Fashion is subjective, so while I may consider this look flawless, you may reasonably find it heinous. I say ‘reasonably’ with some strain, as I don’t know how anyone could dislike this outfit. But I digress. I’m going to attempt to dissect and analyze the elements of this piece, the opening look from Hellessy’s SS18 collection, that make it so perfect.
I’m well aware I’m speaking to a small audience when I write about fashion. People don’t often consider fashion to be art in the way they think about fine art, music or movies. For those who do, fewer still experience the sensation of being moved by a piece of fashion, or an outfit — which is exactly how I felt when I saw this.
I was taken aback by this look. I stopped in my metaphorical tracks: damn, it is just so good.
Let me clarify.
This piece perfectly marries masculine and feminine themes, creating a piece that plays on contradictions. While my tolerance for “millennial pink” is waning, I embrace it with open arms in this case. The soft blush color cuts the natural severity of a suit. As I learned from several unfortunate attempts to purchase an interview suit this summer, pulling off a suit is more difficult than it looks. One wrong move, and it looks like you’re wearing frumpy, suffocatingly corporate menswear. The fluid fabric helps with the fit of the piece, letting it graze the body in a way that is more flattering and effeminate. Additional detailing, like the deep V-cut, the slits in the sleeves and the double-breasted buttons give the look some oomph, adding a depth to the outfit in a way that elevates it from the ordinary.
But the aforementioned descriptors are all an attempt to rationalize and analyze a feeling. In the end, what made this suit perfect was the fact it elicited a visceral reaction from me, the way all good art should.