With Great Style Comes Great Timeless Pieces
By: Ava Shapiro
Nowadays. fashion trends seem to come and go faster than ever — yet there are still several items and styles that hold their power over the masses. No matter what year it is or which trends are popular, these so-called “timeless” pieces rarely go out of fashion. Think of the Hermès Birkin Bag, Levi’s 501s, or even the well-loved little black dress. What about these items makes them so eternally relevant, and how can we even describe what “timeless” fashion is?
The concept of “timeless” fashion is usually described as clothing that is simple, neutral, and classic. In almost every lifestyle magazine, fashion blog, and Pinterest board in existence, a “classic” outfit is bound to appear. As expressed by Who What Wear, timeless fashion consists of not following trends, wearing properly fit pieces, not over-accessorizing, and establishing an “outfit formula” to keep track of what styles and silhouettes look best. However, it is not exactly clear why the aforementioned pieces are considered “timeless,” or if these style tips have even been around for that many years. To put it simply, the main faux pas that one could make when they are trying to dress classically is to wear trends. Instead, you must wear the articles of clothing deemed timeless in order to be timeless. According to this logic, wearing Levi’s 501’s, a Burberry Trench Coat, a white button down, Converse Sneakers, and Ray-Bans are the perfect combination to a classic outfit. And while this information is commonplace in magazines and blogs, where did these classic pieces originate, and how did they become the timeless staples that they are now?
Most of these classic pieces are rooted in functionality, in fact. The now elusively iconic Hermès Birkin Bag was designed for actress Jane Birkin after she accidentally spilled the contents of her bag on a plane while sitting with Hermès Chief Executive Jean-Lousie Dumas. Together, they decided to create a large women’s purse with pockets to keep all of her belongings. Famously, Levi’s 501s were created for miners during the Gold Rush who needed sturdier pants with reinforced pockets. Furthermore, many classic articles of clothing were created during wartime to aid in harsh environments or perform specific tasks. For example, the trench coat originated as practical outerwear for World War I soldiers fighting in the trenches — hence the name — and was later popularized by movie stars wearing them in Hollywood films. Similarly, the leather jacket first came about as military wear in World War I and World War II, then incorporated into the everyday citizen’s wardrobe after appearing as costumes for famous film stars like Marlon Brando in The Wild One and James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause. Needless to say, these timeless pieces of clothing were all created out of necessity. Could this be the sole reason for their longevity in fashion?
Many in the fashion world would disagree. According to marketing specialist Dr. Celia Stall-Meadows, these items are timeless simply because they have “longer life spans” than other designs and are thus circulated in fashion cycles for a longer time period than other pieces. In a related stance, Danilo Venturi — Head of Business and Communication at Polimoda Florence — believes that these trends are, “a mix of good marketing linked to a good long-term trend forecasting, with a bit of luckiness of course.” This theory makes sense when looking at items like Ray-Bans or Converse. These pieces benefit from their branding as effortlessly cool, casual, and even edgy — think rock stars and athletes. Other perspectives, such as fashion designer and lecturer at Middlesex University Richard Sorger and CR Fashion Book, feel that these styles’ vagueness and near invisibility make them feel not so much timeless, but “out of time” entirely, like they could be placed in any year and still feel relevant. This may hold true for pieces such as the little black dress or the white button-down, both of which can come in a multitude of different styles and thus can even incorporate trends into their classic design.
And while there is not one singular quality that determines how an article of clothing becomes timeless, it is evident that nostalgia and reputation play a major role in their endurance. When a customer purchases a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor’s, a Burberry trench coat, or even a pair of Ray-Bans, they are not only buying the aesthetic — they are influenced by these products’ notoriety, prestige, and prevalence since their original inception. They withstand the test of time for their quality and their reputations created by the consumers who love them. Timeless pieces don’t just let consumers witness history — they become a part of it.
