Knock

If "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.."

Would a crop top by any other label look as cute? 

I was on the Urban Outfitters website the other day thinking I'd take advantage of the rare free-shipping deal and stumbled across this little number: 

 

Just a simple crop top right? 

I loved it as soon as I saw it but couldn't help asking myself why I loved it so much.. I know my taste very well and...It's not really my taste. Paired with the black pants, it rang a familiar bell: 

Kristen Stewart wore this Balenciaga two-piece on the red carpet. I remember seeing this look on her and thinking how refreshing it was. I'm so used to seeing her in a printed, lacy number that her stylist obviously handpicks for her. This suit was very editorial, but very ready-to-wear at the same time. It's so simple: black and white, but the tailoring was impeccable on her and it did so much for her figure- she looked timeless and stunning and it was the perfect balance of femininity and masculinity. 

Here is Gwyneth Paltrow in the same suit on the cover of Harper's Bazaar US:

Is the only reason we buy certain clothes because they remind us of the designer staples? Yes. Would we buy the same knock-off piece if it we had never seen it originally on the runway? No.

As a female who loves fashion, I know that every time I see any piece of clothing, I don't like the piece itself. I like the idea of the piece as an outfit. I imagine those leather pants with a beige slouchy sweater or that graphic tee with some great faded blue jean shorts. That's why you always hear women say "Wouldn't this look great with that amazing ( ________ ) I have?!" 

Without the designer influence and imagination, some of the things we buy would be so banal.. There would be no backstory there, no great idea. I wouldn't buy this top because Balenciaga wouldn't have made it as a suit. It wouldn't have looked amazing on the runway. It wouldn't do wonders for Kristen Stewart. 

But Balenciaga did. And it did look amazing. And now when I buy this and wear it I will have an idea in my head about how great it looked as a suit and how beautiful Kristen looked in it and how great I want to make it look on me. 

And that's the power of the fashion industry wrapped up in a white little crop top.