As our sense of fashion inevitably progresses year after year, so does the world of technology. Think about what people were wearing fifty years ago – it was still frowned upon for women to show bare skin on their legs. Fifty years ago we hardly had color television, now we have Google glass; which looks oddly similar to what those geekie Trekkies are wearing when they parade around at conventions all over the place.
Coco Chanel (an idol of mine, what can I say?) once said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Well what’s happening around us? 2000: A Space Odyssey is now a reality (that movie your Dad always talks about) and reality is looking more like a scene from Tron or Total Recall everyday.
So, fashion and technology are intersecting, especially in the tech accessories arena? Yes, that’s essentially what I’m getting at. Look at the way your iPhone has become an accessory to your ‘self-image.’ You have a case, a type, a color, etc. You considered these things because you most likely considered them cool or fashionable. Well now we have the Apple Watch, an extension to your phone that you actually wear. I think they’re ridiculously stylish and completely awesome extension of the already fantastic iPhone.
Apart from the Apple Watch, there are tons of other wearable fashion devices. The Fitbit is hot right now, and why not? It’s cool, sleek, and useful. I’ve already mentioned the Google Glass but how long until everyone in the world is wearing something similar? Five, maybe ten years?
There are even wearable cameras like the GoPro or the Nixie – a flying drone camera that’s in prototype. We’re definitely moving toward a new era where our every movement is documented, whether by our own choice or not!
Some of my favorite tech-fashion items are the fitness related ones. Similar to the Fitbit, Ralph Lauren made a biometric shirt that tracks your body’s data and sends it directly to your phone. These health-integrated clothes and wearable devices are constantly helping us change the way we look at fitness. I recently saw a product on Shark Tank that you can customize with motivational language that only appears when you sweat called Viewsport.
Whatever you think about fashion, there’s no denying that things are constantly changing. We have to adapt to stay ahead of the game and saying that technology and fashion don’t belong together is simple-minded. Like any other industry, we have to keep moving forward and not let ourselves fall behind.
Breanne Banessi is a recent college graduate and fashion blogger. You can find her at Proper and Pink.