People in Europe are passionate about dressing up. Fashion and style is part of their everyday life. To many, these two words are twin-sister terms. In fact, they are far more like distant cousins. One of the world’s top designers, the ideal of fashion and the queen of style, Coco Chanel said, “Fashion changes, but style endures.”

According to historians, such terms as “fashion” and “style” were known from ancient times. The only difference is that our ancestors had another image of what we call “fashionable.” What does it mean nowadays? It means products that most designers offer, what we see during fashion shows on the “same shaped” models. The majority of average woman can only observe and say, “This is definitely not for me.”

Our ancestors had a different approach toward women’s clothes and looks. The main point was to emphasize the attractiveness and curves of each individual, regardless of her shape and size. That way, every “trendy outfit” of ancient fashionistas was exclusive and unique. It was her secret weapon to win men’s attention.

Nowadays, we have a global industrial revolution in the world of fashion. It is a powerful machine that influences each individual, regardless his/her origin, size and age. The engine of this machine is trend. It is an indicator of one’s social group and lifestyle. Today we are facing the problem not of what to wear, but whom to wear. It is all about brand. “Fashion addicts” are very excited about wearing labels as a “pass” into a smart society. They become somebody’s projection of beauty, so called “walking billboards” with their name on it, or they become puppets for certain designers to bring into life their own perception of the world. For example, people want “Chanel,” not just a “little black dress,” that can be found almost everywhere. In fact, the paradox here is that the most prominent designers dress up like ragamuffins. They do not wear things that they are offering. Therefore, they have their own style while others are doing “fashion.”

What is style? I would describe style as self-expression, the mirror of the soul. You may not think, but style can tell a lot about a person and his/her personality. It is a visual identity of an individual.

For example, who comes to the mind when there is a platinum blonde with bloody-red lips and a little mole? The idol of all times, Marilyn Monroe. She has been and still is the most elegant woman in the world. Many Hollywood actors still copy her appearance, manners and even her own little Marilyn moves nowadays.

Edith Head, the most famous and inspiring American costume designer, the eight-time Academy Award winner, suggests finding a personal style and organizing one’s wardrobe according to one’s activities. She believes that style is a part of one’s success. “You can do anything you want in life if you dress for it.”

Ideally, fashion exists in the form of style and style cannot function outside of fashion. In other words, fashion is submissive, but style is domination. Yves Saint Lauren, one of the greatest names in fashion industry, underlined, “It is all about style, not fashion. Fashion come and go, but style is forever.”