Oscar Wilde: Aestheticism’s Architect

Notorious for his twinkling wit, eccentric wardrobe and unforgettable conversation, Oscar Wilde was one of most famous personalities of his time. Although “his time” was the 19th century, his take on creating art is relevant even today. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but beauty was always consciously calculated in the eyes of Oscar Wilde.

He was aestheticism’s greatest advocate. Known as the art movement that stresses decadence over social, moral, or political themes, aestheticism’s supporters were often considered superficial, as well as their work. Sound familiar, fashionistas?

Despite the stigma around creating “art for art’s sake,” Wilde continued to create beautiful books and poems, simply for the purpose of creating beautiful things. Does this make Wilde shallow? Should this undermine his work? Should this discredit fashion? No, this simply makes someone an artist.

Just as a deep confession is not relevant to the aesthetic experience, a deep expression is not always pertinent to fashion. Instead, fashion can just be fun. It can serve simply to serve lewks.

Christopher Kane, for instance, probably could not even explain the inspiration behind his “pretty” take on Crocs. (Look them up. They’re bejeweled.) Aestheticism stresses that eternity is now. Fashion is ever-changing, but it is constantly documenting the current world.

Despite the attempt to avoid confessional technique, Wilde’s work mirrored attitudes and impressions of his life. Similarly, fashion doesn’t always have to make a significant statement, but it usually does contain some degree of subtext; the depth is up to the individual.

In other words, an underlying political statement in Crocs might not exist, but in regards to society, people might be prioritizing comfort nowadays. At a time when humor is needed, they also just might find it fun and amusing to wear ugly shoes. In this way, fashion will never be irrelevant because it always satisfies some sort of outlet.

The Hallmark Channel, for instance, is currently booming. During election week last year, the channel had the fourth highest prime-time ratings. With tensions high and division seeping, people are clearly looking for a feel-good outlet. They want a “happy place,” and for many, that’s found in fashion.

Thus, fashion might be superficial, but it never goes to waste. The pursuit of beauty cannot always be so easily reduced to shallowness.

Oscar Wilde said, “A real artist proceeds from form to thought and passion,” that "art never expresses anything but itself,” and that "all fine imaginative work is self-conscious and deliberate.”

Fashion, like aestheticism, is simply a matter of whether you consider yourself a patron of the arts.