Where Style Meets Substance: The Art of Fashion for Function

We all want to wear clothes that express ourselves and make us feel confident. Some of us love to keep up with the latest fashion trends, follow celebrity looks and personalise outfits that we see on runways. However, when following a trend or wearing a piece of clothing that we like, we need to ask ourselves if it’s practical for what we have planned that day. How is this outfit going to serve me today? Does this piece of clothing serve a functional purpose? Does it make sense to wear this?

It all started when a TikTok creator by the name Elsa Rae (@etherealelsa) made a video about functional fashion. She was speaking about another creator who posted a video wearing hunter gumboots and captioning it “Nobody here understands that I’m wearing hunter boots in a - Kate Moss at Glastonbury - kind of way”. When Kate Moss was wearing her iconic Glastonbury outfit in 2005, the ground was wet and extremely muddy, so naturally she dressed perfectly for the weather. However, when the girl on TikTok recreated Kate Moss’ outfit, she was in Australia, walking in a bright green field with the sun shining bright. Elsa Rae added that this girl’s outfit probably didn’t make sense to those around her because “she was wearing gumboots to a place that was unnecessary”.

Elsa adds that the reason why Kate Moss looked so amazing wearing hunter rain boots at Glastonbury was because it was pouring with rain and there was mud everywhere. Kate Moss wore these boots to serve a function above anything else. “You cannot make a functional piece exclusively stylish”, Elsa states, if you aren’t using specific pieces for their intended function, “you will look silly”, she adds.

Oftentimes fashion lovers forget that fashion is supposed to be functional before anything else. Clothes are made to work for us, not the other way around. Just look back at some fashion icons like Princess Diana and Jane Birkin - what made their style so sought after? They both dressed for their environment instead of exclusively trying to be stylish. I believe that if you choose an outfit that first and foremost serves a purpose, and secondly, looks appealing - that is the embodiment of real fashion and style. Some other fashion icons that wear fashion for function in 2024 include Zendaya, Bella Hadid, Laura Harrier and Kendall Jenner. Lots of models’ off-duty outfits can also inspire some ideas for your next fashion for function outfit!

Let’s explore how fashion for function is shaping modern wardrobes, with a look at the stars who effortlessly make practicality look polished and chic.

Princess Diana

Princess Diana was of course a symbol of royalty and femininity. She was obligated to wear many extravagant custom pieces to events and gatherings, however, it was when she dressed herself for her day-to-day activities that really made us fall in love with her style. Princess Diana was, besides royalty, a mother, a wife, a friend and a public figure. She went to the gym, picked up her children from school and played tennis among other things. The key to her iconic casual looks was that she chose her outfits based on what her environment was going to be that day (while simultaneously being stylish).

Jane Birkin

The origin story of the iconic Birkin handbag started on a flight from Paris to London when Jane Birkin and Jean Louis-Dumas met. Jane Birkin was complaining to him that she can’t find a bag that fits all of her things, and so he designed her ideal travel bag - the Birkin. However, nowadays people don’t use (or want) a Birkin handbag to fit in their day-to-day items or to use it for travelling. The Birkin bag has become more of an ornament than an actual practical accessory (which is what it was intended to be). In our opinion, the way Jane Birkin used her Birkin (for a functional purpose) is much more stylish and iconic than when someone wears a Birkin bag just for status.

Of course, not everyone can afford a Birkin and even fewer people would dare to use it as an everyday bag. An Hermes expert shares that a Birkin bag can double in value in only 5 years, which makes it a great investment. Whenever luxury products get resold, they are only as good as their condition, therefore most people who have a Birkin bag will keep it in their homes like a Picasso - beautiful to look at, but you can’t use it.

Special Occasions

There are some instances where style beats function, —case in point: the Met Gala the ultimate playground for celebrities to showcase their boldest, most extravagant ensembles, often with little regard for practicality. Tyla for example, made a memorable statement in a dress so rigid that she needed help climbing the stairs, a perfect embodiment of fashion as pure art. It's these moments, where the outfit serves no other purpose than to dazzle, that remind us how fashion can be a thrilling, unapologetically glamorous form of self-expression.

There are moments when fashion is all about the art of the outfit, and people embrace the fact that their outfits don’t make sense and they specifically choose to wear it strictly for its flair. Take Emily in Paris, for instance—her wardrobe often leans into whimsical, where functionality takes a backseat to sheer style. One memorable moment shows Emily strutting through an airport in sky-high Christian Louboutin boots, on her way from Paris to Chicago. While most people in her situation would feel extremely uncomfortable and would prefer to wear sneakers or slides when flying such a long distance.

The whole purpose of wearing fashion for function is so that you feel comfortable and adapt to your environment and in that, your outfit will make more sense and be even more stylish. Fashion for function is all about intention and effortless style, which is what made these fashion icons!

Sometimes, functionality is the most stylish choice you can make.