyant. It merely serves as an example of something we should all aspire to: Wear whatever the fuck you want regardless of whether or not it’s like-so-hot-right-now.

The initial appearance of any trend is rarely met with universal approval, if only because Fashion polices those whose style of dress contradicts its rules of the moment. Post-critique, the industry jacks the ideas of its biggest rule-breakers and later pawns them off as its own: Don’ts become Do’s and Out becomes In, Fashion gets to look original and we get an excuse to buy new stuff.

Think I’m full of it? Chloe took some heat for pairing boots with bare legs and shorts in 2005 too. Fast forward a few years, and what’s oh-so-now? Que suprise, it’s boots, bare legs and shorts!

Chloe also donned what was considered uber-weird eyewear in 2004. Yet in 2007, Ray-Bans Wayfarers became all-the-rage. Bigfuckingcoincidence.

That Chloe Sevigny’s personal style has inspired more than a few trends isn’t the point. What ultimately matters is the source of her sartorial originality, a.k.a. her mastery of the art of Not Giving A Shit. Chloe Sevigny doesn’t dress to inspire Fashion – that what she wears eventually shows up on its radar is simply a byproduct of her dressing to please only herself.

Chloe’s recent pairing of Socks With Orthopedic Sandles might seem like a total faux pas, so if you need to tear her down to feel sartorially superior, go right ahead.

Just make sure you thank her a few years from now, when the Granny Chic trend inevitably hits the runway.