Oppression is not Stylish. Occupy Fashion.

New York is a giant insecurity-generating machine. People from all over the world—feeling like big fish in a small sea—go to New York to be put back in their place. There is always someone better than you at what you do in New York. And there is always someone better-looking. Lots of someones, in fact. Seas of someones. No matter what you wear, you will feel self-conscious. That’s why New York is such a vibrant laboratory of fashion. Fashion feeds on insecurity.

Yesterday I was part of a panel on Fashioning DIY and Craft Revivalism at Parsons The New School for Design. Good times. Good talks. Sharp students sharply dressed. Nonetheless, I admit to feeling a bit of relief walking through the gates of Union Square, where the anarchists and labor activists were assembled to hoist their signs and shout down capitalism. I needed a bit of grizzly, low-brow activism to round me off. And I found it, particularly in this awesomely DIY, anti-fashion runway show. My favorite sign at the event: “Capitalism doesn’t go with my outfit.”

An anti-fashion runway show.

 A more conventional display of Occupy sentiment. 

These ladies are rad. Enough said.

Hoisting the anarchist flag.

The anarchist messenger bag.

The anarchist backpack.

Anarchist chic.