Paris Fashion Week was all about what fashion reviewers call “bourgeoise dressing.” Designers seem to be fascinated by this category and the idea that upper-middle class professionals adhere to a sort of dress code of mostly neutrals, lightweight wools, and buttoned-up style. It reminds me of some of the coping mechanisms designers in New York used as a response of current political and economic uncertainty (looking at you, Tom Ford). Bourgeoise, or bougie (also spelled boojie, bourgie, bujee, etc) as us millenials call it, feels safe. Stable. Predictable. Not in a boring way, just in a dependable way.
[Just as a disclaimer, I’m not using “bourgeoise” and “bougie” as derogatory terms (look at urbandictionary.com‘s definitions and you’ll see what I mean). When I’m talking bourgeoise, I’m talking about upper-middle class working professionals. Not “That [b] with a Louis Vuitton bag and designer glasses complaining about her expired coupons at Target is bougie.” Thanks, Urban Dictionary. ]
The Real Bourgeoise
I never realized that this was a real category of dressing before. I grew up in the 90’s in one of the most bourgeoise towns in the country. Piedmont is a small, very manicured city (about 12,000 people) near San Francisco where professionals tend to move their families because the public school system is amazing. There’s a strong work ethic and belief in meritocracy.
Most people, my parents included, work very hard to live there – that school system comes with a steep parcel tax – and as a result, people didn’t tend to spend a lot of cash on extras. You bought a sensible car and drove it until it became a safety hazard. Your kids went to public schools because the family was saving for college. J Crew was considered “designer”; people simply didn’t think that buying fancy labels was a smart thing to do with limited finances. After all, most of your wealth was in your house and in your education, not in your closet.
Of course, there were families that were truly wealthy and drove the fancy cars and had a fancy lifestyle – but I’d say they’re the minority.
My mom, dad, and stepdad were all part of that working-professionals category. I saw how hard they worked – yes, they loved their jobs, which is HUGE – but they also gave up a lot in terms of balance in order to provide the family with safety, consistency, and a quality education.
It’s Complicated
So I have complicated feelings, which I don’t quite understand yet, about seeing “bourgeoisie” dressing on a runway. One one hand, I LOVE that designers are acknowledging a practical way of dressing that a lot of people can relate to. These pieces are incredibly beautiful while being wearable. There were a lot of outfits in the Hermès show, for example, that I could see my mom (heeeey Mom!) wearing.
On the other hand, I know very few upper-middle class people who are in a financial position to actually buy these pieces. Sure, people can save up to buy a nice handbag, but most people are not going to be buying $800 turtleneck sweaters.
My Mama
My mom has always been my touchstone for professional dressing. She’s retired now, which requires a different wardrobe, but when she was working created this incredible balance between workplace-practical and all-out chic. You could see her personality in her clothes, and could see that she was a professional.
To achieve this, she had to be smart in how she shopped. She loves beautiful clothes, but my mom is no fool. She’s not going to spend the mortgage payment on a pair of pumps. Her closet was carefully curated, a mix between Dress Barn, Nordstrom, and the occasional consigned designer piece. She almost exclusively buys pieces on sale, and is never afraid to use a tailor or a dry cleaner to fix damaged clothes.
Pipeline to the Booj
I suppose the strangeness I’m finding in this week’s presentations is rooted in how these beautiful designer pieces are actually going to make it through the consumer pipeline to the people they’re modeled after. The first people to purchase them will almost definitely not be women like those I grew up with, the ones that these collections are based on – and this is not a slight against people who can afford to buy brand-new Balenciaga (if you can and it brings you joy, go for it!). But I imagine that these brand-new pieces will eventually be consigned, and when they are, it will be women like my effortlessly-chic mamma who will lovingly select them, repair them, and love them for years.
And maybe that’s the whole point of all this boujee-ness. These designers are creating clothes that have classical appeal, that are – hopefully – exceedingly well-made, and that professionals can comfortably wear in their day-to-day. Whether they’re bought brand new or consigned, at the very least, designers are creating clothes that real women can wear. Overall, that’s a step in the right direction, no?
Still, if I had it my way, these beautiful pieces would be more accessible. However, as my mom pointed out to me on the phone today, these styles will eventually make their way to the Targets and H&Ms of the world. Something to keep an eye out for in the next few years.
love,
Stig.
