The More Things Change the More They Remain the Same

CEBU, Philippines - There is truth in the old French saying: "The more things change, the more they remain the same." If you have some trouble making sense of this statement, just take a cursory look at today's fashion and trends scene, where you'll get to see that…

…"form" is still held with higher regard than "function" today, just as it was in the past.

There was a time in the past when the corset was all the rage as a high fashion item. As a garment designed to hold a wearer's torso to an ideal aesthetic shape, the practice of wearing corsets was popular during the 16th century in Europe - from where its standing in the history of modern and contemporary fashion grew.

For men, wearing a corset led to slimmer-looking figures. For women, wearing a corset significantly slimmed waistlines; exaggerating the curves of busts and hips.

Now while it can be argued that there's nothing wrong with the intended purpose of the corset, an issue which history now refers to as the "corset controversy" stemmed from its popularity - where the subject of women tightly fitting or "tight lacing" corsets to mold body forms to ridiculously small waistline circumferences took center stage.

Essentially, the controversy questioned just how safe the tightly laced corset practice was, apart from questioning - albeit indirectly - the extreme lengths people would go to just to adhere to the dictates of fashionable trends.

By the 1900s, the controversy died down as the corset's standing as a trendy fashion kingmaker dwindled - taking a step back to literally less constrictive clothing designs.

Today, the corset (well, mostly "watered down" versions of the garment) is still around, though the "corset controversy" that grew with its popularity during the Victorian Era (1837-1901) is not as active anymore.

But while the "corset controversy" can be labeled as irrelevant today, the question it raised about people's submission to the dictates of fashion continues to be. Think of the impractical and ridiculously tight "skinny jeans"!

…a "sharp fashion sense" still doubles as a status symbol synonymous with authority, wealth and/or power today, just as it did before.

When talking about fashion pieces doubling as a status symbol of authority, wealth and power, the name of France's Catherine de Medici is often brought up. She was attributed to be the "inventor" of high heels - and how she managed to bind "fashionability" with "nobility" was linked to the high heels she wore during her wedding to the Duke of Orleans, who eventually became the King of France.

During the ceremony, de Medici wore shoes with two-inch heels as a means of making up for her short height. The move was such a big hit that by the year 1580, high heels became a status symbol for nobility, authority, wealth and power - for both men and women.

Today, high heeled shoes do not exactly hint of how much one has in the bank or if one is a member of a monarchy or not. But just as high heels are no longer useful in spotting kings and queens from commoners today, we still equate being "fashionable" or "trendy" with "power and authority" - just as we are convinced that "beauty" is "truth"; even if we know that plastic surgery is the fountain of youth.

…"the reading of the bill" is still a serious matter today, just as it was before

Considering how elemental everyday life was in the days before electricity, one would think that a sharp sense of style would be the least of anyone's priorities then.

The inception of fashion items like the corset - along with the notable garments drawn by the history of fashion - would have to say otherwise - considering the fact that availability of these items came with exorbitant costs.

Simply put, "the reading of the bill" is still a serious fashion consideration today, just as it was in the past - alluding to just how "the more things change, the more they remain the same." (FREEMAN)