Fashion recurs cyclically because old forms regain the charm of difference once forgotten

Evidence

Fashion, to be sure, is concerned only with change, yet like all phenomena it tends to conserve energy; it endeavors to attain its objects as completely as possible, but nevertheless with the relatively most economical means. For this very reason, fashion repeatedly returns to old forms, as is illustrated particularly in wearing-apparel; and the course of fashion has been likened to a circle. As soon as an earlier fashion has partially been forgotten there is no reason why it should not be allowed to return to favor and why the charm of difference, which constitutes its very essence, should not be permitted to exercise an influence similar to that which it exerted conversely some time before. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 743

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Fashion is abandoned by a class once it diffuses to other classes — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 618; Rapid fashion change signals nervous exhaustion in an era — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 722; Fashion heightens the felt presence of the present moment — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 723 (+6 more)

Related

• The permanence of change itself grants passing objects an illusion of duration (similarity 0.86)
• Fashion heightens the felt presence of the present moment (similarity 0.84)
• Fashion is abandoned by a class once it diffuses to other classes (similarity 0.84)
• Classic forms resist fashion because they lack points of attack for change (similarity 0.83)
• Fashion-cycle timing is set by how fast a culture consumes and forgets (similarity 0.83)
• Rapid fashion change signals nervous exhaustion in an era (similarity 0.82)
• Representation makes the new appear predetermined and therefore old (similarity 0.82)
• Subjective duration is a separate sensation from physical elapsed time (similarity 0.82)
• The weakening of permanent convictions drives modern consciousness toward fashion (similarity 0.81)
• Fashion dictates styles with no objective, aesthetic, or practical justification. (similarity 0.80)
• Fashion diffusion works through upper-class innovation followed by lower-class imitation and upper-class retreat (similarity 0.80)
• The tension between life and form drives cultural change. (similarity 0.78)
• Cultural forms ossify and drift apart from the life that created them (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Cultural forms ossify and drift apart from the life that created them #complicates (0.55) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 837
• Classic forms resist fashion because they lack points of attack for change #qualifies (0.50) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 745
• The permanence of change itself grants passing objects an illusion of duration #expands (0.50) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 742
• The tension between life and form drives cultural change. #expands (0.45) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 820